Promote:
Invest in El Salvador
A short guide for companies expanding into El Salvador: the economy at a glance, the rules and steps to set up, and who can help, each with its source.
1. El Salvador at a glance
Population
6.37 million
The World Bank reports a population of 6,365,503 in 2025.
Source: World Bank WDI, El Salvador population, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDP
US$36.7 billion
The World Bank reports GDP of US$36,708,110,000 in 2025, in current dollars.
Source: World Bank WDI, El Salvador GDP, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
GDP per person
US$5,767
The World Bank reports GDP per person of US$5,766.73 in 2025, in current dollars.
Source: World Bank WDI, El Salvador GDP per person, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Real GDP growth
3.9%
The World Bank reports real GDP growth of 3.9 percent in 2025.
Source: World Bank WDI, El Salvador real GDP growth, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
Inflation
3.6%
Consumer prices rose 3.60 percent over the 12 months to September 2026, in the index the Central Reserve Bank publishes with its statistics office.
Source: BCR, consumer price bulletin, September 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 2026
Foreign direct investment inflows
US$474.8 million
Foreign direct investment inflows were US$474.834 million in 2025, according to UNCTADstat.
Source: UNCTADstat, foreign direct investment flows, El Salvador (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
The currency is the United States dollar, legal tender since January 1, 2001.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of El Salvador, February 2023 (opens in a new tab) · as of February 21, 2023
2. Before you set up
The investment agency, any one-stop route, the sectors reserved for nationals and the zones, as the guide found them.
INVEST promotes both investment and exports; the Legislative Assembly approved its creating law on June 7, 2023, replacing the earlier agency PROESA.
Source: Legislative Assembly, news on creating INVEST, June 2023 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of June 7, 2023
The Commercial Registry's Crea Empresa platform lets a company file its incorporation and registrations together online, per INVEST's 2026 setup guide.
Source: INVEST, company setup guide, 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2026
Only Salvadorans by birth and Central American nationals may run small-scale trade, industry and services, under the Constitution's Article 115 and the Investment Law's Article 7.
Source: Legislative Assembly, Constitution of El Salvador (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
As of 2022, the WTO review counted 17 free zones in operation and one project for a new free zone.
Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of El Salvador, February 2023 (opens in a new tab) · as of February 21, 2023
3. Steps to set up
The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.
Setting up in El Salvador
- Incorporate the company with the Commercial Registry of the National Registry Center, online through its Crea Empresa platform.Centro Nacional de Registros (CNR), Registro de ComercioRegistry fees from US$11.43 to US$91.43 per filing, per INVEST's 2026 guideOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: INVEST, company setup guide, 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2026
- Register the company with the Ministry of Finance for its tax number (NIT) and VAT number (NRC).Ministerio de HaciendaFirst digital NIT free of charge, per INVEST's 2026 guideOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: INVEST, company setup guide, 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of 2026
- Register foreign capital with the National Investment Office, which issues the foreign investor credential.Ministerio de Economía (MINEC), Dirección de InversionesOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: INVEST, Investment Law consolidated to 2013 reform (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Apply to MINEC for free zone, service park or tax benefit status if your project qualifies.Ministerio de Economía (MINEC), Dirección de InversionesOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: INVEST, fiscal incentives and benefits guide (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 3 more set-up steps
- Arrange residence for foreign managers and staff, and get labor ministry authorization for foreign hires.Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME)Non-Central American temporary residence costs $140 for one year, per the 2024 guideOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: INVEST, Investor's Guide, 2024 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2024
- Check the limits on foreign ownership of rural land and on small-scale trade before you buy or open.Ministerio de Economía (MINEC), Dirección de InversionesOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: INVEST, Investment Law consolidated to 2013 reform (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Prepare transfers abroad: the dollar is legal tender, and the Investment Law assures prompt transfers of investment funds.Ministerio de Economía (MINEC)Official page (opens in a new tab)
Source: INVEST, Investment Law consolidated to 2013 reform (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
4. Organizations that help investors
Start with DGA. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
Investment and business setup
Ministry of economy
MINEC
Ministerio de Economía
Registers foreign capital, authorizes free zones and tax benefits, and keeps the trade agreements portal with origin rules.
Visit MINEC (opens in a new tab)Source: MINEC, investment facilitation page (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
- Meet requirements
Immigration authority
DGME
Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería
Handles temporary and permanent residence, visas and extensions for foreign investors and staff.
Visit DGME (opens in a new tab)Source: Immigration directorate, services guide (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Customs and tax
- Meet requirements
Customs authority
DGA
Dirección General de Aduanas
Runs customs clearance and the export declaration process, and issues rules for exports from free zones and service parks.
Export and import procedures center
CIEX
Centro de Trámites de Importaciones y Exportaciones
Registers exporters, authorizes the DUCA export declarations and issues some certificates of origin, as a service of the central bank.
Visit CIEX (opens in a new tab)Source: MINEC, origin documents, Bolivia agreement (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Show 1 more organization
- Meet requirements
Finance and tax ministry
Hacienda
Ministerio de Hacienda
Runs the internal revenue directorate, which refunds exporters' unused VAT credit, and is the parent ministry of the customs directorate.
Visit Hacienda (opens in a new tab)Source: WTO, Trade Policy Review of El Salvador, February 2023 (opens in a new tab) · as of February 21, 2023
Chambers and industry associations
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce
CAMARASAL
Cámara de Comercio e Industria de El Salvador
Represents member companies and reports on its trade and business activity in an annual report.
Visit CAMARASAL (opens in a new tab)Source: CAMARASAL, annual report for 2025 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
5. Worth knowing
Reserved sectors
Small-scale trade, industry and services are reserved to Salvadorans by birth and Central American nationals, and rural land is limited.
What to do: Check your project against the Constitution and Investment Law before you register.
Sources: Legislative Assembly, Constitution of El Salvador (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab); INVEST, Investment Law consolidated to 2013 reform (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of October 31, 2026
Investment tax credits
Since September 19, 2026, firms in listed manufacturing sectors with five years of operation can claim income tax credits of 10 to 30 percent on expansions.
What to do: Ask MINEC whether your expansion and sector qualify before you commit to the investment.
Sources: Assembly, Decree 656 text, September 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab); Assembly, Decree 656 record, September 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of September 19, 2026
Free zone law change
Decree 493, published December 23, 2025, lets developers renew the ten-year exemption extension more than once and treats free zone users in service parks as in a free zone.
What to do: Read the current Free Zones Law text before you apply for free zone status.
Sources: Assembly, Free Zones Law consolidated to December 2025 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab); Assembly, Decree 493 record, December 2025 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of December 23, 2025
High-value investment regime
Decree 373, published August 11, 2025, gives broad tax exemptions to new foreign investments of at least US$2 billion registered with MINEC.
What to do: Ask MINEC whether your investment meets the threshold before you register it.
Sources: Assembly, Decree 373 record, high-value investment regime (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab); Assembly, Decree 373 text, August 2025 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab) · as of August 11, 2025
6. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare El Salvador with other countriesSet El Salvador beside other countries on investment momentum, fundamentals and trade access, before site, tax and legal work.
- Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
- Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.
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Promote:El Salvador is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of October 31, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.