Source: https://rivet.global/blog/jamaica-bpo-companies-collecting-us-dollars
Published: 2026-10-07 · Updated: 2026-10-07 · By Rashidatou K.

# Jamaican BPO companies collecting US dollars from American clients

Jamaica's BPO sector serves US clients from Kingston and Montego Bay. How BPO firms invoice in dollars, receive payment faster, and handle Jamaican dollar payroll.

## Key takeaways

- Jamaica's BPO sector serves mainly US clients and is paid in US dollars.
- Payroll, rent and local costs are in Jamaican dollars, which float against the US dollar.
- US clients pay faster by ACH to US account details than by international wire to a Jamaican bank.
- Jamaican companies can hold US dollar accounts and convert when needed.

A Montego Bay contact centre with 600 agents serves three US companies. It invoices in US dollars and pays agents fortnightly in Jamaican dollars. US client payments arrive by international wire, three to six days after release. In one month, a delayed payment from its largest client forced it to draw on an overdraft to meet payroll.

## Dollars in, Jamaican dollars out

Jamaica's BPO sector grew on English-speaking talent, US-friendly hours and special economic zone incentives. Its clients are mostly American companies, paying in US dollars. Its costs are mostly local.

The Jamaican dollar floats, managed by the Bank of Jamaica. Converting each client payment on arrival leaves the rate to the day the client happened to pay.

## The timing problem

For a BPO, payroll dates are fixed. Client payments are not. An international wire to a Jamaican bank depends on the client's accounts payable schedule, the correspondent banks in between and the receiving bank. Three to six days is common.

US account details in the company's own name let US clients pay by ACH, like domestic vendors. Payment arrives in one to two business days, in full.

## Convert on a schedule

Hold US dollars as they arrive. Convert a planned amount to Jamaican dollars a few days before each payroll. The rate is then a decision, and payroll does not depend on a client's wire.

## Paying into Jamaica: the local rail

| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Local rail | ACH (Automated Clearing House) and the JamClear RTGS |
| Run by | Bank of Jamaica |
| Settlement | ACH within the business day; RTGS in real time for larger amounts |

Source: [Bank of Jamaica: payment systems](https://boj.org.jm/). Checked when this guide was last updated; the scheme's own page has the current figures.

## Where Rivet fits

A Rivet business account accepts registered companies after verification, including Jamaican companies. Approved companies get US account details in their own name on every plan, euro and sterling details from the Growth plan, and payouts in 120+ countries, including to their Jamaican bank. Rivet is not a bank; regulated partner institutions hold the funds.

## Questions

### Can Jamaican companies hold US dollars?

Yes. Jamaica has a liberalised foreign exchange regime, and US dollar accounts are common.

### Why do US client wires take several days?

They pass through correspondent banks and are often processed separately by US accounts payable teams.

### How should BPO firms handle the Jamaican dollar?

Hold US dollars and convert a planned amount ahead of each payroll, rather than converting each receipt on arrival.

### Do BPOs in special economic zones have different tax rules?

Companies in Jamaica's special economic zones benefit from a reduced corporate tax rate and other incentives, subject to conditions.