The Cuban government has expanded foreign companies' access to its wholesale market and permitted their local commercial offices to hire workers directly, under new regulations published on Friday in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba. The measures are designed to attract greater foreign investment, reduce supply chain bottlenecks, and support Cuba's broader economic recovery.

Key Provisions of the New Rules

Under the updated framework, branches of foreign companies established in Cuba are now permitted to import and export goods and distribute them wholesale within the country. Previously, foreign firms supplied goods while Cuban importers managed customs clearance, transportation, and distribution — a multi-layered process that critics argued inflated costs and slowed supply chains.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Deborah Rivas said the changes would give foreign suppliers more direct access to the Cuban market. 'One of the main effects this measure could have is the elimination of intermediaries in the distribution chain,' Rivas said at a news conference, adding that fewer intermediaries should lead to lower prices for end consumers.

Hiring Reform Extends Earlier Decree

The employment provisions build on Decree-Law 128, published in September, which amended Foreign Investment Law 118 to allow businesses with foreign capital to choose whether to hire workers directly or through employment agencies. The latest rules extend that same option to foreign commercial representative offices, which operate under a separate regulatory regime. Rivas confirmed that this harmonises treatment across different categories of foreign business presence in Cuba.

Single Window Platforms Streamline Access

Cuban legal entities can now apply directly for authorisation to import and export through the Foreign Trade Single Window, an online platform accessible nationwide, removing the previous requirement to engage intermediaries. A separate Foreign Investment Single Window also remains operational and has reportedly received inquiries from prospective investors across multiple countries, according to Rivas.

Diaspora and Broader Investment Openings

In a notable inclusion, Cubans living abroad are also eligible to participate in foreign investment projects and contribute capital — from inside or outside Cuba — on equal terms with other economic actors. This provision signals an effort to tap the Cuban diaspora as a source of investment capital, a constituency that has historically been kept at arm's length from the island's formal economy.

Part of a Wider Reform Drive

The measures are the latest in a series of initiatives announced by Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment since November 2025, aimed at stimulating foreign trade and underpinning economic recovery. Cuba has faced acute shortages of fuel, food, and medicine in recent years, compounded by tightened US sanctions and the lingering economic fallout of the pandemic. 'Cuba is an open door to the world when it comes to foreign investment,' Rivas said. Whether the new rules translate into tangible investor confidence will be closely watched in the months ahead.