Employ people compliantly, quickly, and with confidence – worldwide

In short, yes — however you will either need to establish your own legal entity in that country or engage workers as contractors. Each option carries its own advantages and disadvantages.

If you set up your own legal entity, you become responsible for operating locally. That involves hiring lawyers, payroll specialists, benefits administrators and other experts. This approach can make sense when you expect to hire hundreds in a market, but for only a few hires or a few dozen, an EOR tends to be more cost effective.

Hiring workers as contractors requires careful oversight. Misclassifying international contractors is a significant risk that can trigger sizeable fines and penalties. Using an EOR reduces your compliance exposure by ensuring workers are treated as formally employed.

An employer of record (EOR) is an organisation that legally employs workers on behalf of another business.

It’s important to realise that Employers of Record do not all operate the same way, and the services they provide can vary considerably. Some EORs, like Remote, operate through their own legal entities in every country where they operate, whereas others act as intermediaries without owning entities. Some providers combine both in-house and partner entities. Choose an EOR that aligns with your compliance needs in the countries where you intend to hire.

An EOR can hire employees on your behalf in foreign countries, while a PEO may not. Some companies brand themselves as 'international PEOs' and provide EOR services; others using the 'international PEO' label only support businesses that already have legal entities abroad.

Put simply: if you need to hire in a country where you do not have a legal entity, you require an EOR. If you need assistance managing HR functions—payroll, benefits administration, and so on—in a country where you already have an entity, a PEO is appropriate. Essentially, a PEO offers many of the same HR services as an EOR but does not assume legal employment of your staff overseas.

Learn more about the differences between an EOR and a PEO in our helpful guide.

EOR pricing typically follows one of two approaches: a flat per‑employee fee or a model based on a percentage of salary. Flat fees are charged per person regardless of role or pay band. Percentage fees vary according to an employee’s level and compensation.

Be cautious with percentage‑based pricing. Global employment costs can change substantially, and a dependable EOR will reflect those variances and present clear billing upfront. Percentage models can create incentives to keep salaries low while increasing payments to third parties.

Remote’s EOR pricing is $599 USD per month when paid annually, or C$945 when paid monthly. There are no hidden fees, minimums, contract lengths, or exclusivity agreements. Choose the plan that best fits your team’s needs. View our pricing page to discover how straightforward and cost effective expanding your global team can be.

The primary function of an Employer of Record (EOR) is to serve as the legal employer for your staff in other countries. The EOR mitigates your company’s liability and compliance risk by legally employing workers on your behalf.

An EOR also handles complex HR obligations tied to hiring across jurisdictions. Rules differ on pay frequency, acceptable currencies, statutory paid time off and much more. EORs manage those details so you can spend less time on administration and more on recruiting to grow your business.

Note that an EOR does not oversee daily tasks or employee performance. You will interact with EOR‑hired employees as you would with any other staff member; the only difference is who manages the paperwork.

An employer of record (EOR) is a third‑party provider that is legally responsible for another organisation’s employees. Among other duties, an EOR administers payroll for staff in foreign countries. When you hire through an EOR, you supply the funds and the EOR handles salary distribution, including tax withholdings, social security payments and retirement contributions as required.

Working with an EOR lets you manage international payroll complexities in compliance with local laws without becoming an expert in each country’s payroll customs. You hire the right person, and the EOR takes care of the rest.

When evaluating EOR providers, assess how many countries they serve directly; the scope of global HR solutions they offer—payroll, benefits administration, onboarding and local tax compliance—and how rigorously they ensure adherence to local laws. Also consider the quality and usability of their user interface.consider the number of countries where they provide direct services, the range of global HR solutions they offer such as payroll, benefits administration, onboarding, and local taxes, as well as how thoroughly they ensure compliance with local laws in each country they serve. Additionally, the quality of the user interface should be taken into account.

Only partner with an EOR that owns local entities in the countries where you plan to hire. Otherwise, your employees could end up employed by an unknown third party, leaving you with limited oversight or control over their experience.

Your EOR should also provide robust protections for your intellectual property.

Without strong safeguards, you could face protracted legal disputes over intellectual property ownership across jurisdictions—a serious liability. Consider asking the following questions:

• Do you own an entity in this country, or is employment and compliance outsourced to a third party?

• What measures do you use to safeguard intellectual property and invention rights in this country?

• Do you share employee data with any third parties?

• Do you store employee documents for all countries in a single, easy-to-access location?

Remote owns all its entities, delivers industry‑leading IP protection and data security, and provides best‑in‑class global employment software to meet your needs.

Yes—using an employer of record is completely legal in most countries. That said, the strongest level of legal compliance is generally achieved when EORs own local business entities in the countries where you plan to hire.

Before you engage an EOR, confirm they own a local entity and have the expertise to correctly manage localised payroll, health benefits, taxes and any other compensation you may offer, such as stock options.

If you are unsure when to use an employer of record, learn more about why an EOR is often the simplest approach to international employment.

When you work with Remote, we guide you through an efficient five-step onboarding process designed to position you for long-term success.

• Personalized start: Receive an introductory message from your assigned Customer Success Implementation manager to begin your engagement with us.

• Comprehensive overviewMeet your Remote expert for a walkthrough of the implementation program, offering clear guidance and setting expectations for a successful partnership.

• Product walkthroughReceive a detailed demo of core EOR features to help your team achieve quick, effective outcomes.

• Ongoing supportAccess educational content and prompt assistance for any questions, ensuring continuous support and peace of mind.

• Smooth onboardingYour implementation manager will guide you through the first EOR onboarding to ensure a seamless setup and establish a solid foundation for future hires.

Once your first employee is onboarded successfully, your designated Customer Success Manager will be your trusted advisor for all employment matters.