Remote's guide to benefits in

South Africa
south-africa flag

Make employment in South Africa easy. Let us handle payroll, benefits, taxes, compliance, and even stock options for your team in South Africa, all in one easy-to-use platform.

Services available in this country:
Employer of Record ProductContractor ManagementPayroll
  • Capital City

    Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial), and Cape Town (legislative)

  • Currency

    South African Rand (R, ZAR)

  • Languages

    English and 10 other official languages

  • Population size

    59,622,350

Services available in this country:
Employer of Record ProductContractor ManagementPayroll
South Africa

Remote builds belonging for your global team with comprehensive local plans at competitive 
rates. 🙌

Remote Benefits Plans

At Remote, we provide tailored benefits to ensure that all Remote employees receive comprehensive coverage from top providers. Our plans offer competitive rates designed for larger groups - even if the team is still growing!

Upon onboarding, Remote will enroll team members in their benefits and provide detailed information about their coverage. Remote manages all administrative tasks, allowing you to focus on scaling your global team.

To ensure benefit equality, any benefits offered will apply to all team members in the country, providing consistent coverage and support across the team.

Medical Aid

Offering medical aid in South Africa is not mandatory, however, providing these plans can greatly enhance the healthcare experience for employees and ensure access to necessary medical services.

In South Africa, Remote provides a variety of local healthcare plans, tailored to different needs. The primary distinction among these options pertains to their Day-to-Day coverage.

Employees can utilize the allocated funds in their Medical Savings Accounts (MSA) for most outpatient treatments. However, when their MSA funds are depleted, they would require an extended benefit to maintain access to Day-to-Day coverage.

The Saver plan offers basic coverage with no extension once MSA funds are depleted. The Priority plan provides a limited extension of Day-to-Day coverage once the MSA’s annual threshold is reached. The Comprehensive plan offers an unlimited extension of Day-to-Day coverage after reaching the MSA’s annual threshold, ensuring continuous access to outpatient treatments.

If you would like more insight into fair equity and benefits best practices, you can download our Global Benefits Guide here !

Saver

Hospital Admissions

Unlimited cover: No overall limit for hospital cover.

Connected Care

  • Remote care at home, including:

    • Home Monitoring Device Benefit

    • Home-based hospital-related care and follow-up treatment

    • Hospital at Home programme for quality care at home

Chronic Medicine

Full cover for chronic medicine on the formulary for all Chronic Disease List (CDL) conditions when using MedXpress or a MedXpress Network Pharmacy.

Screening and Prevention

Covers vital tests to detect early warning signs of serious illness.

Hospital Related Accounts

Full cover in hospital for specialists with payment arrangements, up to 200% of the Discovery Health Rate (DHR) on Classic plans, and up to 100% of the DHR on Essential and Coastal plans for other healthcare professionals.

Pregnancy

Comprehensive benefits for maternity and early childhood, covering certain healthcare services before and after birth.

WELLTH Fund

Covers a comprehensive list of additional screening and prevention healthcare services based on individual health needs.

Travel Cover

Medical emergency cover when travelling.

Day-to-Day Cover

  • Medical expenses paid from funds in the Medical Savings Account (MSA), allowing management of spend.

  • Day-to-day Extender Benefit (DEB) extends cover for essential healthcare services in the network.

Priotity

Hospital Admissions

Unlimited cover: No overall limit for hospital cover.

Connected Care

  • Remote care at home, including:

    • Home Monitoring Device Benefit

    • Home-based hospital-related care and follow-up treatment

    • Hospital at Home programme for quality care at home

Chronic Medicine

Full cover for chronic medicine on the formulary for all Chronic Disease List (CDL) conditions when using MedXpress or a MedXpress Network Pharmacy.

Screening and Prevention

Covers vital tests to detect early warning signs of serious illness.

Hospital Related Accounts

Full cover in hospital for specialists with payment arrangements, up to 200% of the Discovery Health Rate (DHR) on Classic plans, and up to 100% of the DHR on Essential and Coastal plans for other healthcare professionals.

Pregnancy

Comprehensive benefits for maternity and early childhood, covering certain healthcare services before and after birth.

WELLTH Fund

Covers a comprehensive list of additional screening and prevention healthcare services based on individual health needs.

Travel Cover

Medical emergency cover when travelling.

Day-to-Day Cover

  • Medical expenses paid from funds in the Medical Savings Account (MSA), allowing management of spend.

  • Day-to-day Extender Benefit (DEB) extends cover for essential healthcare services in the network.

  • Limited Above Threshold Benefit (ATB) provides additional day-to-day cover once the Annual Threshold is reached.

Comprehensive

Hospital Admissions

Unlimited cover: No overall limit for hospital cover.

Connected Care

  • Remote care at home, including:

    • Home Monitoring Device Benefit

    • Home-based hospital-related care and follow-up treatment

    • Hospital at Home programme for quality care at home

Chronic Medicine

Full cover for chronic medicine on the formulary for all Chronic Disease List (CDL) conditions when using MedXpress or a MedXpress Network Pharmacy.

Screening and Prevention

Covers vital tests to detect early warning signs of serious illness.

Hospital Related Accounts

Full cover in hospital for specialists with payment arrangements, up to 200% of the Discovery Health Rate (DHR) on Classic plans, and up to 100% of the DHR on Essential and Coastal plans for other healthcare professionals.

Pregnancy

Comprehensive benefits for maternity and early childhood, covering certain healthcare services before and after birth.

WELLTH Fund

Covers a comprehensive list of additional screening and prevention healthcare services based on individual health needs.

Travel Cover

Medical emergency cover when travelling.

Day-to-Day Cover

  • Medical expenses paid from funds in the Medical Savings Account (MSA), allowing management of spend.

  • Day-to-day Extender Benefit (DEB) extends cover for essential healthcare services in the network.

  • Unlimited Above Threshold Benefit (ATB) provides additional day-to-day cover once the Annual Threshold is reached.

  • Classic Smart Comprehensive offers defined day-to-day benefits as well as the Above Threshold Benefit (ATB).

Medical Aid

Offering medical aid in South Africa is not mandatory, however, providing these plans can greatly enhance the healthcare experience for employees and ensure access to necessary medical services.

In South Africa, Remote provides a variety of local healthcare plans, tailored to different needs. The primary distinction among these options pertains to their Day-to-Day coverage.

Employees can utilize the allocated funds in their Medical Savings Accounts (MSA) for most outpatient treatments. However, when their MSA funds are depleted, they would require an extended benefit to maintain access to Day-to-Day coverage.

The Saver plan offers basic coverage with no extension once MSA funds are depleted. The Priority plan provides a limited extension of Day-to-Day coverage once the MSA’s annual threshold is reached. The Comprehensive plan offers an unlimited extension of Day-to-Day coverage after reaching the MSA’s annual threshold, ensuring continuous access to outpatient treatments.

If you would like more insight into fair equity and benefits best practices, you can download our Global Benefits Guide here !

Saver

Hospital Admissions

Unlimited cover: No overall limit for hospital cover.

Connected Care

  • Remote care at home, including:

    • Home Monitoring Device Benefit

    • Home-based hospital-related care and follow-up treatment

    • Hospital at Home programme for quality care at home

Chronic Medicine

Full cover for chronic medicine on the formulary for all Chronic Disease List (CDL) conditions when using MedXpress or a MedXpress Network Pharmacy.

Screening and Prevention

Covers vital tests to detect early warning signs of serious illness.

Hospital Related Accounts

Full cover in hospital for specialists with payment arrangements, up to 200% of the Discovery Health Rate (DHR) on Classic plans, and up to 100% of the DHR on Essential and Coastal plans for other healthcare professionals.

Pregnancy

Comprehensive benefits for maternity and early childhood, covering certain healthcare services before and after birth.

WELLTH Fund

Covers a comprehensive list of additional screening and prevention healthcare services based on individual health needs.

Travel Cover

Medical emergency cover when travelling.

Day-to-Day Cover

  • Medical expenses paid from funds in the Medical Savings Account (MSA), allowing management of spend.

  • Day-to-day Extender Benefit (DEB) extends cover for essential healthcare services in the network.

Priotity

Hospital Admissions

Unlimited cover: No overall limit for hospital cover.

Connected Care

  • Remote care at home, including:

    • Home Monitoring Device Benefit

    • Home-based hospital-related care and follow-up treatment

    • Hospital at Home programme for quality care at home

Chronic Medicine

Full cover for chronic medicine on the formulary for all Chronic Disease List (CDL) conditions when using MedXpress or a MedXpress Network Pharmacy.

Screening and Prevention

Covers vital tests to detect early warning signs of serious illness.

Hospital Related Accounts

Full cover in hospital for specialists with payment arrangements, up to 200% of the Discovery Health Rate (DHR) on Classic plans, and up to 100% of the DHR on Essential and Coastal plans for other healthcare professionals.

Pregnancy

Comprehensive benefits for maternity and early childhood, covering certain healthcare services before and after birth.

WELLTH Fund

Covers a comprehensive list of additional screening and prevention healthcare services based on individual health needs.

Travel Cover

Medical emergency cover when travelling.

Day-to-Day Cover

  • Medical expenses paid from funds in the Medical Savings Account (MSA), allowing management of spend.

  • Day-to-day Extender Benefit (DEB) extends cover for essential healthcare services in the network.

  • Limited Above Threshold Benefit (ATB) provides additional day-to-day cover once the Annual Threshold is reached.

Comprehensive

Hospital Admissions

Unlimited cover: No overall limit for hospital cover.

Connected Care

  • Remote care at home, including:

    • Home Monitoring Device Benefit

    • Home-based hospital-related care and follow-up treatment

    • Hospital at Home programme for quality care at home

Chronic Medicine

Full cover for chronic medicine on the formulary for all Chronic Disease List (CDL) conditions when using MedXpress or a MedXpress Network Pharmacy.

Screening and Prevention

Covers vital tests to detect early warning signs of serious illness.

Hospital Related Accounts

Full cover in hospital for specialists with payment arrangements, up to 200% of the Discovery Health Rate (DHR) on Classic plans, and up to 100% of the DHR on Essential and Coastal plans for other healthcare professionals.

Pregnancy

Comprehensive benefits for maternity and early childhood, covering certain healthcare services before and after birth.

WELLTH Fund

Covers a comprehensive list of additional screening and prevention healthcare services based on individual health needs.

Travel Cover

Medical emergency cover when travelling.

Day-to-Day Cover

  • Medical expenses paid from funds in the Medical Savings Account (MSA), allowing management of spend.

  • Day-to-day Extender Benefit (DEB) extends cover for essential healthcare services in the network.

  • Unlimited Above Threshold Benefit (ATB) provides additional day-to-day cover once the Annual Threshold is reached.

  • Classic Smart Comprehensive offers defined day-to-day benefits as well as the Above Threshold Benefit (ATB).

Mental Health

Offering mental health benefits is not mandatory in this country, but providing the benefit can significantly enhance the emotional well-being and overall productivity of employees.

Remote offers a comprehensive employee mental wellbeing platform in partnership with one of the top-rated employee mental wellbeing providers. This platform is available on desktop and mobile apps and includes 1-to-1 therapy with a curated pool of top-quality therapists in over 35 languages. The advanced matching service finds each employee the right therapist within 48 hours, boasting a 98% success rate. Employees receive a personal wellbeing profile with tailored recommendations and information to track progress. The platform also offers a curated self-guided content library with audio mindfulness and meditation sessions, guided yoga videos, talks, podcasts on workplace wellbeing, and micro-learning content series for managers. Additionally, there are 24/7 mental health helplines for immediate support when an employee is struggling.

Mental health program benefits may be offered to the employees from among 5 different plans. Offering mental health benefits is optional, but it can greatly enhance employee well-being and productivity.

It is essential to be aware that in certain countries, mental health benefits may be categorized as ‘Benefits in Kind’ (BIK). This categorization means that the monthly premiums paid for the benefit might be counted as part of the employee’s taxable income according to the local tax laws.

When mental health benefits are offered, they must be provided equally to all employees in the respective country.

Basic

Platform Access

Access to the wellbeing platform and app, which includes:

  • Personalised wellbeing assessment

  • Access to world-class self-guided content library with audio mindfulness & meditation sessions, guided yoga videos, talks, podcasts on workplace wellbeing, and micro-learning content series for managers

  • Access to manager-specific learnings and resources

  • Precision matching for 1:1 coaching and therapy in 35+ languages

  • Professional coaching

  • Text-based chat with dedicated practitioner

  • 24/7 global support in all languages

  • Add up to 3 friends and family to the platform

Therapy and Coaching Sessions

  • Not included in the Basic plan

  • Team members can pay for therapy sessions themselves, if needed.

Standard

Platform Access

Access to the wellbeing platform and app, which includes:

  • Personalised wellbeing assessment

  • Access to world-class self-guided content library with audio mindfulness & meditation sessions, guided yoga videos, talks, podcasts on workplace wellbeing, and micro-learning content series for managers

  • Access to manager-specific learnings and resources

  • Precision matching for 1:1 coaching and therapy in 35+ languages

  • Professional coaching

  • Text-based chat with dedicated practitioner

  • 24/7 global support in all languages

  • Add up to 3 friends and family to the platform

Therapy and Coaching Sessions

  • Includes one pre-paid Therapy/Coaching session per policy year

  • Team members can pay for extra therapy sessions themselves, if needed.

Plus

Platform Access

Access to the wellbeing platform and app, which includes:

  • Personalized wellbeing assessment

  • Access to world-class self-guided content library with audio mindfulness & meditation sessions, guided yoga videos, talks, podcasts on workplace wellbeing, and micro-learning content series for managers

  • Access to manager-specific learnings and resources

  • Precision matching for 1:1 coaching and therapy in 35+ languages

  • Professional coaching

  • Text-based chat with dedicated practitioner

  • 24/7 global support in all languages

  • Add up to 3 friends and family to the platform

Therapy and Coaching Sessions

  • Includes three pre-paid Therapy/Coaching sessions per policy year

  • Team members can pay for extra therapy sessions themselves, if needed.

Premium

Platform Access

Access to the wellbeing platform and app, which includes:

  • Personalized wellbeing assessment

  • Access to world-class self-guided content library with audio mindfulness & meditation sessions, guided yoga videos, talks, podcasts on workplace wellbeing, and micro-learning content series for managers

  • Access to manager-specific learnings and resources

  • Precision matching for 1:1 coaching and therapy in 35+ languages

  • Professional coaching

  • Text-based chat with dedicated practitioner

  • 24/7 global support in all languages

  • Add up to 3 friends and family to the platform

Therapy and Coaching Sessions

  • Includes six pre-paid Therapy/Coaching sessions per policy year

  • Team members can pay for extra therapy sessions themselves, if needed.

Platinum

Platform Access

Access to the wellbeing platform and app, which includes:

  • Personalized wellbeing assessment

  • Access to world-class self-guided content library with audio mindfulness & meditation sessions, guided yoga videos, talks, podcasts on workplace wellbeing, and micro-learning content series for managers

  • Access to manager-specific learnings and resources

  • Precision matching for 1:1 coaching and therapy in 35+ languages

  • Professional coaching

  • Text-based chat with dedicated practitioner

  • 24/7 global support in all languages

  • Add up to 3 friends and family to the platform

Therapy and Coaching Sessions

  • Includes twelve pre-paid Therapy/Coaching sessions per policy year

  • Team members can pay for extra therapy sessions themselves, if needed.

Download Benefits Guide PDF here

Learn more about Remote benefits

How do benefits work when hiring through an EOR?

Watch this quick explainer video to understand how offering benefits works when you hire team members through an employer of record like Remote.