Employ compliantly, quickly and confidently – worldwide

In short, yes, although you would either have to set up your own legal entity in that country or engage the workers as contractors. Each approach has its own advantages and drawbacks.

If you establish your own legal entity, you will be responsible for running the entire local operation—retaining solicitors, payroll specialists, benefits administrators and other professionals. That option can make sense if you intend to hire hundreds in a new country, but for just a handful or a few dozen hires, an EOR is generally more cost effective.

Hiring workers as contractors demands vigilance. International contractor misclassification is a serious matter and can attract substantial fines and penalties. Using an EOR protects your organisation from possible compliance exposure by ensuring workers are legally employed.

An Employer of Record, or EOR, is a company that legally employs workers on behalf of another business.

Bear in mind that Employers of Record do not all operate the same way; there are important differences in how EOR services are delivered. Some EORs, like Remote, own their own legal entities in each country they operate in, while others act as intermediaries without owning entities. Some providers use a mix of owned and partner entities. It is essential to pick an EOR that matches your compliance requirements in the countries where you plan to hire.

An Employer of Record (EOR) can hire employees on your behalf in other countries; a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) may not be able to do this. Some firms label themselves 'international PEOs' and also provide EOR services, while others using that label only support companies that already have legal entities abroad.

Put simply: if you need to hire in a country where you have no legal entity, you need an EOR. If you already have an entity and want assistance with HR tasks such as payroll and benefits administration, a PEO is appropriate. In short, a PEO offers many of the same services as an EOR but does not take on the legal employment of staff in other countries.

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

EOR costs typically come as either a flat fee or a percentage-based model. Flat fees are charged per employee regardless of role or salary. Percentage models apply a fee based on a portion of the employee's salary and can vary by level and pay.

Be cautious of percentage-based pricing. Global employment expenses can swing widely, but a dependable EOR will account for those fluctuations and present a clear estimate of your costs up front. Percentage fees can create incentives to suppress worker pay while increasing payments to third-party providers.

Remote’s EOR pricing is $599 per month when paid annually, or €645 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 see how easy, quick, and affordable growing your global team can be.

The principal role of an Employer of Record (EOR) is to act as the legal employer for your staff in other countries. Your EOR shields your company from liability and compliance exposure by legally employing workers on your behalf.

An EOR also manages the complex HR responsibilities involved in hiring across jurisdictions. Regulations differ widely: how often employees must be paid, which currencies are acceptable, statutory paid time off and much more. EORs handle these complexities so you can spend less time on administration and more on recruiting to grow your business.

Bear in mind that an EOR does not oversee an employee’s day-to-day tasks or performance. You will work with employees hired via an EOR in the same way as any other member of staff. The only difference between an in‑office employee and one employed through an EOR abroad 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 other countries. When you hire through an EOR, you transfer the funds to them and they distribute salaries, including necessary tax deductions, social security contributions and pension payments.

Working with an EOR allows you to handle international payroll complexities with confidence and in compliance with local law. You don’t need to become an expert in another country’s payroll rules—you hire the right person and let the EOR take care of the details.

When assessing employer of record services, consider how many countries they serve directly, the scope of global HR solutions they provide—payroll, benefits administration, onboarding and local tax support—and how thoroughly they ensure compliance with local laws in each jurisdiction. Also take the quality of the user interface into account.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.

Prefer to work with an EOR that owns its own local entities in the countries where you want to hire. Otherwise, your employees may be placed through an unfamiliar third party, leaving you with limited oversight or control over their experience.

Furthermore, your EOR should offer strong protections for your intellectual property.

Absent robust protections, you could become involved in protracted disputes and legal fights over intellectual property ownership across different countries—a serious headache for any business. Here are a few questions you may wish to ask:

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

• How do you safeguard intellectual property and invention rights in this country?

• Do you share employee data with any third parties?

• Do you store all employee documents for employees in all countries in one easy-to-access location?

Remote owns all our own entities, provides the strongest IP protection and data security in the industry, and offers best-in-class global employment software to meet your needs.

Yes, using an Employer of Record is completely legal in most countries. However, the greatest level of legal compliance is usually provided by EORs that own their own business entities in the countries where you want to hire.

Before you begin working with an EOR, verify they own a local entity and have the expertise to properly manage localised payroll, health benefits, taxes and any other compensation you might 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 most straightforward approach to international employment.

When you partner with Remote, you will be guided through an efficient five-step process designed to lay the groundwork for long-term success.

• Personalised start: You will receive a welcome message from your assigned Customer success implementation manager to begin your journey with us.

• Comprehensive overview: You will meet your Remote expert to work through the implementation programme, offering clear guidance and preparing the ground for a successful partnership.

• Product walkthrough: A detailed demo of the main EOR features to help you achieve fast, effective results for your team.

• Ongoing support: Access educational resources and prompt assistance with any queries for continuous support and reassurance.

• Smooth onboarding: Your implementation manager will guide you through your first EOR onboarding, ensuring a smooth setup and laying a solid foundation for future hires.

Once your first employee is onboarded, you will work with your allocated Customer success manager, who will be your trusted adviser for all employment matters.