Hiring a talent in Asia is exciting, but the legal and logistical nightmare is daunting. But if you’ve ever tried, you know the struggle: complex labor laws, confusing tax regulations, and endless red tape.
To overcome these challenges, businesses are using Employer of Record (EOR) services in Asia. These services help manage their workforce and operations better.
An EOR legally employs your workers on your behalf and simplifies work experience for employees.
To make choosing an employer of record easy, we’ve curated Asia’s best EOR service provider.
What is an Asian Employer of Record?
An Employer of Record (EOR) for Asia is a third-party application/group. It helps businesses hire employees in Asia without needing a local legal entity.
The legal employer handles payroll, tax compliance, employee benefits, and employment contracts. An Asian employer of record manages work permits and visas. They ensure that all actions follow local labor laws.
This allows companies to expand seamlessly into Asian markets, reduce administrative burdens, and mitigate compliance risks.
Benefits of Using Employer of Record in Asia
- Easier Market Entry
Hiring remote workers in Asia can be tricky. Most countries need companies to create a legal entity before hiring employees. This process takes time, costs money, and involves a lot of paperwork.
An Employer of Record (EOR) makes things simple. Companies can hire employees immediately instead of setting up a local office. The EOR takes care of all the legal and administrative tasks. This helps businesses expand into Asian markets quickly and easily.
- Staying Compliant with Local Laws
Each country in Asia has different labor laws that companies must follow. For example:
- Japan: strict rules on working hours, overtime pay, and social security contributions.
- India: Labor laws vary by state, with different payroll and tax requirements.
- China: Employers must provide mandatory benefits like housing fund contributions, social insurance, and severance pay.
Keeping up with these rules can be difficult, especially for businesses unfamiliar with local regulations.
An EOR takes care of compliance, ensuring companies follow all legal requirements.
- Less administrative burden
Hiring employees in Asia comes with a maze of legal and administrative challenges. These processes can be complex and time-consuming, diverting focus from core business operations.
An EOR service provider in Asia takes care of all employment tasks. This helps businesses grow without dealing with legal issues.
Companies can focus on growing their operations. The EOR will handle legal and administrative tasks for them.
- Access to a Larger Talent Pool
Asia has a diverse and skilled workforce. This includes tech-savvy developers in India and Vietnam. It also has multilingual customer support specialists in the Philippines.
By hiring through an EOR, companies can access a broader talent pool without being limited to their geographic region.
- Management of payroll and taxes
Managing payroll and taxes across multiple countries in Asia can be complex. Mistakes in employee compensation or tax withholdings can result in fines and compliance issues.
An Employer of Record (EOR) makes this process easier. They manage payroll and make sure employees receive their payments correctly and on time. They also manage all tax obligations according to local laws.
Countries in Asia
- Afghanistan
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China
- Cyprus
- Georgia
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Nepal
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
7 Best Employer of Record in the Asia
- Velocity Global: Overall best in workforce management
- Deel: Best in Global Human Resource
- Remote: Best in scale-business
- Oyster: Best in Payroll Service
- RemoFirst: Best in Customer Support
- Multiplier: Best in compliance
- Rippling: Best in Integration
1. Velocity Global: Overall Best in Workforce Management
Velocity Global is our Best Employer of Record (EOR) and workforce management partner. It focuses on solving important HR challenges. This includes understanding complex employment laws, correctly classifying workers, and managing international payroll and benefits.
Velocity Global operates in over 185 countries. It makes it easier to hire, pay, manage, and keep top talent in Asia. This helps businesses follow local laws and regulations.
Velocity Global focuses on global talent management. However, velocity global EOR helps companies build and support teams in the Asian market smoothly.
Benefits of Using Velocity Global EOR
Experience and Assistance for Workers
Velocity Global ensures that workers in different Asian countries will have a satisfying and compliant work experience. Its round-the-clock support can answer employee questions about payroll, benefits, and HR issues.
Because of Velocity Global’s local knowledge, workers get the benefits and help they deserve from local customs. This promotes loyalty and boosts employee morale.
Global Compliance
Velocity Global EOR helps businesses throughout the Asian market gain in-depth compliance knowledge of their respective industries.
Its team ensures your company meets local labour laws and regulatory requirements, helping you avoid risks related to worker misclassification, labour disputes, and non-compliance penalties.
Velocity Global offers strategic advice on country-specific employment practices to ensure smooth market entry.
Data Security
Velocity Global adheres to strict data protection and privacy standards, following international and country-specific regulations such as GDPR and local data laws in Asian jurisdictions. Also, sensitive employee and company data should be protected at all times.
Global HR
Velocity Global EOR eliminates the need for outside HR advisors for enterprises. The platform oversees health insurance, pension payments, and other benefits that are customized to meet the legal and cultural requirements of each Asian nation.
Employee satisfaction and retention are improved as a result. Velocity Global also assists businesses with hiring and sourcing new employees, managing daily HR duties, and expediting onboarding and offboarding procedures.
International Payroll Services
Velocity Global offers a centralized payroll solution for businesses in Asia, removing the complexity of managing wages in different currencies and jurisdictions.
It consolidates payroll functions across multiple countries, handling various wage regulations, deductions, and tax requirements. Businesses can integrate this solution with their existing HR platforms for seamless and compliant payroll processing.
Cost Efficiency
Velocity Global reduces operational costs by removing the need for businesses to set up and maintain legal entities in each Asian country. Companies save on administrative, legal, and accounting fees while minimizing the financial risks of international expansion.
Support for Taxes and Law
Velocity Global simplifies the challenges of navigating foreign tax regulations and employment laws. It ensures accurate tax deductions and full compliance with country-specific legal frameworks.
By offering expert guidance, Velocity Global helps companies avoid common pitfalls such as improper tax filings or labour law violations, minimizing financial and legal exposure in the Asian market.
Pros and Cons
Cons :
- Strong customer support
- Robust security protocol
- Global reach
- Good service
Pros:
- Technology
- No pricing transparency
2. Deel- Best in Global Human Resource
Deel is a top HR and Employer of Record (EOR) platform that helps Asian companies. It allows companies of any size to manage their payroll, compliance, and human resources requirements with a single partner.
Deel provides all-inclusive global human resources (HR) solutions. It offers assistance with immigration, worldwide payroll, and contractor management.
However, with operations in over 150 nations, Deel helps with onboarding and offboarding. Deel streamlines HR necessities like payroll, legal compliance, and employee benefits—all difficult tasks for multinational companies. Deel’s abundance of features and resources makes paying employees and contractors easier.
Benefits of Using Deel EOR
- Secure Platform
- Every employee and contractor has the right paperwork. The Deel HR platform provides strong security to protect them. The company stores all employee data safely and complies with GDPR.
- Employer of Record (EOR) Services
- Deel’s EOR service is different from other contractor management software. It allows companies to hire workers from anywhere in the world without needing to set up local firms.
- Deel has a strong legal system that follows local rules and regulations. This gives businesses hiring foreign workers and contractors peace of mind. Many other platforms cannot offer this level of assurance.
- Tailored Contract Solutions
- Deel provides customizable contract templates. These templates meet each country’s legal and regulatory needs. This makes compliance easier and reduces the workload for HR teams.
- Effortless Onboarding Experience
- Deel provides an easy onboarding process for full-time employees and contractors. It improves HR tasks with a simple, user-friendly platform. This boosts efficiency and speeds up hiring times
- Financial Integration
- Deel connects easily with top accounting and finance software. This ensures smooth syncing of payroll and financial data. It positions Deel as a complete solution for managing a global workforce.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- API and integration
- Payment option
- Multiple Hr solution
- Saas platform
Con
- It is expensive
- Learning limitation
3. Remote EOR - Best in Small-Scale Business
Remote employer of record (EOR) is a service that helps businesses grow their workforce in Asia. With Remote EOR, you do global hiring like a pro in different countries. This includes payroll, tax compliance, and HR duties.
Remote EOR offers itself to enterprises of all sizes, focusing on small firms wishing to grow their global presence. It also integrates with multiple HR platforms and applications, ensuring that data is correct across all platforms.
Benefits of Using Remote EOR
1. HR and Payroll Management
- Remote’s platform provides an easy solution for onboarding, payroll, and employee document management. It has a user-friendly interface that makes workforce administration simple.
- Legal Compliance and Efficiency
- Reduces legal costs and administrative difficulties by providing country-specific knowledge and preparing essential legal documentation.
- Improved Talent Attraction and Retention:
- Allows organizations to offer competitive equity packages, recruiting and retaining top global talent.
- Employees can easily enroll in payroll and benefits after they receive their agreements and get accepted.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Friendly user interface
- Multiple location support
- Compliance and tax management
- No hidden fees
Cons
- Limited report feature
- Limited option for contractors
4. Oyster - Best in Payroll Service
Oyster, an employer of record, is known for its global payroll services. It handles complex tax and labor laws. Oyster also ensures timely payments in local currencies. Additionally, it provides solutions for managing contractors that include automated tax filings, localized payments, and seamless onboarding.
Oyster includes everything you need to hire, pay, and stay compliant in over 180 countries. This makes managing a global team easy.
Additionally, with choices like equity and health insurance, Oyster EOR service helps customize benefits packages for staff members. This software, which is compliance-driven, shields businesses from threats like SOC 2 and GDPR. Included in its already user-friendly layout is a chatbot for support.
Benefits of Using Oyster EOR
- Simplifying business operations and human resources
Oyster helps companies easily manage a global workforce. It offers resources for hiring, onboarding, and compliance.
Its features include easy-to-use self-service options, automatic contractor onboarding, and strong help with compliance. These features simplify operations, lower risks, and allow for effective growth across borders.
- Growing globally
By streamlining payroll administration and guaranteeing compliance across borders, Oyster EOR simplifies international employment.
The platform offers features like multi-currency payroll support, self-service tools for employees, and automatic contract creation. These tools simplify administrative tasks and create a smooth, legal work environment.
- Optimizing economic effectiveness
By simplifying hiring, onboarding, and compliance procedures, Oyster enables companies to optimize cost-effectiveness while overseeing a worldwide workforce.
With automated contract administration, the platform helps businesses cut down on legal expenses, streamline operations
- Professional Assistance and Tailored Treatment
Oyster HR distinguishes itself with its commitment to compliance and industry-leading expertise. The platform’s skilled hiring success team provides tailored advice so companies can confidently handle international employment challenges.
- Full-Service HR Support
Oyster HR offers a comprehensive approach to managing a worldwide workforce. They offer hiring, onboarding, and payroll management services.
This comprehensive strategy effectively manages every facet of the employment relationship, assisting companies in attracting and retaining top personnel from around the world. Confidently navigate the challenges of international employment.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Comprehensive HR service
- Global coverage
- Robust compliance management
- Employee benefit management
Cons
- Higher pricing
- Depending on local providers
- Long onboarding time
5. RemoFirst- Best in Customer Support
RemoFirst is a worldwide employment solution meant to assist organizations in engaging their full-time employees and contractors across 180+ countries.
This revolutionary platform eliminates the need for firms to invest considerable time and money into establishing local entities, allowing them to focus on their core activities while effortlessly employing top people abroad. RemoFirst guarantees that companies can function without the complications and risks of international employment by using locally compliant contracts.
Benefits of Using RemoFirst EOR
- Observance of local laws
In Asia, employment laws differ greatly from one nation to the next. Remofirst guarantees that your business complies with regional tax laws, labour legislation, and benefit obligations.
- Lower Operating Expenses
Establishing a legal organization and managing payroll, taxes, and human resources services across several Asian nations can be costly. Remofirst handles all of this for you, which lowers these expenses.
- Streamlined Benefits and Payroll Administration
Remofirst manages regulatory benefits, payroll, tax returns, and other tasks. No matter where they are in Asia, employees will always receive correct and timely payments thanks to this, which also saves time.
- Mitigation of Risk
Employing Remofirst as an EOR lowers the financial and regulatory risks of misclassifying employees or failing to comply with regional employment regulations.
- Getting to the Top Ability
The talent pool in Asia is varied and highly qualified. Remofirst gives companies access to highly skilled workers around the region, enabling them to utilize this talent without regional restrictions.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Ease of use
- Automated payroll
- Low prices
- Customer support
Cons
- Lack of mobile
- Lack of integration
6. Multiplier - Best in Compliance
Multiplier is an affordable global employment solution that helps businesses manage and expand their teams worldwide. As an Employer of Record (EOR), companies can hire and pay employees in over 150 countries without setting up legal entities in each location, simplifying the complexities of global hiring and remote workforce management.
Beyond handling payroll, compliance, and HR processes, Multiplier also helps organizations manage employee benefits such as health insurance and pensions, making it a comprehensive tool for international expansion.
Benefits of Using Multiplier
- Saving time and money:
Multiplier streamlines the hiring and onboarding process, helping companies hire talent quickly in over 150 countries. This efficiency can save organizations substantial time and operational costs compared to setting up foreign entities.
- Competitive pricing:
Multiplier offers flexible and competitive pricing packages, often more affordable than other major EOR providers, making it a cost-effective solution for global expansion.
- Extensive legal resources:
Compliance becomes much simpler with Multiplier thanks to its deep legal expertise and robust legal repository, ensuring companies stay aligned with local labour laws and tax regulations worldwide.
- Customer service:
Multiplier is often praised for its dedicated and knowledgeable customer support team. I’ve had a positive experience with their service, finding their representatives responsive and helpful throughout the process.
- Comprehensive benefits management:
Multiplier provides end-to-end benefits administration, including health insurance, pensions, and localized perks. This helps businesses attract and retain top talent across different regions.
- User-friendly interface:
While the UX could still be improved in some areas, Multiplier’s platform is intuitive and easy to navigate, allowing HR teams and managers to oversee contracts, payroll, and employee data easily.
- Simplified remote team management:
From onboarding to payroll and benefits, Multiplier consolidates all global employment tasks into a single platform, making managing distributed teams across borders easier.
- Risk reduction & IP protection:
By ensuring full legal compliance and offering strong protections for your company’s intellectual property, Multiplier helps mitigate risks when hiring internationally.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Integration support
- Scalability
- High pricing
Cons
- Complex interface
- Limited customization
7. Rippling - Best in Integration
Rippling is a comprehensive HR platform integrating various business functions, including payroll, benefits, and IT management, into a single system. It is designed for businesses looking for a unified workforce management solution.
In addition to its core HR and IT features, Rippling offers an Employer of Record (EOR) service, enabling companies to hire full-time employees globally without setting up a local legal entity.
Rippling acts as the legal employer, managing country-specific compliance, payroll, benefits, taxes, and other administrative tasks while the client company oversees the employee’s day-to-day responsibilities.
With Rippling EOR, companies can hire employees in over 50 countries, streamlining global expansion efforts. The EOR service is fully integrated into Rippling’s all-in-one platform, providing centralized control over HR, IT provisioning, payroll, and finance for domestic and international teams.
Benefits of Using Rippling
Compliance Assurance: Navigate complex international labour laws and regulations, helping minimize legal and compliance risks for employers.
Streamlined Operations: Unifies the management of your global workforce, payroll, and IT into a single platform, simplifying processes and boosting productivity.
Scalability Support: Enables fast and flexible business expansion into new markets with adaptable hiring solutions.
Automated Processes: Automates key HR tasks, reducing manual effort and minimizing the risk of human error for greater operational efficiency.
Data Security: Safeguards sensitive employee data with advanced security protocols and compliance with global data protection standards.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Mobile access
- Seamless integration with other app
- User friendly
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Premium pricing
Factors to consider when Hiring in Asia
1. Local Employment Norms
Cultural expectations and labour practices vary widely across Asian countries. For instance, Japan and South Korea often emphasize long working hours, seniority-based hierarchies, and group harmony. At the same time, countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines may prioritize flexibility and work-life balance more. Understanding local workplace etiquette, management styles, and employee expectations is critical to maintaining morale and productivity within remote teams.
2. Costs and Budget Considerations
While employing an EOR does come with service fees, these are typically balanced by the significant reduction in administrative burden, legal risks, and upfront investment needed to establish a local entity. However, cost structures can vary depending on the country and the complexity of local labour laws, so businesses should conduct a detailed cost-benefit analysis tailored to each market.
3. Compliance and Legal Complexities
Asia’s regulatory environment is diverse and often intricate. From strict employment protections in China to mandatory bonuses and severance rules in countries like Indonesia and Thailand, maneuvering labor laws without local expertise can be challenging. A reputable EOR helps ensure full compliance with tax regulations, employee benefits, and statutory obligations, reducing the risk of legal disputes or fines.
4. Talent Pool and Skill Availability
Different countries in Asia offer varied talent pools. For example, India and the Philippines are known for strong English proficiency and large IT and customer service talent pools. Vietnam and Thailand are emerging as hotspots for tech and manufacturing talent. Understanding where specific skill sets are most readily available can influence where to hire via an EOR.
5. Data Privacy and IP Protection
Data protection laws differ across Asian markets. For example, Singapore has robust data privacy regulations under the PDPA, while China enforces strict data localization requirements. Businesses working with sensitive information should ensure that their EOR has policies to safeguard data and intellectual property in line with local regulations.
6. Long-Term Strategic Goals
An EOR is ideal for companies testing new markets, hiring project-based teams, or scaling cautiously. However, if a business anticipates sustained growth or larger headcounts in a particular market, setting up a legal entity might become more cost-effective and allow greater operational control. The choice should align with the company’s regional growth strategy.
Challenges of Hiring Remote Workers in Asia without an EOR
1. Complex and Varying Labor Laws
Asia is not a uniform region. Each country has its own labor laws. These laws include different rules on termination, benefits, working hours, and holidays. Navigating these legal frameworks without local expertise can lead to compliance risks, fines, or employee disputes.
2. Setting Up a Legal Entity
To hire employees directly in many Asian countries, companies must set up a local legal entity. which can take a lot of time and money. It involves registering a business, filing taxes, getting local licenses, and opening bank accounts.
3. Payroll & Tax Complexity
Managing payroll across different Asian markets means dealing with diverse tax regimes, mandatory social contributions, and statutory benefits. Missteps in payroll processing, tax withholding, or reporting can result in penalties and damage to your company’s local reputation.
4. Cultural and Communication Barriers
Without local HR or management teams, companies might struggle with understanding cultural nuances in employment practices. Misaligned expectations on work culture, communication styles, or management hierarchies can negatively impact employee engagement and retention.
5. Risk of Misclassification
Some companies may attempt to hire workers as independent contractors to avoid establishing a legal entity. Misclassifying employees as contractors is a common risk in Asia. This is especially true in countries like China and South Korea, where authorities are strict about employment status. This could lead to back taxes, fines, and retroactive benefits.
6. No Local Support for Employees
Without an EOR or local HR, employees may not get support for onboarding, compliance, benefits, or disputes. This can hurt employee experience and loyalty, especially when managing remote teams across different time zones.
7. Slower Market Entry
Establishing a legal presence and navigating local employment requirements without external help can delay your market entry timeline. This can be a critical setback for fast-moving businesses when competing with companies already operating on the ground.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the best Employer of Record (EOR) service in Asia is key to scaling quickly and compliantly.
Entering the Asian market is a calculated strategic move that requires meticulous preparation because of the region’s complicated labour laws and varied regulatory regimes.
While guaranteeing complete adherence to regional regulations, collaborating with the appropriate Employer of Record (EOR) can hasten your expansion.
Velocity Global is our top choice, thanks to its global infrastructure, compliance expertise, and smooth onboarding across Asian markets.
Many companies, like Deel, Remote, Oyster, RemoteFirst, Multiplier, and Rippling, offer tailored solutions. They use their local knowledge and global reach to help you grow your workforce.
