An Employer of Record legally employs workers on your behalf in countries where you do not have an entity and supports everything that happens throughout employment—from payroll and benefits to leave, compensation changes, time off, and terminations.

An Employer of Record is often more practical when entering a new market quickly, hiring a smaller team, or testing expansion without a major upfront investment. Establishing an entity may become more economical at higher headcounts, when a company needs a permanent local presence, or when you already have in-house HR and compliance expertise. The right option depends on the country, team size, timeline, and capacity to manage local operations.

An EOR is typically better for faster market entry, smaller teams, uncertain hiring plans, lack of local expertise, or situations where you want to avoid the cost and operational responsibilities of establishing an entity.

An entity may make sense when you expect a substantial long-term workforce, require a permanent commercial presence, or have the internal resources to manage local legal, payroll, tax, and compliance obligations.

The entity estimate uses country-specific benchmarks for setup, annual fixed costs, per-employee administration, and the estimated time required from Legal, Finance, and HR teams. The EOR estimate uses Oyster's monthly fee for the selected team size and timeframe.

These figures are directional estimates—not quotes or legal advice. Actual costs and timelines vary according to company structure, industry, hiring requirements, and local regulations.