Employer of record structures for overseas workers

Advising small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the tax issues associated with expanding overseas can be daunting so new ideas to reduce the inherent complexity for the busy entrepreneur is always welcome.

An ‘employer of record’ (EOR) structure is something to consider and is becoming increasingly used. An EOR-based structure is a third-party operated business that forms a local entity in each of the jurisdictions in which it offers services. A client approaches the business with a view to employing a new employee who is often based at home in the new jurisdiction. Instead of the client forming a new company or registering a branch locally the employee can then be employed by the local EOR company and all the attendant costs are recharged to the client company for a fee.

An employer of record structure is therefore advantageous for a fast-moving tech business requiring people overseas...