Compliant employment contracts
Contracts under Indian law with confidentiality, IP assignment and notice terms suited to each role.
Employer of Record in India. Hire and pay your team without a local entity.
AnyWorks becomes the legal employer of your India team. You direct the work. We handle employment contracts, payroll, statutory compliance and onboarding, and we can recruit the people for you as well.
- Legal employer in India, no subsidiary needed
- Monthly payroll and statutory filings
- Recruitment and staffing on request
- Transfer to your own entity when you are ready
What is an Employer of Record (EOR) in India?
An Employer of Record in India is a locally registered company that legally employs workers on behalf of another business. The EOR issues employment contracts, runs payroll, remits statutory contributions and taxes, and manages onboarding and exit, while the client directs the employee’s daily work. It lets a foreign or domestic company hire in India without incorporating its own entity.
What our India EOR service covers
One accountable employer for everything between an accepted offer and a final settlement.
Payroll and payslips
Monthly payroll in INR with tax deducted at source, payslips and Form 16 at year end.
Statutory registrations and filings
Provident Fund, ESI where applicable, professional tax, labour welfare fund and the related returns.
Onboarding and offboarding
Offer letters, background verification coordination, joining formalities, exit paperwork and full and final settlement.
Benefits and insurance
Leave policy, statutory benefits such as gratuity and bonus, and group insurance where agreed.
Employment records and HR support
Personnel files, attendance and leave records, policy documents and a point of contact for employee queries.
Recruitment and sourcing
Find, screen and shortlist candidates through AnyWorks recruitment, then employ your chosen hire under EOR.
Transition to your own entity
When you incorporate in India, plan a structured transfer of the team, records and payroll.
How hiring through an Indian EOR works
Five steps from first conversation to a team on payroll. You keep control of the work, we carry the employment.
Start with your requirement-
Share your requirement
Tell us the roles, headcount, locations and start dates, and whether you already have candidates.
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Agree scope and fees
We confirm responsibilities, costs and the EOR fee in a written service agreement before anyone is employed.
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Confirm or find the talent
Bring your own candidate, or have AnyWorks source, screen and shortlist people for you.
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Contract and onboard
Employment contract, verification and registrations are completed, and the employee joins on the agreed date.
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Run payroll and compliance
We pay salaries, file returns and keep records every month, and adjust your headcount as your needs change.
EOR vs your own India entity vs contractors
Three ways to put people to work in India. Which one fits depends on how many people, how long, and how much control you need.
| Factor | AnyWorks EOR | Own Indian entity | Independent contractor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal employer | AnyWorks | Your Indian subsidiary or branch | None, the contractor is self-employed |
| Time to first hire | Faster, no incorporation needed | Longer, requires incorporation, registrations, a bank account and payroll setup | Fast to sign |
| Payroll and statutory filings | Handled by AnyWorks | Handled by you or your provider | The contractor’s responsibility |
| Upfront commitment | Low, a service agreement and a per-employee fee | High, setup cost, directors and ongoing filings | Low |
| Control of daily work | Full direction of the work | Full direction of the work | Limited, independence must be genuine |
| Main risk | Structure must match what your people actually do | You carry every compliance obligation | Misclassification if the role looks like employment |
| Best for | Testing the market, small teams, a fast start | Large, long-term operations | Short, clearly defined projects |
An EOR arrangement does not automatically remove permanent establishment or tax questions for a foreign company. Take legal and tax advice on your specific structure.
Who uses an India EOR
From a first engineer to a pilot team, companies use an EOR when they want people in India before they want an entity.
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Startups and scale-ups
Add your first engineers, designers or analysts in India without the cost of incorporation.
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Enterprises piloting India
Run a small team for a season, learn what works, then decide whether to set up a subsidiary.
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Market entry hires
Place sales, business development or customer success staff on the ground in India.
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Remote-first companies
Employ individual specialists in India on proper contracts instead of informal arrangements.
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Agencies and consultancies
Scale delivery capacity for a client engagement and keep the team together on one payroll.
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Contractor conversions
Move long-term contractors into compliant employment when the relationship starts to look permanent.
India employment compliance we manage
Indian employment rules vary by state, wage level and headcount. As the employer of record, AnyWorks is responsible for registering, deducting, paying and filing.
- Employees’ Provident Fund
- Employer and employee contributions with monthly returns.
- Employees’ State Insurance
- Registration and contributions where wage thresholds apply.
- Professional tax
- State-level registration, deduction and remittance.
- Tax deducted at source
- Salary TDS, quarterly returns and Form 16.
- Labour welfare fund
- Contributions in the states where it applies.
- Gratuity and bonus
- Provisioned and paid according to statute when an employee is eligible.
- Shops and establishment rules
- Working hours, leave and holidays following the rules of the employee’s state.
- India’s labour codes
- Employment terms and records aligned with the consolidated labour codes.
This page is general information and not legal or tax advice. Requirements change, so we confirm current rules for your roles and locations at the proposal stage.
What employing in India actually costs
The cost of an EOR hire is not a mystery markup. It is the salary you agree with the employee, the statutory contributions an Indian employer must pay, any benefits you choose, and a clearly stated service fee.
Every proposal lists each component separately, so you can compare it fairly with running your own entity.
Gross salaryAgreed with the employee, paid in INR
Employer statutory contributionsProvident Fund, ESI where applicable, gratuity provision
Benefits and insuranceOnly what you choose to offer
EOR service feeStated separately in your proposal
Your monthly EOR invoicePer the service agreement
Hire in India from anywhere
International companies use AnyWorks to build and manage their India workforce while their leadership stays in the United States, United Kingdom, UAE, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Germany and across Europe and Asia-Pacific. We support global businesses with Employer of Record services, employment administration and workforce management in India. Indian businesses can also use our services for payroll management, staffing and project-based teams.
Roles we recruit and employ
- Software engineering
- Data and AI
- DevOps and cloud
- QA and testing
- Product and design
- Millwork design
- CAD drafting and design
- CAD/CAM engineering
- Mechanical design engineering
- Manufacturing and production design
- Customer support
- Sales and business development
- Marketing
- Finance and accounting
- HR and admin
- Operations
Locations
- Bengaluru
- Hyderabad
- Pune
- Mumbai
- Delhi NCR
- Chennai
- Indore
State-level rules such as professional tax and shops and establishment requirements are applied by location.
Who handles what?
Responsibilities are confirmed in the service agreement and employee documentation. The outline below is a starting point, not a substitute for the agreed scope.
| Area | AnyWorks | Your company |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | Employment documentation, employee records and agreed HR administration. | Define role, approve compensation and provide accurate hiring information. |
| Work management | Employment administration and employee support within the agreed scope. | Direct day-to-day tasks, priorities, performance feedback and business supervision. |
| Payroll inputs | Process payroll from approved, timely inputs and provide agreed payroll outputs. | Approve attendance, leave, variable pay, expenses and changes by the agreed cut-off. |
| Workplace & tools | Coordinate only the equipment, access or facilities expressly included in the proposal. | Specify location, work mode, systems, security requirements and who supplies equipment. |
| Exit | Coordinate employment-side notices, documentation and final settlement as applicable. | Give timely instructions, confirm last working day and settle amounts due under the agreement. |
Costs, payment and monthly reporting
We provide a written, role- and location-specific proposal before onboarding. No universal fee or payment schedule is implied by this page.
What your quote should show
- Employee gross salary and agreed variable components
- Applicable employer statutory costs and benefits
- Any agreed insurance, equipment or additional services
- AnyWorks EOR service fee, taxes and invoice currency
Payment terms to confirm
- Payroll funding deadline and invoice due date
- Any advance, deposit or minimum engagement period
- Currency, bank charges and applicable taxes
- Late-payment handling, notice and termination terms
Monthly outputs to agree
- Payroll register and invoice
- Payslips and agreed attendance/leave summary
- Statutory payment or filing evidence, where applicable and in scope
- Employee changes, reimbursements and exit/final-settlement updates
Illustrative cost structure: monthly client cost = gross salary + applicable employer contributions + agreed benefits/other approved costs + EOR service fee + applicable taxes. Actual amounts depend on salary structure, work location, eligibility and the signed proposal.
Employee data, confidentiality and intellectual property
Employment and payroll administration requires handling personal and business information. Before service begins, the parties should document permitted data use, access, retention, security contacts and any required data-processing terms.
- Share only information needed for recruitment, employment, payroll and agreed administration.
- Confirm who can access employee records and how access is removed when no longer needed.
- Define confidentiality obligations and any required security or incident-notification process in the agreement.
- Specify ownership and assignment of work product, inventions and other intellectual property in the relevant signed agreements.
Implementation: from requirement to first payroll
Timing depends on role, location, documentation, approvals and payroll cut-off. We confirm a schedule after reviewing your requirement.
- Scope: confirm role, work location/mode, candidate source, compensation and intended start date.
- Proposal: agree service scope, fee, payment terms, responsibilities and any country-specific requirements.
- Checks & documents: complete agreed candidate checks and collect required company/employee documents.
- Employment setup: issue and sign applicable employment documents and arrange onboarding/access.
- Monthly operations: follow the agreed payroll calendar, approvals and reporting process.
Important: EOR suitability, employment structure, statutory obligations and any permanent-establishment or tax exposure depend on the actual facts. Obtain appropriate legal and tax advice for your circumstances; the page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Employer of Record India: frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what companies ask before they hire in India.
What is an Employer of Record (EOR) in India?
An Employer of Record in India is a locally registered company that becomes the legal employer of your India-based workers. It issues employment contracts, runs payroll, remits statutory contributions and taxes, and manages onboarding and exit, while you direct the daily work. It lets you hire in India without incorporating your own entity.
How does an EOR work in India?
You choose the people, or ask AnyWorks to recruit them. AnyWorks employs them under Indian law, pays salaries, files statutory returns and keeps employment records. Your team reports to your managers, and you are billed under a written service agreement that covers salary costs, statutory contributions and the EOR fee.
Is using an EOR legal in India?
India has no dedicated EOR statute. The model works through a locally registered employer that follows existing labour, tax and social security rules, with your company directing the work under a service agreement. The right structure depends on your business activities, so confirm the arrangement with your legal and tax advisers.
Can a foreign company hire employees in India without setting up a subsidiary?
Yes, through an EOR. The foreign company does not need its own Indian entity to employ staff, because AnyWorks acts as the legal employer. Companies planning a long-term presence often start with an EOR and move the team to their own entity later.
What is the difference between EOR and PEO in India?
PEO, or professional employer organisation, is a co-employment model mainly used in the United States. In India the comparable arrangement is an EOR or payrolling model, where a local employer of record is the legal employer. AnyWorks can advise whether EOR, contract staffing or an offshore team fits your case.
How long does it take to hire through an EOR in India?
Once the scope and service agreement are settled, onboarding can begin without waiting for an entity to be incorporated. The bigger variable is the candidate's notice period, which commonly runs from one to three months in India, so plan start dates around it.
How much does an EOR cost in India?
Total cost is the employee's gross salary, employer statutory contributions, agreed benefits and insurance, plus the EOR service fee. AnyWorks lists each component separately in the proposal so you can compare it with the cost of running your own entity.
Who owns the work and IP created by EOR employees?
Employment contracts are drafted so that work product and confidential information created for you are assigned to you, as agreed in the service agreement. Confidentiality and notice terms are included in each contract.
Can I move EOR employees to my own Indian entity later?
Yes. When you incorporate, AnyWorks can plan a structured transfer of the team, including contracts, records and payroll, so the move is orderly for both your business and your employees.
Does an EOR arrangement create a permanent establishment in India?
Not automatically, but it is not risk-free. Whether a foreign company creates a taxable presence depends on what its personnel do in India, such as negotiating or concluding contracts. Take tax advice on your specific setup before you hire.
Can AnyWorks also find the candidates?
Yes. AnyWorks runs recruitment and staffing alongside its EOR service, so we can source, screen and shortlist candidates and then employ the person you select. You can also bring your own candidate and use AnyWorks only as the employer of record.
What happens when an EOR employee resigns or the role ends?
Notice periods, full and final settlement, gratuity where eligible and exit paperwork are handled under the employment contract and Indian law. AnyWorks manages the process and keeps you informed at each step.
Which roles and cities can AnyWorks hire for in India?
Common EOR roles include software engineers, data and AI specialists, QA, designers, customer support, sales, finance and operations. AnyWorks works across major Indian cities, and state-level rules such as professional tax and shops and establishment requirements are applied by location.
Tell us who you want to hire in India
Share the roles and headcount. We reply with a recommended model, the compliance picture and a clear cost breakdown.
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