FAQs
Swivelt FAQs
Who is an EOR for?
An EOR is ideal for businesses of any size looking to hire talent across borders without setting up a local legal entity. It’s especially valuable for companies expanding into new markets, startups scaling internationally, or organizations that want to quickly onboard remote employees in other countries, all while staying compliant with local employment laws.
Why use Swivelt instead of opening our own entity?
Opening a legal entity in a new country can take 2 to 6 months, $20K to $100K in setup costs, and ongoing legal, tax, and HR overhead. With Swivelt, you can hire your first employee in that country within a few days. Entity setup makes sense when you have 20+ employees in one country long term. For everything else, an EOR is faster, cheaper, and reversible if your plans change
What are the benefits of using an Employer of Record?
Swivelt handles the heavy lifting of international hiring from compliance and payroll to local benefits, so you can hire globally, reduce legal risk, and onboard talent faster, without setting up entities in every country.
How do employees benefit from Swivelt as EOR?
Employees hired through Swivelt get the security of a fully compliant employment setup with contracts that align with local labor laws, accurate and on-time payroll in their local currency, and benefits packages tailored to their location. From proper handling of employment agreements to dispute resolution, Swivelt ensures every employee is protected, fairly treated, and supported throughout their employment journey.
Staffing agency vs EOR. What is the difference?
A staffing agency sources and places workers with client companies, but the business itself remains the legal employer. An EOR like Swivelt goes a step further, it becomes the legal employer on your behalf, taking full responsibility for compliance, payroll, taxes, and local labor laws. This makes Swivelt the better fit for companies looking to hire internationally without setting up a local entity or managing employment risks on their own.
How do you choose the right EOR for your business?
Choosing the right EOR comes down to a few key factors: coverage across the countries you’re hiring in, a solid track record of local compliance, transparent pricing, and responsive support. Swivelt offers all of this, along with customized solutions tailored to your industry and business size, whether you’re a growing startup or a large enterprise. The right EOR should feel less like a vendor and more like a trusted partner in your global expansion.
How does Swivelt address intellectual property and employee data protection?
Swivelt takes data protection and intellectual property seriously. All employment contracts are structured to ensure that any work produced by your employees remains the property of your business. Employee data is handled with strict confidentiality, in compliance with local data protection laws and regulations in each country of operation, giving both businesses and their teams peace of mind that sensitive information is always secure and properly managed.
What happens if I need to terminate an employee hired through Swivelt?
When termination is necessary, Swivelt manages the entire process in full compliance with local labor laws covering notice periods, severance entitlements, and any statutory requirements specific to that country. This protects your business from legal risk while ensuring the employee is treated fairly throughout the offboarding process. You simply communicate your decision, and Swivelt handles the rest responsibly and professionally.
Are my payments secure?
Yes, absolutely. Swivelt ensures that all payments, whether employee salaries, taxes, or statutory contributions, are processed accurately and on time. Every transaction is handled in full compliance with local financial regulations, giving you complete confidence that your funds are managed securely and transparently, with no hidden fees or surprises.
Will I lose control over my employees?
Not at all. While Swivelt acts as the legal employer on paper, you retain full control over your team’s day-to-day work, responsibilities, and performance. You continue to direct, manage, and engage your employees just as you normally would. Swivelt simply handles the administrative and compliance side of employment, so you can focus on running your business without any disruption to your team dynamics.
How quickly can I start hiring?
With Swivelt, you can get started quickly. Once all required documentation is in place, most employees can be onboarded within a few days, depending on the country and local requirements. There’s no need to set up a legal entity or navigate complex local regulations on your own. Swivelt takes care of it all, so you can hit the ground running and bring talent on board without unnecessary delays.
What countries do you offer EOR services to?
Swivelt provides employment services across a wide range of countries worldwide. From Asia-Pacific to Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and beyond, we’ve got you covered. To check if we operate in a specific country, visit our Global Guide for the most up-to-date list of locations and local employment details. If you have a specific country in mind, send us a note and we’ll confirm coverage and local nuances upfront.
What does an Employer of Record (EOR) handle?
An Employer of Record handles employment responsibilities, including compliant employment contracts, payroll, tax filings, social security contributions, and ensuring compliance with local labor laws
Do I need to set up a legal entity to hire internationally?
Not necessarily. EOR services allow you to hire globally without setting up a local or legal entity in each country.
How is EOR different from a PEO?
A PEO is a co-employment model, mostly used inside one country (typically the US), where the PEO shares employer responsibilities with you. You still need your own legal entity. An EOR is for hiring across borders without an entity, the EOR is the sole legal employer in that country. If you’re hiring in a country where you have no presence, you need an EOR. If you have a US entity and just want help with payroll and benefits administration, a PEO works.
Is an EOR suitable for long-term global expansion?
Yes. Many companies use EOR as both a market-entry solution and a long-term workforce management strategy.
How do EOR Services help companies expand globally without setting up local entities?
Employers of Record establish their own legal entities in countries around the world and hire workers through those entities on their clients’ behalf. This means a company can bring team members onto payroll in a new country within days, bypassing the time-consuming process of entity registration, local banking setup, and in-country legal counsel. It also removes the financial and compliance risk that comes with managing those obligations independently.
When does it make sense to use an EOR rather than open a local entity?
An EOR makes the most sense when you want to hire in a new country quickly, are expanding across multiple countries simultaneously, or want to test a market before making a long-term structural commitment. Opening your own entity tends to become more cost-effective only once headcount in a single country reaches a meaningful threshold, and a permanent local presence is certain. For most international hiring scenarios — especially early-stage expansion — an EOR is the faster and lower-risk path.
Who is legally responsible for the employee?
Swivelt is the legal employer and assumes full responsibility for employment-related compliance, taxes, and legal risks
How quickly can I hire employees through an EOR?
Most employees can be onboarded within 24–48 hours, depending on the country. Factors that may affect the timeline include local regulatory requirements, background check processing, and how quickly all required documentation is submitted.
How is Swivelt different from Other EOR Providers?
What is an Employer of Record (EOR)?
An Employer of Record is a company that legally employs your staff on your behalf, in any country, whether or not you have your own entity there. Swivelt becomes the legal employer through its own legal entities in 30+ countries and manages all employment matters: contracts, payroll, tax, benefits, compliance, and HR operations such as performance plans, warnings, confirmations, and terminations. You keep full control of the day-to-day work.
How does an Employer of Record work?
With an EOR, you choose who to hire and the EOR employs them locally for you. Swivelt issues a compliant local contract, runs payroll in local currency, manages tax, statutory benefits, and all HR operations, and supports the employee through the iStrives platform. Your team directs the daily work while Swivelt handles every employment and HR matter.
What is the difference between an EOR and a PEO?
An EOR is the full legal employer, so you can hire in any country, with or without your own entity, and a company that already has an entity can still use an EOR to simplify its operations. A PEO co-employs staff only where you already own an entity and shares liability with you. Swivelt operates as a true EOR through its own entities, so you do not need your own local entity.
Does an EOR create co-employment risk?
No, an EOR does not create co-employment risk on its own. Co-employment risk comes from operational behaviour, not legal structure. It arises when a company treats the worker like its own employee, for example by handling direct salary increases or folding them into internal schemes. Swivelt’s contractual structures help mitigate this, and combined with the right day-to-day practices, the risk is reduced.
What is the difference between an EOR and global payroll?
An EOR employs people for you, so the worker becomes an extension of your organisation while Swivelt is the legal employer. Global payroll only pays people you already employ through your own entities: it pays salaries, taxes, and statutory obligations and runs related payroll activities. Choose EOR when you need a legal employer in a country, and Global Payroll when you own the entity, wish to employ your employees on your organization, but want one consolidated payroll.
What is the best alternative to Deel?
Companies looking beyond Deel usually want flexible pricing, real human support, and provider-owned entities. Deel’s EOR is published from $599 per employee per month. Swivelt offers flexible pricing from $199 per employee per month or a scalable percentage model, employs through its own entities in 30+ countries, and pairs a dedicated client manager with 24/7 access to local HR experts rather than software alone. Through EOR+, Swivelt also goes beyond employment into full market entry.
What is the best alternative to Remote?
Companies comparing Remote often want more hands-on support and broader services. Remote’s EOR is published from around $699 per employee per month. Swivelt offers flexible pricing from $199 per employee per month or a scalable percentage model, employs through its own entities in 30+ countries, and gives every client a dedicated manager with 24/7 access to local HR experts. Swivelt also extends beyond hiring into office space, equipment, and visa support through EOR+.
What is the best alternative to Multiplier?
Companies weighing Multiplier typically want a lower entry price and deeper on-ground support. Multiplier’s EOR is published from around $400 per employee per month. Swivelt offers flexible pricing from $199 per employee per month or a scalable percentage model, employs through its own entities in 30+ countries, and supports every client with a dedicated manager and 24/7 local HR experts. Through EOR+, Swivelt adds talent sourcing, office space, equipment, and visa support beyond standard EOR.
Is using an Employer of Record legal?
Yes. Using an EOR is a legal and established method of employing people internationally. Swivelt holds its own legal entities in each country it operates in and employs your staff in full compliance with local labour, tax, and statutory law. It also removes the risk and cost of setting up your own entity in a market before you are ready to commit to it.