Deel is the top pick for India — largest in-country legal team, fastest onboarding at 1–3 business days, and the most automated payroll handling for PF, ESI, PT, and TDS. Remote is the better choice for software development teams where IP protection is non-negotiable. Multiplier is the best value at $400/mo with comparable owned-entity compliance.
India is the largest EOR hiring market in Asia — and one of the most compliance-demanding. Provident Fund, Employee State Insurance, Professional Tax, gratuity, and state-specific labour laws create a layered compliance burden that trips up EOR providers without genuine in-country depth.
Why India Requires a Specialist EOR
India’s employment compliance runs across four distinct layers:
- Central laws — Employees’ Provident Funds Act, Payment of Gratuity Act, Maternity Benefit Act
- State labour laws — Shops and Establishments Acts vary by state; registration requirements differ between Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu
- Professional Tax — levied by state governments at different rates; Maharashtra caps at INR 2,500/year, Karnataka at INR 2,400/year
- TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) — employer must withhold and remit income tax monthly, issue Form 16 annually
Not all EOR providers handle these with equal depth. The rankings below are India-specific.
Rankings
1. Deel — Best Overall for India
Deel maintains a wholly-owned entity in India with one of the largest in-country legal teams of any EOR provider. PF, ESI, PT, and TDS are all handled automatically. Deel’s India onboarding typically completes in 1–3 business days — fast for a market where the regulatory filings alone slow most providers down.
Rating for India: 4.8 / 5 | From $599/mo
2. Remote — Best for Indian Engineers
Remote’s IP protection clauses are localized to Indian IP law — a meaningful differentiator for software development teams. Remote also handles ESOPs and stock option compliance for Indian employees, an important consideration for funded startups distributing equity to Indian engineers.
Rating for India: 4.6 / 5 | From $599/mo
3. Multiplier — Best Value
India is a core market for Multiplier. Its Singapore HQ gives it APAC operational depth, and the India team handles PF, ESI, PT, and TDS with full automation. At $400/mo, it’s the strongest value option for India with owned-entity coverage — saving $23,880/year vs Deel on a 10-person team.
Rating for India: 4.5 / 5 | From $400/mo
4. Oyster HR — Good for SMBs
Oyster covers India through an owned entity and provides clean, self-service onboarding. Best for smaller teams that don’t need advanced compliance reporting or ESOP administration. The platform is intuitive for HR generalists handling their first India hires.
Rating for India: 4.2 / 5 | From $499/mo
India Payroll Compliance Checklist
When evaluating any EOR for India, confirm they handle:
- PF registration and monthly contributions (12% employer, 12% employee on wages up to INR 15,000/mo)
- ESI registration and contributions (for employees earning under INR 21,000/mo)
- Professional Tax by state (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu are most common)
- TDS calculation and monthly remittance to income tax department
- Form 16 issuance at year-end
- Gratuity provisioning for tenures reaching 5+ years
- Maternity benefit compliance (26 weeks for first two children)
- Shops and Establishments Act registration in each state where employees work
Key Considerations
Contractor risk in India: Section 2(s) of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act creates significant liability for companies using contractors for core business functions. Misclassification claims are common in India’s IT sector. EOR employment eliminates this risk entirely.
Notice periods: The Industrial Disputes Act requires formal notice for termination in many cases — particularly for employees in manufacturing and IT services. Your EOR must manage terminations compliantly. A poorly executed termination in India can escalate to labour court proceedings.
Payroll in INR: All Indian employees must be paid in Indian Rupees. EOR providers handle FX conversion from your billing currency to INR and absorb the exchange rate risk per their contract terms — clarify this before signing.
