The global multi-country EORs — Deel, Remote, Rippling, Velocity, Multiplier — solved a real problem: a single dashboard for foreign companies hiring across 5+ countries. For companies that hire only or primarily in India, the same problem doesn't exist, and the pricing premium of multi-country platforms doesn't deliver corresponding value.
Cost comparison — specialist vs multi-country
| Provider type | Per employee per month | 10 employees / month | 30 employees / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| India specialist (FastLegal class) | $249 | $2,490 | $7,470 |
| Deel India | $599 | $5,990 | $17,970 |
| Remote India | $599 | $5,990 | $17,970 |
| Rippling India | $699 | $6,990 | $20,970 |
Annual savings switching from Deel to India-specialist for a 15-employee team: ~$63,000. Same compliance stack underneath; same Indian PF, ESI, PT and TDS filings.
When multi-country EOR is right
- You hire across 5+ countries (US, UK, Brazil, Philippines, India) and want a single dashboard.
- Your compliance / finance team prefers brand recognition for board reporting.
- You're using one of these as your global HRIS too, not just EOR.
- Multi-country reporting consistency outweighs per-country cost.
When India-specialist wins
- India is your only or primary international hiring location.
- You want deeper India-specific support — PF / ESI / PT edge cases handled by named CA.
- Cost matters — specialist saves 40-60% on per-employee fee.
- You need bundled India-specific services (ESOP perquisite TDS, FEMA, India CA on retainer).
- Your India team is growing fast and you'll outgrow the multi-country EOR's India pricing.
Migration from Deel / Remote handled cleanly
FastLegal handles migration from global EORs without disrupting your engineers. We coordinate the exit notice with your current EOR, migrate employees on the 1st of a calendar month, file the joining ECR with UAN continuity, and reissue offer letters seamlessly. Typical migration: 30 days, zero employee disruption.
The hybrid pattern
Many foreign companies use both: India-specialist for India team, multi-country EOR for everyone else. Each region's EOR optimised for its market. Higher operational overhead than single-EOR but more cost-efficient.
Migration checklist
- Verify exit clause in current EOR contract — typically 60 days notice.
- Sign with new EOR; collect KYC for all employees.
- Set migration date — 1st of a calendar month.
- New EOR files joining ECR with each employee's existing UAN.
- Old EOR processes final payroll for prior month + full and final.
- New EOR runs first payroll on day 1 of new month.
- Reissue offer letters under new EOR's letterhead with continuous service date.
- Transfer health insurance to new EOR's policy or maintain continuity.
- Update vendor records in your AP system.
Frequently asked questions
Will our employees notice the migration?+
Minimally — their offer letter changes, the issuer on their payslip changes. Same gross pay, same net pay, same benefits. Done well, it's a non-event.
Are global EORs better at compliance than India specialists?+
Not for India specifically. Global EORs partner with Indian operators (sometimes white-labelling them). India specialists own the compliance work directly.
What about ESOP / equity grants during migration?+
Continuous — the foreign parent's grant doesn't depend on which EOR is administering payroll. Perquisite TDS at exercise transfers to the new EOR's responsibility.
How long does migration take?+
30-45 days total, including the 60-day notice period of the current EOR running in parallel with new EOR setup.
Stop reading circulars. Start running clean payroll.
Every FastLegal plan ships with a dedicated payroll consultant — a real human who runs your PF, ESI, PT, TDS and Form 16 issuance, configured to your salary structure, your state, and your hiring plan. You sign off. We do the rest.