LookSmart
We managed LookSmart's product, development and engineering team from India.
United States · 10+ people
- Employer of Record
- Product development
Set up in India
Employer of Record in India
Hire full-time employees in India without setting up a company. GoEnglishX becomes their legal employer and handles employment, payroll and compliance. You direct their work.
Who it's for
- Companies hiring 1 to 100+ people in India without a local entity.
- Companies testing India before incorporating.
What we handle
Everything it takes to employ someone in India, across the whole employee lifecycle.
Hiring and onboarding
- India-compliant employment contracts and offer letters
- Document collection
- Background verification
Payroll
- Monthly payroll in INR
- Payslips
- One consolidated monthly invoice to you
Statutory compliance
- PF, ESI, professional tax, TDS and labour welfare fund deductions and filings
- Gratuity
- Compliance with India's Labour Codes
Benefits and leave
- Statutory benefits and health insurance
- Other benefits you choose to offer, such as meal cards, insurance top-ups or bonuses, billed at actual cost
- Leave and holiday administration
Expenses and equipment
- Expense reimbursements
- Laptop and equipment procurement
Employee support
A point of contact for your employees' HR and payroll questions.
Offboarding
- Notice periods
- Full-and-final settlement
- Relieving and experience letters
What you handle
Day-to-day work, goals and performance. Your employees work for you; we are their legal employer.
Timeline
Your new hire can start within one week of accepting the offer.
Pricing
One flat price per employee, for any team size from 1 to 100+.
Employer of Record, India
$129
per employee per month, flat, for 1 to 100+ people
Start within one week
Highlights
- All statutory compliance
- Onboarding and employment contract
- Device
- Health insurance
- Offboarding
Also included
- Payroll and payslips
- Leave and expenses
- Employee support
Billed at actual cost
- Other benefits you choose to offer
You pay your employee's salary through one monthly invoice. No hidden fees. Anything outside the flat price is listed here and billed at actual cost.
EOR, your own subsidiary or contractors
Three ways to build a team in India, compared.
| Compared on | Employer of Record | Your own subsidiary | Contractors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $129 per employee per month, plus salary and any extra benefits at cost | Incorporation, then ongoing accounting, filings and audit, plus salary | The contractor's fees |
| Time to hire | Within one week of an accepted offer | After incorporation, which depends on your documents | As soon as terms are agreed |
| Compliance risk | We handle employment law, payroll and statutory filings | Your company is responsible; we can run compliance for you | You carry the risk if the arrangement is treated as employment |
| Control | You direct the work; we are the legal employer | Full control through your own company | Limited to what the contract covers |
Ready for your own company? See Subsidiary setup.
When to move from EOR to your own entity
Employer of Record is often the first step. Signs it's time for your own company in India:
- Your team in India is growing.
- You're committed to India for the long term.
- You need local contracts, or to invoice customers in India.
We set up your subsidiary and move your team across. See Subsidiary setup.
Teams we've employed in India
We've employed teams in India for LookSmart (US), NativeX (Vietnam) and Esuhai (Japan).
NativeX
We built NativeX's engineering team and product from zero, ran all its product and technology development, and automated its operations.
Vietnam · 25+ people
- Employer of Record
- Product development
- AI solutions
Esuhai
We employed Esuhai's first people in India, set up Esuhai India Private Limited, and built tikme.com(opens in a new tab), its portal for learning Japanese, building job skills and finding work in Japan.
Japan · 15+ people
- Employer of Record
- Subsidiary setup
- Product development
50+ people employed in India across three companies
Questions about Employer of Record
Straight answers on cost, compliance and moving to your own company.
What's included in the $129?
Everything it takes to employ and manage your employee in India: all statutory compliance, onboarding and employment contract, payroll and payslips, device, health insurance, leave and expenses, employee support, and offboarding. Other benefits you choose to offer, such as meal cards, insurance top-ups or bonuses, are billed at actual cost. There are no hidden fees.
How is the employee's salary paid?
We run payroll in INR each month and send you one consolidated invoice. You pay your employee's salary through that invoice, together with the $129 fee and any benefits billed at actual cost.
Does the price change with team size?
No. It is $129 per employee per month, whether you hire one person or more than a hundred.
How quickly can someone start?
Your new hire can start within one week of accepting the offer.
Can employees work remotely?
Yes. Your employees can work from home anywhere in India, or from an office you choose. We handle state-level rules such as professional tax.
Who owns the work and IP my employee creates?
You do. Our clients own their code and IP from day one.
Can I hire contractors instead?
You can, but if a contractor works like an employee, with set hours, your direction and you as their only client, Indian authorities may treat them as one. You could then owe back payments of statutory contributions, plus penalties. Employer of Record avoids this: your people are full-time employees under Indian law, with compliance handled by us. The comparison on this page shows the differences.
How do I move my employees to my own entity later?
When you are ready, we set up your Indian subsidiary and move your team across. Employees move from our payroll to your company without breaking continuity of service or benefits.
What happens if I end the arrangement?
We handle offboarding under Indian law, including notice periods, the full-and-final settlement, and relieving and experience letters.
Hire your first people in India
Tell us about the roles you want to fill. We reply within one working day.