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Employ Candidates Compliantly in China

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  1. Overview: China
  2. Work permit for hiring expats via PEO/EOR
  3. Global PEO and payroll
  4. Global HR Compliance
  5. Expand without a company set up
  6. Contractor vs. employee: which is better?
  7. Global Payroll Calculator
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Employer of Record in China

What Is a Global Employer of Record?

The global Employer of Record (GEO) service is a new way for companies to hire workers in other countries. Companies can reduce administrative costs and improve compliance with local labor laws by using the GEO (Global Employer of Record).

Previously, finding workers from other countries was time-consuming and required extensive research into local laws and regulations. With the GEO, employers can employ their pre-selected qualified workers worldwide in just minutes without taking on the cost and risk of establishing a local entity. The GEO also provides valuable HR support and compliance assistance, making it easier for businesses to thrive in a competitive global marketplace. The Global EOR offers employers access to a single point of contact for all their foreign employment needs, from complying with local labor laws to managing payroll and benefits.

3 Options for Multi-location International Employment

Businesses establishing a global presence face the challenge of managing and scaling an employee base with no common borders or language. To successfully expand abroad, companies have several options for enabling hiring in international markets. 

There are six key things to consider when choosing an employment method for your company’s global expansion:

  1. Budget and time frame
  2. Tax implications
  3. Compliance
  4. Employment liability
  5. IP protection
  6. Asset acquisition.

The most commonly used ways are by doing the following: 

  1. Overseas Permanent Establishment (a representative office, a branch, a subsidiary, and other foreign legal entity types )
  2. Selecting independent contractors to handle tasks remotely.
  3. Work with a global EOR (Employer of Record) and GEO (Global Professional Employer Organisation) Partner. 

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Global Employment Services in China

When expanding globally, many companies face challenges onboarding employees in new countries. To comply with local laws, they often need to set up a legal business entity in that country – a process that can be costly, time-consuming, and complex. For many employers, this is not a viable option.

To help your organization legally onboard and payroll a workforce in China, Acumen International offers a global employment solution via our Global Employer of Record (EOR) designed to help you circumvent the legalities of direct hiring, eliminating the need for you to establish a legal entity in China to conduct business there.

Acumen International Employer of Record solutions can help you solve the hard puzzle of global employment. As a Global EOR partner, we help businesses meet all of their HR needs while handling compliance issues in the international arena. By offering comprehensive global employment solutions and reality checks about the compliance aspects of employing staff across the globe, we can be an important resource for your in-house HR and Management teams.

Global Employment Journey — Recruitment. Onboarding. Management. Retention. Termination

Compliance and legal guidance at every step of the Global Employment Journey. 24/7 local support in China.

1. Recruitment

2. Global Mobility

3. Checks

4. Onboarding

5. Payroll Administration

6. Working Time & PTO Processing

7. Benefits Administration

8. Tax Administration & Reporting

Offboarding

Talent skilled in highly-specialized areas Employee Work Visa and Work Permit sponsorship Health checks Employment Agreement drafting In-country registration with statutory bodies Working hours Mandatory Benefits Tax Reporting frequency and requirements; Employment agreement termination:
Executive search Dependent Visa Criminal record checks Compliant worker onboarding on your behalf Day-to-day payroll management Overtime Health insurance Employer taxes & contributions Dismissal – by the employer
Contingency workforce Visa extension Background checks Account setup in the payroll and HR system​ Monthly pay slips or other pay frequency Public holidays Workers’ compensation Employee taxes & contributions Resignation – by the employee
Application for a sponsor license for a foreign national Education checks Employee data entry and records maintenance Accruals Annual leave Unemployment insurance Withholding tax Termination by mutual agreement
Relocation assistance Managing probation periods Allowances Parental leave Voluntary Benefits Local tax payments and reporting to local authorities Notice period handling
13th and 14th salary Sick leave Share plans for executives End of financial year reporting Final settlement & severance payments
Additional leave Bonuses & Equipment provision De-registration with statutory bodies
Expenses reimbursement & business trip processing
Health insurance, dental treatment

17 Burdens a Global Employer of Record (EOR) Can Relieve for Your In-House HR Department in China

  1. Global expansion complexity 
  2. Global payroll administration
  3. Employee benefits administration
  4. Drafting compliant employment contracts to adhere to local labor and tax regulations in 190 countries
  5. Lengthy onboarding 
  6. Complex and risky offboarding
  7. Background checks
  8. Workforce compensation administration
  9. Compliance assistance
  10. Guidance on best practices of voluntary benefits provisioning
  11. Immigration and relocation support for your ex-pat workforce, such as visa sponsorship and securing work permits
  12. Lack of institutional knowledge.
  13. IP right protection
  14. Lack of local and international legal support
  15. Convert local contractors into full-time employees
  16. Business transitions: acquisitions, mergers, close-downs
  17. Need to deal with multiple global employment service providers.

With a robust Global Employer of Record (EOR), you can make global employment decisions quickly and confidently – without getting buried in immigration or labor compliance work in China. With Acumen International Employer of Record, you can quickly and easily employ your pre-selected world-class talent from any country. Perhaps more importantly, with our Global EOR services, we minimize your permanent establishment, employee immigration non-compliance, or misclassification risk – leaving you free to focus on running your business.

With a Global Employer of Record in China, you don’t need to worry about the cost of maintaining a workforce, recruitment, securing visas or work permits for foreign hires, issuing documents, managing payroll and employee benefits, collecting payroll tax, and paying personal and corporate taxes.

Entering into a partnership with a global Employer of Record (EOR) committed to helping provide excellent employment opportunities. This partnership will enable you to dramatically expand your services and reach any part of the world, including China.

8 Scenarios When You Might Need a Global Employer of Record (EOR)

Are you an international employer looking to hire employees in China? If so, you may need to partner with a global Employer of Record (EOR). Here are eight scenarios when this could be the case. 

  1. You have hired an employee but are unhappy with your current employment service provider. 
  2. You’ve decided to hire an independent contractor instead of a full-time employee, but you’re unsure if you comply with local laws and regulations.
  3. You are currently looking to improve the quality of your employment services.
  4. You can no longer afford to maintain a fully legal operation via your own entity in China.
  5. You have a temporary project or one that doesn’t require you to open a legal entity in China.
  6. You need to hire a foreign workforce for your new project in China.
  7. You want to expand your business and need a mix of local and foreign employees. Those familiar with the local market in China will be able to help reduce the learning curve.
  8. You are looking for a partner that will allow you to expand your business by hiring locally experienced employees. This will allow you to tap into a wealth of knowledge and experience to help you grow your business in China.

Are you looking for qualified talent in your industry but don’t want to worry about setting up your own legal entity in China? Look no further!  Acumen International’s Global Employer of Record (EOR) services can help you do that by providing faster access to qualified talent in your industry. A global Employer of Record (EOR) partner can help you get a presence in China quickly and easily without worrying about compliance with labor, tax, or immigration regulations.

Compliant and Streamlined Employee Onboarding in China with Acumen Global Employer of Record

Employee onboarding is vital to ensuring a smooth transition for both the employer and the new employee. By intending the new employee into your organization’s team, processes, systems, values, and culture, you are setting them up for success in their new role. 

Onboarding can last up to 12 months, but it is essential to remember that the focus should be on social acclimatization and skill development rather than administration and paperwork. Aumen global EOR partner helps you foster a positive working relationship by supporting the new employee as they get up to speed towards peak productivity.

  • Reduced employee turnover
  • Increased employee engagement
  • Faster time to peak productivity
  • Reduced costs
  • Extension of the positive candidate experience
  • Assimilation into the workplace culture
  • Understanding of role and performance expectations
  • Greater employee satisfaction
  • Greater hiring manager satisfaction
  • Faster identification of skill gaps

Employment Contracts, Policies, and Local Laws in China

In most countries, once you’ve identified staffing needs, you’ll need to enter into employment contracts, which must be written in the local language. Before you begin hiring, you’ll also have to agree on and set up a benefits plan. Mandatory benefits in your new office will differ from those in your home country due to local labor laws and market expectations. To be on the safe side, think 4-6 weeks to draft a benefits plan that complies with local laws and makes you a competitive, attractive local employer in China. To avoid delaying your timeline, it’s best to begin drafting your benefits plan while establishing your entity. 

Employment Contract Provisions for Remote & Hybrid Workforce in China

As organizations strive to adopt hybrid work models that enable employees to work from home or remotely on a long-term or permanent basis, they may be subject to additional obligations regarding employee notification, consultation, and consent.

Working remotely or in a hybrid capacity may require some adjustments to the terms of your employment contract. The workplace can often be a central component of an employment agreement, and changing that aspect of the contract may necessitate getting explicit consent from employees in some cases.

Employers must know the different employment laws in different jurisdictions, such as China. Depending on their business location, they may need to adopt different practices in their employment agreements. Any additional obligations arising out of collective bargaining agreements or consultation agreements must also be carefully reviewed.

Organizations can now look at expanded talent pools when making hiring decisions. However, when employing gig workers, it is important to tailor contracts, benefits, and employee processes to fit their needs. This is in contrast to the traditional full-time employee model.

Local Employment Contracts Compliance

As an employer, it is crucial to have local employment contracts that comply with the law of the jurisdiction where your employees work, including China. These contracts should be provided in both English and the local language. Do not simply copy and paste your existing contract template from your home country – this could result in non-compliance and serious legal consequences.

When recruiting employees for your business, it is critical to ensure that their employment contract is appropriate for the country where they will be working. A Spanish employment contract may not be valid in Latin America simply because they are both Spanish-speaking countries. 

The language of the employment contract is a crucial detail to remember during the recruitment process, as non-compliance to target country employment laws or any mistakes with the paperwork could cost you money, time, and potentially your business’s reputation.

Employment Contract Termination

The employment termination process can be just as important as the hiring process. This part of employment should not be taken lightly as it can have many implications and consequences, both for the employer and the employee. Therefore, it is important to consider all aspects of the situation before deciding.

The start of termination process begins when the employee signs the employment contract. If the termination guidelines are clear and precise, terminating an employee will be much smoother.

When setting out the terms of employment, it is important to be clear about the notice period (making sure it’s aligned with the country-specific regulations) and what is expected in terms of returning company equipment and a credit card or cash float balance. Non-compete clauses protecting your intellectual property are also important considerations. Doing so will help avoid misunderstandings and potential legal problems down the road.

An employer may face litigation if they do not have clear procedures for terminating their employment contract. If an employee feels they have been mistreated, they may become disgruntled and contest the termination legally. This can be costly and difficult, especially if the dispute is in another country with a different time zone and language., particularly in China

Employ your Selected Workforce via Acumen Employer of Record (EOR) in China

As a Global Employer of Record services provider, Acumen International helps businesses to legally engage and pay their selected highly skilled professionals in China.

Businesses desiring to hire local employees should be prepared to pay competitive salaries to attract and retain the most qualified candidates. As a global employment organization, Acumen International serves end employers and service companies representing international clients.

Acumen’s Global employment services are designed to provide our clients with professional assistance to meet their global HR needs, such as:

  • Global talent acquisition and retention
  • Global expansion to help you quickly enter new global markets without legal and HR compliance risks.
  • Local support for international clients and their foreign talent.

In China, Acumen’s Employer of Record (EOR) service offers an efficient and inexpensive alternative to direct hiring. Our Global Employer of Record solution gives companies the opportunity to operate in China and in 190 international markets where we serve our clients without registering as a local business entity.

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Onboard and Payroll Local and Foreign Talent in China via Acumen Global Employer of Record (EOR)

Multinational clients requiring services in multiple locations worldwide can have time-sensitive projects executed without delay.  Acumen International is a trusted Global Employer of Record solutions provider to over 190 countries around the globe.

We have perfected our talent management processes to give you a seamless project experience with clear lines of communication and seamless global employment processes. You can eliminate the pain of your overseas talent acquisition and management projects. Our PEO team will plan, manage and execute every single step in an unrivaled way, 365/24/7.

We help our clients succeed globally by leveraging our local expertise, global employment infrastructure, and resources. 

Acumen’s EOR global employment solution helps businesses to overcome legal challenges by hiring and compensating their local and ex-pat workforce in China on their behalf in a risk-free and cost-effective manner.

If you want to augment your team with the expertise of China-based global talent, or if you have already selected a local candidate to work remotely and in full legal compliance in China, our global EOR solution is ideal.

You can trust Acumen to handle the global employment and HR details of your workforce management in China to ensure full compliance with in-country employment laws.

Acumen’s Global Employer of Record (EOR) solution was designed to help international companies like yours expand their global reach and engage the brightest global talent for their projects.

In addition to legally onboarding local citizens, we can organize work permits and business visa sponsorship for your expatriate team via our Global Employer of Record and employ them on your behalf once legal permissions have been attained.

Partner with Acumen International, and let us help you handle your global employment and HR needs. With Acumen, you can rest assured that all legal requirements are met for compliant hiring and compensating your local and expatriate employees in China and 190 countries where we serve our international clients.

Reduce risks while expanding your business without establishing your legal entity in China. Leave it to Acumen to hire and compensate your employees on your behalf, so you can focus on growing your business.

Trust us to handle the global employment and HR side of your workforce management in China so you are sure that none of these nuances are missed and that your employees are employed and payrolled properly and compliantly on your behalf.

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