# Best Employer of Record in Australia: Top EORs of 2026

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> Methodology: how providers are researched, tested and scored is documented at https://employborderless.com/methodology/.
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> Last updated: 2026-07-16

We independently research and review the top providers so you don't have to.

**Top pick: RemoFirst.** Of the 8 providers ranked for Australia, RemoFirst places first with an overall score of 9.3/10. Best for: Cost-led Australia hires where a from $199 platform fee matters more than a provider-owned local entity..

Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/remofirst/

Most EOR providers list Australia as covered. That's the easy part. The harder part is whether they can handle the nuance correctly.

A developer in Sydney and a logistics coordinator in Melbourne can fall under completely different wage and penalty structures, and getting it wrong carries fines.

Based on our 2026 ratings, the best EOR providers for Australia are RemoFirst, Multiplier, and Remote.

This guide compares eight EOR providers with active coverage in Australia. It looks at superannuation handling, Award compliance, pricing, and how each one performs once real work starts.

## The ranking

| # | Provider | Score | Pricing | Best for |
|---:|---|---:|---:|---|
| 1 | RemoFirst | 9.3/10 | $199/mo | Cost-led Australia hires where a from $199 platform fee matters more than a provider-owned local entity. |
| 2 | Remote | 8.9/10 | $699/mo | Australia teams that want a provider-owned local entity and will pay from $699 for it. |
| 3 | Multiplier | 9.1/10 | $400/mo | Companies looking for fast global hiring & payments |
| 4 | Deel | 8.9/10 | $599/mo | Growing companies scaling internationally with a mix of contractors and full-time employees |
| 5 | Hire with Columbus | 8.9/10 | $179/mo | Companies hiring 5 or more international employees who want to keep costs low and predictable |
| 6 | Oyster | 8.7/10 | $699/mo | Growing companies looking for strong global compliance support and fast onboarding in all major markets |
| 7 | Papaya Global | 8.8/10 | $599/mo | Mid-size to large companies with complex, multi-country payrolls |
| 8 | Rippling | 9/10 | — | Companies with 50–1,000 employees that use multiple tools to manage HR, IT, and finance |

### 1. RemoFirst

RemoFirst runs EOR in Australia through vetted in-country partners rather than its own local entity, and from $199 per employee per month it is the lowest headline rate of our Australia picks. Australia has no statutory 13th-month pay, so the salary you model is close to the salary you carry.

Third-party rating average: 9.

Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/remofirst/

### 2. Remote

Remote employs your Australia hires through its own local entity rather than a partner, which takes a layer out between you and the legal employer. That direct model runs from $699 per employee per month, the top of our Australia range.

Third-party rating average: 9.3.

Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/remote/

### 3. Multiplier

Multiplier covers EOR in Australia and prices it from $400 per employee per month, the mid-point of our Australia picks between RemoFirst and Remote.

Third-party rating average: 9.6.

Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/multiplier/

### 4. Deel

Deel is an Employer of Record (EOR) and a global payroll platform. Companies use it to hire, pay, and manage international contractors and full-time employees without setting up local entities.

Alex Bouaziz, Shuo Wang, and Ofer Simon founded the company in 2019. Deel is headquartered in San Francisco and has raised more than $980 million in seven funding rounds.

The platform is now valued at $17.3 billion.
How Deel works


Deel supports hiring and payroll across more than 150 countries.

Companies typically use the platform for the following services:

 - Employer of Record (EOR): Deel becomes the legal employer in the target country while you manage the day-to-day work


 - Contractor management: Allow clients to hire, manage, and pay independent contractors in multiple countries through a single platform.


 - Contractor of Record (COR): Deel takes on the liability, manages all HR/admin, and handles the risk for you.


 - Global payroll: Clients submit payroll data and approve it in one dashboard, and Deel handles taxes, deductions, and currency conversions automatically.



Note: The main difference between contractor management and Contractor of Record services is who bears the legal risk and responsibility: you (with a standard Deel contractor service) or Deel (with COR).
What stood out in my tests


In my tests of the platform, the onboarding stood out for its simplicity and speed.

In most cases, contracts are generated automatically based on the country, reviewed right on the platform, and approved in a few steps.
What this means for you: you can hire in established markets within days. They’re also likely to find better contract standardization, clear compliance guidance, and faster onboarding compared to smaller regional providers.

Third-party rating average: 9.5.

Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/deel/

### 5. Hire with Columbus

Hire with Columbus is an Employer of Record (EOR) service that enables companies to hire and pay international employees without establishing local legal entities. Operating as a high-volume discount provider, Columbus has positioned itself as the most affordable EOR solution by leveraging bulk purchasing power.

When you use Hire with Columbus, they technically employ workers through their partner entities in 185+ countries. Columbus manages the legal employment paperwork, local tax compliance, payroll processing, and benefits administration, while you handle day-to-day work management. This arrangement saves the 3-6 months and $15,000-$50,000 typically required for foreign entity establishment.

The platform serves two primary functions:

 - Full EOR services for companies hiring employees internationally


 - Contractor management for businesses working with global freelancers



What distinguishes Columbus is their pricing model, at $179 per employee per month, they offer a 10% discount on standard market rates through volume aggregation. This approach makes enterprise-level EOR services accessible to smaller businesses that previously couldn't afford international expansion.

Hire with Columbus operates through strategic partnerships with established EOR providers, negotiating bulk rates based on aggregate client volumes. This model allows them to offer premium services at significantly reduced costs while maintaining compliance standards across all jurisdictions.

Third-party rating average: 10.

Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/hire-with-columbus/

### 6. Oyster

Oyster HR is an Employer of Record (EOR) and a global employment platform that allows companies to hire and manage international workers in more than 180 countries without setting up local legal entities. Founded in 2020, the company focuses on supporting distributed teams.

Oyster’s services include international employment contracts, payroll processing, benefits administration, and ongoing local compliance in each country where it operates.
Focus on employee experience


Oyster places more emphasis on the employee experience than traditional EOR providers.

Alongside core employment services, the platform includes Oyster Academy for professional development, as well as tools designed to support onboarding and cross-cultural collaboration.
What this means for you: Oyster acts as more than a compliance partner. The platform is designed to help companies build and maintain engaged global teams, not just employ them on paper.


Typical customers


Oyster primarily serves mid-market and enterprise companies with 50 or more employees, but I've also seen a few startups in their customer base.

The limiting factor here is the higher rate for Employer of Record (EOR) services.

The platform attracts companies that value consistency, employee satisfaction, and long-term retention, even when that means paying more than low-cost EOR alternatives.

Third-party rating average: 8.9.

Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/oyster/

### 7. Papaya Global

Papaya Global is a global workforce platform that helps companies manage payroll, payments, and employment across multiple countries.

Founded in 2016 by Eynat Guez, Ruben Drong, and Ofer Herman, Papaya Global later raised roughly $440 million, including a $250 million Series D in 2021.

On the product side, Papaya covers:

 - Global payroll: Runs payroll and workforce payments in more than 160 countries


 - Employer of Record: Allows companies to hire employees in countries where they don’t have a legal entity


 - Contractor management: Supports compliant onboarding and payments for international contractors


 - Compliance support: Handles local tax rules, labor laws, and reporting requirements


 - Benefits administration: Offers benefits for employees (including health coverage) that are aligned with each country


 - Integrations: Connects with tools like Workday, NetSuite, and other HRIS and ERP systems



Note: HRIS (Human Resources Information System) manages employee data, payroll, benefits, and HR functions. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) integrates core business processes, including finance, accounting, supply chain, and human resources, into one platform.

Third-party rating average: 8.9.

Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/papaya-global/

### 8. Rippling

Rippling is an all-in-one workforce management platform that connects HR, IT, and finance functions through a unified employee database. Companies use it to manage payroll, benefits, devices, and software from one system.

Parker Conrad (former Zenefits CEO) and Prasanna Sankar founded the company in 2016. Rippling now supports businesses operating in 83 countries.

How Rippling works

The platform automates workflows across business systems that normally operate separately.

Rippling’s onboarding stood out in my research because users consistently describe it as efficient. For example, adding someone to payroll triggered their laptop order, email setup, and software provisioning right away.

There are no (or fewer) manual steps since one employee database feeds all systems at once.

What this means for you: It means automating tasks that normally require switching between multiple tools.

Who uses Rippling

Rippling works best for medium-sized technology and growing businesses with members across the world.

These companies need advanced systems but lack enterprise-level IT departments. The Rippling platform provides just that: enterprise-grade tools without massive IT investments.

What this means for you: Companies automate work that normally requires multiple tools and manual coordination.

Third-party rating average: 9.5.

Full review: https://employborderless.com/review/rippling/

## Selection criteria

We compared each provider on five things that matter once real work starts in Australia: whether they employ through their own local entity or a partner, how they handle the superannuation guarantee and report every pay run through Single Touch Payroll, whether they know which modern award applies to your hire, how they track annual leave accrual and its payout on exit, and how they carry you through a Fair Work termination with the documented warnings the unfair dismissal rules demand.

Country hiring guide: https://employborderless.com/eor/countries/australia/

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does an EOR cost in Australia?

EOR providers typically charge a flat fee per employee, commonly from $199 to $699 per month. On top of that you pay the salary and employer costs. In Australia that includes superannuation at 11.5% of gross salary, rising to 12% from July 2025, plus income tax withholding that averages around 25.3%. Ask each provider what their platform fee does and does not include before you compare.

### Do I need an EOR to hire in Australia?

Only if you do not have an Australian entity. You can hire contractors directly, but employees must be run through compliant payroll, with superannuation paid and every pay run reported through Single Touch Payroll. An EOR becomes the legal employer, handles those filings, pays super into employee-chosen funds, and carries the termination liability, so you avoid setting up your own payroll.

### What are the main compliance risks when hiring in Australia?

Australia's Fair Work Act gives employees strong unfair dismissal protections after six months of service, so you need a defensible reason, a documented process, and evidence of prior warnings. Getting termination wrong can lead to a Fair Work Commission hearing, with fines up to $54,000 for companies in discrimination cases. Missed super payments or payroll filings put you in front of the Australian Taxation Office.

### How do I choose the right EOR for Australia?

Ask how the provider handles the superannuation guarantee, currently 11.5% and rising to 12% in July 2025, including the deadline and payments into employee-chosen funds. Check that they report through Single Touch Payroll and understand Fair Work termination rules. Compare platform fees, but weight local payroll accuracy and dismissal-process support more heavily than headline price.
