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10% of the South African salary. Everything else included.

No entity setup. No hidden statutory charges. No generalist EOR markup. Just a 10% platform fee per employee, plus their fully-loaded South African salary.

All roles · All seniorities
10%of gross monthly salary

Our platform fee is 10% of the employee's gross South African salary. Statutory costs are passed through at cost. No setup fees, no surprises.

  • Employer of Record service
  • Monthly payroll & SARS remittance
  • Privacy- and employment-law aligned contracts
  • Benefits administration
  • Dedicated account support
  • USD billing & reporting
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Live cost estimator

Includes 28% US overhead estimate

Fully-loaded SA employment cost

1

Estimated annual savings

$129,796

About 61% less than the equivalent US hire, all-in. Total annual EMPLOI cost $81,404.

What's included

One fee covers the full employment stack.

Local compliance

Privacy law (POPIA), employment law (BCEA), the Labour Relations Act (LRA), income tax withholding (PAYE), unemployment insurance (UIF), and the skills development levy (SDL) - handled in-country.

Payroll & tax

Monthly payroll, filings with SARS (the South African revenue service), statutory deductions, and pay stubs.

Benefits administration

Medical aid, pension, and leave aligned to SA standards.

Locally compliant contracts

Employment agreements drafted and reviewed by South African employment counsel.

HR support

Day-to-day employee queries, documentation, and offboarding.

USD billing

One predictable monthly invoice per hire in USD.

How we compare

Specialist service, generalist pricing.

OptionTypical costBest for
Local entity in South Africa$75k–$150k setup + ongoing audit & payrollLarge teams with dedicated SA operations
Generalist global EOR15–25% markup + add-on feesSpreading across many countries
EMPLOI10% of monthly SA salary per hire + pass-through statutory costsUS companies focused on South Africa

EMPLOI is built for one corridor. That focus keeps our fee transparent and our compliance deep.

FAQs

Pricing questions, answered.

What is the EMPLOI platform fee?

It's a 10% monthly fee per active hire based on the employee's South African salary. It covers compliance, payroll, benefits administration, contract management, and ongoing HR support. It does not include the employee's salary or statutory contributions - those are passed through at cost.

Is there a setup fee or minimum contract?

No setup fee and no long-term lock-in. You can scale up or down one hire at a time. Most clients start with one or two roles and expand once the model is proven.

How do SA salaries compare to US salaries?

Typically 40-60% lower, fully loaded. The final salary depends on role, seniority, and market demand.

What statutory costs are included?

We process and remit income tax withholding (PAYE), unemployment insurance (UIF), and the skills development levy (SDL) on your behalf. These are passed through as part of the total cost of employment and are clearly itemized each month.

How quickly can we hire?

Most roles go from signed agreement to first day in 1-3 weeks, often faster. Specialist or senior searches may take longer, but we keep sourcing and onboarding tightly coordinated.

What are termination costs?

There is no separate termination fee from EMPLOI. You pay the employee's statutory notice and severance obligations as required by South African employment law (the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, or BCEA), and we handle the offboarding, final pay run, and compliance paperwork. These costs are passed through at cost with no markup.

Is a 13th-month bonus expected, and who pays it?

A 13th-month bonus is common in South Africa but not automatic. It is agreed in the employment contract before the start date and is treated as part of the employee's total cost of employment. You fund it; we process it through payroll in the agreed month.

Which benefits are included in the pass-through?

The pass-through covers statutory contributions - income tax withholding (PAYE), unemployment insurance (UIF), and the skills development levy (SDL) - plus any elected benefits such as medical aid and retirement contributions. EMPLOI administers these but does not mark them up.

How can we pay invoices?

We invoice monthly in USD and accept ACH, wire transfer, and major corporate cards. ACH is usually fastest and cheapest for US companies; wires work for larger or international payments.

When does billing start relative to the employee's start date?

Billing starts from the employee's first day of employment. We do not charge for sourcing, setup, or the period before the start date. Your first invoice covers the first full or partial month of employment, prorated if the start date is mid-month.

Ready to hire?

Get a tailored quote for your next South African hire.

Tell us the role and seniority. We'll get back to you with a defensible all-in cost, salary recommendation, and onboarding timeline.

Already paying South African contractors? Long-term contractors who work like employees are a misclassification claim waiting to happen: back pay, penalties, and an ugly CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration) case. Converting them to compliant EOR employment takes about two weeks.

See how conversion works