Use case
Set Up International Benefits
Setting up international benefits through an EOR ranges from statutory-only compliance to curated supplemental packages: the difference matters most when competing for senior hires in high-talent-density markets. Deel Benefits and Remote's benefits layer both offer supplemental health, life, and pension packages in 50+ markets; G-P and Atlas handle benefits through local brokers, which typically adds 4-6 weeks to setup. For hiring in markets where benefits are a recruiting differentiator (Germany's betriebliche Altersvorsorge, UK's salary sacrifice pension), confirm whether your EOR handles the administrative setup or requires you to manage the broker relationship separately.
International employee benefits are where most companies discover the gap between what they assumed global hiring would cost and what it actually costs. The statutory employer burden alone ranges from 15% of gross salary in India to 80% in Brazil.
That is before you consider the supplementary benefits that local employees expect but your EOR contract may not include.
This guide walks through what is mandatory, what is expected, what most companies miss, and how to build a benefits package that retains talent without destroying your budget.
If you are managing benefits across 3 or more countries, the decisions here will save you from surprises that arrive as unexplained invoices or resignation letters.
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What benefits are mandatory and what are optional?
Mandatory benefits are set by local law and cannot be waived. Health insurance (Germany, Netherlands, Japan), pension/superannuation (UK, Australia, Ireland), paid leave (all EU countries, minimum 20 days; Brazil, 30 days), maternity/paternity leave, and social security contributions are statutory in most jurisdictions.
Optional benefits include supplementary private health insurance (standard in UK, Australia, UAE), enhanced pension contributions above statutory minimums, life insurance, dental/vision, and equity participation. In practice, optional benefits in competitive talent markets are competitive requirements rather than true optionals.
The EOR handles statutory benefit enrolment as part of its employment service. Supplementary benefits are either included in the EOR’s local benefits package or sourced separately through a broker.
How do EOR providers handle international benefits?
EOR providers handle statutory benefits (health insurance, pension, social security) as part of their core service. The EOR enrolls the employee in mandatory schemes and includes the employer contribution in the total employer cost.
For supplementary benefits, providers vary. Deel offers local benefits packages in 50+ countries through its marketplace. Remote provides benefits benchmarking and local plan options.
Multiplier offers supplementary benefits in key markets. Oyster includes localised benefits packages as standard. Not all providers offer the same depth in every country; verify what is available in your specific markets before signing.
If the EOR’s local package does not meet your requirements, you can source supplementary benefits through a global benefits broker (Aon, WTW, Mercer) and pay the premiums as a salary supplement through the EOR payroll.
Why do benefits costs vary so much between countries?
Benefits costs vary because the statutory contribution structure differs by jurisdiction. In France, total employer social contributions run 25-42% of gross salary. In Germany, the employer contributes ~20% in social insurance.
In Brazil, the total employer cost on top of gross salary (INSS, FGTS, SESI, SENAI, and others) runs 30-40%. In the US, there are no statutory health or pension contributions but competitive practice requires both.
The EOR’s quoted platform fee excludes statutory employer costs. Budget the employer cost separately for each country before committing to a hire.
What benefits gaps create the biggest retention risk?
Private health insurance in markets where public healthcare is inadequate or slow (Canada wait times, UK NHS wait times for specialist care, Brazil public healthcare quality). Supplementary pension above statutory minimums in markets where employees expect employer match (US 401k match, UK SIPP contributions).
Mental health and wellbeing support in markets with high burnout risk (Japan, Germany tech). Remote work equipment stipend for employees without a company office.
The retention risk is not the absence of benefits that employees do not expect. It is the absence of benefits that local market practice has made standard. Before finalising a benefits package in a new country, benchmark against the local market, not your home-country standard.
How should you build a competitive benefits package across countries?
Build in three tiers. Tier 1: statutory compliance (all mandatory contributions and leave entitlements). Tier 2: market-competitive supplementary benefits (private health, enhanced pension, standard leave above statutory floor).
Tier 3: differentiator benefits for talent-scarce markets (equity, learning budget, flexible working policy). Start with Tier 1, add Tier 2 for markets where you are competing for senior talent, add Tier 3 selectively.
Tier 1: Statutory compliance (non-negotiable)
Tier 2: Market-competitive supplementary benefits
Tier 3: Differentiator benefits (talent-scarce markets)
What should you do first?
Step 1: for every country where you have or plan employees, list the mandatory benefits and their employer cost. Your EOR provider should supply this; if they do not, request a country benefits summary before signing.
Step 2: benchmark supplementary benefits against the local market in each country. Use your EOR provider’s benefits data, a global HR salary survey (Mercer, Radford, Korn Ferry), or speak to a local recruiter about what comparable employers offer.
Step 3: decide your supplementary benefits approach. Either use the EOR’s local package (fastest to implement, less customisable) or source through a global benefits broker (more control, more administrative complexity).
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Frequently asked questions about international employee benefits
What statutory benefits must employers provide internationally?
Every country mandates a different set. Common categories include social security contributions, pension enrollment, health insurance, paid annual leave, sick leave, and maternity/paternity leave.
The specific rates, structures, and enrollment requirements are entirely country-dependent. Your EOR provider handles these automatically as part of the employment relationship.
How much do international benefits cost on top of salary?
Statutory employer contributions alone range from approximately 15% of gross salary in India and Singapore to 80% in Brazil. Supplementary benefits (private health, dental, pension top-ups, life insurance) typically add 5-15% of gross salary in markets where you want to be competitive. The total employer cost in high-burden countries like France or Brazil can exceed 1.8x the gross salary.
Do EOR providers handle benefits automatically?
Statutory contributions and mandatory enrollments are handled automatically by the EOR. Supplementary benefits vary by provider. Some include competitive supplementary packages in their standard fee.
Others offer statutory-only coverage and charge separately for private health, dental, pension top-ups, and other extras. Always verify what is included before committing.
Can you offer the same benefits package in every country?
You can try, but it will be either unnecessarily expensive in some markets or uncompetitive in others. A global benefits template ignores the reality that expectations differ fundamentally by country. Country-specific packages benchmarked against local norms are more effective at retaining talent and managing costs.
What are the most commonly missed benefits in international packages?
What happens to employee benefits when you switch EOR providers?
Statutory contributions to government-run schemes (pensions, social security) continue regardless of the provider switch. Supplementary benefits, particularly private health insurance and group life insurance, are typically non-portable.
Employees may experience a coverage gap during the transition. Plan a 30-day overlap period and communicate the transition timeline clearly to affected employees.
What happens if you miss a statutory benefit?
Penalties range from back-payment with interest to criminal prosecution. In Germany, retroactive social security liability can extend up to 4 years (30 years for intentional violations), with fines up to EUR 25,000 and potential criminal charges.
In France, travail dissimule (concealed employment) carries criminal penalties including imprisonment. In most jurisdictions, the employer bears both the employer and employee shares of any back-contributions.
How do benefits change when converting contractors to employees?
Contractors receive no employer-provided benefits. Upon converting contractors to employees, all statutory benefits apply from day one, including social security, pension, health insurance, and paid leave.
The employer cost increase is immediate and significant: 40-80% of gross salary in high-contribution countries. If you want to match the contractor’s previous take-home pay, the total employer cost increases even further.
How we approach international benefits analysis
This page is based on cross-provider benefits capability research, country-specific employment law, and benefits benchmarking data as of April 2026. Statutory benefit requirements are subject to change; verify current obligations with local legal counsel. This page does not constitute legal or financial advice.