Which EOR is best for hiring in China in 2026?

Depends on priority. G-P leads China compliance depth (owned entity). Teamed leads cost transparency (zero FX markup) and the lifecycle to WFOE. Oyster leads onboarding speed. Deel and Rippling lead platform breadth. Remote leads product polish. Key question: real China employment-law experts or a generalist ticket queue?

Does my EOR need to own a Chinese entity, or is a partner acceptable?

Both work compliantly. An owned Chinese entity means one employer in the chain for contracts, payroll, social insurance and data. A partner adds a sub-processor. Ask each provider: is China owned or partner-served, and who carries accountability if a Labor Contract Law compliance question or termination goes wrong?

What does the Labor Contract Law mean for my EOR arrangement in China?

The Labor Contract Law governs employment in China. Three provisions matter for EOR: written contract required within one month (double salary if missed), open-ended contract required after two fixed-term contracts, and terminations must meet statutory grounds. The EOR carries these as legal employer. Ask: real China employment-law experts, or a generalist queue?

What are the Chinese employer social contributions an EOR will pass through?

Chinese employer social contributions vary by city, typically 30 to 40% of base salary in major cities: basic pension, medical insurance, unemployment, work-related injury and maternity insurance, plus the housing provident fund (rates set per city). All EOR providers pass these at cost. Compare on platform fee and FX transparency.

When does it make sense to set up my own WFOE instead of using an EOR in China?

The crossover is typically around 10 to 15 full-time employees in China, where WFOE running costs approach the cumulative EOR per-seat fee. Depends on salary levels and costs. Teamed models and proactively flags the crossover month. Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) sets up the WFOE on the same system with no re-onboarding.

How current is this comparison, and how was it scored?

Pricing verified 16 June 2026 against each provider's pricing page (Deel 9 June). China statutory facts from official government sources, same date. G2 from g2.com 16 June. Eight providers scored 1 to 5 on five China-focused criteria, no overall winner. Reviewed quarterly, pricing monthly.

Best EOR in China · 2026

The best EOR providers in China in 2026

No single winner. We scored eight EOR providers on a published rubric: Labor Contract Law compliance, employer social contributions of 30 to 40% in major cities, and the path to your own Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE). G-P leads on China compliance depth. Teamed leads on cost transparency and lifecycle. Oyster leads on onboarding. Deel and Rippling lead on platform.

Talk to an expert

1,000+ companies advised

8
EOR providers scored on one China-focused rubric: $599
Teamed flat fee, FX absorbed at zero markup on CNY conversions: 5
China-specific rubric criteria, no overall winner

Disclosure

This guide was produced by Teamed, which is one of the eight providers scored below on the same rubric as the rest. We don't crown an overall winner, we don't claim to be the cheapest, and we say plainly where another provider is the better fit for your China hire.

Last reviewed 16 June 2026By Tom Price-Daniel, Co-founder, Teamed

Which EOR provider is best for hiring in China in 2026?

Key facts

Providers scored: 8Teamed, Deel, Remote, Oyster, Rippling, Papaya Global, G-P and Velocity Global (Pebl), scored on one published China-focused rubric, 1 to 5 per criterion, no overall winner.Source: Teamed editorial methodology · 2026-06-16
Employer social contributions: ~30 to 40%Employer-side social insurance contributions in major Chinese cities run approximately 30 to 40% of base salary, covering pension, medical, unemployment, injury and maternity insurance plus the housing provident fund. Rates vary by city. Every EOR provider passes these through at cost.Source: Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, China · 2026-06-16
Written contract deadline: 1 monthThe Labor Contract Law requires a written employment contract within one month of hire. Miss it and the employer owes double the employee's monthly wage for each uncovered month, up to 12 months. The EOR is the legal employer and holds this obligation.Source: Labor Contract Law of the PRC, Article 82 · 2026-06-16
Fixed-term limit: 2 before open-endedAfter two consecutive fixed-term contracts, an employee can request an open-ended (permanent) contract under Chinese law. Every EOR operating in China must track this. Ask how your provider monitors renewal limits per employee.Source: Labor Contract Law of the PRC, Article 14 · 2026-06-16

What is an EOR in China?

An Employer of Record (EOR) in China legally employs your people through a local entity so you can hire compliantly before setting up a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) of your own. The EOR issues a Chinese-law employment contract, runs payroll in renminbi (CNY), withholds Individual Income Tax across seven progressive brackets, and handles employer-side social insurance. In major cities those contributions cover pension, medical, unemployment, injury and maternity insurance plus the housing provident fund, and typically run 30 to 40% of base salary, passed through at cost by every provider.

China adds statutory layers that carry real penalties. The Labor Contract Law requires a written contract within one month of hire; miss it and the employer owes double salary for each uncovered month, up to 12 months. After two consecutive fixed-term contracts an employee can request an open-ended agreement. Terminations must meet statutory grounds or the employer pays severance. Ask any EOR whether real HR and legal experts with Chinese employment-law credentials handle those moments directly, or whether the question routes to a generalist ticket queue.

Methodology

How we scored this comparison

Each provider is scored 1 to 5 on five China-focused criteria. There's no weighted total and no overall winner. Different providers lead different columns. Teamed is scored on the same criteria as the rest.

China compliance depth: Owned entity or vetted local partner in China, plus real HR and legal experts with Chinese employment-law credentials who handle Labor Contract Law obligations, social insurance filings, IIT withholding, fixed-term contract tracking and termination requirements directly. How fast a real China employment-law expert responds at the hard moments is part of the score alongside entity structure.
Cost & FX transparency: Whether the headline fee is the real bill in China. FX margin on CNY salary conversions disclosed and itemised, no undisclosed spread or surprise setup and year-end fees. Employer social contributions are passed through at cost by all providers and are not the differentiator.
Platform & self-serve: Dashboard depth, integrations and API surface for teams running China hiring without a dedicated HR manager in-house.
Onboarding & speed: Speed to first Chinese payroll and how well the product keeps pace with a fast-growing team adding people in China. China onboarding involves more steps than many other markets.
Lifecycle to WFOE: Whether the provider moves you from contractor to EOR to your own WFOE on one system, flags the crossover point, and can set up the entity through a service like Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO).

How we gathered evidence

Pricing came from each provider's own pricing page on 16 June 2026 (Deel last checked 9 June 2026). Where a provider does not publish pricing, we use g2.com and cited industry estimates and say so. G2 ratings came from g2.com on 16 June 2026. China statutory compliance facts reference Chinese government ministry sources and the National People's Congress, verified 16 June 2026. Teamed's claims come from teamed.global.

Considered & excluded

We scored the eight providers a rapidly growing company hiring its first employee in China would realistically evaluate.

Skuad, Atlas: Capable but with a thinner public track record than the eight scored.
Remofirst, Native Teams: Micro-business or lowest-price positioning, a different buyer than this list.

How they score, criterion by criterion

There’s no overall winner. Each column is a different priority. Pick the ones that matter to you, then read the write-ups below.

Provider	China compliance depth	Cost & FX transparency	Platform & self-serve	Onboarding & speed	Lifecycle to WFOE
Teamed(us)		Leads			Leads
Deel			Leads
Remote
Oyster				Leads
Rippling
Papaya Global
G-P (Globalization Partners)	Leads
Velocity Global (now Pebl)

Scored 1–5 on each criterion from the published rubric above. The highlighted cell leads that column. Teamed is scored on exactly the same criteria as every other provider.

Teamed

Us, scored on the same rubric

Best for: rapidly growing companies hiring in China that want the real FX on CNY conversions, real HR and legal experts with Chinese employment-law credentials, and one partner from first Chinese contractor to their own WFOE.

Teamed covers China through its mixed entity and partner network, and the wedge is honesty. It shows the CNY conversion rate on your Chinese salary invoices next to the mid-market reference and absorbs FX at zero markup on the fee. That transparency matters in China, where currency conversion is a real cost on every payroll run. Teamed also tells you the month your own WFOE starts to beat EOR on cost, a question that comes up fast once headcount grows.

Real HR and legal experts with Chinese employment-law credentials handle the hard moments directly: Labor Contract Law compliance questions, double-salary-risk situations, fixed-term-to-open-ended contract transitions, and terminations that require statutory justification. No AI bot wall, no support tier to unlock, no ticket queue.

Teamed isn't trying to be your HRIS. It plugs into the tech you already run and moves you from the first Chinese contractor to EOR to your own WFOE on one system with no re-onboarding. Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) sets up WFOEs in China and 100+ other markets, so the lifecycle advice is built in from day one.

Countries: 180+ (owned entities + vetted partners)
Entity model: Mix of owned entities and vetted partners; China covered via the mixed network
Onboarding: As little as 24 to 48 hours
Contractors: Yes, with misclassification cover (Guard / Protect)
Pricing: $599 USD / £479 GBP / employee / month, flat, FX absorbed · verified 2026-06-16
G2: 4.8/5

Strengths

Zero FX markup on CNY salary conversions. The applied rate sits next to the mid-market reference on every invoice, which is the only way to see the real cost of a China hire. Teamed also models the month when your own WFOE beats EOR and flags it proactively.
Real HR and legal experts with Chinese employment-law credentials handle Labor Contract Law compliance, fixed-term contract tracking and termination requirements directly. No AI bot wall, no Enterprise tier to unlock.
One partner from first Chinese contractor to EOR to WFOE, on one system, via Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO). No re-onboarding at any stage of the lifecycle.
Proactive advisory on Chinese compliance changes before they become surprises. Quarterly reviews flag shifts in social insurance rates and employment law, and model the crossover to your own WFOE.

Watch-outs

Lighter self-serve platform and shallower API than Deel or Rippling. The model is advisory, not dashboard-first.
Smaller brand and review base than Deel or G-P. Less recognition with a procurement team that wants the market-leading name.
The advisory model earns its weight with multiple Chinese hires or a growing headcount. For a single experimental hire with no plans to scale, a lighter self-serve platform may fit better.

Source: teamed.global/pricing

Deel

Best for: teams that want the broadest EOR platform, the deepest integration catalogue and a settled brand for their China hire, and who will manage compliance edge cases through the platform rather than via a dedicated expert.

Deel is the largest EOR platform in the category and covers China within its broad footprint. Its platform leads this rubric alongside Rippling: 650+ integrations, polished self-serve flows and a large integration catalogue that suits teams running Chinese hiring without a dedicated HR manager in-house.

The compliance gap in China is advisory depth. Deel does not publish its FX terms, so the CNY salary-conversion cost is not visible on the invoice. A dedicated support channel sits on the $899 Enterprise tier, which means a real person is not the default response to a Labor Contract Law compliance question or a fixed-term contract renewal situation on the Standard plan.

For a team that wants platform depth and can manage China compliance edge cases through documentation, Deel is a strong choice. Model the FX cost on your real Chinese salary volumes before comparing with the flat-fee providers: an undisclosed spread on CNY conversions adds up fast over a growing team.

Countries: ~180 via owned entities + local partners
Entity model: Mix of owned entities and vetted partners; China covered
Onboarding: Days, self-serve
Contractors: Yes
Pricing: $599 Standard, $899 Enterprise per employee per month · verified 2026-06-09
G2: 4.4/5 (5200)

Strengths

The broadest EOR platform in the category, with 650+ integrations and polished self-serve flows. Leads the platform column on this rubric alongside Rippling.
The largest user and review base in the category. A procurement team that wants the market-leading name will recognise it immediately.
Fast self-serve onboarding into China and most other markets, with a mature contractor-management product alongside EOR.
Deep integration catalogue covering most HR stacks, so Chinese hires slot into existing workflows without a migration.

Watch-outs

Does not publish FX terms. The salary-conversion cost on CNY payrolls is not visible on the invoice. Industry analysis puts undisclosed EOR FX at 1.5 to 3% of salary, which is material on Chinese compensation levels.
A dedicated support channel sits on the $899 Enterprise tier. On the $599 Standard plan, a Labor Contract Law query or fixed-term contract renewal question goes to a shared support queue.
Advisory depth on Chinese employment-law edge cases is lighter than the specialist providers, which matters in a jurisdiction with strict written-contract obligations and termination-protection rules.

Source: deel.com/pricing

Remote

Best for: teams that want a polished self-serve product, a disclosed FX rate they can budget, and China hiring as part of a broader global product estate.

Remote covers China via its mixed network of owned entities and vetted local partners. Its platform is polished and self-serve, with a strong benefits and IP product. On FX, Remote is more transparent than Deel: it discloses its approach rather than concealing it, which matters when payroll is running in CNY.

The disclosed Remote FX rate is still a variable spread above mid-market, not a zero-markup or itemised mid-market line. The $599 headline needs annual billing; the month-to-month rate is $699. Advisory depth on China employment-law edge cases such as Labor Contract Law compliance and fixed-term contract tracking is moderate, as the model is product-led rather than advisory-first.

The fit is a team that wants to run China hiring as part of a product-led global estate. Model the disclosed FX spread on your real Chinese salary volumes before comparing it with the flat-fee providers, and ask which of your China hiring scenarios fall on owned entities vs. the partner network.

Countries: ~180 via owned entities + local partners
Entity model: Owned-entity led in its core countries; vetted partners elsewhere including China
Onboarding: Days to a few weeks
Contractors: Yes
Pricing: $599/mo on annual billing ($699 month to month) · verified 2026-06-16
G2: 4.6/5

Strengths

A polished self-serve platform with strong benefits administration and IP-protection tooling. Product experience is among the best in the category.
Pricing is published: $599 on annual billing, $699 month to month. You can budget it without a sales call, which is not true of every provider here.
Discloses its FX approach rather than concealing it. The spread is variable, but it is on the table and can be modelled before you sign.
Covers China as part of a broad global estate, with one product experience across all markets. Useful for teams hiring in China alongside multiple other countries.

Watch-outs

The $599 rate needs annual billing. Month to month is $699, so the real comparable price depends on the commitment you can make.
The disclosed Remote FX rate is a variable spread above mid-market. It is transparent, but it is not zero markup, and on CNY payrolls the spread is a recurring cost.
The model is product-led rather than advisory. A team that wants a real China employment-law expert on call may find the self-serve flows are the primary support channel.

Source: remote.com/pricing

Oyster

Best for: smaller and fast-scaling teams that want automated onboarding into China and a dedicated customer success manager, with published pricing they can budget from day one.

Oyster is the automation-first choice for getting a China hire done quickly. Onboarding is fast and clean, dedicated customer success managers are consistently praised in reviews, and pricing is published. The product is built so a small team can run a China hire without a payroll specialist in-house.

Oyster covers China via local partners rather than an owned Chinese entity. That is worth understanding when a Labor Contract Law compliance question or a fixed-term contract renewal comes into play. The dedicated CSMs provide a human layer, but China employment-law advisory depth on hard edge cases is lighter than the owned-entity specialists.

Pricing is predictable: the published range and per-seat model mean the first China hire costs what the fifth does. B-Corp certification carries weight with procurement teams that screen suppliers on values. Against the specialist providers, you trade advisory depth for speed, published pricing and a strong customer-success relationship.

Countries: 180+ via local partners
Entity model: Partner-led mix across 180+ countries; China via local partners
Onboarding: Fast, automated; a few weeks
Contractors: Yes
Pricing: From ~$599 to $699 / employee / month · verified 2026-06-16
G2: 4.4/5 (1470)

Strengths

Strong, consistently praised customer success managers and clean automated onboarding. Oyster leads the onboarding column on this rubric.
Certified B-Corp with published pricing, roughly $599 to $699. Procurement teams that screen on values get a straightforward yes.
Automation that keeps pace when a fast-growing team adds China hires quickly, with one of the biggest G2 review bases in the category at roughly 1,470 reviews.
A 180+ country reach via local partners on the same platform, so China is not a special case in the product.

Watch-outs

China is served via local partners rather than an owned entity. For a Labor Contract Law compliance question or a fixed-term contract situation, ask clearly where the accountability sits.
Lighter lifecycle tooling, with less of a managed path from EOR to your own WFOE as Chinese headcount builds.
Advisory depth on China employment-law edge cases is lighter than the owned-entity specialists. The CSM model helps, but it is not a substitute for in-house China legal expertise.

Source: oysterhr.com/pricing

Rippling

Best for: teams consolidating HR, IT and payroll onto one platform, where China EOR is part of a broader system migration rather than a standalone hiring decision.

Rippling is the alternative if you want to run HR, IT and payroll on one platform. With 650+ integrations and a unified employee record across people, devices and access, it matches Deel for platform depth. New Chinese hires slot into the same workflow as every other employee in your company, which is the consolidation argument.

EOR is the newer part of the Rippling product and its country coverage is narrower than the dedicated EOR providers. China availability should be confirmed before you commit. It does not publish EOR pricing, and layers a base HR-platform fee (around $8 per employee per month) on top of the per-employee EOR charge.

Get the all-in monthly number in writing: platform base plus EOR fee plus any China-specific charges. If you are not consolidating your whole stack, the base fee buys capability you will not use. For a team with a China hire and no broader consolidation plans, a dedicated EOR is usually a cleaner fit.

Countries: Lower than the rest of this list; China availability should be confirmed
Entity model: Partner-led mix; China coverage should be verified before committing
Onboarding: Fast, self-serve where covered
Contractors: Yes
Pricing: Not published; about $499 to $599 EOR + HR-platform base (~$8/emp/mo) · verified 2026-06-16
G2: 4.8/5

Strengths

The most powerful unified HR, IT and payroll platform here, with 650+ integrations. Leads the platform column alongside Deel on this rubric.
New hire setup, payroll and access provisioning live in one workflow with every other employee. Device and app provisioning is built in.
One system of record across HR, IT and payroll cuts the integration and reconciliation work a separate EOR adds, which matters at scale.
Fast, polished self-serve experience if you are standardising your whole people stack. A China hire becomes part of one global workflow.

Watch-outs

EOR country coverage is materially lower than the dedicated EOR providers. Confirm China availability before committing; it may be more limited than the other providers on this list.
Does not publish EOR pricing and adds a base HR-platform fee on top of the per-employee EOR charge. Get the all-in number before you compare.
China employment-law advisory depth, including Labor Contract Law and fixed-term contract management, is lighter than the specialist EOR providers.

Source: rippling.com/pricing

Papaya Global

Best for: enterprises running multi-country payroll at scale, where China is one of many markets and finance-grade payroll consolidation across 130+ currencies matters more than advisory depth or onboarding speed.

Papaya Global is the payroll-at-scale choice for enterprises managing China alongside many other markets. Its platform is payments infrastructure as much as HR software: about 180 countries, 130+ payroll currencies including CNY, and a strong data backbone for finance teams consolidating multi-country payroll in one reporting layer.

That depth comes at enterprise price and pace. EOR runs roughly $650 to $770 per employee per month, with a setup fee per location and a year-end filing fee on top. Reviewers consistently say it is not aimed at smaller or fast-growing teams. China compliance advisory is payroll-operations-led rather than employment-law-advisory.

For a finance team consolidating Chinese payroll alongside other APAC markets, the backbone is the draw: audit-ready filings and 130+ payment currencies in one system. Price the full stack before comparing with the flat-fee providers, because the setup and year-end fees land on top of the monthly range and can be material.

Countries: ~180 via owned entities + local partners
Entity model: Mix of owned and partner; China covered
Onboarding: Weeks, enterprise-paced
Contractors: Yes
Pricing: ~$650 to $770 / employee / month, plus setup and year-end fees · verified 2026-06-16
G2: 4.5/5 (117)

Strengths

A strong enterprise payroll and data backbone across roughly 180 countries and 130+ payroll currencies including CNY. Few providers consolidate multi-country payroll data at this scale.
Mature automation and reporting for finance teams running multi-country payroll including China. Month-end consolidation and reconciliation are where it wins time back.
Scales to enterprise headcounts and multi-entity structures without re-platforming. China fits into a broader enterprise estate.
A 4.5 G2 rating across 117 reviews, strong for an enterprise product whose buyer is a demanding finance team.

Watch-outs

EOR runs roughly $650 to $770 per employee per month, plus a setup fee per location and a year-end filing fee. One of the pricier options on this list.
Built for enterprise, not smaller fast-growing teams. The product depth is the price of the enterprise architecture.
Advisory depth on China employment-law edge cases, including Labor Contract Law compliance, is payroll-operations-led rather than employment-law advisory.

Source: g2.com/products/papaya-global

G-P (Globalization Partners)

Best for: large enterprises where the widest owned-entity footprint in China and the deepest governance bar matter more than speed, price, or advisory agility.

G-P owns entities across 180+ countries, China included, giving it the widest owned-entity footprint in the category. That breadth is genuine, with a long enterprise track record. For a large enterprise running a major China operation where governance and audit are the primary bar, G-P clears it more completely than any other provider here. It leads the China compliance column on this rubric.

For a rapidly growing company, though, it is usually overkill. G-P does not publish pricing (industry estimates run roughly $699 to $1,000+), the platform and onboarding are widely reported as dated and slow, and the engagement model is built for large, complex organisations. China employment-law expertise exists but runs at enterprise pace rather than the fast advisory cadence a scaling team needs.

The case for G-P in China is governance at scale: an owned Chinese entity, fewer partner links in the data chain, and the procurement posture large organisations require. Procurement, security and legal reviews tend to pass it quickly because it is built to be reviewed. Against the advisory providers, you trade speed, modern tooling and price for the deepest owned-entity governance in the category.

Countries: 180+ (owned-entity led + local partners)
Entity model: Owned-entity led, the widest footprint in the category; China owned
Onboarding: Slow, enterprise governance
Contractors: Yes
Pricing: Not published; estimates ~$699 to $1,000+ / employee / month · verified 2026-06-16
G2: 4.4/5 (936)

Strengths

Owns its employing entity in China and 180+ other countries. The widest owned-entity footprint in the category and the reason it leads the China compliance column on this rubric.
Deep enterprise governance and a long track record with large, complex global teams. References that pre-date most of this list.
The highest owned-entity share in the category means fewer partner sub-processors in the Chinese employment and data chain.
A 936-review G2 base at 4.4 gives the enterprise track record third-party weight, not just reference calls.

Watch-outs

Does not publish pricing. Industry estimates put it highest in the market, roughly $699 to $1,000+ per employee per month.
The platform and onboarding are widely reported as dated and slow. A Labor Contract Law compliance question at short notice is not a good moment to discover the response speed.
Enterprise focus, dated platform, slow onboarding and top-of-market price make it a poor fit for a rapidly growing company that needs to move fast in China.

Source: g2.com/products/g-p/reviews

Velocity Global (now Pebl)

Best for: companies with M&A, carve-out or cross-border immigration needs that touch China, and who will pay a premium for that specialist depth.

Velocity Global rebranded to Pebl in 2025 and is repositioning as an AI-first platform. It brings real depth in M&A and immigration across 185+ countries, with 65 owned entities that include major market coverage. That depth matters for China compliance accountability on scenarios such as workforce carve-outs or relocation-driven hires into China.

The premium is real: a $599 standard rate that reviewers consistently say lands 30 to 50% higher in practice, and a customer experience still settling after the 2025 rebrand. The compliance depth is strongest where engagements get complicated: carving out a workforce from a China-based acquisition, or managing a relocation with Chinese work permit requirements alongside EOR employment.

For a team hiring a handful of people in China without M&A or immigration needs, the mid-tier providers cover the need at a more predictable price. Velocity's depth shows up when the engagement is genuinely multi-dimensional, not on a standard first-hire flow.

Countries: 185+ (65 owned entities)
Entity model: Owned entities (65 countries) plus partners; China covered
Onboarding: Days to a few weeks
Contractors: Yes
Pricing: $599 standard, often 30 to 50% higher in practice · verified 2026-06-16
G2: 4.6/5

Strengths

Real depth in M&A and immigration across 185+ countries and 65 owned entities. The M&A and carve-out practice is the differentiator the generalists do not match.
Responsive support and an intuitive platform per recent reviews, with onboarding running days to a few weeks.
Immigration depth alongside EOR, so a visa-dependent Chinese hire does not force a second vendor into the chain.
A repositioned AI-first platform post-2025 rebrand, with onboarding and workflow improvements reflected in recent reviews.

Watch-outs

Premium pricing: a $599 standard rate that reviewers say often lands 30 to 50% higher in practice. Quote-led in practice, so a like-for-like comparison against flat-fee providers takes work to pin down.
Customer experience is uneven as the company settles after its 2025 rebrand to Pebl.
Overkill for a standard China EOR hire with no M&A or immigration needs. The value is in the edge cases, not the standard flow.

Source: g2.com/products/pebl-formerly-velocity-global

What each stakeholder evaluates

Criterion	Legal	Finance	People Ops	Security
China Labor Contract Law exposure	Ask whether the provider has real HR and legal experts with Chinese Labor Contract Law credentials or routes compliance questions to a generalist ticket queue. The double-salary penalty for missing the written-contract deadline lands on the legal employer.	A missed contract deadline means double salary for up to 12 months per affected employee. Know who tracks and issues contracts before you sign the MSA.	You want a direct line to a real China employment-law expert when a fixed-term contract renewal deadline is approaching or a termination needs statutory justification.	An owned Chinese entity means one data-processing chain; a partner adds a sub-processor that needs its own review.
FX on Chinese salaries	Ask for the FX policy in writing. Chinese salaries are paid in CNY; if your billing currency differs, the spread is a recurring cost on every payroll run.	On a CNY 600,000 (roughly USD 83,000) annual salary, a 2% undisclosed FX spread costs roughly USD 1,660 per year per employee. At five employees in China that is over USD 8,000 of invisible cost annually.	An itemised FX line avoids salary-reconciliation surprises at year-end when Individual Income Tax is reconciled.	A timestamped rate against a public reference is an auditable record and a cleaner answer to internal finance audit queries.
Path to your own WFOE	Ask when EOR stops being the right model in China. The crossover point depends on headcount, salary levels and the cost of WFOE registration and maintenance.	An EOR that models the crossover and helps you set up the WFOE keeps you from overpaying EOR fees past the breakeven month. GEMO sets up WFOEs in China on the same system with no re-onboarding.	A managed transition via Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) avoids re-onboarding employees onto new contracts at entity setup.	Your own WFOE gives you greater control over data residency and employment contracts in China.

Decision checklist

Choose on China compliance depth if real HR and legal experts with Chinese employment-law credentials matter more than platform breadth or price. G-P leads this column with the widest owned-entity footprint including China. Teamed leads on human advisory speed and expert access for fast-growing companies.
Choose on cost transparency if a salary invoice you can read matters. Teamed shows the FX rate against mid-market and absorbs it at zero markup. Deel does not publish FX terms; Remote discloses a variable spread.
Choose on lifecycle if you plan to set up your own WFOE. Teamed leads this column, with the crossover modelled proactively and Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) for entity setup in China and 100+ other markets.
Choose Deel if platform breadth, the deepest integration catalogue and the largest brand matter most for your China hire.
Choose Remote if you want a polished self-serve product and a disclosed FX rate you can budget, with annual billing acceptable.
Choose Oyster if fast, automated onboarding and a dedicated customer success manager matter more than China employment-law advisory depth.
Choose Rippling if you want HR, IT and payroll on one platform and have confirmed China EOR is available for your hiring plan.
Choose Papaya Global if enterprise payroll automation across China and many other markets is the priority and per-location fees are acceptable.
Choose G-P if you are a large enterprise where the widest owned-entity governance in China matters more than speed, price or agility.
Choose Velocity Global (Pebl) if you have M&A, carve-out or immigration needs in China and will pay a premium for that specialist depth.
Ask every provider one question before you sign: do real HR and legal experts with Chinese employment-law credentials handle a Labor Contract Law compliance question or a termination, or does it go to a generalist ticket queue?

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Honest take

When another provider here is the better choice.

Choose G-P if you are a large enterprise where the widest owned-entity governance in China, including an owned Chinese entity, matters more than speed, advisory agility or price.
Choose Deel if platform breadth, the deepest integrations and the largest brand outweigh seeing the FX on your Chinese salary invoice.
Choose Remote if a polished self-serve product and a disclosed FX rate matter most, and annual billing is acceptable.
Choose Rippling if you want your whole HR, IT and payroll stack on one platform and have confirmed China EOR availability.
Choose Oyster if fast onboarding and a dedicated customer success manager are the deciding factors and you have confirmed the China partner chain.

Teamed leads cost transparency and the lifecycle to your own WFOE, not every column. A buyer with different priorities should pick differently. We'd rather lose the deal than mismatch the engagement.

Frequently asked questions

Which EOR is best for hiring in China in 2026?
It depends on your priority. G-P leads on China compliance depth with the widest owned-entity footprint, including an owned Chinese entity. Teamed leads on cost transparency (FX absorbed at zero markup, shown against mid-market) and the lifecycle to your own WFOE via Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO). Oyster leads on onboarding speed. Deel and Rippling lead on platform breadth. Remote leads on product polish with a disclosed FX rate. The most useful question: can you reach a real HR or legal expert with Chinese employment-law credentials when you need one, and can you see the FX on your Chinese salary invoice?
Does my EOR need to own a Chinese entity, or is a partner acceptable?
Both models work compliantly, but they carry different accountability structures. An owned Chinese entity means one employer in the chain for the contract, payroll, social insurance and data processing. A partner adds a sub-processor: an additional link for contractual accountability and compliance outcomes. The key question is whether the EOR takes full accountability for compliance outcomes or passes risk through to you. Ask each provider directly whether China is owned or partner-served, and where accountability sits if a Labor Contract Law compliance question or a termination goes wrong.
What does the Labor Contract Law mean for my EOR arrangement in China?
The Labor Contract Law (2008) is the primary framework governing employment in China. For an EOR arrangement, three provisions matter most. First, a written contract must be in place within one month of the employee starting; failure triggers a double-salary obligation for each uncovered month. Second, after two consecutive fixed-term contracts, the employee can request an open-ended (permanent) agreement. Third, terminations must meet one of the statutory grounds or the employer owes severance. The EOR is the legal employer under Chinese law, so it carries these obligations. Ask your EOR whether real HR and legal experts with Labor Contract Law credentials monitor contract timelines and handle terminations directly, or whether those questions route to a generalist queue.
What are the Chinese employer social contributions an EOR will pass through?
Chinese employer-side social contributions vary significantly by city. In major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai the combined employer rate typically runs 30 to 40% of base salary, covering five categories: basic pension insurance, basic medical insurance, unemployment insurance, work-related injury insurance, and maternity insurance. In addition, employers contribute to the housing provident fund, with rates set by each city. All EOR providers pass these through at cost; they are statutory and identical regardless of which EOR you use. Compare providers on the platform fee and FX transparency, not on statutory contributions.
When does it make sense to set up my own WFOE instead of using an EOR in China?
The crossover point depends on your headcount in China, salary levels and the ongoing costs of WFOE registration, registered address, local accounting and annual filings. A rough guide: once you have 10 to 15 full-time employees in China, the fixed cost of a WFOE often starts to approach or beat the cumulative EOR per-seat fee. The exact month depends on your specific cost structure. Teamed models this crossover explicitly and flags the month your own WFOE beats EOR, which is something no other provider here does proactively as a standard service. Global Entity & Employment Operations (GEMO) sets up WFOEs in China and 100+ other markets on the same system with no re-onboarding of existing EOR employees.
How current is this comparison, and how was it scored?
Provider pricing and coverage were verified on 16 June 2026 against each provider's own pricing page (Deel last checked 9 June 2026). China statutory compliance facts reference Chinese government ministry sources and the National People's Congress, verified 16 June 2026. G2 ratings came from g2.com on 16 June 2026. Each of the eight providers is scored 1 to 5 on five China-focused criteria with no weighted total and no overall winner. We review the page quarterly and re-verify pricing monthly.

Common questions

Which EOR provider handles China Labor Contract Law requirements best?
G-P leads on China compliance governance with the widest owned-entity footprint including an owned Chinese entity. Teamed leads on human advisory: real HR and legal experts with Chinese employment-law credentials handle Labor Contract Law compliance, fixed-term tracking and termination requirements. Remote covers China with a disclosed FX rate and polished platform. Oyster, Papaya Global, Rippling and Deel are lighter on Chinese employment-law advisory depth.
What is the real cost of hiring in China through an EOR?
Three layers: the headline EOR fee ($599 to $699 for most; higher for G-P and Papaya Global), Chinese employer social contributions (~30 to 40% of base salary in major cities, passed at cost by all providers), and FX on the salary conversion for providers that do not disclose their rate (1.5 to 3% of salary). Teamed absorbs FX at zero markup and shows the rate against mid-market.

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