Will an employer of record employ staff for a defence company?

Last updated: 20 October 2026

In short

Yes, Teamed takes defence clients. Whether a particular hire can go ahead often depends on the work, the country and the rules that apply to both.

With Teamed, you get real HR and legal experts assigned within 24 hours and a designated person who manages your account. This page sets out what a screening usually looks at and what to send first, so you get a clear yes or no.

Already have an overseas contractor to convert? Read converting an overseas contractor: what you must prove.

Defence companies often want this answered first, because a late no costs days. This page answers it and then explains how the screening usually works.

Does Teamed take defence clients?

Yes. Teamed takes defence clients.

Whether a particular role can go ahead is a separate question, and it usually depends on the facts of the work and the country. Teamed gives you real HR and legal experts, assigned within 24 hours, and a designated person who manages your account, so the question gets a clear answer from people who can discuss it with you.

What does the screening usually look at?

Three things, in most cases: the work, the rules around it and the country.

• The nature of the work. What the person will actually do, and whether the work involves controlled items, technology, software or data. In some situations your own customer contract also limits who can do the work.
• Export-control and sanctions considerations. These rules differ by country and often by the item or technology involved. They can affect who may be employed, where they may work and what they may handle.
• The country. Some countries are straightforward to employ in. Others carry sanctions or local restrictions that can make a role harder, or in some situations not possible, through an employer of record.

The screening is a conversation about facts, not a form. A role that fits in one country may not fit in another, even for the same company.

What should you send up front to get a clear yes or no?

A plain-words description of the role and the country. The more precise you are early, the quicker the answer usually comes.

1. Your company name, and the group it belongs to.
2. The role, and what the person will do day to day, in plain words.
3. The country they will work in, and the start date you have in mind.
4. Whether the work touches controlled items, technology, software or data, as far as you can say.
5. Any limits in your customer contract on who can do the work, or where.
6. Any clearance or vetting requirement the role carries.
7. Whether the person is already working for you, for example as a contractor.

If you cannot answer one of these, say so. A gap in the answers is useful to know early.

What if the answer is no for a role?

Then you know early, and you can look at another route. In some situations a role or a country will not fit an employer of record model, and a clear no on day one saves more time than a late one.

The two guides below cover what defence companies usually need to understand. Payroll compliance risks for defence companies sets out the failures that cause the most trouble. Converting an overseas contractor sets out what a compliance team usually wants to see.

Frequently asked questions

Can an employer of record employ someone who works on controlled technology?

In some situations, yes. It often depends on the item or technology, the country and the rules that apply to both. Describe the work in plain words at the start and ask for an answer before you plan a start date.

What if my customer contract limits who can work on it?

Those limits often matter, so share them up front. They can affect which roles and which countries are possible, and it is much easier to account for them at the start than after an offer is made.

Can I convert an existing overseas contractor into an employee?

Often, yes, and the main thing is evidence. The page on converting an overseas contractor sets out what a compliance team usually wants to see before it signs.

Where can I read about compliance risk in defence payroll?

The guide to payroll compliance risks for defence companies covers the failures that most often cause trouble when a defence company hires across borders.