Saudi Arabia's economy presents compelling opportunities for international employers. The kingdom's non-oil activities grew 4.9% year-over-year in Q2 2024, while the ICT sector reached 154 billion SAR with rapid digital skills demand. The national labor force participation rate stands at 66.3%, creating a substantial talent pool across growing sectors.
An Employer of Record (EOR) service acts as the legal employer for your Saudi-based workforce, managing compliance with the kingdom's complex regulatory framework. This includes navigating the Nitaqat Saudization quotas that mandate specific percentages of Saudi nationals based on company size, processing payroll through the mandatory Wage Protection System, and handling GOSI contributions at 11.75% for Saudi employees and 2% for expatriates. EORs also ensure compliance with statutory leave requirements of 21-30 days annually and manage visa sponsorship processes. We've evaluated seven leading providers to help you select the right partner for Saudi expansion.
Why Use an Employer of Record in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia's investment climate strengthened significantly, with FDI stock increasing 13.4% to reach SAR 1.1 trillion in 2023. The kingdom ranked first across MENA for venture capital funding, reflecting robust business confidence. International companies benefit from GCC Common Market access and the Regional Headquarters Program targeting 600 global RHQs by 2030. The workforce offers strong fundamentals, with a literacy rate of 95.33% and average monthly wages of 10,238 SAR for Saudi nationals. An EOR eliminates the need to establish a local entity, enabling you to access this growth market within days rather than months.
Our Picks for the 7 Best EOR Companies in Saudi Arabia
Borderless AI
Why Use Borderless AI for EOR in Saudi Arabia
Borderless AI delivers exceptional value for companies hiring in Saudi Arabia through its industry-leading 5-day payroll processing and 1-2 day onboarding speed, enabling businesses to deploy talent rapidly in the KSA market. The platform's AI-powered compliance automation ensures adherence to Saudi labor regulations while its centralized dashboard provides real-time visibility into workforce operations, benefits administration, and statutory requirements specific to the Kingdom.
Key Benefits and Features
- AI-powered contract generation customized for Saudi Arabia's legal requirements
- Industry-fastest 5-day global payroll processing with multi-currency support
- Real-time compliance monitoring for Saudi labor law adherence
- Centralized dashboard for managing HR, payroll, and benefits across all global locations
- Direct entity ownership in 170+ countries for seamless employment administration
Price: $579/employee/month
Country Coverage: 170+ countries
G2 Rating: 4.9/5
Free Trial: Demo available
Legal & Compliance: Borderless AI handles payroll, local compliance, laws, and benefits globally, with a platform designed specifically for international hiring without entity setup. The solution ensures full adherence to Saudi Arabian employment regulations, tax requirements, and mandatory benefits administration.
Onboarding Speed: 1-2 days
Platform Experience: Borderless AI offers a modern SaaS platform that integrates payroll, HR administration, compliance monitoring, and global payroll processing in multiple currencies through a centralized dashboard. The platform's AI-powered features automate routine tasks and provide intelligent insights for workforce management decisions.
Customer Support: Global support across all covered countries with 24/7 availability to address compliance, payroll, and HR inquiries for Saudi Arabia and other markets.
Pros & Cons
Remote
Why Use Remote for EOR in Saudi Arabia
Remote's ownership of a local entity in Saudi Arabia eliminates third-party reliance and ensures direct compliance management with KSA employment laws, payroll regulations, taxes, benefits, leave policies, and termination procedures. The platform's integrated HRIS delivers comprehensive workforce visibility while maintaining full regulatory adherence, making it particularly valuable for companies requiring robust in-country infrastructure and localized compliance expertise for Saudi operations.
Key Benefits and Features
- Direct entity ownership in Saudi Arabia for seamless compliance management
- Full HR platform integrating payroll, benefits, compliance, and team management
- Contractor and employee management capabilities on a unified dashboard
- Global hiring infrastructure supporting 170+ countries without entity setup
- Comprehensive benefits administration aligned with Saudi market standards
Price: $599/employee/month
Country Coverage: 170+ countries
G2 Rating: 4.6/5
Free Trial: Yes
Legal & Compliance: Remote's EOR service handles complete compliance with Saudi employment laws, including payroll processing, tax administration, benefits management, leave entitlements, and termination procedures. The provider owns its local entity in KSA, ensuring no third-party reliance and direct control over compliance operations.
Onboarding Speed: 1-2 days
Platform Experience: Remote provides an integrated HRIS combining payroll, compliance monitoring, benefits administration, and global team management through a unified dashboard. The platform offers real-time visibility into workforce operations across all jurisdictions.
Customer Support: Local compliance support is handled in-house through Remote's KSA-based entity, providing direct access to regional expertise and responsive assistance for Saudi Arabia-specific employment matters.
Pros & Cons
RemoFirst
Why Use RemoFirst for EOR in Saudi Arabia
RemoFirst provides budget-friendly EOR services for Saudi Arabia at $199 per employee per month while maintaining comprehensive compliance with KSA regulations including working hours, leave entitlements, overtime rules, and social security requirements. The platform's multi-currency payment support and simplified administration make it particularly suitable for companies testing the Saudi market or managing distributed teams with cost-conscious expansion strategies.
Key Benefits and Features
- Competitive pricing at $199/employee/month for budget-conscious expansion
- Extensive country coverage across 185+ countries for global scalability
- Multi-currency payment capabilities including SAR for local payroll
- Comprehensive compliance with Saudi labor regulations and social security requirements
- Unified platform for managing both contractors and employees globally
Price: $199/employee/month
Country Coverage: 185+ countries
G2 Rating: 4.5/5
Free Trial: Demo available
Legal & Compliance: For Saudi Arabia, RemoFirst handles payroll administration, local compliance, tax and benefits management, employment contract adherence, and full compliance with KSA employment law regulations including working hours, leave policies, overtime calculations, and social security/insurance contributions.
Onboarding Speed: 2-5 days
Platform Experience: RemoFirst's platform supports global HR, payroll, administrative functions, compliance monitoring, multi-currency payments, and integrated management of both contractors and employees through a centralized interface.
Customer Support: Dedicated support infrastructure with global HR expertise for clients using EOR services across all markets including Saudi Arabia, ensuring compliance and payroll assistance.
Pros & Cons
Multiplier
Why Use Multiplier for EOR in Saudi Arabia
Multiplier is a global EOR platform delivering comprehensive payroll, compliance, and benefits administration services across 150+ countries. The platform combines HRIS functionality with global payroll capabilities, time-off tracking, and benefits management through a unified dashboard. Multiplier focuses on delivering streamlined remote hiring solutions without requiring local entity establishment in target markets.
Key Benefits and Features
- Integrated HRIS combining payroll, employee data, and compliance management
- Time-off tracking and benefits administration aligned with Saudi requirements
- Unified dashboard for managing global teams across multiple jurisdictions
- Fast onboarding (1-3 days) for quick market deployment
- Global payroll processing across 150+ countries from centralized platform
Price: $400/employee/month
Country Coverage: 150+ countries
G2 Rating: 4.7/5
Free Trial: Demo available
Legal & Compliance: Multiplier provides support for local regulations in each supported country, including comprehensive payroll processing, tax administration, and compliance adherence specifically for Saudi Arabia when utilizing their EOR services for KSA hires.
Onboarding Speed: 1-3 days
Platform Experience: Multiplier offers an integrated HRIS with global payroll capabilities, employee data management, time-off tracking, benefits administration, and cross-jurisdictional payroll processing through a unified dashboard designed for managing globally distributed teams.
Customer Support: Comprehensive support for global teams with dedicated compliance assistance in Saudi Arabia as an integral component of their EOR service offering.
Pros & Cons
Skuad
Why Use Skuad for EOR in Saudi Arabia
Skuad offers specialized Saudi Arabia capabilities at a competitive $199 per employee monthly rate, with comprehensive visa and immigration support essential for expatriate hiring in the Kingdom. The platform ensures compliance with Saudi labor regulations, payroll and tax laws, and manages employee classification while offering flexible currency options including SAR, making it particularly valuable for companies requiring robust immigration administration alongside standard EOR services.
Key Benefits and Features
- Specialized visa and immigration support for Saudi Arabia work permits
- Multi-currency payroll including SAR for local market compliance
- Background checks and contractor classification protection
- Comprehensive onboarding and offboarding services for complete lifecycle management
- Expense and reimbursement handling integrated into platform
Price: $199/employee/month
Country Coverage: 160+ countries
G2 Rating: 4.6/5
Free Trial: Demo available
Legal & Compliance: Skuad ensures comprehensive compliance with Saudi labor regulations, payroll and tax laws, visa and immigration support for work permits, employee classification management, payroll processing in SAR or alternative currencies, and handles mandatory benefits and contributions as required under KSA regulations.
Onboarding Speed: 2-3 days
Platform Experience: Skuad provides an EOR and HR platform integrating payroll processing, compliance monitoring, administrative functions, global employee management, multi-currency support, HR workflow automation, contract generation, and background verification services.
Customer Support: Global support infrastructure with specialized services for compliance, payroll administration, hiring processes, and regulatory guidance specifically for Saudi Arabia as part of their comprehensive EOR offering.
Pros & Cons
Remire
Why Use Remire for EOR in Saudi Arabia
Remire delivers specialized Saudi Arabia expertise through comprehensive handling of visa sponsorship, Iqama residency permits, GOSI social insurance contributions, and end-of-service gratuity calculations required under Saudi Labor Law. At $350 per employee monthly, the platform provides dedicated focus on KSA compliance including employment contracts, statutory filings, mandatory benefits, and localized payroll in SAR, making it ideal for companies prioritizing deep regional expertise over global reach.
Key Benefits and Features
- Complete visa, work permit, and Iqama sponsorship management for Saudi Arabia
- GOSI social insurance contributions handling for both Saudis and expatriates
- End-of-service benefits (gratuity) calculation and processing per Saudi Labor Law
- Full employment lifecycle support from onboarding through offboarding
- Localized payroll processing in SAR with statutory filing compliance
Price: $350/employee/month
Country Coverage: 10+ countries
G2 Rating: 4.5/5
Free Trial: Demo available
Legal & Compliance: Remire handles comprehensive Saudi Labor Law compliance including employment contract preparation, payroll and GOSI social insurance contributions for both expatriates and Saudi nationals, visa and Iqama residency sponsorship, mandatory benefits administration, leave and labor law compliance, end-of-service benefit processing, local payroll in SAR or preferred currencies, and statutory filings as required under KSA law.
Onboarding Speed: 1-2 weeks
Platform Experience: Remire provides a digital platform supporting remote EOR services, HR administration, payroll processing, compliance monitoring, visa management, multi-currency payments, and global workforce management with particular depth in Saudi Arabia operations.
Customer Support: Global support with specialized HR, compliance, and payroll expertise for KSA including dedicated visa and Iqama handling support and local compliance staff as described in their service offerings.
Pros & Cons
Mercans
Why Use Mercans for EOR in Saudi Arabia
Mercans is an enterprise-focused EOR provider offering customized pricing and comprehensive services across 160+ countries with emphasis on HCM integration capabilities. The platform delivers complete payroll management, visa and expatriate work permit handling, social insurance administration, and end-of-service benefits processing. Mercans targets larger organizations requiring sophisticated compliance infrastructure and integration with existing enterprise systems.
Key Benefits and Features
- Enterprise-grade HCM integration support for existing technology infrastructure
- Comprehensive visa sponsorship and immigration services for expatriate hiring
- Social insurance and statutory benefits management for both Saudi and expat employees
- End-of-service benefits calculation aligned with Saudi labor law requirements
- Highest G2 rating (4.8/5) indicating strong enterprise customer satisfaction
Price: Custom pricing
Country Coverage: 160+ countries
G2 Rating: 4.8/5
Free Trial: Demo available
Legal & Compliance: Mercans provides comprehensive compliance with Saudi labor laws including local payroll processing in SAR, social insurance and employer/employee contributions as per KSA regulations for both Saudi nationals and expatriates, visa sponsorship and immigration support, contract compliance, statutory benefits administration, and leave/termination/end-of-service benefit management as required under Saudi law.
Onboarding Speed: 5-7 days
Platform Experience: Mercans offers integrated HR, payroll, compliance monitoring, visa and immigration management, HCM integration capabilities, and global workforce support for KSA and other countries through their digital platform and service infrastructure.
Customer Support: Comprehensive support including compliance expertise, payroll administration, visa and immigration assistance, benefits management, and dedicated HR services in Saudi Arabia through their global EOR network.
Pros & Cons
Selection Criteria and Methodology
Our evaluation of employer of record services for Saudi Arabia follows a rigorous, data-driven methodology designed to identify providers that deliver measurable value across critical operational dimensions. Each provider was assessed against standardized criteria to ensure objective comparison and enable informed decision-making for HR leaders and operations managers.
- Price: Pricing structures were evaluated for transparency, competitiveness, and value alignment. We analyzed monthly per-employee costs ranging from $199 to $599, as well as custom pricing models, to assess affordability across different business sizes and budget constraints. Lower-cost providers like RemoFirst and Skuad offer entry-level pricing while premium options like Remote command higher rates for additional features.
- Country Coverage: Global reach determines scalability potential for companies with multi-market expansion plans. Providers span from focused regional expertise (Remire with 10+ countries) to comprehensive global coverage (RemoFirst with 185+ countries). Extensive coverage like that offered by Borderless AI, Remote, and RemoFirst (170+ countries) enables unified workforce management across diverse geographies.
- Key Features: Feature sets were evaluated for comprehensiveness and relevance to Saudi Arabia operations. Critical capabilities include AI-powered automation, visa and immigration support, multi-currency payroll, GOSI contributions management, end-of-service benefits processing, and contractor management. Providers with specialized Saudi features like Iqama sponsorship and gratuity calculation received higher marks for regional applicability.
- G2 Rating: User satisfaction metrics from verified G2 reviews provide independent validation of service quality. Ratings range from 4.5/5 to 4.9/5 across evaluated providers, with Borderless AI (4.9/5) and Mercans (4.8/5) leading in customer satisfaction. These ratings reflect real-world experiences with platform usability, support responsiveness, and compliance effectiveness.
- Legal & Compliance: Compliance infrastructure forms the foundation of EOR value. We assessed depth of Saudi Labor Law expertise, GOSI administration capabilities, visa sponsorship support, employment contract compliance, statutory benefits management, and end-of-service calculations. Providers with direct entity ownership or specialized regional teams demonstrated superior compliance capabilities.
- Onboarding Speed: Time-to-productivity directly impacts business agility and competitive positioning. Onboarding timelines range from 1-2 days (Borderless AI, Remote) to 1-2 weeks (Remire). Faster deployment enables rapid market entry and reduces opportunity costs associated with delayed talent acquisition in competitive Saudi markets.
- Platform Experience: User experience quality affects adoption rates and operational efficiency. We evaluated dashboard intuitiveness, integration capabilities, automation features, reporting functionality, and mobile accessibility. Modern SaaS platforms with AI-powered workflows and centralized data visibility scored highest for reducing administrative burden.
- Customer Support: Support quality ensures smooth operations and rapid issue resolution. Assessment criteria included availability (24/7 versus business hours), local expertise in Saudi Arabia, response times, and support channel diversity. Providers with dedicated in-country teams or specialized KSA compliance staff demonstrated superior support capabilities for complex regional requirements.
Expert Tips for Hiring in Saudi Arabia
Successfully hiring in Saudi Arabia requires understanding unique regulatory requirements and cultural considerations that distinguish the Kingdom's employment landscape. Consider these expert recommendations when engaging EOR services for KSA operations:
- Prioritize visa and Iqama expertise: Saudi Arabia's residency and work permit processes demand specialized knowledge. Select EOR providers with proven track records in Iqama sponsorship, work permit applications, and immigration compliance to avoid costly delays or regulatory violations that can derail hiring timelines.
- Verify GOSI contribution management: The General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) requires precise calculations and timely contributions for both Saudi nationals and expatriate employees. Ensure your EOR partner handles both employer and employee contributions accurately and maintains compliant reporting to avoid penalties.
- Confirm end-of-service benefit calculations: Saudi Labor Law mandates specific gratuity calculations based on employment duration and final salary. Your EOR should demonstrate expertise in computing, accruing, and processing end-of-service benefits to ensure compliance and avoid disputes during employee offboarding.
- Assess Saudi Labor Law compliance depth: Beyond basic payroll, verify that providers understand working hour limitations, overtime regulations, leave entitlements, probation periods, and termination procedures specific to Saudi Arabia. Superficial compliance creates risk exposure that can result in legal disputes and financial penalties.
- Evaluate local currency capabilities: While many providers offer multi-currency support, confirm their ability to process payroll in Saudi Riyals (SAR) and manage local banking relationships efficiently. Currency conversion delays or fees can impact employee satisfaction and increase operational costs unnecessarily.
How to Choose the Best EOR Company
Selecting an optimal employer of record provider requires systematic evaluation aligned with your specific operational requirements and strategic objectives. Follow this structured approach to identify the right partner:
- Define your hiring scope and timeline: Determine whether you need single-country Saudi Arabia support or multi-country capabilities for regional expansion. Assess urgency—providers like Borderless AI and Remote offer 1-2 day onboarding while others require longer deployment periods.
- Establish your budget parameters: Compare pricing across the evaluation spectrum—from budget options at $199/month (RemoFirst, Skuad) to premium services at $599/month (Remote) or custom enterprise pricing (Mercans). Calculate total cost including any hidden fees for visa processing, benefits administration, or currency conversion.
- Evaluate Saudi-specific compliance capabilities: Review the comparison table above to assess each provider's depth in critical areas: GOSI contributions, Iqama sponsorship, end-of-service benefit calculations, and Saudi Labor Law expertise. Providers with direct entity ownership or specialized regional teams typically offer superior compliance support.
- Assess platform capabilities and integration needs: Determine whether you require standalone EOR services or integration with existing HRIS, payroll, or accounting systems. Enterprise organizations may prioritize HCM integration (Mercans) while smaller teams may value simplicity and speed (Borderless AI, RemoFirst).
- Review user satisfaction and support quality: Examine G2 ratings and customer testimonials to gauge real-world performance. Higher ratings like those of Borderless AI (4.9/5) and Mercans (4.8/5) indicate consistent service delivery. Verify support availability—24/7 coverage versus business hours—and confirm local Saudi Arabia expertise.
- Request demos and compare hands-on experience: Most providers offer demonstrations or trial periods. Test platform usability, evaluate reporting capabilities, and assess support responsiveness. Pay attention to contract flexibility, termination policies, and scalability options for future growth.
- Validate compliance credentials and entity ownership: Confirm whether providers own direct entities in Saudi Arabia (like Remote) or work through partners. Direct ownership typically ensures better compliance control and faster issue resolution for complex regional requirements.
Why Choose Borderless AI in Saudi Arabia as an EOR Provider
Borderless AI distinguishes itself in the Saudi Arabia EOR market through a combination of cutting-edge technology, operational excellence, and customer-centric service delivery. The platform's AI-native architecture automates routine HR tasks while maintaining rigorous compliance with Saudi labor regulations, enabling businesses to deploy talent rapidly without sacrificing regulatory adherence or operational control.
Key advantages that position Borderless AI as a superior choice for Saudi Arabia operations include:
- Industry-leading processing speed: Borderless AI delivers the fastest payroll processing in the industry at 5 days, significantly accelerating cash flow management compared to conventional EOR providers. Combined with 1-2 day onboarding, this speed enables rapid market entry and competitive talent acquisition in Saudi Arabia's dynamic employment landscape.
- Exceptional user satisfaction: With a G2 rating of 4.9/5, Borderless AI ranks highest among evaluated providers for customer satisfaction. This rating reflects consistent platform reliability, intuitive user experience, and responsive support that reduces administrative burden for HR teams managing Saudi operations.
- AI-powered compliance automation: The platform's AI-driven architecture continuously monitors Saudi labor law changes and automatically updates compliance protocols, employment contracts, and payroll calculations. This real-time compliance monitoring eliminates manual tracking requirements and reduces risk exposure from regulatory updates.
- Direct entity ownership: Borderless AI owns legal entities across 170+ countries including Saudi Arabia, providing direct control over employment operations without third-party dependencies. This ownership structure ensures faster issue resolution, clearer accountability, and consistent service quality for KSA compliance requirements.
- Comprehensive support infrastructure: The platform provides 24/7 global support with expertise spanning payroll, compliance, and HR administration for Saudi Arabia. This continuous availability ensures rapid response to urgent issues and seamless operations across time zones for distributed teams.
- Modern SaaS platform experience: Borderless AI's centralized dashboard integrates payroll, HR administration, compliance monitoring, and benefits management in a single interface. Multi-currency support, real-time reporting, and intuitive navigation reduce training requirements and improve operational efficiency for teams managing Saudi workforce operations.
- Transparent pricing and financial flexibility: At $579 per employee monthly, Borderless AI provides mid-range pricing with transparent cost structures and no hidden fees. The platform's commitment to flexible payment terms and comprehensive feature inclusion ensures predictable budgeting for Saudi expansion initiatives.
Final Thoughts
Selecting the right employer of record provider for Saudi Arabia operations represents a strategic decision with lasting implications for compliance, operational efficiency, and talent acquisition success. The comparison of seven leading EOR platforms reveals significant variation in pricing, capabilities, and regional expertise—from budget-friendly options at $199 monthly to enterprise solutions with custom pricing and specialized Saudi Labor Law support. Factors including onboarding speed, GOSI contribution management, Iqama sponsorship capabilities, and platform experience should drive your evaluation process alongside fundamental considerations of cost and country coverage. Data-driven assessment using objective criteria like G2 ratings, verified compliance capabilities, and documented onboarding timelines enables informed decisions that align with your organization's specific requirements. As Saudi Arabia continues advancing its Vision 2030 economic diversification initiatives and attracting global talent, partnering with an EOR provider offering both technological sophistication and deep regional expertise positions your organization for sustainable international growth.
Ready to streamline your Saudi Arabia hiring process? Book a demo to see how the right EOR partner can accelerate your growth.
