To request an EOR quote, you need to provide at minimum the employee’s personal details (name, nationality, job title, desired salary, and start date), along with basic information about your company and the country where the employee will be working. The more complete the information provided, the more accurate and faster the quote will be. This article answers the most frequently asked questions about requesting an Employer of Record quote.
What determines the price of an EOR quote?
The price of an EOR quote is determined by three main factors: the employee’s country of work, the gross salary, and the specific services you require, such as immigration support or applying for the 30% ruling. Each country has its own payroll tax rates, social security contributions, and statutory employment conditions that directly affect the costs.
In practice, EOR providers typically charge a monthly service fee on top of the employee’s total employment costs. This service fee can be a fixed amount or a percentage of the gross monthly salary. The higher the salary and the more complex the situation, the higher the total costs.
In the Dutch context, additional factors come into play. When an employee comes from outside the EU, recognized sponsorship with the IND is required for the highly skilled migrant permit. An EOR provider that is itself a recognized sponsor takes over this process, but this comes with additional costs. The same applies to applying for the 30% ruling, which allows part of the salary to be paid tax-free. These types of additional services are listed separately in the quote.
What employee details are required for an EOR application?
For an EOR application, the following employee details are mandatory: full name of the employee, nationality and date of birth, job title and a brief job description, desired gross monthly salary, desired start date, and the country where the employee will be working. Without this basic information, a provider cannot prepare an accurate EOR quote.
In addition to these mandatory details, most providers also ask for supplementary information that makes the quote more accurate:
- Residence status of the employee (EU citizen or not)
- The employee’s current country of residence
- Whether a work or residence permit is required
- Desired secondary employment benefits, such as a pension scheme or expense reimbursements
- Whether the employee qualifies for the 30% ruling
Specific income requirements apply to highly skilled migrants in the Netherlands. In 2026, the salary threshold is a minimum of approximately €5,942 gross per month for employees aged 30 or older, and approximately €4,357 gross per month for employees under 30, excluding 8% holiday allowance. If the desired salary falls below these thresholds, a highly skilled migrant permit through an EOR is not possible.
What company details does an EOR provider need?
An EOR provider needs at minimum the following details from your company: the official company name and country of establishment, a contact person for the collaboration, and a description of the company’s activities. This information is needed to set up the legal structure correctly and to draw up the agreement between your company and the EOR.
Depending on the situation, a provider may also ask for:
- The Chamber of Commerce number or a comparable registration number
- Whether your company already has an entity in the employee’s country of work
- The expected duration of the employment
- Whether multiple employees will be hired through the EOR
If your company does not yet have its own legal entity in the country of work and you want to hire multiple people, it is useful to mention this in the initial application. Some providers tailor their services and rates to the volume and expected growth of the collaboration.
How does the country of work affect the information required?
The country of work is the most decisive variable in determining what information an EOR provider needs. Each country has its own rules for employment contracts, tax withholding, social security, and any permit requirements. The EOR must have a legal presence in that country, either through its own entity or a local partner, and must set up the employment relationship in full compliance with local legislation.
For employees coming to work in the Netherlands, specific additional details are relevant. Consider whether the employee is coming from outside the EU and therefore needs a highly skilled migrant permit, whether the employee meets the conditions for the 30% ruling, and whether your company is already a recognized sponsor with the IND. If the latter is not the case, the EOR takes over that role, which requires additional documentation.
Other countries have different points of attention. In some countries, additional details are required about the employee’s workplace, working hours, or sector. It is therefore advisable to always specify the country of work first when submitting an application, so that the provider can immediately indicate what additional information is necessary for a complete EOR quote.
What is the difference between an EOR quote and a final contract?
An EOR quote is a non-binding cost proposal based on the information provided. The final contract is the binding agreement between your company and the EOR provider, which is only drawn up after both parties have agreed to the terms and all required information has been fully provided.
The quote gives an indication of the monthly service costs, the total employment costs, and any one-time setup costs. At this stage, no employment contracts are drawn up yet and no onboarding of the employee takes place.
Only after the quote has been approved does the formal process begin. The EOR then draws up a locally legally valid employment contract for the employee, arranges salary payments, withholds taxes and contributions, and guides the onboarding. If a highly skilled migrant is involved, the permit procedure with the IND also starts at this stage. It is important to know that changes in the employee’s situation, such as a different salary or a different start date, after the quote may lead to a revised proposal before the final contract is signed.
How quickly can you receive an EOR quote after submitting the details?
With most EOR providers, you will receive a quote within one to three business days after submitting the required details. The more complete the information you provide, the faster the provider can prepare an accurate proposal. Missing information almost always leads to delays.
For standard situations, such as an EU citizen coming to work in the Netherlands for a company without special requirements, a quote can sometimes be prepared within 24 hours. For more complex situations, such as a highly skilled migrant from outside the EU where a permit procedure is also required or the 30% ruling needs to be applied for, preparing a complete quote takes longer.
Once the quote has been accepted, an EOR can in many cases begin onboarding the employee within days to weeks. This stands in sharp contrast to setting up your own legal entity in a new country, which typically takes six to twelve months. For companies that want to move quickly, an EOR structure is therefore a considerably faster route.
How Eastwing helps with your EOR application
Eastwing helps companies and HR teams working with international employees to find the right EOR partner and ensure the application process runs smoothly. Whether it involves a highly skilled migrant coming to work in the Netherlands, an employee who wants to continue working remotely from abroad, or a company without its own entity that wants to hire someone quickly: Eastwing thinks along with you and ensures you provide the right information for an accurate quote.
What Eastwing does for you:
- Guidance in gathering the right employee and company details for the EOR application
- Advice on additional services such as the 30% ruling and highly skilled migrant permits
- Support in evaluating and comparing EOR quotes
- Practical guidance through the onboarding process for international employees
Want to know what you need for your specific situation? Get in touch and we will help you right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I request an EOR quote if I don't yet know the exact salary of the employee?
Yes, you can. You can provide a salary range instead of an exact amount when submitting the application. The provider will then prepare an indicative quote based on the average or maximum of that range. Once the final salary is determined, the quote will be adjusted. Do keep in mind that a minimum salary threshold applies to highly skilled migrants in the Netherlands, so check in advance whether the intended salary meets the statutory requirements.
What are the most common mistakes when applying for an EOR quote?
The most common mistakes are: not mentioning the nationality or residence status of the employee, providing a net salary instead of a gross salary, and forgetting to indicate whether a work or residence permit is required. These omissions almost always lead to delays or an inaccurate quote. Always check that you have filled in all mandatory fields before submitting the application.
Is an EOR structure also suitable if I only want to hire one employee abroad?
Absolutely. An EOR structure is particularly well suited for companies that want to hire one or just a few international employees without setting up their own legal entity. The fixed service costs of an EOR are in that case considerably lower than the costs and lead time of establishing a local entity. For a structural and large-scale presence in a country, it may be worth considering setting up your own entity in the long run.
What happens if the employee's situation changes after the quote has been accepted?
If something changes after the quote has been accepted but before the final contract is signed — such as the salary, the start date, or the job description — the EOR provider will prepare a revised proposal. Changes after the contract has been signed, such as a salary increase or a change in job title, are typically processed via an addendum to the existing contract. Always communicate changes as early as possible to avoid delays in the onboarding process.
How do I know if an EOR provider is a recognized sponsor with the IND?
You can easily verify this through the public register of recognized sponsors on the IND website. If in doubt, also ask the EOR provider directly for confirmation of their recognized sponsorship and inquire about their experience with highly skilled migrant procedures. A recognized sponsor may apply for the residence permit on behalf of your employee, which significantly speeds up and simplifies the process.
Can an EOR also be used if my company already has an entity in the employee's country of work?
That is possible, but in most cases less obvious. If your company already has a local entity, you can generally hire the employee directly through that entity. An EOR adds less value in that case, unless you need specific services such as payroll management, HR support, or immigration guidance that you prefer to outsource. Discuss this scenario explicitly with the provider to assess whether an EOR structure makes sense in your situation.
How long does it typically take before an employee can actually start work after accepting an EOR quote?
For EU citizens coming to work in the Netherlands, onboarding can often be completed within one to two weeks after the quote has been accepted and all documents have been submitted. For highly skilled migrants from outside the EU, the lead time is longer, because the IND permit procedure typically adds two to four weeks — provided the EOR is a recognized sponsor and the application has been submitted in full. Always plan the start date with sufficient buffer, especially in situations requiring a permit.
