Asia-Pacific hiring

Hire across Asia-Pacific from the work country, not from a regional average.

APAC employment systems share a pattern: statutory funds, work-pass categories, and extra-pay rules are national. A regional hub in Singapore or Hong Kong does not replace payroll and employment in the country where the person actually works.

Scope an APAC hire β†— Open country guides
What repeats across APAC

Three design questions that show up in almost every APAC hire

Statutory funds are national

Singapore CPF, Hong Kong MPF, Malaysia EPF, Philippines SSS/PhilHealth/Pag-IBIG, Indonesia BPJS, Vietnam social insurance, and Taiwan labour insurance each have their own base, cap, and portal. Model them from the country guide, then the labor-cost calculator.

Work authorization is a gate

Employment Pass, visa, Alien Employment Permit, RPTKA, and similar categories are role- and sponsor-specific. An EOR may or may not be able to sponsor a given class. Confirm before the offer date.

Extra pay is not a bonus pool

13th-month pay in the Philippines and THR in Indonesia are statutory. Other markets treat annual bonuses as contractual. Do not copy a β€œ13th month for APAC” line into every budget.

Country guides

Open the market that actually employs the person

Singapore

CPF by age and residency; work-pass salary and quota tests.

 Hong Kong

MPF enrollment, wage records, and visa conditions.

 Japan

Work rules, social insurance, and resident-tax calendars.

 Australia

Fair Work terms, superannuation, and tax file setup.

 Malaysia

EPF, SOCSO, EIS, and Peninsular versus East Malaysia rules.

 Philippines

Four-agency payroll and mandatory 13th-month pay.

 Indonesia

BPJS programs, THR, and provincial wage floors.

 Vietnam

Social-insurance mix by nationality and work-permit sequence.

 Taiwan

Insured-salary grades, labor pension, and NHI dependents.

 Thailand

Capped SSO contributions and employer-tied work permits.

 China

City-level social insurance, housing fund, and work permits.

 South Korea

Four major insurances and labor-standards administration.

 New Zealand

Written employment agreements, PAYE payday filing, and work visas.
APAC hiring questions

A regional headquarters is not a regional employer

Can one Asia-Pacific EOR contract cover an employee who moves between countries?+
Do not assume so. Statutory funds, tax, and work-pass rules follow the actual work country. Treat a location change as a new employment case.
Do all Asia-Pacific markets use a 13th-month payment?+
No. The Philippines requires 13th-month pay. Indonesia requires THR. Singapore and Hong Kong do not use those items as a universal statutory extra-pay rule.
Is a Singapore entity enough to employ people across Southeast Asia?+
A Singapore company employs people who work in Singapore. Employees working in another country need an employing arrangement there. See China outbound hiring if the headquarters sits in mainland China.
Plan the APAC hire

Share the work country,
pass status, and pay mix.

We will map the likely employing route and the statutory items that belong in the first-year cost model.

Discuss an APAC case All hiring situations

Last reviewed: 29 September 2026. General operational information only; not legal, tax, or immigration advice.