Employer of Record is allowed in Albania with limits. The law has no EOR category; the statutory route for an entity that employs a worker and places them with another business is temporary agency work under Labour Code Articles 18/1-18/5, which needs a licence and caps the same work at the same client at 2 years (peqini.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07). The statute speaks of a host enterprise established or operating in Albania, and we found no law-firm or ministry text on a foreign client without an Albanian entity, so the verdict is a reading of the law.
Employer contributions are 16.7% of gross, with the social part capped: ALL 405,248.80 on an ALL 4.1 million salary, about USD 50,000 (PwC, checked 2026-10-07). The EOR fee comes on top, from $199 to $699 per month at starting prices.
Of the 15 providers that operate in Albania, four say or show an own entity and 11 don’t name one. An Employer of Record suits a person you direct like staff and keep under 2 years. A hire who needs the unique permit adds an AKPA approval, and a client with no business in Albania should not expect to sponsor it itself. An independent specialist can work as a contractor (payouts).
Employing someone in Albania: key facts
Albania sets one national minimum wage and a 16.7% employer contribution, with the social part capped. Working time, leave and dismissal follow the Labour Code. Everything below is statutory unless marked otherwise.
Minimum wage
One national rate, no regional or sector minimum. It applies to every employer, domestic or foreign, and permanent allowances are paid on top of the base wage (karanovicpartners.com, checked 2026-10-07).
The 2026 rate comes from a Council of Ministers decision of 2025-12-19. We found no decision for 2027 on 2026-10-07; the government has changed the rate during the year before.
National minimum gross wage, ALL per month, in force on 31 December each year. Source: Monitor, ATA, Karanovic & Partners, checked 2026-10-07.
Employer contributions
The employer pays social and health insurance. The employee’s 11.2% is withheld from gross (PwC, checked 2026-10-07).
Item
Who pays
Rate
Base, 2026
Source
Social insurance
Employer
15%
Gross pay between a floor of ALL 50,000 and a ceiling of ALL 186,416 a month
The most the employer pays in social insurance is ALL 27,962.40 a month (our arithmetic: 15% x 186,416).
The ceiling moved with the minimum wage: ALL 132,312 in 2021, ALL 149,954 from September 2022, ALL 176,416 from 2023-04-01 and ALL 186,416 from 2026-01-01. The 2021 figure rests on a tax-administration page and arithmetic, not a dated decision (tatime.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07).
The rates of 15% and 1.7% were unchanged in 2021-2026; the 2021 rates are not separately confirmed.
We found no separate employer accident or training levy in the sources read.
Each new hire is declared electronically 24 hours before the start date and each leaver within 10 days after the end; monthly payroll and returns are due by the 20th of the following month (PwC, checked 2026-10-07).
Working hours and overtime
Normal working day: at most 8 hours; normal week: at most 40 hours. Daily rest: at least 11 uninterrupted hours; weekly rest: at least 36 hours, 24 of them uninterrupted, including Sunday (Labour Code arts. 78, 83, 85) (peqini.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07).
Night work is 22:00-06:00. Supplement of at least 20% for hours worked 19:00-22:00 and at least 50% for 22:00-06:00 (arts. 80-81).
Overtime: up to 200 hours a year; none once the employee has worked 48 hours in a week, with averaging up to 4 months allowed in special cases (art. 90).
Overtime pay: normal pay plus at least 25%; at least 50% above on the weekly rest day or an official holiday. Paid time off at least 25% longer than the overtime, taken within 2 months, may replace the pay (art. 91).
Pregnant women and women up to a child’s first birthday may not work overtime (art. 90(3/1)).
Annual leave and public holidays
Annual leave: at least 22 working days a year since 2024-08-24 (Law 91/2024, Labour Code art. 92(2)); before that, 4 calendar weeks. Official holidays are not counted as leave; leave may be taken in parts shorter than a week; part years are pro rata. The employer sets the start date with at least 30 days’ notice (arts. 92-93) (karanovicpartners.com, checked 2026-10-07).
Public holidays: 14 a year according to a WageIndicator-run Albanian labour-law site; we did not confirm the count against the holiday law. Work is as a rule prohibited and paid; a holiday on the weekly rest day moves to the Monday (art. 86) (rrogaime.al, checked 2026-10-07).
Probation
The first 3 months of work count as probation unless the parties have agreed a contract for the same work; written or collective agreement may shorten or remove it (art. 142(1)-(2)) (peqini.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07).
During probation either party may terminate with at least 5 days’ notice (art. 142(3)).
Notice and severance
After probation, notice on a permanent contract is the same for both sides (art. 143(1)) (peqini.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07):
Length of service
Notice
Up to 6 months
2 weeks
Over 6 months to 2 years
1 month
Over 2 to 5 years
2 months
Over 5 years
3 months
After dismissal by the employer, the employee gets at least 20 paid hours a week to look for a job during notice (art. 143(5)).
Procedure: a written invitation to a meeting at least 72 hours before it; the employer states the reasons; written termination follows 48 hours to 1 week after the meeting, citing capacity, conduct or operational requirements. If the procedure is not followed, the employer owes 2 months’ pay in addition to other damages (art. 144).
A dismissal without a justified reason is void; the employee may sue within 180 days and the employer owes up to one year’s pay on top of the notice period pay (art. 146).
Seniority pay is due when the employer terminates and the relationship has lasted at least 3 years: at least 15 days’ pay for each full year, on the pay at the end of the relationship. It is lost on immediate-effect dismissal for justified reasons (art. 145). We did not read the collective redundancy rules (art. 148).
13th salary and bonuses
Not mandatory. We found no 13th or 14th month provision in the Labour Code text read. Annual profit participation, where agreed, is paid within 3 months of the end of the financial year (art. 116(2)) (peqini.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07).
Mandatory benefits
Statutory social and health insurance runs through the contributions above. We found no statutory private health, life or pension insurance duty for the employer.
Sickness: the employer pays the first 14 days of an absence backed by a medical report; from day 15, social insurance pays, for up to 6 months in total including the first 14 days. The rate for the employer’s 14 days is not stated on the official page; Remote, Skuad and Rivermate say 80%, which we did not confirm (issh.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07).
Maternity: work is prohibited for 35 days before and 63 days after birth (art. 104(1)); the benefit is paid under social-insurance law (art. 105(1)) (peqini.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07).
Work permits
Non-nationals need a unique permit, one document for residence and work, under Law 79/2021 on Foreigners as amended by Law 43/2025 (asp.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07).
For an employee, the National Agency for Employment and Skills (AKPA) first approves the employment. The employer must be registered with AKPA and publish the vacancy on the employment portal for at least 5 calendar days; AKPA checks pay and conditions against Albanian labour law and that no candidate from the priority groups is available: Albanian job seekers, family members of Albanians, US/EU/Schengen nationals, Western Balkans nationals and others (art. 74).
Nationals of the US, EU/Schengen states and the six Western Balkans countries with lawful stay need no AKPA approval; the employer declares the employment online on e-Albania (art. 80(1)(a)).
The application may be filed by the foreigner, the employer or a licensed private employment agency authorised by either; the residence permit is to be issued within 4 weeks when criteria are met (art. 56(3)-(4)).
AKPA may refuse if the employer has not registered or published the vacancy, is in insolvency proceedings or “does not conduct any economic activity”, or has unpaid principal social-insurance contributions (art. 75).
The law names no employer of record. Whether a local EOR entity can be the permit employer for a foreigner who works for a foreign client is not stated in the law, and we found no law-firm opinion.
Currency and payroll
ALL. A monthly-rated employee is paid at the end of each month unless agreed otherwise in writing; hourly, daily or weekly pay is due every two weeks (art. 116(1)) (peqini.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07). Bank of Albania rate on 2026-10-07: 1 USD = 82.05 ALL (bankofalbania.org, checked 2026-10-07).
Is Employer of Record legal in Albania?
Allowed with limits. Albanian law has no “employer of record” category. The statutory route for an entity that employs a worker and places them with another business is temporary agency work, added to the Labour Code by Law 136/2015 (arts. 18/1-18/5, mirroring EU Directive 2008/104/EC) and detailed by Council of Ministers Decision (DCM) 286/2018: a licensed agency employs the worker and the host enterprise exercises employer rights and duties jointly with it (peqini.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07). The statute speaks of a host enterprise established or operating in Albania, and no law-firm, Big Four, ministry or court text we found covers the EOR product for a foreign client with no Albanian entity. The verdict rests on our reading of the statute. We read DCM 286/2018 only as an unofficial copy. See also the Employer of Record glossary entry.
The rules that matter to a client:
Definition and 2-year limit. A temporary employment agency employs a worker, under an employment contract, to work temporarily at a host enterprise and exercises the employer’s rights and duties jointly with the host. The same work for the same host may last no more than 2 years (art. 18/1). DCM 286/2018 also caps the agency’s contract with the worker at 2 years and bars the agency from charging the worker a fee for the placement.
Licence. Temporary workers may be employed only by agencies with a licence in category X.2.A (labour market intermediation) under Law 10081/2009 and DCM 538/2009. The same subcategory covers recruitment agencies. The Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation’s Instruction 757 of 2024-09-30 sets the procedure through the National Business Centre; amendments to DCM 538 of 2024-08-01 require a technical director with a diploma and at least 5 years of relevant experience, premises and proof of insurance compliance (karanovicpartners.com, checked 2026-10-07).
Re-licensing and reserve. A news report quoting a National Business Centre notice says that under DCM 703/2024 (in force 2024-11-15) agencies had until 2025-03-17 to re-apply under the new criteria or lose the licence, and must keep a security reserve of at least ALL 1 million and report to the ministry every 6 months. We did not open the decision; the ALL 1 million figure is unconfirmed (shqiptarja.com, 2025-03-13, checked 2026-10-07).
Equal treatment. Agency workers get at least the conditions the host would give a directly hired worker in the same job: working time, overtime, rest, leave, holidays, pay and all its elements, and protections for pregnant women, children and persons with disabilities (art. 18/5(1)-(2)). A permanent-contract agency worker with at least 4 months with the agency within 6 months of starting is paid at least 50% of base pay between assignments (art. 18/5(4)).
Split of duties. The agency pays pay and benefits, whatever the host does, files with the tax office, withholds income tax and contributions, and unless agreed otherwise bears all statutory employment costs. The host is treated as the employer for health and safety, equal treatment, working and rest time and for giving instructions (art. 18/2).
Agency contract. Written, with at least the duration, place of work, general job description and service fee. An agreement that bars the host from hiring the worker after the agency contract ends is void (art. 18/3).
Prohibited uses. The Council of Ministers may ban agency work in certain cases, sectors or worker categories. We did not find the list.
Foreign undertakings. Article 18 covers a foreign enterprise that, as a temporary agency, recruits a worker for a host enterprise established or operating in Albania; Albanian law then governs working time, rest, paid leave, minimum wage, agency-work conditions and equal treatment (art. 18(1)-(2)).
Risks the client carries:
Employer duties and joint liability. The host is treated as the employer for health and safety, equal treatment, working time and instructions, and is jointly and severally liable with the agency for damage to the worker, in line with their agreement. A client cannot contract out of these (arts. 18/1(2), 18/2(1)(d), (g)). Whether a foreign client with no Albanian presence is a “host enterprise” is open.
Equal-treatment comparator. A client with no Albanian staff has to supply the comparator for the same job, and the cost passed through the agency may rise accordingly. This is our inference from art. 18/5(1); we found no Albanian guidance on it.
2-year limit. A long engagement for the same role may need another structure after 2 years, for example hiring through a local entity. We did not find the sanction for exceeding the limit.
Unlicensed provider. A client using a provider without a category X.2.A licence cannot rely on arts. 18/1-18/5. We found no public list of licensed agencies, so we did not check any provider’s licence; “not found” in a list would not be a finding of a breach. We did not research penalties under Law 10081/2009.
Work permits. A client with no Albanian business activity should not expect to sponsor a permit itself (see the work permits section above).
We compared the 15 providers that operate in Albania with the Albanian company register, searching by name. We used opencorporates.al, a mirror of the data of the National Business Centre (QKB), not the QKB search itself; records are as of their last extracts, and the Deel record is a snapshot dated 2022-02-07. We found no public list of licensed employment agencies (the AKPA and Labour Inspectorate pages returned 404 on 2026-10-07), so no provider’s licence is checked here. A company not found by name is a limit of a name search, not a finding about the vendor.
Albania page names no entity. Registered as Deel Albania SHPK, NUIS M11816013M, founded 2021-06-14; parent Deel Inc, Delaware (opencorporates.al). Stated activity: HR services and payroll through software
Local Terms: “Employees are strictly the employees of Remote Albania providing services to You under the direction of Remote Albania”, naming Remote Albania SHPK, reg. no. M22012002C. Registered (opencorporates.al); participants Remote Europe Holding B.V. and Remote Finance B.V. Its stated activity includes temporary employment agency work and staff leasing, an observation, not a licence
Albania article, 2026-02-25: “a single provider that owns legal entities in 160+ countries, including Albania”. No entity named; no register record found by name
Albania page says “an Employer of Record in Albania is a third-party organisation that becomes the legal employer of your staff under Albanian law”, a definition. An Albanian company named Playroll Albania SHPK is registered (opencorporates.al); the vendor doesn’t state it, and the record doesn’t name a Playroll company as owner
From $399/month, billed separately from statutory costs (Albania page)
Albania page, dated 2025-04-03, says “Skuad acts as the legal employer”, in general terms; no entity named. Skuad is now Payoneer Workforce Management; no company found under either name
Albania page says “Because of its in-country presence, the EOR can employ the workers a company needs”, about EORs in general. No company found by name
Albania page says “EOR skips the bureaucracy of setting up a local entity”; no entity named. No company found by name, nor under its former name Horizons
The Albania page returned 404. Its country list shows EOR for Albania with a note that it “might require more time and/or a minimum number of hires”. No entity stated; no Oyster company found by name
Albania page says “Hire the talent you need without having to create new, local entities”; no entity named. No company found by name, including under its former name Velocity Global
Albania guide names no entity. No company found by name
$579/month (global)
All checked 2026-10-07. “Own entity (registry)” means an Albanian company is registered and its owner is a company of the brand; “Own entity (own terms, registry)” adds the vendor’s own document; “Own entity (vendor says)” rests on the vendor’s statement alone. Eight more providers are not in the table because no source confirms an EOR offer in Albania: Rippling (a contractor page only), RemotePass, Kleos, Remozo, Justworks and Boundless (no Albania content found), Native Teams (its page has no Albanian content; a company named Native Teams SHPK is registered, which the vendor doesn’t state) and Rise (Rise Works Albania SHPK, owned by a Delaware company, was registered on 2026-07-22, but the vendor’s Albania page returned 404).
Own entity counts a registered Albanian company owned by the brand’s company (Deel, Multiplier), Remote’s own terms plus its registry record, and Atlas HXM’s own statement. Playroll counts as not disclosed. Source: vendor country pages, Albanian company register via opencorporates.al, checked 2026-10-07.
Eleven of the 15 don’t name their Albanian employer. That matters because the licence regime applies to the entity that employs your hire, and we could not check any provider’s licence. Before signing, ask: “Which Albanian company signs my employee’s contract, does it hold a category X.2.A licence, and does that cover a long-term hire for a client with no Albanian entity?”
How to choose an EOR in Albania
Want an entity you can see in the register? Remote is the provider whose own terms name the Albanian employer and whose register record matches, with activities that include temporary employment agency work. Deel and Multiplier have registered Albanian companies owned by the brand’s parent but state none on their Albania pages. For all three, ask for the licence number: we found no public list to check.
Hiring someone who needs a work permit? A licensed agency may file the application if authorised, but that does not make it the employer, and a client with no business in Albania should not expect to sponsor the permit itself. Our reading is that a local EOR entity would be the employer on the permit; no law or law firm says so. Ask the provider in writing which company would be the permit employer and who publishes the 5-day vacancy. US, EU/Schengen and Western Balkans nationals skip the AKPA approval.
Expect a long hire? The same work for the same client may not exceed 2 years, and DCM 286/2018 caps the agency’s contract at 2 years. Ask each provider how it structures a longer engagement, or weigh your own entity.
Price against completeness? Two providers show a price on an Albania page: Playroll from $399 a month and Deel from $599. Of the four with an own entity, Remote lists $699 globally, Multiplier $459 and Atlas $599. Price tells you nothing about the legal basis; compare it after you have the answer to the licence question.
Why it fitsAlbania page lists a management fee from $599/month. Registered as Deel Albania SHPK, owned by Deel Inc per the register; the vendor names no entity.
A global employment specialist with EOR in 150+ countries on an owned-entity network, a dedicated Contractor of Record, global payroll and published flat pricing — strong for compliant hiring across many markets with transparent EOR/contractor costs.
8.4/10
★ 4.7 · 2168 reviews
EOR price
Starting at $400 per month
Coverage
150+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: onboard global hires in 24 hours; compliant contract in 5 minutes (not an SLA)
Certifications
SOC 2 Type I, SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, ISO 27001:2022
What stands out
EOR live in 150+ countries on an owned-entity network
dedicated Contractor of Record (classification, contracts, tax, payments)
published flat pricing for EOR ($400) and contractors ($40), no minimum headcount
Not a fit for
buyers needing an all-in-one HR/IT/Finance suite beyond global employment
buyers who require published global-payroll list pricing up front
Why it fitsMultiplier Technologies Albania is registered, solely owned by Multiplier Technologies Pte. Ltd.; its Albania page names no entity. Core $459/month, global.
A long-running (2015) direct-entity EOR — broadest owned-entity claim (160+ countries), a capped misclassification-protection AOR product, but no Contractor of Record and thin independent review volume.
7.7/10
★ 4.2 · 101 reviews
EOR price
From $599/mo per employee
Coverage
160+ countries
Entity model
no partners
Time to hire
Vendor claims conflict: 'days' vs '2 weeks'; no SLA
Certifications
ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, GDPR
Support
24-hour support team (vendor claim); 15+ languages
What stands out
160+ countries with owned legal entities and no third-party partners — the widest such claim reviewed
Transparent, publicly listed pricing for both EOR ($599/employee/month) and AOR ($199/contractor/month)
AOR ships with a capped, quantified Classification Protection benefit ($100k/contractor/month, $1M aggregate per client)
Not a fit for
buyers needing a true Contractor-of-Record product, not an authorized-agent AOR
companies with their own local entities needing standalone global payroll
A transparently-priced EOR and contractor platform with broad 180+ country coverage and unusually strong Africa/Middle East reach. Best for cost-conscious SMBs that want published prices and hands-on support over deep automation.
7.6/10
★ 4.7 · 209 reviews
EOR price
$399 per employee/month (no minimum)
Coverage
180+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: EOR onboarding in 2-5 days; compliant contract generated in ~5 minutes
Certifications
SOC 2, GDPR
Support
24/5
What stands out
Transparent flat pricing: EOR $399/employee/mo, contractor $35/contractor/mo, no onboarding/offboarding fees
Broad 180+ country coverage with strong Africa/MENA reach
Fast self-claimed onboarding (2-5 days) and well-reviewed dedicated CSM/ESM support
Not a fit for
enterprises needing deep HRIS/finance integrations
buyers needing a dedicated Contractor of Record product
Why it fitsAlbania page defines the EOR role generally; an Albanian company named Playroll Albania exists, not stated by the vendor. From $399/month, Albania page.
A global hiring platform (now a Payoneer company) covering 160+ countries across EOR, Agent of Record and contractor management, with rare published starting prices — strong for buyers who want transparent entry pricing and broad coverage in one tool.
8.0/10
★ 4.6 · 312 reviews
EOR price
Starting from $199 per employee/month
Coverage
160+ countries
Time to hire
Not publicly stated
What stands out
broad coverage: 160+ countries for EOR and contractors
published starting prices (EOR $199, AOR $99, CMS $19 per month)
payroll in 70 currencies
Not a fit for
buyers who require named security certifications (SOC 2/ISO 27001) published before purchase
buyers needing a dedicated Contractor of Record product
Why it fitsAlbania page says Skuad acts as legal employer, no entity named; not found by name, nor as Payoneer Workforce Management. From $199/month, global.
A young but fast-growing global-employment platform (180+ countries) with a real owned-entity core (38 entities), transparent flat pricing and standout human support. Best for SMBs — especially European — that value hands-on support and predictable pricing over deep automation.
7.6/10
★ 4.4 · 391 reviews
EOR price
From ~€299 per employee/month (varies by country/headcount)
Coverage
180+ countries
Entity model
38 owned
Time to hire
Vendor claim: ~48 hours in standard markets, same-day in some; longer in complex jurisdictions
Certifications
SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR
Support
24/7
What stands out
Broad 180+ country reach with a real owned-entity core (38 entities), not pure-partner
Transparent flat pricing; no setup/offboarding fees or annual lock-in
Fast onboarding (~48h standard) and strongly-rated 24/7 human support
Not a fit for
enterprises needing deep HRIS/finance integrations and advanced analytics
One of the oldest players in the category (payroll since 2008, EOR since 2009/2010) — a large logo base and solid ratings, but no published pricing and a mixed entity model.
7.5/10
★ 4.2 · 141 reviews
EOR price
On request
Coverage
187+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: 2 days once accepted; 1-2 weeks standard
Certifications
GDPR
What stands out
Founded 2008, among the longest-operating vendors in the category; still led by founder/CEO Bjorn Reynolds
1,500+ organizations served, and independently registry-confirmed owned entities in at least Spain and Singapore
NelsonHall NEAT 2025 Leader (Global EOR services) and a G2 Fall 2026 Leader badge for Contractor Management
Not a fit for
buyers who want to compare EOR pricing without a sales call
teams that need one uniform, publicly-verifiable owned-entity story across every country
A profitable, VC-free global-employment company that rebranded from Horizons in 2026, with strong G2/Capterra scores — but a split brand identity and no disclosed owned-vs-partner entity count.
7.8/10
★ 4.6 · 495 reviews
EOR price
From $199/mo per employee
Coverage
150+ countries
Time to hire
Local contracts in 24-48 hrs; up to 2-4 weeks elsewhere
Certifications
SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR
Support
Business hours; avg response <2hrs (top tier)
What stands out
Founded 2018 and profitable without VC funding - a longer, more stable track record than several younger rivals
Consistently high G2 (4.7/334) and Capterra (4.9/72) scores
Widest product range reviewed here: EOR, COR, contractor management, global payroll, US PEO, recruitment, incorporation
Not a fit for
buyers wanting a single, unchanging brand name and URL for contracts
teams that require a disclosed, numeric owned-vs-partner entity split before signing
A payroll- and payments-led global workforce platform for enterprises, with EOR and global payroll across 160+ countries and a published 'from $599/mo per employee' EOR price — strongest when payroll depth, payments control and pricing transparency matter.
8.2/10
★ 4.3 · 154 reviews
EOR price
From $599/mo per employee
Coverage
160+ countries
Entity model
40 owned
Time to hire
Vendor claim: bulk onboarding of up to 1,000 EOR workers at one time; no per-worker time SLA stated
Certifications
ISO 27001, ISO 27701, SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II
What stands out
EOR and global payroll across 160+ countries
published EOR price (from $599/mo per employee) plus tiered payroll pricing — unusually transparent for the category
owns/operates EOR entities in 40 countries and contractor (AOR) entities in 180
Not a fit for
buyers who require EOR via the provider's own entity in most countries (only 40 are owned/operated)
those needing a dedicated Contractor-of-Record product
A budget-friendly, transparently-priced EOR with broad headline coverage (185+ countries) and a free contractor-management tier. Strongest for cost-conscious teams that want published prices up front rather than a sales quote.
7.8/10
★ 4.4 · 440 reviews
EOR price
Starts at $199 per employee/month
Coverage
185+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: 1-3 days in most locations once documentation and contracts are approved
Certifications
ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR
Support
24/5 customer support; 24/7 for hiring managers and global employees
What stands out
Transparent published pricing: EOR from $199/employee/month, free contractor tier, $25/mo premium contractor tier
Broad headline coverage: EOR in 185+ countries, contractors in 150+, visas/work permits in 110+
Stated no setup fees, minimum contracts or termination fees
Not a fit for
buyers needing a dedicated Contractor of Record product
enterprises requiring extensive compliance attestations beyond ISO 27001 / SOC 2 Type II
The oldest, most analyst-recognized EOR (founded 2012) — deepest certification stack and widest documented country footprint, but no owned-entity disclosure or dedicated Contractor of Record product.
8.3/10
★ 4.4
EOR price
From $599/mo per employee
Coverage
180+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: 'hire anywhere in minutes'; no SLA published
A 12-year EOR (rebranded from Velocity Global in 2025) with a large G2 review base and analyst recognition across 185+ countries, but thin transparency on entity ownership and pricing.
7.8/10
★ 4.6 · 603 reviews
EOR price
$399/mo per employee
Coverage
185+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: 'as little as 24 hours', no entity needed
Certifications
SOC 2 Type 2, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, GDPR
Support
Vendor claim: guidance available any time, in-house experts
What stands out
12-year track record (est. 2014) with $1B in annual global payroll processed and 200+ in-house legal experts
SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified; states GDPR-principle compliance
Large, strongly rated G2 footprint: 4.6/5 from 597 reviews
Not a fit for
buyers needing a true Contractor-of-Record product, not general contractor management
teams that require a fully disclosed owned-vs-partner entity count before signing
A young (2023) AI-native EOR with transparent flat pricing across EOR, contractor management and payroll — but unverifiable country-ownership claims and a thinner track record than established rivals.
buyers who need a verified, numbered owned-entity count before signing
What it costs to employ someone in Albania through an EOR
The EOR is a large-payroll employer in Albania. Gross pay is ALL 4,100,000 and ALL 8,200,000 a year, about USD 50,000 and USD 100,000 at the Bank of Albania rate of 1 USD = 82.05 ALL on 2026-10-07 (bankofalbania.org, checked 2026-10-07). Both monthly gross figures (ALL 341,666.67 and ALL 683,333.33) are above the ALL 186,416 social insurance ceiling, so the social contribution is the same maximum in both cases, and the ALL 50,000 minimum wage is below both.
Employer statutory cost only, before the EOR’s own fee. Social insurance is 15% on pay up to ALL 186,416 a month; health insurance is 1.7% on the full gross. Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, checked 2026-10-07.
Gross salary
Employer statutory cost
Share of gross
Components
ALL 4,100,000
ALL 405,248.80 (ALL 33,770.73 a month)
9.88%
Social insurance 15% x 186,416 x 12 = 335,548.80; health insurance 1.7% x 4,100,000 = 69,700.00
ALL 8,200,000
ALL 474,948.80 (ALL 39,579.07 a month)
5.79%
Social insurance 15% x 186,416 x 12 = 335,548.80; health insurance 1.7% x 8,200,000 = 139,400.00
The rates did not change in 2021-2026; the ceiling did. On the same ALL 4,100,000 salary, employer cost rose from ALL 307,861.60 in 2021 to ALL 405,248.80 in 2026, up 31.6% (our arithmetic), because the social insurance ceiling rose from ALL 132,312 to ALL 186,416 a month.
Same salary every year, rates and ceiling in force on 31 December. The 2021 ceiling rests on a tax-administration page and arithmetic. Source: PwC, tatime.gov.al, ATA, Monitor, checked 2026-10-07.
Not included: the employer-paid first 14 days of sick leave, severance (15 days’ pay per full year after 3 years), unused-leave payout, any private benefits and the EOR fee. The employee’s 9.5% and 1.7% are withheld from gross and are not employer cost. A 2026 compensation scheme for the minimum wage rise (Decision 141/2026) covers only pay of ALL 40,000-49,999 and is not applied here. There is no mandatory 13th salary to add.
The EOR’s own fee comes on top, in USD per employee per month. Two vendors show a price on an Albania page: Playroll from $399, billed separately from statutory costs, and Deel from $599 as a management fee. Starting prices elsewhere in the table are global and run from $199 (Skuad, RemoFirst, Remote People) to $699 (Remote, Oyster); Rivermate gives a range of $319-$639. Safeguard Global and Papaya Global publish none we could find. Per-vendor figures are in the table above.
Hidden costs, where published: setup fee, deposit, minimum term and termination fee are not published for Albania by any provider. Oyster’s country list says EOR in Albania might need more time or a minimum number of hires. Treat a blank as unpublished, not zero.
When you don’t need an EOR
A role that is employment should not be relabelled as a contract. The same work for the same client is limited to 2 years under agency-work rules. Source: Labour Code, Law 79/2021, checked 2026-10-07.
A genuinely independent contractor. If the person sets their own hours and tools and can serve other clients, a contract is closer to the real relationship. See how to pay contractors in Albania and our hiring guide. A contract that hides employment risks the label being challenged; see contractor misclassification.
Your own Albanian entity. The route to weigh when the hire will run beyond 2 years or you want to be the employer on the contract. Remote People’s page puts the cost at USD 2,000-5,000 to open and USD 3,000-8,000 a year, a vendor estimate, not ours (remotepeople.com, checked 2026-10-07).
A worker already employed abroad. The unique permit has a type for a “digital mobile worker” with an employment or service contract with an employer abroad, up to 1 year the first time, described by a local law firm; it is not an EOR route, and we did not read the conditions (arsfirm.al, checked 2026-10-07).
What changed in 2026
2026-01-01: the national minimum wage rose to ALL 50,000 a month from ALL 40,000, and the social insurance floor moved with it (karanovicpartners.com, checked 2026-10-07).
2026-01-01: the ceiling for social insurance rose to ALL 186,416 a month from ALL 176,416; health insurance has no ceiling (PwC, checked 2026-10-07).
2026-03-06: Council of Ministers Decision 141/2026 gives private employers 16.71% of the difference between an employee’s September 2025 gross pay and ALL 50,000, for employees who earned ALL 40,000-49,999 then, on January-September 2026 payroll. Applications run 2026-04-01 to 2026-10-31; the employer needs at least 2 employees and no arrears. The source is a local accounting firm’s summary; we did not open the decision (alprofitconsult.al, checked 2026-10-07).
Earlier changes that set the current rules:
2025-06-26: Law 43/2025 amended the Law on Foreigners. A unique-permit application may be filed by the foreigner, the employer or a licensed private employment agency authorised by either; the residence permit is due within 4 weeks (the 2021 text allowed 4-12 weeks); AKPA approval rules were rewritten, including the vacancy publication. It came into force 15 days after publication, a date we did not read (asp.gov.al, checked 2026-10-07).
2024-11-15: tighter licensing for employment agencies in category X.2.A under DCM 703/2024; earlier licences had to be re-applied for by 2025-03-17 (karanovicpartners.com, checked 2026-10-07).
2024-08-24: minimum annual leave became 22 working days (Law 91/2024), replacing 4 calendar weeks (karanovicpartners.com, checked 2026-10-07).
Numbers vendors haven’t updated
Minimum wage. The rate in force is ALL 50,000 from 2026-01-01. Borderless AI’s Albania guide gives ALL 40,000 a month, about EUR 408 (hireborderless.com, checked 2026-10-07).
Annual leave. The Labour Code has set at least 22 working days a year since 2024-08-24, pro rata for part years. Skuad’s page, dated 2025-04-03, and Rivermate’s guide give 20 days; Remote’s page gives 22 days after the first year (skuad.io, rivermate.com, remote.com, checked 2026-10-07).
Weekly hours. The Code sets a 40-hour normal week and bars overtime once 48 hours are worked in a week. G-P’s page says no more than 50 hours a week (globalization-partners.com, checked 2026-10-07).
How we built this page
Facts were collected and checked on 2026-10-07 against the Albanian Labour Code (official 2018 text plus the 2024 leave amendment), the Law on Foreigners, ministry and tax-authority material and law-firm notes; the text of DCM 286/2018 was read only as an unofficial copy. We searched the company register by name through opencorporates.al, a mirror of the QKB data, and found no public list of licensed agencies, so no licence is checked. Vendors are ordered with confirmed and stated own entities first, then those that do not disclose; no vendor pays for placement.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Employer of Record cost in Albania?
Two layers. Employer contributions are ALL 405,248.80 on an ALL 4,100,000 salary and ALL 474,948.80 on ALL 8,200,000, because the social part is capped. The EOR fee is on top: starting prices in our table run from $199 to $699 per month, and two vendors show a price on an Albania page (Playroll from $399, Deel from $599).
Is Employer of Record legal in Albania?
With limits. Albanian law has no EOR category; the statutory route is temporary agency work under Labour Code Articles 18/1-18/5, with a licence in category X.2.A, equal treatment and a 2-year limit for the same work at the same client. The law speaks of a host enterprise in Albania, and we found no law-firm text on a foreign client without an entity, so the verdict is a reading of the statute.
Which EOR in Albania has its own entity?
Four of the 15 providers: Remote (its Local Terms name Remote Albania SHPK), Deel and Multiplier (Albanian companies registered and owned by the brand's parent) and Atlas, which says it owns entities in 160+ countries including Albania without naming one. The other 11 don't name an Albanian employer. We did not check any provider's licence; no public list was found.
What is the cheapest EOR in Albania?
Among prices shown on an Albania page, Playroll is lower at $399 per month, then Deel at $599. The lowest starting price in our table is $199 (Skuad, RemoFirst and Remote People, all global). Price says nothing about the legal basis: ask who employs your hire first.
What are the risks of hiring through an EOR in Albania?
The client is treated as the employer for health and safety, equal treatment, working time and giving instructions, and is jointly and severally liable with the agency for damage to the worker. The same work for the same client may not exceed 2 years. A provider without a category X.2.A licence cannot rely on the agency-work rules.
Should I hire a contractor instead of using an EOR in Albania?
If the person works independently, yes: see [how to pay contractors in Albania](/software/contractor-payouts/albania/) and [our hiring guide](/hire-contractors/albania/). Use an EOR when the person works as your employee under your direction. See [EOR vs PEO](/blog/eor-vs-peo/).
Can an EOR in Albania sponsor a work permit?
US, EU/Schengen and Western Balkans nationals with lawful stay need no AKPA approval; their employment is declared on e-Albania. Others need AKPA approval, including a vacancy published for at least 5 days. A licensed agency may file the application if authorised but does not become the employer. Our reading is that a local EOR entity would be the permit employer; no law or law firm says so.
How long can an EOR hire last in Albania?
The same work for the same host enterprise may not exceed 2 years under Labour Code Article 18/1(4), and the agency's contract with the worker is capped at 2 years by DCM 286/2018. We did not find the sanction for exceeding it, so a longer engagement may need another structure, such as a local entity.
Where to go next
These platforms head to head
The full listings
Hiring contractors in Albania instead
Employer of Record in other countries
Sources
The vendor pages every fact came from, with the date each was checked.
15 platforms tracked in this category. Every fact in the entries above comes from the vendor's own pages — each carries a footnote with the source and the date we checked it, and where a vendor publishes nothing we leave the field out rather than guess. Scores are ours and are not for sale. Full methodology · Report an error
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