10 Best International PEO Companies

When you ask most business owners and executive staff about the most important aspect of the business, they will tell you that it’s the people who work for them. The human capital of an organization determines the quality of its operational activities, goods, and services. But the reality of today’s labor market shows that professional recruitment is more competitive than ever. The global staffing industry generated a revenue of around $650 billion in 2022. 

So, if you want to get the best human capital in your organization, you’ll need extra hands on deck. That’s where international PEO companies come in. PEOs are your best bet to ensure that your HR team stays on top of regular HR activities while ensuring your teams are filled with the best talent. These companies can also help you if you don’t have an in-house HR team. 

While hiring these service providers comes at an extra cost, they are a worthy investment. The only problem you’ll face when using PEOs is finding a suitable service provider to partner with. 

What is an International PEO?

In simple terms, international PEOs (Professional Employment Organizations) are service providers tasked with employing qualified experts in different parts of the world. While they are fairly similar to EORs (Employer of Records), PEOs are tasked with quickly filling vacant positions while maintaining compliance to the labor laws of your preferred jurisdiction. These service providers are designed such that you’ll also not have to establish a legal entity to hire from regions where they are operating. 

The next thing to do is break down why you should hire an international PEO. But before we go ahead with that, let’s review the services which you’ll get from a PEO. They include but are not limited to;

• Global Employment: The primary role of a Professional Employment Organizations is to hire employees for their clients worldwide. However, hiring services can be further broken into subcategories – global contractor management, global payroll, and global Employer of Record – depending your needs.
  • Global Payroll Management: Let’s say you’ve already succeeded in filling your teams with professionals from another country and need a way to pay them seamlessly. You can hire a PEO to handle payroll management services. However, you must have already established a legal entity abroad. Your preferred service provider will help you settle all international payments from a single dashboard. 
  • Global Employer of Record: If you wish to hire abroad without a legal entity in that jurisdiction, you can opt to hire them through a PEOs Global Employer of Record services. 
  • Global Contractor Management: Let’s say you wish to benefit from international expertise without hiring such employees permanently. Global contractor management is for those who wish to hire contractors abroad. 
• Onboarding and Offboarding: You can also hire a PEO to onboard and offboard international employees. This means that the service provider will ensure that your employees are gradually eased and introduced to their roles, and given any other essential information or training that can help them carry out their duties effectively. Also, when an employee is leaving your organization, this service provider ensures that the process is managed properly. 

Why Choose an International PEO for Global Expansion? 

We mentioned earlier that an international PEO is meant to help you add international expertise to your team. As a result, you’ll find these companies partnering with small and medium enterprises to help them achieve their goals. Are you one of those organizations considering whether or not to hire an international PEO for global expansion? The following reasons will show you why it would be a great idea to work with these service providers: 

• Easy New Market Entry: If you’ve recently moved your operations to a new jurisdiction and want to penetrate the new market quickly, your best bet is to work with a PEO. Their knowledge of the local market will prove crucial in connecting with experts in the region. 
• Cost Savings: Hiring a PEO will save you a considerable amount of money, especially if you haven’t established a legal entity. This money may then be spent on other aspects of the business. 
• Risk Mitigation: Operating in a new country is quite risky because you have to learn new labor laws guiding your interaction with local experts. A PEO is an expert in local labor laws and will ensure that you stay compliant with all essential regulations. They will also protect your intellectual property. 
• Streamlined Client Support: Top-rated PEOs are equipped to handle staff onboarding and onboarding, payroll, and employee benefits. So, they ensure that your in-house HR team can focus on other tasks. 

Top 10 International PEO Companies

Now that you’re familiar with the meaning and roles of Professional Employment Organizations, the next thing to do is review the best service providers available to employers worldwide. As there are scores of PEOs in different parts of the world, organizations must carefully vet the service provider that offers the best transparency, reliability, and success. 

To help your choice, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 international PEO companies. To pick each of these alternatives, we’ve compared the strengths, weaknesses, number of services offered, and global reach of different service providers. Globy isn’t on this list because it’s not a PEO. Instead, it operates as a Contractor of Record company—an often more affordable and sometimes even more compliant alternative to PEOs and EORs.Globy isn’t on this list because it’s not a PEO. Instead, it operates as a Contractor of Record. 

The following comparison table highlights key details about the top 10 international PEO/EOR/COR companies: 

Read more: 10 Best EOR Companies for Global Hiring in 2024/25, 8 Best Employee Leasing Companies 

1. Globy

Despite not being a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), Globy is a leading Contractor of Record (CoR) service provider, specializing in global talent acquisition, compliance, payroll, and staff augmentation. Globy streamlines the hiring, equipping, validation, and benefits management of independent contractors while ensuring full compliance with local labor laws for international hires. With expertise in recruitment, background checks, payroll, compliance, and workforce flexibility, Globy helps businesses hire within US and EU time zones, providing access to the top 5% of vetted global talent. Offering expansion and localization services across 20+ countries, Globy eliminates common challenges in international hiring, from compliance risks to payment complexities, making it the trusted choice for scaling teams efficiently without legal barriers.

2. Deel

Deel is popularly renowned as a top-rated PEO that specializes in full HR and payroll management. According to information on their website, Deel is capable of filling up your remote teams while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local laws. Despite the long list of features they provide to their partners, you’ll enjoy flat-rate user pricing. There’s also a free version for businesses with up to 20 people. 

3. Global PEO Services 

Global PEO Services simplifies international hiring for companies by offering international hiring solutions across 170+ countries. They handle payroll, compliance, and HR administration, ensuring local labor law adherence. Established in 2015, this Clutch-rated firm supports diverse industries, including IT and healthcare, enabling businesses to expand globally without legal complexities.

4. Global PEO

Global PEO excels as a top-rated PEO in over 100 countries and this service provider has a focus on technology, healthcare, and finance industries. They offer tailored services such as compliance, benefits administration, and payroll. Trustpilot reviews praise their efficiency and expertise which means you can trust them as a reliable partner for businesses aiming to navigate complex international employment landscapes.

5. Velocity Global

Velocity Global stands out from other PEOs as an AI-driven workforce management platform. They specialize in building and managing teams in more than 185 countries and ensure all their partners enjoy fast, seamless hiring across borders. This service provider also boasts unmatched compliance expertise to ensure your hiring doesn’t fall on the wrong side of the law. 

6. Horizons

If you are a company operating out of the Asia-Pacific region, Horizons is your best bet for top-notch PEO services. This service provider stands out from others by providing recruitment, compliance, and payroll solutions to business owners in more than 150 countries. Due to the nature of its services, Horizons supports seamless global expansion and helps these businesses reduce how much they spend on recruitment. Another reason why this PEO stands out is due to its focus on customer satisfaction. 

7. G-P (Globalization Partners)

Let’s say your aim is to gain professionals from as many countries as possible, it would be a great idea to work with Globalization Partners. G-P protects the interest of business owners by offering them a detailed guide on the laws and requirements for their preferred country. By doing this, you’re aware of all essential details about prospective hires before getting started. This PEO also has a platform that you can easily rely on to track onboarding, hiring, and payment of payroll benefits amidst other HR tasks. All these activities can be tracked from a single location. 

8. Safeguard Global

Founded at the start of the 21st century, Safeguard Global has risen to the top of the PEO industry, even working with reputable names like Siemens and Dell. During that time, this service provider has established itself as a leader in providing workforce solutions, payroll, compliance, and HR services. Since its establishment, this PEO has worked hard to expand its network of professionals to 170+ countries. Safeguard Global is also renowned for its client-centric approach, ensuring that every business it partners with stays compliant and productive even when the global market changes.  

9. Papaya Global

Papaya Global is a stand-out PEO because of its commitment to help employers eliminate the barriers of international hiring. Like other top-rated service providers in the PEO industry, Papaya uses global workforce management software to ensure that all its customers can quickly make cross-border payments and handle payroll administration with the click of a few buttons. This PEO also allows clients to benefit from automation, security, and business intelligence solutions without replacing their in-house systems. Some of the most notable names to have worked with Papaya Global include Microsoft, Shopify, Canva, and Vimeo. 

10. Oyster HR

If you need a PEO to support your teams across multiple jurisdictions, Oyster HR has everything you need. With an extensive network across 130+ countries, this service provider is an expert at compliant hiring, payroll, and benefits solutions, with a focus on remote work. Despite being founded a few years ago, this Professional Employment Organization has offered exemplary services to 5-star clients, taking it to the top of the industry. 

How to Choose the Right International PEO Provider?

One of the hardest decisions for a small and medium enterprise to make is deciding the PEO to work with. There are several operations available to each employer, and many of them boast similar features. If you’re faced with a scenario where you have to choose a preferred international PEO provider, you can consider any of the following factors to make a final choice: 

• Assessing Geographic Coverage: The geographic coverage of a PEO company is one of its most essential features. The best PEOs are those that can tap into the expertise and knowledge of regions where you wish to expand. If you hire a PEO without adequate reach in your preferred location, it’ll end up wasting your precious time and money, eventually slowing down your attempt at an expansion. 
• Ensure Compliance Support: It’s crucial that the PEO you choose knows how to comply with local labor laws in your preferred jurisdiction. If not, you’ll have to spend money 
• Consider Technology and Tools: It’s also crucial to pick a service provider with access to the latest software and tools that’ll potentially increase the accuracy of their results. PEOs with AI-driven software and tools can quickly sift through large data sets while creating insightful analyses. As a result, they can deliver quickly and more efficiently. 
• Review Client Testimonials and Case Studies: Testimonials and case studies about previous client engagement reveal how a PEO has handled its customers in the past. You’ll gain a first-hand account of what the service provider does well and what they may need to improve on. However, ensure you visit authentic review sites to avoid making a decision with fake reviews. 

How Globy Can Help You Choose the Right PEO

Finding the right Professional Employment Organization (PEO) is crucial for businesses looking to expand globally while maintaining compliance and operational efficiency. However, with so many providers in the market, selecting the right one can be overwhelming.

Globy specializes in global talent acquisition, compliance & payroll, staff augmentation, and business expansion & localization, making it a strategic partner for companies navigating international hiring. Unlike a standard PEO provider, Globy offers customized solutions to help businesses decide whether they need a direct hiring approach, an EOR provider, or a PEO solution tailored to their needs.

• If you’re unsure whether a PEO or EOR is the right fit, Globy’s Compliance & Payroll team can evaluate your hiring strategy and connect you with a provider that ensures legal and financial compliance in the target country.
• For businesses expanding internationally, Globy’s Expansion & Localization services help ensure a smooth transition, providing local expertise beyond just payroll and compliance.
• If you need skilled professionals without hiring full-time employees, Globy’s Staff Augmentation model helps you access top-tier remote or nearshore talent without the burden of direct employment.

By leveraging its global network across the Americas and Europe, Globy helps companies avoid costly mistakes and streamline hiring with the right PEO or employment model.

Conclusion

There’s no denying that international hiring is difficult, but the right type of support can simplify these activities for you. If your in-house team lacks the numbers or expertise to hire international employees, partnering with a Professional Employment Organization (PEO) is a smart move. However, with so many PEOs available, finding the right one can be overwhelming.

This is where Globy provides invaluable assistance. With expertise in global talent acquisition, payroll compliance, staff augmentation, and localization, Globy helps businesses identify the best employment model and connects them with top-tier PEO providers tailored to their industry and expansion goals. Whether you need direct hiring, contractor management, or a full-service PEO solution, Globy ensures you make the smartest decision for your global growth.

Read more: 15 Most Popular SaaS Recruiting Agencies, 12 Best Technology Search Firms for Executive Positions

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Article author

Vit Koval

Co-founder at Globy

A top Global Hiring voice on LinkedIn, co-founder of Globy, and host of Default Global. Using deep expertise in global hiring, remote work, and global business expansion to help companies excel worldwide with innovative strategies.