The Compliant Way to Hire Offshore Talent in Australia Without an Outsourcing Agency

The Compliant Way to Hire Offshore Talent

We’re not a BPO. We don’t manage your staff after placement. We help you hire directly, so you hire and pay the person yourself, and we share what we’ve learned about setting the arrangement up cleanly so it lasts.

This page is general information to help you ask the right questions. It isn’t legal, tax or compliance advice, and every business’s situation is different. Before you sign anything, get independent advice from an employment lawyer or accountant who knows your circumstances.

What compliance actually means

In practice, compliance comes down to two things: the right paperwork and the right structure in day-to-day reality.

A well-drafted contract doesn’t protect you if the working setup contradicts it. If a contractor arrangement looks and feels like employment, with set hours, constant supervision, exclusivity and no autonomy, it can create risk regardless of how it’s labelled. As a general rule, courts and regulators look at substance, not just labels.

Two ways to engage offshore talent

Most Australian businesses hiring in the Philippines choose between two broad models. Here’s how they commonly differ.

Independent contractor

Generally suited to roles you can manage by outcomes and deliverables instead of hour-by-hour oversight.

Typical characteristics:

You engage the person directly

You define the outcomes, priorities and standards

The person has flexibility in how they achieve results

Usually lower cost and simpler to set up than an EOR

Works well for roles structured around “what” and “by when” instead of strict process control

In our experience, this model is often used for professional services roles such as loan processors, parabrokers, bookkeeping support, client services and administration, where there’s a clear scope of work and the person has the skills to work independently.

Employer of Record (EOR)

Often preferred for high-control roles, regulated environments, or where you want a formal local employment structure.

The person is hired by a licensed entity in the Philippines

Payroll, tax, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG contributions are handled locally

Suitable where strict hours, process controls or regulatory requirements apply

More structure and cost, and generally clearer from an employment law standpoint

If an EOR suits you, we can introduce you to a provider. EOR services charge their own fee, commonly around $200 a month, which you pay to the provider directly. Fees vary, so get a quote.

Practical safeguards regardless of model

Whether you go contractor or EOR, these steps generally reduce risk:

Use a written agreement that clearly defines scope, IP ownership, confidentiality, data handling and termination, drafted or reviewed by a lawyer

Structure work around deliverables and outcomes, not constant supervision

Avoid managing the person like an employee unless you’re using an employment structure such as an EOR

Keep role expectations documented: responsibilities, communication standards and escalation paths

Set clear working hours expectations upfront (even for contractors, this avoids ambiguity)

Treat client data the way Australian privacy law expects: limit access to what the role needs, use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, and know where files are stored. Our data privacy checklist for businesses hiring offshore covers the general points, and our offshore staff security checklist covers setting up their access safely.

Check sector rules that apply to you. Tax practitioners, credit licensees, financial advisers, law practices and NDIS providers each have their own obligations about supervision, record keeping and client data. Your professional body or regulator publishes guidance, and your adviser can apply it to your business.

What Tarino provides

Tarino’s job is recruitment. We typically start with 1,000+ candidates per role and screen them through CV and quality screening (40% remain), video screening (20%), a practical assessment (10%), a structured interview (5%) and finalist review (2%), then send you a shortlist of 3–4 finalists in about 2 weeks. See how it works for each stage.

Alongside the shortlist, we share:

General guidance on the engagement models businesses commonly use for your type of role

A day-one setup checklist for getting the relationship started properly

Pointers on what an agreement usually covers: confidentiality, IP, privacy, access controls and termination

An introduction to an EOR provider, if that’s the path you choose

What we don’t do: give legal, tax or compliance advice, draft your contracts, run payroll or hire your staff. You hire and pay them directly, and your lawyer and accountant advise on the structure.

Our fee is one-time: $250 upfront to start the search plus $4,750 when you hire, $5,000 excl. GST in total, with the $250 credited back when you hire. There’s no monthly fee or markup. 6-month replacement cover applies for the same role, on the conditions in the Scope of Work and terms. See pricing for the detail.

Still unsure which model fits?

Tell us the role and responsibilities, expected working hours and how closely the person will be supervised. We’ll share what we commonly see for similar roles and the questions to take to your adviser. Book a 30-minute call. No pitch, no pressure.