PIO
Log InRequest Demo

Employer of Record · China · Industry

Build a Professional Services Team in China

PIO's Employer of Record lets you put client-facing talent in China without setting up your own entity. Share each role, work city and target start date, and PIO confirms the arrangement, then coordinates contracts and payroll as your team grows.

Best for
Consulting, advisory or agency firms opening a China presence who need client-facing talent before deciding on a full entity.
Work pattern
Often starts with one senior lead, based near key clients, followed by supporting hires as engagements grow.
Compensation inputs
Base salaries across roles, any bonus tied to utilization or client targets, and travel allowance for client visits.
See a cost estimate

Roles teams like this usually hire first

Common starting points for a Professional Services team in China.

What to plan for

Practical points to line up as you build a Professional Services team in China.

First hires to plan for

Firms usually start with one senior client-facing lead before adding delivery or support staff — sequence hires around confirmed client work.

Client representation scope

Decide upfront what your lead hire can commit to on your firm's behalf in client conversations, and put it in writing.

Taxable-presence questions stay with your advisors

Whether a client-facing hire creates a taxable presence for your firm depends on facts specific to your business — that's a question for your own tax and legal counsel, not part of PIO's EOR service.

Delivery model

Plan whether delivery work happens locally, remotely from elsewhere, or both, since that shapes which roles you need on the ground first.

Where this fits — and where it doesn't

What PIO's China EOR covers for a Professional Services team — and what stays with you.

PIO coordinates the confirmed EOR arrangement for your professional services team — contracts, payroll, tax and leave for each hire. PIO doesn't advise on whether a client-facing hire creates a taxable presence for your firm — that determination depends on your specific facts and should go to your own tax and legal advisors.

China employment baseline

The same four national rules apply to every hire. What's confirmed per hire is the work city's registration steps and contribution parameters.

  • Individual income tax

    Monthly withholding from wages, with an annual reconciliation.

  • Labor contract

    A written contract is required once employment begins.

  • Social insurance & leave

    National participation rules apply everywhere; statutory paid annual leave scales from 5 to 15 days by tenure.

  • Termination

    Follows national labor-contract law; closeout steps can vary by work city.

Local registration steps and contribution parameters are confirmed for the employee's actual work city.

4 official sources

Practical guidance is grounded in these official references, but local law and public requirements can change and should be reconfirmed. Your PIO contract and quote govern only PIO's service scope, terms and fees.

How it works

A straightforward path from sign-up to your first employee's first day.

  1. Step 1

    Share your first hires

    Tell us the roles, work cities and target start dates as you plan your China team.

  2. Step 2

    We confirm each arrangement

    PIO confirms what's available for each hire, then coordinates contracts and payroll as you build the team.

  3. Step 3

    Your team comes online

    You manage day-to-day work; PIO helps coordinate ongoing payroll, tax and leave administration for the whole team.

Frequently asked questions

Does opening with a China-based lead through PIO create a taxable presence for our firm?

PIO's EOR handles the employment relationship — contract, payroll, tax and leave. Whether a given hire's activities create a taxable presence for your firm depends on facts specific to your business, so that question should go to your own tax and legal advisors.

Can we start with one hire and expand the team later?

Yes — each hire's arrangement is confirmed individually, so starting with a single lead and adding delivery or support roles as engagements grow is a common path.

Related roles and industries

See all China roles and industries

Industries in China

Ready to build your Professional Services team?

Share each role, work city and target start date as you grow your Professional Services team — PIO confirms the arrangement for every hire, then coordinates contracts, payroll and leave around it.