GUIDE · EOR JORDAN

How to Hire an Employee in Jordan Without a Local Company

Yes — a company that wants to hire someone in Jordan does not necessarily have to begin by establishing its own local entity. An Employer of Record arrangement can provide a route, though the appropriate structure depends on how the company plans to operate, the employee’s circumstances and the applicable requirements.

Last reviewed: September 2026

One option that companies may consider is working with an Employer of Record (EOR). Under an EOR arrangement, the local EOR becomes the formal employer while the client company continues to manage the employee’s day-to-day work.

This can provide a practical route for companies that want to employ talent in Jordan while they evaluate their longer-term plans for the market.

The appropriate structure depends on the company, employee, role and applicable requirements.

Can a Foreign Company Hire Someone in Jordan Without Its Own Entity?

An EOR arrangement can provide a way for a foreign company to employ a person in Jordan without establishing its own local employing entity.

The EOR acts as the local employer and supports the formal employment relationship.

The client company remains responsible for the employee’s operational work.

This distinction is important.

The EOR is not replacing the client as the organization directing the employee’s daily work. Instead, it provides the local employment structure and related administration.

This question is covered in more depth in Can a Foreign Company Hire Employees in Jordan?

How Does the Process Work?

A typical EOR hiring process can look like this:

1. Identify the candidate

The company identifies the person it wants to employ.

The candidate may already be part of the company’s recruitment process or may have been sourced through a recruitment partner.

2. Confirm the employment arrangement

The EOR and client confirm the role, employment structure and relevant employee information.

This is also the stage at which specific country and employee requirements should be reviewed.

3. Prepare employment documentation

The employment documentation is prepared according to the agreed arrangement and applicable requirements.

4. Onboard the employee

The employee completes the required onboarding and documentation steps.

5. Manage payroll and employment administration

The EOR supports the agreed payroll and employment administration activities.

6. Provide ongoing support

Depending on the engagement, the EOR may continue supporting payroll, employee documentation, HR administration and other employment-related matters.

What If I Have Already Found the Employee?

This is one of the simplest situations for considering EOR.

You have:

Identified the candidate
Agreed on the role
Decided to employ the person
But do not have your own local employment structure

In this case, the focus is no longer recruitment.

The question becomes:

How should this person be employed locally?

An EOR can provide one possible answer.

What If I Have Not Found Anyone Yet?

You can combine recruitment and EOR.

The process can become:

Define the role → Source candidates → Evaluate → Select → Employ → Support

This can be useful when the company wants one partner to support the journey from candidate search through local employment, as described on Recruit + Employ.

What Does the Company Continue to Control?

Using an EOR does not mean that the company gives up operational control over the employee.

The client typically remains responsible for:

Role responsibilities
Day-to-day work
Objectives
Performance expectations
Team integration
Operational decisions

The EOR’s responsibilities are primarily related to the formal employment relationship and the services agreed between the parties.

What Does the EOR Handle?

Depending on the engagement, an EOR may support:

Employment contracts and documentation
Onboarding
Payroll administration
Statutory employment administration
Employee records
Benefits administration where applicable
Ongoing HR support
Employment-related administration

The exact scope should be confirmed before engagement.

What About Taxes and Social Security?

Employment in Jordan can involve statutory obligations relating to payroll, social security and taxation.

These requirements can depend on the employee, compensation, employment arrangement and applicable regulations.

An EOR may support the related employment administration, but companies should not assume that every employee or arrangement is treated identically.

For current requirements, companies should verify the applicable rules with the relevant Jordanian authorities or qualified advisers.

Is EOR Better Than Establishing a Company?

The choice is not simply about which option is better.

The two approaches serve different business needs.

An EOR may make sense when the immediate objective is to employ people without establishing a full local operation.

Establishing an entity may make more sense when the company intends to build a substantial, long-term local presence and needs its own operating structure.

Factors to consider include:

Number of employees
Expected duration
Business activity
Local operational requirements
Administrative responsibilities
Expansion plans
Cost structure

This comparison is examined in detail in EOR vs. Setting Up a Company in Jordan.

What About Non-Jordanian Employees?

Nationality can affect employment and work authorization requirements.

Jordan’s Ministry of Labour maintains specific guidance and requirements relating to non-Jordanian workers, including work permits and specialized workers.

Companies should therefore assess the employee’s nationality and work authorization requirements before finalizing an employment structure.

How Employ by BA Can Support You

Employ by BA can support companies at different stages of the hiring journey.

If you already found your candidate:

EOR → Employ and support the employee locally

If you still need to recruit:

Recruitment → Find the candidate

If you need both:

Recruit + Employ → One connected journey

This allows the employment approach to be matched to what the company actually needs.

How Long Can a Foreign Company Use an EOR?

There is no universal period that applies to every company and employee.

The suitability of an EOR depends on the circumstances and applicable requirements.

A company may use an EOR as part of:

Initial market entry
Small-team expansion
Remote hiring
Testing a new market
A transition toward a larger local operation

The company should periodically assess whether its employment structure continues to fit its business plans.

What Should a Foreign Company Do Before Hiring?

Before making an offer, it is useful to clarify:

Who will be the formal employer?
Where will the employee be based?
Is the employee a Jordanian national or foreign national?
Does the employee require work authorization?
What employment arrangement is appropriate?
How will payroll be administered?
What statutory requirements apply?
What benefits or additional employment terms are required?
Does the company expect to establish its own entity later?

Answering these questions early can prevent avoidable complications later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hire one employee in Jordan without opening a company?

An EOR arrangement may provide a way to employ an individual without establishing your own local employing entity, subject to the applicable requirements.

Do I need recruitment if I already found the employee?

No. If you have already selected the candidate, the relevant requirement may be employment support rather than recruitment.

Can I move from EOR to my own entity later?

Depending on the circumstances, a company may later decide to establish its own local operation. The transition should be assessed based on the company’s plans and applicable requirements.

Can the employee work remotely?

The appropriate employment and work arrangement depends on the employee’s circumstances, role and applicable requirements.

Can an EOR employ foreign nationals?

Potentially, but nationality and work authorization requirements need to be assessed for the individual employee.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information about hiring and employment structures in Jordan. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Requirements can vary based on the employee, nationality, role, work authorization, employment structure and applicable regulations at the time of engagement.