The 2026 EOR pricing playbook for UAE employers

Employer of Record (EOR) pricing in the UAE has matured dramatically over the past 24 months. What used to be a murky negotiation between vendors and procurement teams is now a relatively transparent market — but only if you know what to look at on the invoice.

The headline number is rarely the real number

Most UAE EOR providers quote between AED 1,100 and AED 2,200 per employee per month. That's the headline. The reality is that the headline rate covers payroll processing, basic compliance, and a generic benefits stack. Everything an actual hire needs in the UAE — visa, medical insurance, end-of-service gratuity provisioning, WPS compliance, leave administration — can either be bundled or sold as separate line items.

The single most important question to ask any EOR vendor: "Show me the all-in monthly cost for an AED 25,000/month employee in Dubai." If the answer takes more than a paragraph, the pricing isn't transparent.

What FastLink charges, line by line

• Base EOR fee: AED 1,400/employee/month — covers payroll, WPS, gratuity accrual, Emirates ID admin
• Visa & PRO: AED 4,500 one-time per employee (employment visa, medical, EID)
• Medical insurance: AED 280–650/month depending on plan tier
• Setup fee: Waived for 5+ employees, otherwise AED 2,000

Where the hidden fees usually live

The most common surprises we see when clients move to us from another EOR:

• "Currency conversion" markups when paying salaries in non-AED currencies (sometimes 1.5–2.5%)
• "Off-cycle payroll" charges for any salary correction outside the monthly run
• Per-payslip fees stacked on top of the EOR fee
• End-of-service "computation fees" when an employee leaves

If you're shopping for an EOR in the UAE in 2026, ask for a side-by-side: 12 months of fees for one mid-level employee, with everything in one column. The difference between vendors is usually 20–30% once you flatten the comparison.