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Your Recruitment Agency in China

Do you want to recruit in mainland China, in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen or elsewhere, without waiting months for a WFOE (Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise) to be set up? Asie Facile mobilises a network of local headhunters who present qualified profiles within days, with an Employer of Record solution that is 100% compliant with Chinese labour law.

Live network status — ChinaAsie Facile

14China recruiters

1,400+Qualified profiles

5-7 daysFirst shortlist

Latest mandates China

Country Manager Retail, ShanghaiLuxury & Distribution

Luxury & distribution. 12 years in China, WFOE management, retail network.

Confidential search, 3 recruiters on it

Factory Quality Manager, ShenzhenHardware & Supply Chain

Hardware & supply chain. Bilingual ZH/EN, supplier audits and quality control.

Candidate selected, EOR set up within 5 days

4 China recruiters online

Approche direct de profils dirigeants et mise en conformité EOR via nos partenaires certifiés.

Plan a strategic call (15 min)

Recruitment agency in China - Asie Facile recruiters

Get a quotation for your hire in China / HK

Direct approach of senior profiles and EOR compliance handled by our certified partners in China.

Targeted hiring: China

Luxury & retail

Country managers, retail directors, store managers, merchandising.

Healthcare & medical devices

Sales leaders, regulatory affairs, clinical and technical specialists.

Hardware, supply chain & support functions

Sourcing, factory quality control, logistics (Shenzhen), finance, HR and office management for representative offices..

Why work with us?

(Asie Facile cv Traditional Agency)

Criteria

Asie Facile

Traditional agency

01Sourcing

✓3 to 4 specialist recruitersworking in parallel

–1 consultantusually assigned to you

02Speed

✓Qualified profiles in 5-7 working daysas fast as 72h on well-matched searches

–3 to 6 weeksto build the pipeline

03Candidate source

✓Headhunted and targeteddirect approach of relevant profiles

–CV databases / job boardse.g. public job sites

04Specialisation

✓Recruiter matched to the rolefunction + market + sector

–Variable expertisedepends on the assigned consultant

05Account manager

✓1 dedicated contactcoordination + follow-up + feedback

–No dedicated AMrelationship with the consultant

06Scalability

✓Several recruiters in parallelcapacity adjusted to your needs

–Limited capacitydepends on the consultant

07Pricing

✓Success-based feeno payment without a hire

–20-25% of annual salarytypical agency fee

Why recruiting in mainland China is different from the rest of Asia

Many European companies are active in China, across industry, luxury, distribution, healthcare and technology. But mainland China has one of the strictest regulatory frameworks in Asia: the Labour Contract Law, mandatory social contributions (social insurance plus the Housing Fund), and individual income tax (IIT) calculated according to the employee's tax residency status.

Unlike Hong Kong, where common law keeps things flexible, a European company that wants to employ people directly in mainland China must in principle hold a locally registered WFOE. That process generally takes several weeks to several months. This is why most first hires in China now go through an Employer of Record solution.

Where the talent is

Most international hiring in China happens in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, with growing demand in second-tier cities such as Hangzhou, Suzhou, Chengdu and Wuhan. Shanghai leads for luxury, consumer and corporate roles, Shenzhen for hardware and supply chain, and Beijing for regulated and institutional sectors.

Why use a local headhunter in China instead of job boards

The best candidates in China are often employed and are reached through Chinese platforms and personal networks, not through international job boards. Bilingual Chinese and English profiles with international experience are in high demand and receive several offers. A local headhunter who speaks the language and knows the market approaches them directly and presents your project credibly.

What to expect when you recruit in China

Senior candidates often have a notice period of one to three months, so plan the start date early. We agree the profile and budget in a scoping call, present a shortlist in 5-7 working days, then manage interviews, the offer and, if needed, the Employer of Record onboarding.

Recruitment missions in China: recent placements

A selection of recent mandates, anonymised.

Can I hire in China without a WFOE?

Yes. Through an Employer of Record, a local partner becomes the official employer and handles contracts, payroll and social contributions. You manage the person day to day.

What is the difference between mainland China and Hong Kong?

Hong Kong follows a lighter framework with simpler taxation. Mainland China requires social fund contributions (insurance and Housing Fund) and stricter employment rules.

How long does it take to recruit in China?

We present a first shortlist in 5-7 working days on average. A traditional agency usually needs 3-6 weeks to build a pipeline.

How do you protect confidentiality and IP?

Contracts include IP and NDA clauses that comply with Chinese and international law. Sensitive searches can run confidentially.

What does a hire really cost?

Employer contributions of 25-40% of gross salary depending on the city, plus the Housing Fund, IIT withholding, a 13th month in many cases and the EOR fee.

Plan a strategic call (15 min)

✓Country Manager Retail, ShanghaiHeadhunted in 16 days. Started immediately under EOR.

✓Supplier Quality Manager, ShenzhenHired in 11 days. Z visa eligibility checked before the offer.

✓Finance & Admin Manager, BeijingEmployed 100% through EOR, with no subsidiary.

✓Business Development Manager, GuangzhouHeadhunted in 14 days. EOR onboarding done in under a week.

Recruiting in China without a WFOE: the Employer of Record (EOR)

Setting up a WFOE takes time and capital, and many European companies prefer to wait until the market is validated. An Employer of Record solution lets you legally hire an employee in China without a local company. Our approved EOR partner becomes the official employer (employment contract, payroll, social contributions and Housing Fund), while you keep operational control of the role.

Common use cases

Test a first position (sales, representative, country manager) before creating a WFOE;
Secure a hire while the WFOE is being registered (often 2 to 4 months);
Employ a single employee in a secondary market without setting up a dedicated structure.

What it costs to employ someone in China

Beyond gross salary, several items must be budgeted. They vary by city and by role. We detail them systematically before any mission starts.

Employer social insurance and Housing Fund: Generally 25-40% of gross salary, depending on the city.
Individual income tax (IIT): Progressive scale, with specific rules by tax residency status.
13th month / annual bonus: Common market practice. Budget for it in the offer.
EOR fee: A percentage of gross monthly salary, quoted per hire.

Work authorisation for foreign hires

A foreign hire in China usually needs a Z visa, then a work permit and a residence permit. We check eligibility before the offer, so you do not lose a candidate at the last step. Local Chinese and bilingual candidates do not need this process.