By the PCS team. Published November 5, 2026.
A managed team suits ongoing, process-driven work where you want someone else to run the floor. An employer of record suits one or two people you have already found. A freelancer suits short, defined work with no sensitive data. Your own company suits scale. The question that separates them is who employs the person and who supervises them each day.
The four models side by side
| Managed team (BPO) | Employer of record | Freelancer | Your own Fiji company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who employs the person | The provider | The EOR, on paper | No one. They contract to you | You |
| Who finds them | The provider. You interview the shortlist | Usually you | You | You |
| Who supervises each day | The provider, against your process | You | You | You |
| Where they work | The provider's site | Usually home | Usually home | Your site |
| Security evidence | Ask for the provider's certificate and scope | Covers employment, not usually the workplace. Ask | Yours to set up and check | Yours to build |
| What you pay | An hourly rate including salary, seat, IT, HR and management | Salary, on-costs and a monthly fee | An agreed rate | Everything, plus set-up |
| Best for | Ongoing teams, voice work, customer data | One or two people you already know | Short, defined work | Long-term scale |
| Watch for | Higher hourly cost than a bare salary; minimum terms | No floor, no supervision, no cover when someone is sick | Continuity, data on personal devices, and whether they are really a contractor | Time, compliance and being the employer in another country |
What being an employer in Fiji involves
Whoever employs the person carries these. Use them to check a quote, not to work out what a provider should charge, because a wage is not an all-in rate.
- Fiji National Provident Fund. The standing split is 10% employer and 8% employee. The 2026-27 Budget cut the employer rate to 8% for 12 months from 1 August 2026, with the employee rate unchanged (The Fiji Times, 26 June 2026).
- National minimum wage. FJ$5 an hour (FBC News, 1 June 2026), in effect from 1 April 2025 (WageIndicator, citing Legal Notice 44 of 2024). The same report says unions want an immediate rise to FJ$6. Some country guides we read still show older figures, so check the date on anything you rely on.
- Tax. The employer withholds income tax from pay and remits it to the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service.
- Employment law. The Employment Relations Act 2007 sets the rules on contracts, leave and termination. A major rewrite has been discussed, so get local advice before relying on any summary.
Firms registered with the BPO Council of Fiji can also qualify for tax-exempt income for 5 to 13 years, depending on capital investment and staff numbers, starting at FJ$100,000 and 25 employees (FRCS ICT incentives flyer, December 2024). That is one reason a very small own-company setup has a different cost base from a registered provider.
Employer of record
An employer of record becomes the legal employer on paper and runs payroll and compliance while you direct the work. Global EOR firms now list Fiji. G-P, Fiji payroll describes hiring through its own subsidiary and taking responsibility for payroll, and Multiplier, Fiji publishes a Fiji page. Remote, Fiji's regional Fiji pages differed when we read them on 5 November 2026 on whether its EOR service is live there, so ask them.
It is a good answer when you have already found the person, you can manage them yourself, and there is no need for a staffed floor. It is a poor answer for customer-facing voice work, where you need supervision, quality checks, a quiet floor and cover for sick days. Ask where the person will work, on what device, and whose security controls apply.
Freelancer
A freelancer is the cheapest and quickest way to get defined work done, and for a logo, a short data clean-up or a bit of ad hoc admin it is often the right call. The costs show up later: no cover when they are away, your data on their laptop, no one watching quality but you. Whether someone is genuinely a contractor is a legal question in every country, so if the work looks like a job, get advice.
Managed team
The provider employs the person, supplies the seat and the IT, and runs supervision and quality against your process. You pay more per hour than a bare salary, because more is inside the rate. It suits ongoing roles where the work is repeatable and you do not want to run a floor in another country.
The honest limit: a managed team takes the employment admin off you, but not everything. Your privacy duties stay with you (IPP 12, APP 8 and Fiji), and you still need to own the process and review the work each week. A site-level event affects the whole team (what can interrupt a Fiji team).
Your own Fiji company
If you expect a large team for many years, owning the operation can make sense. You take on the entity, the lease, the fit-out, recruitment, HR and the compliance above. Most firms needing a few seats will not get there on the numbers, but run them before you decide.
A quick way to choose
- Do you have a specific person already, and can you manage them? Employer of record.
- Is it short, defined work with no customer data? Freelancer.
- Is it ongoing, or customer-facing, or does it touch customer data? Managed team.
- Will it be a large team for years? Price your own company.
- Does it need to be on site or onshore? Keep it local.
Where PCS stands
We are a managed team provider, so this is our model and you should discount us accordingly. PCS employs the team in Suva, and you interview the shortlist and choose who joins. First seat live is typically 3 to 4 weeks. Our rates are published on the cost calculator, with the local comparison sourced. ISO/IEC 27001:2022, certificate 250208056701, held by Proficient Customer Solutions (Fiji) Pte Ltd, our Suva delivery company, issued by TNV System Certification under IAS accreditation, valid to 7 Feb 2028. If a freelancer or an EOR is the better fit for your role, we will tell you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a managed team and an employer of record in Fiji?
With a managed team the provider employs the person, supplies the seat and IT, and supervises the work. With an employer of record the EOR is the legal employer on paper, but you usually find and supervise the person yourself, and they usually work from home.
What is the FNPF contribution rate in Fiji?
The standing split is 10% employer and 8% employee. The 2026-27 Budget cut the employer rate to 8% for 12 months from 1 August 2026, with the employee rate unchanged, according to The Fiji Times on 26 June 2026.
What is the minimum wage in Fiji?
FJ$5 an hour, in effect from 1 April 2025. Unions were calling for FJ$6 in June 2026. Check the current rate before relying on it.
Can I just hire a freelancer in Fiji?
Yes, for short, defined work with no sensitive data it is often the right call. For ongoing work, weigh continuity, data on personal devices and whether the person is genuinely a contractor. That last one is a legal question, so get advice.
When does setting up my own Fiji company make sense?
When you expect a large team for many years. You take on the entity, lease, recruitment, HR and compliance. Most firms needing a few seats will not get there on the numbers.
Sources read on 5 November 2026 unless a date is shown. This post is general information, not legal, tax or employment advice.