Written and fact-checked by the EORquotes research team · Data verified July 2026
Both Remote and Oyster can legally employ your hires in Canada. What differs is their entity model, support depth and pricing structure. Here is the 2026 comparison, grounded in what actually changes for a Canada hire.
Remote vs Oyster in Canada: the short answer
- Both fully cover Canada — the decision is fee, support model and entity approach, not whether they can employ there.
- Statutory employer cost is the same (~13.14%) whichever you pick; only the provider’s monthly fee differs.
- Remote: owned-entity-only model. Oyster: distributed-hiring focus.
- Fastest way to decide: get a live quote from both for your exact Canada role and compare the total monthly cost.
What hiring in Canada involves (either provider)
Employer contributions add roughly 13.14% on top of gross salary (Canada Pension Plan (CPP, employer), Employment Insurance (EI, employer), Employer Health Tax (Ontario, representative), Vacation pay accrual), paid across 12 salary payments per year. Full breakdown in our true employer cost calculator for Canada.
Whichever provider employs them, Canada’s employment rules apply either way: probation up to 3 months, notice periods of 1–8 weeks statutory by tenure (province-specific); common-law reasonable notice can be substantially longer, and severance of Statutory severance in some provinces (e.g. Ontario: one week per year of service, 5+ years, capped) plus potential common-law entitlements. A good EOR bakes these into the contract from day one — and this is where provider quality shows, because fixing a non-compliant Canada contract later costs far more than getting it right up front.
Onboarding speed in Canada
Both Remote and Oyster can typically issue a compliant Canada employment contract within days, because the local entity, registrations and insurances already exist on their side. The practical constraint is usually the candidate’s own notice period — in Canada, notice runs 1–8 weeks statutory by tenure (province-specific); common-law reasonable notice can be substantially longer. Line up the paperwork while they serve it out and the provider choice costs you no calendar time at all.
Remote vs Oyster: side by side
Remote Fully owned local entities in every covered country
Pricing varies — request a quote for current numbers | Oyster Global employment platform, mix of owned entities and partners
Pricing varies — request a quote for current numbers |
Our verdict
Statutory cost in Canada is moderate (~13.14% at a typical salary) and several contributions are capped, so the provider’s monthly fee is a meaningful share of what you actually pay — worth comparing closely. Whichever you choose, budget for statutory severance exposure — these are set by Canada’s law, not the provider.
Choose Remote if owned-entity-only model matters most for your Canada plans. Choose Oyster if you value distributed-hiring focus. Unsure? Get free quotes from both and let the numbers decide.
Frequently asked questions
Who is better for a small team hiring one or two people in Canada?
At one or two hires the decision usually comes down to fee structure and support model rather than coverage — both cover Canada. Remote: fully owned local entities in every covered country. Oyster: global employment platform, mix of owned entities and partners. Small teams feel fee differences hardest, so compare quotes for your exact headcount before deciding.
Do Remote and Oyster handle Canada's statutory requirements?
Yes — the 12 salary payments per year, the roughly 13.14% employer contributions and mandatory insurances are standard parts of a compliant Canada payroll run for any serious EOR. The difference is visibility: how clearly each provider reports those costs back to you varies more than the compliance itself.
Do Remote and Oyster both support hiring in Canada?
Yes — both operate in Canada. The difference is the model: Remote: fully owned local entities in every covered country. Oyster: global employment platform, mix of owned entities and partners.
Which is cheaper for Canada, Remote or Oyster?
Whichever provider you pick, employer contributions in Canada add roughly 13.14% on top of gross salary, paid across 12 salary payments per year. Provider fees are what differ — compare live quotes rather than list prices; our free quote service does this for you.
Can I switch from Remote to Oyster later in Canada?
Yes. Your employees are re-employed by the new provider’s local Canada entity. Plan the transition around the notice period that applies in Canada (1–8 weeks statutory by tenure (province-specific); common-law reasonable notice can be substantially longer) so payroll and benefits continue without a gap.
Do Remote and Oyster charge differently for Canada?
Almost always. The statutory employment cost — roughly 13.14% on top of gross salary — is identical whichever you choose, because it is set by law. What differs is each provider’s monthly management fee, and that gap can be significant. The only reliable way to compare is a live quote from each for your specific role.
Which is faster to onboard a Canada hire, Remote or Oyster?
Both can typically issue a compliant Canada contract within days, since each already operates a local entity. Real timelines usually hinge on the candidate’s notice period (1–8 weeks statutory by tenure (province-specific); common-law reasonable notice can be substantially longer) and how responsive the provider’s local team is — worth asking about directly when you request quotes.
Compare Canada with other markets
Employer costs swing widely between countries — the same salary can cost far more or less depending on where you hire. See the full employee-cost calculator index for every country, or jump to a neighbour:
More Canada resources
Planning the Canada hire end to end? These go deeper on costs, compliance and the other provider match-ups:
- true employer cost calculator for Canada
- Canada EOR country guide
- Canada: Deel vs Multiplier compared
- Multiplier vs Playroll for hiring in Canada
- compare Deel and Remote in Canada
Remote vs Oyster in other countries
The verdict shifts with the hiring country — same two providers, different employment rules and costs:
- Remote or Oyster for a Colombia hire?
- Germany: Remote vs Oyster compared
- Remote vs Oyster for hiring in India
- compare Remote and Oyster in Italy
Sources
Every number on this page traces to an official or authoritative source, checked on the date shown. Spot something outdated? Tell us and we will verify and correct it.
- CPP 2026: employer 5.95% up to YMPE $74,600 (basic exemption $3,500); CPP2 4% between $74,600 and $85,000: Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) (accessed 2026-07)
- EI 2026: employer rate 2.324% (1.4x employee) up to maximum insurable earnings $68,900: Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) (accessed 2026-07)
- Ontario Employer Health Tax 1.95% on payroll above the $1M exemption: Ontario Ministry of Finance (accessed 2026-07)
- Statutory vacation minimum two weeks (4% of wages), rising to 6% with tenure: Government of Canada (Labour Standards) / provincial ESAs (accessed 2026-07)
- Typical professional monthly salary reference (~7,000 CAD) used for worked examples: Editorial estimate for a mid-level professional hire; verify per role (Statistics Canada) (accessed 2026-07)