A Guide to Deploying Foreign Specialists in India

Deploying foreign specialists in India involves far more than selecting a visa category. Employment structure, sponsorship, payroll, tax, social security and immigration compliance must all work together, from pre-arrival through to post-departure.

This guide is designed for global engineering and manufacturing companies mobilising engineers and technicians for projects in India. It covers:

• Visa selection: the distinction between Business and Employment Visas, and the risks of undertaking project execution on the wrong category
• Deployment routes: a comparison of operating through an Indian entity, customer sponsorship, and an Employer of Record (EOR), assessed on speed, compliance, cost and control
• The EOR model: how the arrangement is structured, where responsibilities sit, and when it is, or is not, the appropriate solution, including the newly introduced e-B4 visa
• End-to-end compliance: a five-stage framework covering pre-arrival, arrival, the assignment period, departure and post-departure obligations, together with guidance on managing project extensions
• In-country support: accommodation, transport, cultural and language training, and a dedicated expatriate query desk

An essential reference for project leaders, HR and global mobility teams who need to deploy specialists to India on fixed timelines without establishing a local entity.