February 4, 2026 · 3 min read

How Indian HR and Recruitment Firms Receive International Client Fees (2026)

Indian recruitment firms, executive search companies, and HR consulting firms serving international clients — placing candidates for US, UK, UAE, or Singapore employers — receive some of

Playto

Payment infrastructure designed for ambitious service businesses.

Explore Playto

Indian recruitment firms, executive search companies, and HR consulting firms serving international clients — placing candidates for US, UK, UAE, or Singapore employers — receive some of the largest single cross-border invoices of any professional service category. A single executive placement fee can range from $10,000 to $100,000. This guide covers the billing structure and payment infrastructure.

Recruitment Fee Billing Models

Contingency Placement Fee (Most Common)

How it works: You invoice on successful placement. Fee = X% of the placed candidate's annual compensation (CTC).

Standard rates: 15-25% of annual salary for contingency search.

Example: Placed a VP Engineering at $200,000 USD annual salary. Contingency fee at 20% = $40,000 invoice.

Billing structure: Single invoice on placement confirmation. Guarantee period (typically 60-90 days) may require refund if candidate leaves within this period.

Retained Search (Executive/C-Suite)

How it works: Client pays upfront retainer to exclusively engage your firm.

Billing structure:

1/3 on engagement signing
1/3 on shortlist delivery
1/3 on offer acceptance Fee rate: 30-35% of annual compensation for retained searches.

Example: CEO search at $300,000 salary. Retained fee = $90,000-$105,000, billed in 3 tranches of $30,000-$35,000 each.

Temp/Contract Staffing

How it works: You invoice monthly based on hours worked by placed contractors.

Billing: Monthly timesheet-based invoice. Auto-billing ideal for recurring monthly invoices.

Cross-Border Payment Infrastructure by Invoice Size

Large Placement Fees (Above $10,000): Skydo

Skydo at 0.3% is the most cost-effective for large single placement invoices:

$40,000 placement fee: $120 (0.3%)
$90,000 executive search fee: $270 (0.3%)
Auto-FIRA per milestone payment
24-48 hour INR settlement

Mid-Size Invoices ($2,000-$10,000): Playto Pay VBA

USD VBA wire at 0.2% flat, zero markup
$5,000 first tranche of retained search: $50 (1%)
FIRA auto
Daily INR

Monthly Contract Staffing Invoices: Playto Pay Auto-Billing

Monthly timesheet invoice auto-charged to client card: 2.5% flat
Eliminates monthly invoice chasing across time zones
FIRA auto per monthly charge

Invoice Format for Recruitment Fees

[RECRUITMENT FIRM NAME]
[Address] | [GSTIN] | [PAN]

PLACEMENT FEE INVOICE
Invoice #: RF-2026-042
Date: 15 May 2026
Due Date: 29 May 2026

Client: [Company Name] | [Address] | [Country]

Candidate: [Name or Role Only, per agreed confidentiality]
Position: VP Engineering
Annual CTC: USD 200,000
Agreed Fee: 20% of Annual CTC

Placement Fee: USD 40,000

Guarantee Period: 90 days from joining date ([Join Date])
In case of departure within guarantee period: 100% fee credit
toward replacement search.

Export of Professional Services - IGST @ 0%
(LUT Filed for FY 2025-26)

Payment: Wire Transfer
Account Name: [Firm Name]
Routing: [USD VBA Routing]
Account: [USD VBA Account]
SWIFT: [SWIFT Code]
Ref: RF-2026-042

Due: USD 40,000 within 14 days of invoice.

Guarantee Period and Refund Handling

If candidate leaves within guarantee period: Most Indian recruitment firms offer a replacement search (not cash refund). If client insists on refund:

Document the agreed refund terms in the original placement agreement
Partial refund or full refund depending on when candidate left
Refund via international wire (reverse of payment received)
Consult CA on GST treatment of refunded export income

FAQ

What is the best way for Indian recruitment firms to receive large international placement fees? Skydo for invoices above $10K (0.3%). Playto Pay VBA for $2K-$10K invoices (0.2% flat). Both auto-generate FIRA and settle to INR.

What are standard payment terms for international recruitment fees? NET-14 from placement date is standard. Retained search: each tranche NET-7 from milestone delivery. Contract staffing: NET-14 monthly.

Do Indian recruitment firms need to charge GST to international clients? No. Export of professional services = zero-rated under LUT. No GST on international client invoices.