Recruitment agency fees in Europe, explained (and a model that shares the risk)

In short: European recruitment agencies typically charge 15–30% of first-year salary, which is 2–3 months' salary or more. RemoteAbroad charges about 4–8% of a first-year salary at home, split into four payments, and the payments stop if the hire leaves.

What agencies typically charge

Across Europe, the most common model is a contingency fee: you pay only when you hire someone, and the fee is a percentage of the hire’s first-year salary. Published guides from the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands put the typical range at 15% to 30% (sources: hiring-hub.com, tb-group.se, recruitmentcenter.nl).

In months of salary:

Fee	Months of salary
15% of annual salary	about 1.8 months
20% of annual salary	about 2.4 months
25% of annual salary	3 months
30% of annual salary	about 3.6 months

So “2–3 months’ salary or more” is a fair rule of thumb.

What that looks like in euros

Take a German account manager with a gross salary of €54,000 a year (€4,500 a month):

• At 15%: €8,100
• At 30%: €16,200

And that is on top of employing them at home, with employer contributions on top of salary. We compare full monthly costs in what it really costs to hire a native speaker.

What the fee pays for

A good agency earns its fee. It covers sourcing, screening, interviews, reference checks, negotiation support and the agency’s own overheads, plus the risk of searches that go nowhere. For hard-to-fill roles that can be worth every euro.

But two things about the classic model are worth looking at closely:

1. The fee is based on a full year of salary, even though the risk of a bad hire is highest in the first few months.
2. Guarantees vary. Some agencies offer a replacement or partial refund if the hire leaves in the first months. Terms differ a lot, so read them before you sign.

Other fee models you’ll see

• Retained search: part of the fee is paid upfront, part at shortlist and part at hire. Common for senior and executive roles.
• Fixed fee: a set price per hire, regardless of salary.
• Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO): a monthly retainer for ongoing hiring.
• Job boards and DIY: you pay for ads and use your own time. Cheaper in cash, expensive in hours.

A model that shares the risk: pay while they stay

We built RemoteAbroad’s pricing around one idea: you should only pay for a hire that works out.

• The total fee is about 4–8% of a first-year salary at home.
• It’s split into four payments of 25%: on the start date and after months 1, 2 and 3.
• If the hire leaves, the remaining payments stop. If someone leaves after two months, you’ve paid 75%, not 100%.

they leave after 2 months → you pay 75%, not 100%. simple as that.

You can try it on the interactive timeline on our pricing page.

Why we can charge less

Our candidates are native German, Dutch and Nordic speakers who already live abroad, in places like Cyprus, Malta, Portugal or Thailand. Our fee is at most one month of the hire’s pay abroad, and pay abroad is lower, so it comes to about 4–8% of what the same hire would earn at home in a year. The employer saves on the monthly cost as well. See the cost examples.

Questions to ask any recruiter

Whoever you work with, ask:

1. What exactly is the fee, and what is it calculated on?
2. When is it due, and in how many payments?
3. What happens if the hire leaves in month one, two or three?
4. Who writes the screening questions? (With us, you approve them.)
5. How fast will I see the first profiles? (With us, usually within a week.)

Next steps

• See pricing and drag the timeline.
• Compare options side by side on our comparison page.
• Grab a 20-minute call.