People and Payroll
Hire in Kenya, with or without an entity.
Kenya has a deep pool of skilled professionals and a payroll system with five statutory deductions to get right every month. We hire and pay your team through our employer of record service, or set up and run payroll for your own Kenyan entity.
- Best for
- International employers building a Kenyan team.
- Where it sits
- Permits and people: weeks 8 to 20, or from week 1 under employer of record
- Outcome
- A team employed lawfully, paid accurately and remitted for on time.
- We deal with
- Kenya Revenue Authority, National Social Security Fund, Social Health Authority, National Industrial Training Authority
Everything Gate 06 covers.
Employer of record for teams hired before incorporation, compliant monthly payroll for your own entity, and the contracts, policies and benefits that go with them.
Employer of record
Your team employed on a compliant Kenyan contract and payroll while you test the market or before your entity is ready.
Payroll and remittances
Monthly payroll with PAYE, NSSF, SHIF, the Affordable Housing Levy and the NITA levy calculated, deducted and remitted on time.
Contracts and policies
Employment contracts, a staff handbook and HR policies under the Employment Act, 2007.
Recruitment
Search, shortlisting, interviews and background checks for local hires.
Benefits
Medical cover, pension schemes, group life and work injury cover placed with licensed providers.
Employee relations
Advice on discipline, terminations, unions and collective agreements.
Five steps, one accountable partner.
Every step is agreed in writing at the start, with a named partner who answers for it.
Plan the team
We agree roles, pay levels, benefits and the right employment route.
Recruit
We search, shortlist and check candidates, or onboard the people you have chosen.
Contract and onboard
We issue compliant contracts and register each employee for statutory deductions.
Run payroll
We process payroll monthly and remit every deduction by its deadline.
Review and scale
We review pay, benefits and structure as the team grows, and plan the move to your own entity when it makes sense.
Deliverables you can file, audit and act on.
Institutions we handle for you
- Signed employment contracts
- Monthly payslips and statutory remittance records
- HR policy handbook
- Annual payroll and benefits review
About People and Payroll.
If your question is not here, a partner will answer it on a discovery call.
Ask us directlyWhat is an employer of record?
An employer of record is a Kenyan company that employs staff on your behalf. It holds the employment contract, runs payroll and remits every statutory deduction, while you direct the work. It lets you hire before you incorporate.
What does an employer pay on top of salary?
Employers match the employee's NSSF contribution, pay 1.5% of gross pay to the Affordable Housing Levy and KES 50 a month per employee to NITA, and must carry work injury insurance. Our payroll guide works through a full example.
Can an employer of record hire foreign nationals?
Yes, where a work permit can be obtained. The employer of record applies as the employer, and the same permit rules apply.
Read before you decide.
Hiring in Kenya without a company: employer of record explained
How an employer of record works in Kenya, what it means for statutory costs, the risks to manage and when to set up your own entity.
Kenya payroll deductions in 2026: PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and the Housing Levy
The five deductions every Kenyan payroll runs, who pays what, the monthly deadline and a worked example for a KES 150,000 salary.
Kenya work permits explained: classes, fees and documents
Which permit your people need, what it costs, what the Directorate asks for, and how to keep staff working while an application is processed.