9CV9 Market Brief · Brunei · 2027
Brunei’s 2027 hiring market: ten agencies, four routes to talent
Who to call for tech hiring, foreign-worker placement, executive search and Employer of Record, and the fee benchmarks every Brunei employer should know before signing.
Market context
Brunei’s economy has long leaned on oil and gas. Under Wawasan Brunei 2035, diversification and human capital are reshaping hiring demand, while employers stay accountable for licensing, immigration and labour-law compliance when they hire foreign talent.
Sectors driving demand
ITFinanceConstructionManufacturingHealthcareHospitalityLogisticsProfessional services
10
agencies ranked for Brunei employers in 2027
1995
year LLEA was established, the longest-running local agency listed
187
countries and territories served by Safeguard Global
BND 12
RREA Careplan per foreign worker, per year
01 · The ranking
The 2027 top 10 at a glance
Ranked as published in the 9cv9 guide.
01
9cv9 Recruitment Agency
Tech-led hiring
Digital sourcing, matching and screening across IT, finance, engineering and sales
02
Linda & Lydia Employment Agency (LLEA)
Foreign & domestic staffing
Established 1995 · Category C · per-worker placement fee
03
Roze Rohaya Employment Agency (RREA)
Foreign workers & HR outsourcing
Established 2012 · Careplan at BND 12 per worker per year
04
JB Hired
Executive search
C-level and tech roles · contingency-based fees
05
Leeds HR Solutions (B) Sdn Bhd
Industrial manpower
Trade testing and overseas deployment · group origins 1997
06
RemotePeople
EOR & global payroll
EOR, executive search and contractor management
07
Safeguard Global
EOR, RPO & staffing
Established 2008 · 1,500+ client organisations
08
Keller Executive Search
C-suite search
20+ years combined experience · structured leadership assessment
09
Hire Resolve
Also ranked
Full profile in the 9cv9 guide
10
Alliance U. R. Employment Agency
Also ranked
Full profile in the 9cv9 guide
02 · Match the need
Four routes to the right hire
Match the agency type to the role, not the other way round.
Route A
Tech-led, multi-sector hiring
- 9cv9 Recruitment Agency
Best for: SMEs, startups and multinationals hiring across IT, finance, engineering, sales and marketing.
Route B
Local & foreign-worker manpower
- Linda & Lydia (LLEA)
- Roze Rohaya (RREA)
- Leeds HR Solutions (B)
Best for: Volume hiring in oil and gas, construction, hospitality and manufacturing, with permit handling.
Route C
Executive & specialist search
- JB Hired
- Keller Executive Search
Best for: C-suite, board, MD and VP roles, plus AI, data and cybersecurity leadership.
Route D
Employer of Record & payroll
- RemotePeople
- Safeguard Global
Best for: Foreign firms hiring in Brunei with no local entity. Onboarding in about 1–2 weeks.
03 · Cost benchmarks
What hiring support can cost
Company-reported or general guidance. Not quotes.
RREA Careplan cost by foreign headcount
BND per year at BND 12 per worker. Excludes government and medical fees.
5
10
20
50
100
250
500
Foreign workers covered
Paid upfront, non-refundable. One-year agreement, plus a 15% discount on applicable RREA service rates.
Illustrative annual EOR cost in Brunei
At RemotePeople’s guidance of USD 300–600 per employee per month. Excludes salaries and statutory costs.
1 employee
USD 3,600–7,200
10 employees
USD 36,000–72,000
20 employees
USD 72,000–144,000
USD 075k150k
Cost scales with headcount. RemotePeople also cites recruitment fees from 2% of annual salary when combined with EOR (not a universal rate).
Contingency search
JB Hired: negotiated % of salary, no upfront charge
20–30% is an illustrative market benchmark, not a confirmed JB Hired rate.
BND 12,000–18,000
fee on a BND 60,000 salary at 20–30%
BND 50,000–75,000
fee on a BND 250,000 salary at 20–30%
04 · Before you sign
Six-point employer checklist
Compare expertise, candidate quality, fees, timelines and compliance.
1
Get an itemised written quote covering recruitment fees, government charges, immigration and medical costs, and replacement terms.
2
Verify the current licence before signing. Two listed licences showed expiry dates earlier than the article date.
3
Confirm screening methods and sector certifications for the roles you need filled.
4
Clarify compliance ownership for work permits, immigration and labour-law obligations.
5
Ask for comparable placements as evidence the agency has filled similar roles before.
6
Compare EOR with a local entity as headcount grows: recurring EOR fees add up fast.
Source: 9cv9, “Top 10 Best Recruitment Agencies in Brunei for 2027”, published 10 November 2026. Ranking is as published by 9cv9. Fee figures are company-reported, general guidance or illustrations, not quotes. Verify licences and terms directly with each agency.
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