Syndesus positions itself as a people-first EOR for U.S. companies expanding into Canada. Headquartered in Toronto and operating since 2014, it offers a service-led model that emphasizes local expertise. Unlike tech-first platforms such as Deel or Rippling, Syndesus is lighter on automation and integrations, but for teams seeking a more traditional, hands-on approach, that’s part of the appeal.

The service scope is comprehensive. Syndesus handles employment contracts, payroll, compliance training, employee check-ins, and terminations. HR compliance is central to their model, with the company assuming employment liability and offering optional advisory support for more complex HR questions like hiring, performance management, or offboarding.

We were especially impressed by their employee-facing support. Onboarding is led by humans, not just checklists, and employees receive active guidance on benefits and workers’ compensation, which are areas many EORs tend to leave to portals or self-service.

Of course, the trade-off is in technology. The platform’s UI is basic and not especially modern, and there are no direct API integrations with popular HR tools. Processes can be manual, and onboarding timelines are longer than average, sometimes taking 30 to 45 days, depending on complexity.

Pricing is custom to each client and includes a one-time setup fee, with volume discounts available for multiple hires. While not necessarily cheaper than tech-focused competitors, users generally found the value aligned with the level of hands-on support.