How much do recruitment agencies charge in India?

What Accounting Baba charges

Our fee is one month's CTC of the candidate you hire, plus applicable taxes. Rs 5,000 per job opening is paid upfront as a service charge and adjusted against the fee. One month is one twelfth of the annual CTC, so for every Rs 1 lakh of annual CTC the fee is about Rs 8,333 plus applicable taxes.

For senior hires, Indian fee guides put agency fees at up to 16.67% of CTC, and 20 to 33% for executive search (VelivoHR, 2026; Athena Executive Search, August 2026). We charge 8.33% for every role.

What you get for the fee

• A search of the companies you name, including your competitors: we approach candidates working there.
• 3 to 5 CA-reviewed profiles within 7 working days of our receiving the service charge.
• A 90-day replacement guarantee from the joining date.

Roles, process and pricing: accountant recruitment in India.

How to compare agency fees fairly

A lower fee is not cheaper if you interview ten weak profiles or have to hire again after two months. Compare each fee together with the size of the shortlist, the time to the first shortlist and the replacement terms. Those three decide what the hire really costs your business.

Questions to ask any agency before you agree

• Is the fee a share of annual CTC, a number of months, or a fixed amount?
• Is anything paid before work starts, and is it adjusted against the final fee?
• When is the balance due, and does it include taxes?
• What happens if the person leaves in the first months, and from which date does that period run?
• Who screens the candidates, and will you see how they were checked?

Get the answers in writing. Comparing fees only makes sense once you know what each one includes.

Does the candidate pay anything?

No. Recruitment is a paid service for employers, and the employer pays. The candidate pays nothing.