Migrate Mate vs Deel: E-3 Visa vs EOR for Australian Hires
How U.S. employers and Australian professionals decide between Deel EOR and an E-3 visa: the structural, cost, and career differences that matter
When a U.S. company wants to bring on an Australian professional, the question that comes up is whether to engage them through Deel EOR (and keep them in Australia) or sponsor an E-3 visa (and bring them to the U.S.). The Deel EOR vs E-3 visa question gets framed as a tooling choice, but it isn't. It's a question about where the person physically works, who their legal employer is, and what their U.S. career runway looks like.
Deel EOR is ongoing Australian employment with a U.S. client. The E-3 visa is U.S. immigration status. The two paths serve different purposes, and knowing which one fits the situation upfront keeps the hiring process smooth on both sides.
E-3 Visa with Migrate Mate vs Deel EOR at a glance
| Feature | Migrate Mate (E-3 visa) | Deel EOR |
|---|---|---|
| Where you physically work | United States | Australia (or home country) |
| Legal employer | Your U.S. company | Deel's Australian entity |
| U.S. visa required | Yes (E-3 visa) | No |
| LCA filer | Your U.S. employer | N/A (no visa filing) |
| Initial period | Two years, renewable indefinitely | Ongoing employment, no cap |
| Spouse work authorization | Yes (E-3D) | N/A |
| Path to U.S. green card | Possible via employer sponsorship | None (no U.S. immigration status) |
| Worker cost | $814 one-time ($499 service fee + $315 MRV fee) | $0 direct cost |
| Employer cost | LCA filing (free) + one-off HR time | ~$599/month to Deel |
What Deel EOR and Migrate Mate actually do
Deel EOR is an Employer of Record product in 150+ countries. When a U.S. company engages an Australian through Deel EOR, Deel's Australian entity becomes the legal employer on paper. The U.S. company pays Deel, Deel pays the worker in AUD, and the worker stays in Australia under Australian employment law. No U.S. visa is involved because no U.S. work is being performed.
Migrate Mate offers a flat-fee E-3 visa filing service for Australians with a U.S. job offer. The service costs $499, the package is ready within 24 hours, and Migrate Mate reports a 100% approval rate on completed E-3 visa filings. Migrate Mate prepares the LCA for the U.S. employer to sign, the DS-160 consular application, and the interview package. It is not an Employer of Record.
Deel also runs a separate product, Deel Mobility (now folded into Deel Immigration). It is a visa filing assistant, not an EOR.
Got a U.S. offer and ready to move? File your E-3 without the law firm markup.
Start your E-3 applicationDeel EOR vs E-3 visa: the four dimensions that matter
Where the employee physically works
Deel EOR keeps the worker in Australia (AUD payroll, ATO tax filings). The E-3 visa puts them in the U.S. on the U.S. entity's payroll, subject to U.S. federal and state tax. The two arrangements are designed for different work locations: occasional U.S. visits on an ESTA are compatible with Deel EOR, while ongoing U.S.-based work needs U.S. work authorization like the E-3 visa.
Legal employer, equity, and retirement
On an E-3 visa, the worker is a direct U.S. employee, eligible for standard equity grants (ISOs, RSUs), 401(k) participation, U.S. credit history, and Social Security credits. Through Deel EOR, the worker isn't on the U.S. company's cap table or retirement plan in the standard way. Some employers run equity for Deel EOR workers through side vehicles, but mechanics and tax treatment vary.
Spouse work authorization
The E-3 visa includes a dependent category called the E-3D visa that gives spouses unrestricted U.S. work authorization without separate sponsorship. For couples weighing whether to move, this is often the deciding factor. Deel EOR has no equivalent.
Staying in the U.S. long-term
The E-3 visa renews indefinitely in two-year increments, and transitioning into other categories (including employer-sponsored green card pathways) is a well-trodden path. Deel EOR is a remote employment arrangement rather than a U.S. immigration pathway, so if the worker decides to move to the U.S. later, the E-3 visa process would start fresh at that point.
Why Deel EOR can't sponsor an E-3 visa
Under DOL E-3 visa rules, the U.S. employer actually hiring the worker must file the Labor Condition Application using their Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) and prevailing wage attestation. If Deel EOR is the employer, any LCA filed under Deel's FEIN names Deel as the employer, not the company whose product the worker is building. That mismatch means an E-3 visa application can't proceed on the Deel EOR side.
Worth noting: Deel Mobility can't sponsor an E-3 visa either. When Deel Mobility "helps" with an E-3 visa, the U.S. employer still files the LCA. Deel is providing filing assistance on top, structurally the same service Migrate Mate provides. Neither Deel product changes the legal requirement that the U.S. employer sponsors the E-3 visa.
Some companies use Deel EOR as a bridge while setting up immigration infrastructure, then transition to direct employment plus an E-3 visa. The E-3 visa change of employer process handles that shift.
Cost and process compared
Deel EOR is an ongoing monthly cost to the U.S. company. The E-3 visa is a one-time cost split between the worker and the employer, with no recurring spend beyond two-year renewals.
E-3 visa cost (filed with Migrate Mate)
If the E-3 visa is filed with Migrate Mate, the employer (or employee) pays a flat fee of $499, plus the $315 MRV consular fee.
This brings the total for E-3 visa sponsorship to $814 one-time for two years of U.S. work authorization.
Deel EOR cost
Deel's published EOR rate starts at $599 per employee per month and rises to $899 for the Enterprise tier, with country surcharges, FX markups, and a one-month salary deposit on top. At the base rate, that's $7,188 per year per employee, every year. Over three years, the employer pays roughly $21,564 in Deel EOR service fees alone, before the layered costs.
Timeline
Deel EOR onboarding is fast: days to two weeks. The E-3 visa runs 4 to 6 weeks from filing to visa in hand.
Once the candidate and employer have signed all required documents, Migrate Mate files the E-3 visa within one business day. From that point, the timeline moves through LCA certification on DOL's FLAG portal (about seven business days), DS-160 submission, and the E-3 visa interview. The only variable outside Migrate Mate's control is consular interview availability.
100% E-3 approval rate. Application filed in 24 hours.
Book free consultationDeel EOR vs E-3 visa: how to choose
Four questions to consider:
- Should the role be physically based in the U.S. within the next six months?
- Does the work require U.S. presence (clients, an office, a lab)?
- Is the U.S. employer willing to file an LCA for an E-3 visa?
- Does either party want the U.S. company as the direct legal employer (for equity, 401(k), career record)?
The E-3 visa via Migrate Mate fits when the role requires U.S. presence, the employer will file an LCA, and the worker (and ideally their partner, via E-3D) wants U.S. residency, U.S. compensation, and a long-term U.S. career runway.
Deel EOR fits when the role is fully remote, the worker is staying in Australia, and both parties are comfortable with Australian employment for the U.S. company through Deel's entity, including how that affects equity participation, 401(k) eligibility, and U.S. status.
If the E-3 visa is the path: why Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate prepares the full E-3 visa package (LCA for the employer to sign, DS-160, interview prep) at $499 flat, ready within 24 hours, with a 100% approval rate on completed filings.
Deel Mobility, by comparison, is a generalist immigration product covering 200+ visa types. For the E-3 visa specifically, it carries no structural advantage (the LCA still has to be filed by the U.S. employer either way) and isn't priced for the Australian E-3 visa use case the way Migrate Mate is.
Skip the expensive EOR fees. File the E-3 visa for $499 flat.
Book free consultationFrequently asked questions
Can I use both Deel EOR and Migrate Mate's E-3 service?
Not simultaneously, but sequentially. Some Australians start with Deel EOR while the U.S. employer sets up immigration infrastructure, then transition to direct employment and file an E-3 once the employer is ready to file the LCA. You can't be employed by Deel's entity and the U.S. company directly for the same role at the same time.
Can Deel sponsor an E-3 visa?
No. Deel's EOR product makes Deel the legal employer, and the E-3's Labor Condition Application must be filed by the U.S. employer actually hiring the worker. Deel's own guidance routes E-3 inquiries to Deel Mobility, a separate product, rather than the EOR service. For Australians who want the E-3, the filing has to come from the U.S. company, not an EOR intermediary.
Do I need a U.S. visa to work for a U.S. company through Deel?
If you're working through Deel's EOR product from Australia, no U.S. visa is required because you aren't working in the U.S. You're employed by Deel Australia, working from Australia, billed to the U.S. client. A U.S. visa is only required if you physically work in the U.S., which is when the E-3 becomes relevant.
How much does Migrate Mate charge for E-3 filing?
Migrate Mate charges $499 flat for the full E-3 filing service (LCA paperwork prep, DS-160 submission, and interview preparation). The consular MRV application fee of $315 is paid separately to the U.S. government at the time of the consular appointment. Total worker-side cost is $814 one-time for a two-year visa that renews indefinitely.
Can I switch from a Deel EOR arrangement to an E-3 visa later?
Yes, but it requires the U.S. company to take you on as a direct employee and file the LCA. Many Australians use EOR as a bridge while the U.S. company sets up immigration counsel, then switch to direct employment on an E-3 once the filing infrastructure exists. If you're already in the U.S. in another status, the change of status goes through Form I-129. If you're in Australia, it's a standard consular E-3 application.
Is using an EOR legal for working in the U.S.?
Using an EOR from outside the U.S. is legal. Doing productive work from inside the U.S. on a tourist stamp or ESTA isn't. U.S. immigration law requires work authorization for any employment performed on U.S. soil, regardless of who the legal employer is.
Who pays for Deel, the U.S. company or the worker?
The U.S. client company pays Deel's EOR fee directly. The worker sees no direct cost from Deel's fee, though the arrangement does affect gross compensation math (the fee comes out of the budget the U.S. company has for the role). Australian tax and superannuation apply to the worker's side normally because the employment is Australian.
About the Author
Founder & CEO @ Migrate Mate
I moved from Australia to the United States in 2023. I have had 3 jobs, and 3 different visas. I started Migrate Mate to help people like me find their dream job in the USA & help them get visa sponsorship.
