Payroll in Italy

Italy Employer of Record & Payroll

The payroll and tax system in Italy is different from many other European countries, making the Italian regulatory environment uniquely challenging to navigate.

In order to administer accurate and compliant payroll in Italy, you’ll need a firm understanding of the regulations that govern payroll processing and reporting.

Currency
The euro (EUR) is the official currency of Italy.

Payroll cycle
There is no required frequency for wage payments in Italy. Wage payments must be accompanied by a payslip that itemizes deductions. Employers may pay by check or direct deposit into a bank account.

Taxes for payroll in Italy

Income tax
Corporate entities in Italy are subject to an income tax of 24% plus a regional production tax of 3.9%. Non-operating entities are subject to a 34.5% corporate tax rate.

Generally, employee income tax in Italy is assessed on a progressive scale, with rates ranging from 23% to 43% depending on annual income. Current tax brackets include:

  • Up to €15,000: 23%
  • €15,001 – €28,000: 27%
  • €28,001 – €55,000: 38%
  • €55,001 – €75,000: 41%
  • Over €75,000: 43%

Regions and municipalities collect an additional income tax of up to 2.03% for regions and up to 0.9% for municipalities.

Italian payroll requires that all employment wages, tax and social security contributions are reported in a yearly document called the Certificazione Unica dei Redditi (CUD). By February 28 of each year, employers must provide all employees with two original CUD documents for the previous reporting year. Each year a new model of the CUD is released by the Ministry of Finance, due to the introduction of new tax provisions.

Social Taxes
Employees and employers contribute to the social security system, which funds social programs such as pensions; disability; benefits for sick leave, maternity and parental leave; workers’ compensation; and unemployment benefits. The National Health Service is financed separately through general taxation.

Generally, employers contribute 35% of gross earnings. Employee contribution rates vary by employment category, but the common rate is 10% of gross earnings.

Contribution rates for social taxes include:

  • Pension, Disability and Survivors Benefits: 19% for employees; 23.81% for employers
  • Sick leave: No employee contribution; 2.22% to 2.44% for employers
  • Maternity leave: No employee contribution; 0.46% to 0.24% for employers
  • Workers’ compensation: No employee contribution; 0.04% to 1.3% for employers, according to an assessed degree of risk
  • Unemployment: No employee contribution; 1.61% for employers
  • Family allowances: No employee contribution; 0.68% for employers

Additionally, executives and their employers make contributions to supplementary pension funds and health care funds. These supplementary funds may have their own deadlines for payment of contributions.

Employee compensation and benefits in Italy

In Italy, employment contracts are ruled by collective bargaining agreements, locally known as Contratto Collettivo Nazionale del Lavoro (CCNL). These agreements have a big impact on the structure of payroll in Italy, as they define the general rules of employment and individual employment contracts cannot deviate from these rules.

When processing Italian payroll, you’ll need to consider the following employment regulations:

Partner with Safeguard Global for your payroll in Italy

Hundreds of organizations depend on our global payroll expertise to ensure their payroll processing is accurate and compliant with local tax and employment requirements. We support payroll in Italy in various ways: through our employer of record solution, as a local payroll provider for your Italian operations, and as part of a managed provider solution for your global organization. As an employer of record in Italy , we handle payroll for your Italian workers, ensuring accuracy and compliance, while you manage their day-to-day contributions. As a local provider of payroll in Italy, we can help your local operations:
  • Comply with Italian labor laws and regulations
  • Deduct the appropriate income, social and other tax withholdings
  • Ensure your employees in Italy are paid accurately and on time
As a Global Managed Payroll provider, we offer centralized multinational payroll in over 150 countries—with streamlined processing across countries, currencies, languages and time zones—to help companies gain global visibility to pay data and make smarter workforce decisions. Whether you need payroll support in Italy through an employer of record, a local provider or as part of a comprehensive global payroll system, contact us to let our experts find the right solution for you.

The information provided on or through this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Safeguard Global expressly disclaims any liability with respect to warranty or representation concerning the information contained herein, including the lost essence, interpretation, accuracy and/or completeness of the information in transit and language translation.

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