Managing payroll can be complicated enough in your home country, but hiring internationally adds another layer of confusion. If your business is hiring employees in multiple countries, it’s important to find a payroll solution that enables you to compliantly pay top talent no matter where they work without having to become an expert on every country’s local payroll tax laws yourself.
In the past, the only way to hire employees in another country was to establish a legal entity in that country. Unfortunately, this process is complicated, can take up to a year to complete, and is prohibitively expensive for many businesses. However, multi-country payroll software offers a more manageable HR solution for paying global employees.
What is Multi-Country Payroll Software?
Multi-country payroll software (or global payroll) is a cloud-based SaaS payroll solution that allows organizations with a global workforce to streamline and centralize the payroll process. The software can process payroll, ensure that full-time employees and international contractors are paid on time (and in their local currencies), the appropriate withholdings are made, and that the business is compliant with tax regulations for each country where they have employees.
Thanks to AI technology, international payroll solutions can also handle menial tasks like data entry, and employee and payroll data reconciliation, freeing up time for human resources teams to focus on more valuable work. This delivers long-term ROI by boosting efficiency, accuracy, and cost savings.
Many international payroll software companies also function as an Employer of Record (EOR). In addition to managing global payroll duties, an EOR provides additional HR services and can manage a wide range of administrative responsibilities — including onboarding, employee benefits management, health insurance, PTO requests, and more — for businesses with employees who work in other countries. EORs also ensure that businesses are compliant with local labor laws.
Selecting the Best Global Payroll Solution
When it comes to choosing a multi-country payroll platform, the first thing to look for is ease of use. HR leaders also need to make sure the payroll service provider will meet their business needs by evaluating different payroll software products and EORs on criteria such as:
- Geographical range: You will want to consider international payroll system that maximizes your hiring range and scalability. You never know where you’ll find your next amazing employee or contractor, and a wide geographic range lets you keep your options open.
- Integration capabilities: You might already have a different accounting tool you use and simply want to integrate a payroll software with your current workflow.
- Centralized dashboards: HR teams manage a lot of data. Make sure the payroll company you choose gives you access to detailed dashboards to track all your important employee data in one convenient spot, including payroll reports, employee pay slips, and more.
- Country-specific compliance: Payroll compliance entails following all local laws governing employee compensation, including local tax regulations. Violations can result in hefty fines of thousands of dollars.
- Cost and business outcomes: When evaluating HR software, always remember to ask yourself, “What will the total operating cost of this amount to, and what specific business outcomes are we aiming to achieve with it?” This can help you narrow down your search.
- Streamlined payroll workflows: Look for advanced product features like invoice aggregation, which allows you to pay your entire international workforce with a single invoice.
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Multi-Country Payroll Software: The Top Players
Let’s dig into some of the multi-country payroll software options on the market. This list specifically focuses on some of the top options for HR leaders who need robust international payroll capabilities to pay international employees, paired with local tax and legal expertise.
We’ve evaluated these products based on factors like payroll features, automation capabilities, international reach, price, and general quality of features. The best payroll provider for your company will depend on the features and workforce management tools that your business needs.
RemoFirst
RemoFirst EOR services enable HR teams to pay, manage, and onboard employees and contractors in 180+ countries (and counting). Some of the company’s key features include streamlined data analytics, time-off and expense management, a self-service portal for employees to request time off, locally compliant contracts, and everything necessary to manage a global team in one central hub.
RemoFirst integrates with PayPal, TransferWise, and other leading payment providers. And with benefits management options ranging from employee benefits like health insurance, to equity, bonuses, and more, they’re able to help companies attract and retain top-tier talent.
RemoFirst serves as the EOR for Fortune 500 organizations ranging from Microsoft to Mastercard, but are flexible enough to also provide robust value for companies in earlier growth stages.
The company offers 100% transparent pricing starting at $199 per employee or $25 per contractor per month. RemoFirst provides users with 24/5 customer support and offers a free demo.
Immedis
Immedis allows companies to hire and pay employees in over 150 countries. The software automates and centralizes payroll data into a unified platform for high-visibility decision making.
Remote
Remote enables companies to approve payroll, find qualified candidates, manage their team, and consolidate HR data on one platform.
RELATED: RemoFirst vs Remote: A Comparison
Globalization Partners
Globalization Partners allows companies to compliantly find, hire, pay, and manage teams in 180+ countries without the need to set up entities.
Papaya Global
Papaya Global uses AI and machine learning technology to manage HR and payroll tasks. They also offer real-time business metrics and intelligence, which are important for helping HR leaders make data-based and effective decisions.
Deel
Deel helps HR leaders employ top talent in more than 150 countries. The company leverages AI to enable HR leaders set up international payroll in less than one month. They offer more than 10 payment methods. and even allow you to pay employees in crypto.
RELATED: Our Top 5 Alternatives to Deel
QuickBooks Global Payroll
QuickBooks Global Payroll gives small businesses an efficient way to manage their international payroll. The software is easy to set up and integrates with other QuickBooks accounting products you might already have.
What Sets RemoFirst Apart
RemoFirst is a top-rated EOR and multi-country payroll solution built for businesses of all sizes. From locally compliant contracts to global payroll spend tracking, benefits management, visa applications, and much more, we have everything you need to build a global team without the traditional hassle or cost.
FAQs
Is a global payroll provider the same thing as an EOR?
No. A global payroll provider strictly focuses on managing payroll and tax compliance. An EOR can manage global payroll needs, while also handling other legal and administrative responsibilities related to International employment, including onboarding, benefits administration, and HR management.
How do I know if my multi-country payroll software has the in-country compliance features I need for my business?
Review the software's documentation, website, or marketing materials to see if they specifically mention compliance features or support for different countries.
Reach out to their team and ask for clarification on any country-specific questions you might have, especially if you’ve already attempted to hire team members in different countries.
