What are Payroll Companies?
Payroll Companies are globally registered companies (or companies registered in a specific country), that allow employers to fully employ people in that specific country. While it's still common to hire remote employees as contractors, in this case, the employee is lawfully employed in their home country, including all benefits that come with that, and all payroll and invoicing goes through the payroll company.
In some cases, that payroll company will also be responsible for reimbursements, management of PTO days, benefits etc.
Payroll companies often only forward invoice payments, and take a $100-$300 cut per month.
Why should we use a Payroll Company?
Usually it works out to bring on a remote employee as a contractor. The "employee" is registered in their home country as self-employed, and issues an invoice to the employer every month. Benefits are invoiced too, or provided directly, so are reimbursements, bonus payments, ...
In some cases, this either doesn't work or is not favourable:
- If there is a work visa involved, that requires the employee to be employed
- If local nuances involve a lot of time commitment from self-employed people
- Government-issued pension funds
- End-of-year tax sheets
- Social Service Deductions
- Military Services
- If self-employment requires the creation of a LLC or similar
- If there are costs or time commitments involved, that are above the cut of a payroll company
Global Payroll Companies
In the following interactive sheet, we have a continuously updated list of countries and their respective payroll companies (and labour laws).