This article is about Justworks EOR (Employer of Record). What product am I using?
Managing payroll across EMEA requires navigating diverse local practices, tax obligations, and country-specific timelines. This guide brings together key year-end payroll deadlines, compliance considerations, and payroll reference information to support accurate payroll operations across each country.
Justworks ensures your payroll and reporting stay on track, so you can support your team across borders without added complexity.
Updated for 2025 year-end processing and 2026 employer payroll tax requirements.
2026 Employer Payroll Tax Updates
Disclaimer
2026 rates for EMEA countries are often finalized in late Q4 2025 or early Q1 2026 budgets.
🇩🇰 Denmark
Employer tax: ATP (Pension)
Rate (2026): Fixed Amount
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://skat.dk
What’s changing in 2026: Stable flat-rate ATP contributions; impact limited to minor annual indexation of the fixed amount.
🇫🇷 France
Employer tax: Social Security
Rate (2026): Revised Brackets
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://www.urssaf.fr
What’s changing in 2026: Revision of social security brackets and annual update of the Social Security Ceiling (PASS) to align with inflation.
🇩🇪 Germany
Employer tax: Social Security (Agg.)
Rate (2026): ~21.5%
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de
What’s changing in 2026: Significant increase in contribution assessment ceilings: Pension up to €101,400/year and Health up to €69,750/year.
🇬🇷 Greece
Employer tax: Social Security
Rate (2026): 21.79%
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://www.efka.gov.gr
What’s changing in 2026: Permanent reduction of employer social security contributions by 0.5%; minimum wage planned increase toward €950 by 2027.
🇮🇪 Ireland
Employer tax: PRSI (Social Ins.)
Rate (2026): 11.35%
Effective date: 01-Oct-26
Source: https://www.revenue.ie
What’s changing in 2026: Scheduled 0.15% increase to PRSI rates effective October 2026; increase in national minimum wage to €14.15/hour.
🇮🇱 Israel
Employer tax: Social Security
Rate (2026): 15% Min Tax
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://www.btl.gov.il
What’s changing in 2026: Implementation of global minimum tax (Pillar Two) rules; specific social security adjustments for low-income brackets.
🇮🇹 Italy
Employer tax: INPS (Pension/Soc)
Rate (2026): ~24-30%
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://www.inps.it
What’s changing in 2026: Standard revaluation of contribution ceilings; monitoring for extensions of temporary social security relief for specific regions.
🇳🇱 Netherlands
Employer tax: Social Security
Rate (2026): Pending
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://www.belastingdienst.nl
What’s changing in 2026: Release of finalized sector-specific Aof and Whk rates in Q4 2025; standard indexation of the maximum social insurance wage.
🇵🇱 Poland
Employer tax: Social Security (ZUS)
Rate (2026): 20.48%
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://www.zus.pl
What’s changing in 2026: Stable social security rates; focus on annual adjustment of the assessment limit (30-times the average monthly salary).
🇵🇹 Portugal
Employer tax: Social Security (TSU)
Rate (2026): 23.75%
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://www.seg-social.pt
What’s changing in 2026: Reduction of the general Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rate to 19%; stable TSU (Social Security) rates.
🇿🇦 South Africa
Employer tax: UIF / SDL
Rate (2026): 1% / 1%
Effective date: 01-Mar-26
Source: https://www.sars.gov.za
What’s changing in 2026: Annual adjustment of the UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) earnings ceiling effective from the March fiscal cycle.
🇪🇸 Spain
Employer tax: Social Security (MEI)
Rate (2026): 0.90%
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://www.seguridad-social.es
What’s changing in 2026: Gradual increase of the Intergenerational Equity Mechanism (MEI) to 0.9%; introduction of solidarity contributions for high earners.
🇸🇪 Sweden
Employer tax: Employer Contrib.
Rate (2026): 31.42%
Effective date: 01-Jan-26
Source: https://www.skatteverket.se
What’s changing in 2026: Standard employer contribution rate remains 31.42%; annual indexation of the price base amount (Price Base Amount) used for caps.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Employer tax: National Insurance
Rate (2026): 13.80%
Effective date: 06-Apr-26
Source: https://www.gov.uk/hmrc
What’s changing in 2026: National Insurance rates remain stable at 13.8%; monitoring for threshold adjustments in the annual budget.
Â
2025 Key Year-End Payroll Dates
Payday Reminder
To accommodate holiday bank closures and government deadlines, most final payrolls should be processed by December 29. Early payment schedules are common in the region
Payroll Execution Dates for EMEA - Dec 29th
As a note, all payments must be submitted on the platform by December 17th in order to comply with the above. All payments will land no later than December 29th.
Bank Holidays and Office Closures
Be aware of national holidays and local customs that may impact payroll operations and banking hours.
Common Bank Holidays
- December 25: Christmas Day (all countries)
- December 26: St. Stephen’s Day/Boxing Day (UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Italy)
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 6: Epiphany (Italy, Greece, Sweden)
Office Closures
- United Kingdom: Closed December 23 (midday) to December 29
- Ireland: Closed December 24 to January 2
- Other countries: Business as usual or TBD based on local practice
Year-End Tax Filings and Forms
Justworks supports year-end tax compliance by managing form submissions and employee tax statements in each country.
Deadlines by Country
- United Kingdom: P60 due by May 31
- Ireland: No year-end forms required; information submitted directly to tax authorities
- Netherlands: Jaaropgaaf due by January 31
- Spain: Certificado de Retenciones due by January 31
- Italy, Portugal, Greece, Denmark, Sweden, Israel: No employer action required; Justworks submits information directly to authorities
Holiday Bonuses and 13th Salaries
Bonus and supplemental salary policies vary by country. Below is a summary of the most common regional practices:
- Greece: Christmas bonus equal to one month’s salary is mandatory
- Italy: 13th-month salary (Tredecisma) is required in December
- Portugal and Spain: 13th and 14th salaries are prorated throughout the year
- Sweden, Israel, Denmark, Netherlands, UK, Ireland: No mandatory 13th salary, but discretionary bonuses are common
Justworks handles all required payments and submissions in line with each country’s labor laws.
We've Got You Covered
From managing payroll timelines to fulfilling bonus and tax requirements, Justworks supports year-end payroll across EMEA. There’s no need for you to take action—we manage it all.
If you have any questions, contact international-support@justworks.com or reach out to your International Customer Success Manager.
Â
Disclaimer
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for accounting, legal or tax advice. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.