GLOBAL EMPLOYMENT & PAYROLL
Global payroll
Acumen employs and pays international teams across 190+ countries, including markets with currency and exchange controls. Payroll, statutory deductions, employer contributions and salary payments are managed within one global employment service.
GLOBAL EMPLOYER OF RECORD
From major economies to the world’s hardest markets
We operate across 190+ countries and deliver to the same standard everywhere, whether the market is a major economy or one of the world’s most challenging.
190+
Countries
25+
Years of expertise
5000+
In-country experts
01
Major economies
Global employment expertise or high-value and business-critical hires across the world’s largest employment markets.
USA
Germany
UK
Japan
+26
02
Developed countries
Local employment, payroll and compliance expertise across highly regulated developed markets.
Switzerland
Netherlands
Sweden
Australia
+41
03
Emerging markets
Employment capability in markets with limited infrastructure, regulatory complexity or difficult operating conditions.
India
Brazil
Mexico
Vietnam
+65
04
Complex & frontier markets
Local employment capability where infrastructure, regulation and access demand deeper country expertise.
Kazakhstan
Angola
Iraq
Papua New Guinea
+41
payroll you can rely on
The Acumen standard
Payroll brings employment terms, local law, tax, benefits and employee changes together every month. Acumen manages the full picture for every employee we employ.
01
New starters
First salary, partial months, joining dates and any one-off payments enter payroll correctly from day one.
02
Pay changes
Salary increases, bonuses, commissions and other approved changes flow into the right pay cycle.
03
Leave and absence
We apply local rules for sick leave, parental leave, unpaid leave and statutory pay directly through payroll.
04
Leavers
Final salary, unused leave, deductions and other amounts due are settled as the employment ends.
05
Expenses and allowances
We separate reimbursable expenses, taxable allowances and other payments according to their local treatment.
06
Corrections and back pay
When something changes after cut-off, we calculate the adjustment and carry it into the appropriate payroll cycle.
Oksana Guseva
Senior HR & Payroll Advisor
PAYROLL expertise ACROSS 190+ COUNTRIES
Global payroll. Local compliance
For an international hire, salary is not just a number on a payslip. It can determine work permit eligibility, minimum salary compliance, social contribution treatment, benefits, allowances and employer cost.
Those requirements vary by country and can change with role, seniority, nationality, location and immigration status.
Acumen connects payroll with the employment and compliance requirements behind it, so each employee is paid on terms that meet local employment, tax and immigration requirements.
ACROSS THE PAYROLL CYCLE
Payroll backed by 25+ years of global employment
Acumen runs payroll as part of the employment relationship, with the legal, tax, mobility and country expertise behind it.
Employer liability
Acumen is the legal employer and carries the employer responsibilities attached to payroll and employment.
We offer
Market-entry route and timeline
Total employer cost upfront
Service fees that scale down with business growth
Human resources
Establishing a local entity risks Permanent Establishment, leading to tax liabilities.
We offer
Local contracts and onboarding
Payroll and benefits administration
Ongoing employee relations support
Legal and tax
Every hire contracted and taxed under local law, with no local registrations or outside counsel to manage.
We offer
PE, misclassification and IP risk review
Legal changes applied to contracts
Year-end tax filings for employees
The employee
Local rights, pay and protections, wherever the business is based.
We Offer
Secure local employment, backed by a Global Employer of Record
Every statutory right the country grants.
Market-competitive benefits
GLOBAL PAYROLL IN PRACTICE
Global payroll for diverse scenarios
Our clients are organisations with people, projects or plans in several countries, hiring for roles that matter to the business.
Senior and executive hires
Higher salaries, bonuses, allowances, benefits and tax treatment can materially change payroll and employer cost.
Work permit-dependent hires
Salary thresholds, role criteria and immigration status can determine how the employee must be employed and paid.
Sales and commission-based roles
Variable pay, commissions, bonuses and local treatment need to be built into the payroll cycle correctly.
Mobile and cross-border employees
Relocations, assignments and country changes can affect tax, social security, benefits and payroll treatment.
25+
Years of industry leadership
95%
Client retention rate
190+
Countries covered
5000+
In-country experts
Vendor consolidation
One Global EOR provider
Payroll does not sit alone. Benefits, tax, immigration, recruitment, background checks and compliance all affect how international employees are hired, employed and paid. Acumen brings them under one Global EOR partner across 190+ countries.
BEFORE · MULTIPLE VENDORS
Payroll
Company
Benefits
Broker
Tax
Advisor
Recruitment
Company
Immigration
Counsel
Background
Checks
Compliance
Advisor
Translation
Service
AFTER · ONE PARTNER
Acumen Global EOR
One Global EOR Partner
PayrollBenefitsTaxImmigrationComplianceHiring supportTranslation
Eight vendor relationships → one contract, one partner, one point of accountability.
monthly NEWSLETTER
Compliance compass
Tax, payroll, immigration and employment law updates from 190+ countries, every month, for HR, finance and mobility teams.
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September 2026
Global Employment
Tax and Compliance Newsletter
Monthly regulatory updates
Country-by-country insights
Actionable compliance guidance
October 2026
Global Employment
Tax and Compliance Newsletter
Monthly regulatory updates
Country-by-country insights
Actionable compliance guidance
The practical details
What clients ask us most
Practical answers on international payroll, employee pay and employer costs across different countries.
If your question is country-specific, our in-country specialists can take you through the local requirements for the employee and payroll scenario you have in mind.
How are employer costs calculated?
Employer costs vary by country and can include social contributions, mandatory insurance, statutory benefits, payroll taxes and other local charges. We calculate the full employment cost before the hire proceeds.
Can employees be paid in local currency?
Yes. Employees are paid in the locally required or agreed currency, including in markets with exchange controls or more complex payment requirements.
We provide complete compliance risk assessments, local contract adaptation, tax filing, and continuous legal updates to safeguard your operations in every high-risk market we cover.
Can you handle bonuses and commissions?
Yes. Variable pay can be included in payroll, with the applicable local tax, social contribution and reporting treatment applied.
We process unified multi-country payroll in local currencies, calculate mandatory social contributions, and administer compliant statutory and supplementary benefit packages for your global workforce.
FROM PLAN TO PAYROLL
Let’s map the payroll for your next hire
Enterprise-grade
190+ countries
Expert-led