Global Payroll, Compliance, and Tax News: February Round-Up

February has come to a close, bringing another month of regulatory updates and developments that impact multinational organizations in payroll processing and tax reporting. As we step into March, here’s a roundup of the key regulatory changes from the past month, along with the latest news on payroll-related penalties and valuable resources for industry insights.

BBC Overpaid Staff By GBP 4 Million Over Past Four Years

Recent reports reveal that the BBC has been overpaying staff by approx. GBP 1 million annually due to payroll errors. Over the past four years, these overpayments have totaled GBP 4 million. 839 members of staff are now on a payment recovery plan. They each owe an average of GBP 1,700.

Read more here.

Former Bybit Payroll Manager Sentenced to Nearly 10 Years for USD 4.2 Million Embezzlement

A former payroll manager for Bybit Fintech has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for stealing approximately USD 4.2 million in cryptocurrency from the company. Exploiting her role as an outsourced payroll manager at WeChain Fintech, she falsified payroll spreadsheets to divert funds into her personal crypto wallets between May and August 2022. She used the stolen money to purchase luxury items, including a penthouse and a Mercedes-Benz.

Read more here.

Google Agrees to Pay EUR 326 Million to Settle Tax Evasion Probe in Italy

Google has agreed to pay EUR 326 million to settle a tax evasion investigation by Italian authorities. The settlement addresses claims that Google failed to pay taxes on revenues generated in Italy between 2015 and 2019, particularly from advertising sales and its digital infrastructure in the country. Italian prosecutors have stated they will seek to drop the current investigation following this settlement.

Read more here.

Bento Africa Failed to Meet Pension and Tax Obligations for Clients in Ghana

Bento Africa, a payroll startup, has left some Ghanaian businesses facing penalties after failing to remit taxes and pensions despite collecting funds. Clients reported repeated documentation issues and unfiled payments, with Bento’s internal struggles causing delays. Attempts to resolve the issue were hindered by high employee turnover.

Read more here.

EMEA: Bulgaria to Raise Maximum Monthly Social Security Cap in 2025

Bulgaria raised the maximum monthly social security basis from BGN 3,750 to BGN 4,130, effective 1 April 2025. Further increases are already planned. According to the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance, the basis will increase to BGN 4,430 in 2026, BGN 4,730 in 2027, and BGN 5,030 in 2028. The minimum basis for the self-employed will also rise from BGN 933 to BGN 1,077, with effect from 1 April 2025.

Read more here.

North America: Canada’s Northwest Territories and Nova Scotia Release 2025/2026 Budgets

The Canadian provinces Nova Scotia and Northwest Territories have released their budgets for the 2025/2026 tax year. Key changes in Nova Scotia’s budget updates include a reduction in the small-business tax rate and adjustments to personal tax credits. The Northwest Territories Budget, meanwhile, contains no new taxes and no income tax increases, meaning payroll processing will remain unaffected by any changes in tax rates or tax-related obligations for employers and employees.

Read more on the Nova Scotia budget 2025–26 and the Northwest Territories budget 2025–26.

LATAM: Uruguay Raises Income Limit for Simplified Tax Regime

Uruguay's Executive Branch has raised the income threshold for applying to the simplified personal income tax regime to UYU 65,400 (approx. USD 1,505) per month. This equals an annual income of UYU 784,800 (approx. USD 18,050). The increased income limit will be effective for taxable events occurring on 31 December 2025 and later.

Read more here.

APAC: 2025 Employment Law Updates in Australia

Australia prepares for significant updates in employment laws. Here's a summary of these key updates.

• Right to disconnect: From August 26, 2025, employees have the right to ignore work communications outside of regular hours, when reasonable. Businesses should update contracts and policies, train managers, and establish systems to maintain operations while respecting this right.

• Award changes: 37 modern awards will be updated with revised pay rates and new limits on entry-level positions. Industry associations can provide guidance.

• Superannuation on parental leave: From July 1, 2025, the government will pay 12% superannuation on parental leave payments.

Read more here.

Spain's minimum wage workers are facing a significant change in 2025 as they will be required to pay income tax for the first time due to a recent salary increase.The minimum wage (SMI) in Spain increased by EUR 50 per month to EUR 1,184 across 14 payments, resulting in an annual increase of EUR 700, which has pushed the minimum wage above the income tax threshold. This means that some low-income workers might now have to pay income tax. According to The Local, some workers will now have to pay EUR 300 of their extra earnings in income tax.

Read more here.

Payroll Guide

The Complete Payroll Guide for Spain

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United Kingdom: Tax Year Ends on April 5, 2025

As the 2024/2025 fiscal year comes to an end on April 5, employers in the United Kingdom should ensure all payroll submissions, such as Full Payment Submissions (FPS) and Employer Payment Summaries (EPS), are accurate and submitted on time. Also, employees need to be provided with P60 forms by May 31, 2025.

Canada: NR4 Filing Deadline Is on March 31, 2025

By March 31, 2025, Canadian payers and withholding agents must file the NR4 slip and summary to report payments made to non-residents of Canada, such as interest, dividends, rents, royalties, and pensions.

United States: Employers Must File Form 941 by April 30, 2025

Employers in the United States must file Form 941, the Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return, by April 30, 2025 to report wages paid and federal taxes withheld during the first quarter. Timely filing is essential to avoid potential penalties.

With the current payroll talent shortage, there are plenty of exciting opportunities for payroll professionals. Here is an overview of some current payroll and compliance job openings.

Global Payroll Specialist - Hybrid, London Area

A digital finance firm in central London is seeking an International Payroll Specialist for a newly created role. It’s a hybrid position which involves managing payroll operations across multiple entities, enhancing processes with payroll providers, and driving innovation through technology. The ideal candidate will have expertise in global payroll and HRIS systems, along with experience in fast-paced environments. The job offer is managed by recruitment agency Catalyst Partners.

Find more details here.

Senior Manager Global Payroll Transformation - Fresenius Medical Care

Fresenius Medical Care is hiring a Senior Manager for Global Payroll Transformation. This role involves developing and executing global payroll programs, from input validation to disbursement, while working closely with Operations and HR. The manager will partner with local teams to implement payroll strategy, focusing on requirements gathering, testing, and change management to improve employee experience.

Find more details here.

Global Payroll Manager - ClickHouse

ClickHouse is looking for a Global Payroll Manager. The role involves managing payroll for US and non-US entities, ensuring compliance with tax laws, and working with outsourced payroll providers. Key responsibilities include processing payroll accurately, reviewing transactions, and maintaining compliance with legal and tax reporting requirements. The ideal candidate should have more than five years of multinational payroll experience, strong organizational skills, and the ability to work independently in a collaborative environment.

Find more details here.

International Corporate Tax Manager - Pearson

Pearson is hiring an International Corporate Tax Manager to oversee tax compliance across multiple overseas markets. This role requires strong UK tax technical skills and experience managing corporate tax processes. The ideal candidate will have at least five years of experience in a similar role and excellent communication skills. The position offers a flexible UK location with comprehensive benefits.

Find more details here.

Payroll is all about numbers. Here are some interesting facts and statistics from the global payroll space.

• 57% of organizations now utilize a single system for processing payroll, an increase from 44% in 2023 (Source: Select Software Reviews).

• 60% of organizations report that their payroll services are affected by staff shortages, prompting creative strategies to fill open roles (Source: ADP).

• 58% of organizations have developed contingency plans for cyberattacks and system outages across all business units (Source: ADP).

The Payroll Growth Summit - Virtual Event

The Payroll Growth Summit 2025 is a virtual event scheduled for March 4-6, 2025. It offers payroll professionals insights into the latest legislative updates, compliance strategies, and technological advancements in the industry. Key speakers include Ian Giles, Samantha O'Sullivan, and Barry Matthews, among others. The summit is designed to provide tools and strategies for growth, focusing on compliance, technology, and bureau success.

Read more here.

GPA Webinar: Payroll as a Strategic Partner

The Global Payroll Association (GPA) is hosting a webinar titled "Payroll as a Strategic Partner: Bridging the Gap Between HR & Finance" on March 20, 2025, at 3 pm. Led by Rachel Larragy, Director of Customer Service at UKG, the session will explore how payroll can drive smarter workforce planning, cost control, and compliance through better alignment with HR and Finance.

Read more here.

2025 Payroll Profession Confidence Index (PPCI) Survey Is Now Open

The Payroll Profession Confidence Index (PPCI) survey is now open! Payroll professionals can cast their votes until March 30, 2025. This annual sentiment-based analysis provides a unique insight into the current 'pulse of the payroll profession', assessing its operational health, maturity, and the value impact that payroll and its leaders are delivering for organizations globally.

Read more and participate here.

Lano Blog

Top payroll conferences and congresses to attend in 2025

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Hands-On Resources Overview for Taking Over a New Country Payroll

In his latest blog on Payrollcentral.net, Moksha Haak delivers an overview of 13 essential resources for getting up to speed with local regulations when taking over a new country payroll. A handy list for payroll professionals looking to expand their global payroll toolkit.

Read the full article here.

The Payroll Disruptors Digest: Diving Into the New Payroll Talent Game

In the latest edition of his bi-weekly LinkedIn newsletter, The Payroll Disruptors Digest, Nick Day—payroll and HR recruitment expert and founder of JGA Recruitment—dives deep into the new payroll talent game. The experienced recruitment professional points out that, nowadays, the challenge isn’t finding talent, but engaging, securing, and keeping that talent.

Read the full newsletter here.

Have you recently written or read a great article or discovered another great resource we should know about? Write to us and we will include you in our next Global Payroll and Compliance News Update.