This article is for admins who pay non-US contractors.
You can pay contractors from around the world through Gusto. Add them for free and see exchange rates when you pay them.
Payment delivery time depends on the contractor's country and payment method. We'll show an estimated delivery date for each payment before you send it.
Important requirement: Before paying non-US contractors, you need to add either:
A US-based contractor (if you have contractor-only plans)
A US-based employee (for all other plans)
They need to finish setting up their account first before you can pay non-US contractors.
To determine the cost of hiring a non-US contractor, sign in to your Gusto admin account.
If you already paid a non-US contractor:
Start the payment process (but do not submit it).
You’ll see all costs and current exchange rates.
If you have not paid a non-US contractor yet:
Check the cost on this landing page.
Note: Fees vary based on the payment method, destination country and payment amount. They cover processing your payment, converting currencies when needed, and delivering funds through international payment networks.
US bank account: $5
Local bank account in the contractor's local currency: 1.5%–2%
Local bank account in USD: 0.75%–1.5%, minimum $15; maximum $100 fee.
Eligible digital wallets: 1.5%
For Ukraine, Taiwan, and Turkey, minimum is $18.
Here’s what happens when you pay a non-US contractor.
To add a non-US contractor:
Add a non-US contractor to Gusto.
We do not support payments for US citizens working in other countries.
Make custom onboarding checklists for them.
Give them a manager and add them to your team directory (org chart).
We invite them to set up their profile.
Your contractor will:
Fill out US tax forms (W-8 BEN or W-8 BEN-E).
Add their payment method information.
Everything must match exactly for payments to be processed correctly.
Set up one-time payments or automated payments.
Delivery time varies by country and payment method. We’ll show you the estimated delivery date for each payment, based on real delivery data from our payment partners. Payments to a crypto wallet or Wise account may arrive sooner.
You’ll see exchange rates when you enter payments.
Rates include the payment amount, rates from our partner banks, fees (some shown, some hidden), and any markups.
Note: Our total exchange rates will differ from rates you see elsewhere, as they include fees and markups.
The fees we charge depend on how and where your non-US contractors are being paid.
Paying a non-US contractor with a US bank account: A flat $5 fee applies per transaction.
Paying a non-US contractor with a non-US bank account (international wire): Gusto covers all intermediary bank fees, so your contractor receives the exact amount you send. The following fees apply:
Most countries: Payments under $1,000 have a minimum fee of $15. For larger payments, a fee of 1%–1.5% applies.
Taiwan, Ukraine, and Turkey: Payments under $1,200 have a minimum fee of $18. For larger payments, a fee of 1%–1.5% applies.
Keep these rules and limits in mind when you pay non-US contractors.
We do not take out taxes from payments.
We do not create tax forms for payments. We only keep W-8 forms on file.
Contractors must ask you (the employer) for any tax forms they need.
Minimum payment: $25 USD per contractor (some countries have additional minimums — we’ll show you when these apply)
Maximum total: $100,000 USD for all pending payments to non-US contractors
If you reach this limit, split payments over a few days.
Payment source: Payments come from your “default” bank account only.
Timeline: We calculate an estimated delivery date for each payment, based on delivery data from our partners for that country and payment method. Payments to a crypto wallet or Wise account may arrive sooner.
We use the fastest way to send each payment (like local bank transfers and wire transfers). Each payment takes a different amount of time to arrive.
Payment fees: We charge depending on how and where your non-US contractors are being paid.
Paying a non-US contractor with a US bank account: A flat $5 fee applies per transaction.
Paying a non-US contractor with a non-US bank account (international wire): Gusto covers all intermediary bank fees, so your contractor receives the exact amount you send. The following fees apply:
Most countries: Payments under $1,000 have a minimum fee of $15. For larger payments, a fee of 1%–1.5% applies.
Taiwan, Ukraine, and Turkey: Payments under $1,200 have a minimum fee of $18. For larger payments, a fee of 1%–1.5% applies.
Status: Contractors see “In progress” once we take money from your account.
You’ll see exchange rates when you enter payments. Rates change daily and include the payment amount, rates from our partner banks, fees (some shown, some hidden), and any markups.
Our total exchange rates differ from rates you see elsewhere because they include fees and markups.
No accounting sync: Payments to non-US contractors do not sync to accounting software.
Contractor-only plans: You need to add a US contractor first.
We support contractors in many countries. If you do not see a country you need, you can request it.
We do not support payments for US citizens working in other countries.
What non-US contractors usually need:
Work address in their country of work
Bank account in their country of work
Completed W-8BEN form (individuals) or W-8BEN-E form (businesses)
You cannot choose the currency. The currency depends on the contractor’s bank account location.
Local bank accounts: Contractors get paid in the local currency (like EUR or CAD).
If their local currency is USD, they get paid in USD.
US bank accounts: Contractors get paid in USD.
Crypto wallet (if eligible): Contractors get paid in USDC.
Wise account (if eligible): Contractors get paid in USD.
The fees we charge depend on how and where your non-US contractors are being paid.
Paying a non-US contractor with a US bank account: A flat $5 fee applies per transaction.
Paying a non-US contractor with a non-US bank account (international wire): Gusto covers all intermediary bank fees, so your contractor receives the exact amount you send. The following fees apply:
Most countries: Payments under $1,000 have a minimum fee of $15. For larger payments, a fee of 1%–1.5% applies.
Taiwan, Ukraine, and Turkey: Payments under $1,200 have a minimum fee of $18. For larger payments, a fee of 1%–1.5% applies.
Country
Local bank account currency (recipient bank)
US bank account currency (recipient bank)
Albania
USD
USD
Algeria
USD
USD
Andorra
USD
USD
Angola
USD
USD
Anguilla
USD
USD
Antigua and Barbuda
USD
USD
Argentina
ARS
USD
Armenia
USD
USD
Australia
AUD
Not supported
Austria
EUR
USD
Azerbaijan
USD
USD
Bahamas
USD
USD
Bahrain
USD
USD
Bangladesh
BDT
USD
Barbados
USD
USD
Barbuda and Antigua
USD
USD
Belgium
EUR
USD
Benin
USD
USD
Bhutan
USD
USD
Bolivia
USD
USD
Bosnia and Herzegovina
USD
USD
Brazil
BRL
USD
Brunei Darussalam
USD
USD
Bulgaria
EUR
USD
Burkina Faso
USD
USD
Cambodia
USD
USD
Canada
CAD
USD
Cayman Islands
USD
USD
Chile
CLP
USD
China (individual contractors only)
Limits apply—see FAQ section of this article
CNY
USD
Colombia
COP
USD
Cook Island
USD
USD
Costa Rica
CRC
USD
Croatia
EUR
USD
Cyprus
EUR
USD
Czech Republic
CZK
USD
Denmark
DKK
USD
Dominica
USD
USD
Dominican Republic
USD
USD
Ecuador
USD
USD
Egypt
EGP
USD
El Salvador
USD
USD
Estonia
EUR
USD
Ethiopia
USD
USD
Faroe Islands
USD
USD
Fiji
USD
USD
Finland
EUR
USD
France
EUR
USD
French Polynesia
USD
USD
Gabon
USD
USD
Gambia
USD
USD
Georgia
GEL
USD
Germany
EUR
USD
Greece
EUR
USD
Greenland
USD
USD
Grenada
USD
USD
Guadeloupe
USD
USD
Guatemala
USD
USD
Guinea
USD
USD
Guyana
USD
USD
Haiti
USD
USD
Honduras
USD
USD
Hong Kong
HKD
USD
Hungary
HUF
USD
Iceland
USD
USD
India
INR
USD
Indonesia
IDR
USD
Ireland
EUR
USD
Israel
ILS
USD
Italy
EUR
USD
Jamaica
USD
USD
Japan
JPY
USD
Kazakhstan
USD
USD
Kenya
KES
USD
Latvia
EUR
USD
Lebanon
USD
USD
Lithuania
EUR
USD
Luxembourg
EUR
USD
Macedonia
USD
USD
Malaysia
MYR
USD
Malta
EUR
USD
Mexico
MXN
USD
Moldova
EUR
USD
Montenegro
USD
USD
Morocco
MAD
USD
Nepal
[Individual accounts only—business accounts are not supported]
NPR
USD
New Zealand
NZD
USD
Nicaragua
USD
USD
Nigeria
NGN
USD
Norway
NOK
USD
Pakistan
[Individual accounts only—business accounts are not supported]
PKR
USD
Panama
USD
USD
Paraguay
USD
USD
Peru
USD
USD
Philippines
PHP
USD
Poland
PLN
USD
Portugal
EUR
USD
Qatar
QAR
USD
Romania
RON
USD
Serbia
USD
USD
Singapore
SGD
USD
Slovakia
EUR
USD
Slovenia
EUR
USD
South Africa
ZAR
USD
South Korea
KRW
USD
Spain
EUR
USD
Sri Lanka
LKR
USD
Sweden
SEK
USD
Switzerland
CHF
USD
Taiwan
USD
USD
Tanzania
USD
USD
Thailand
THB
USD
The Netherlands
EUR
USD
Trinidad and Tobago
USD
USD
Turkey
USD
USD
Uganda
USD
USD
Ukraine
USD
USD
United Arab Emirates
AED
USD
United Kingdom
GBP
USD
Uruguay
UYU
USD
Vietnam
[Individual accounts only—business accounts are not supported]
VND
USD
We recommend creating onboarding checklists before you add non-US contractors. If you turned on your org chart, you can assign them a manager and have them appear in your coworker directory (org chart).
A contractor’s name in Gusto must match their bank account name exactly. Confirm this with your contractor.
We do not support US citizens working abroad.
Contractors must have a tax ID from the country where they work.
International payment delivery time depends on the contractor’s country and payment method. Check the estimated delivery date shown for each payment before it’s sent.
Payments may include exchange rate or bank fees.
Be sure to read all the important reminders first.
To add a new non-US contractor:
Go to People.
Click Add person.
Enter their full name and preferred first name. We use the preferred name in communications where a legal first name is not required, like offer letters, onboarding emails, and org charts.
Select worker type:
Individual contractor: An independent worker under contract for a specific project or projects, usually on a short-term basis
Business contractor: A registered business under contract for a specific project or projects, usually on a short-term basis
Choose the country where they work.
Enter a personal email, not a company email.
If they already have a Gusto profile with your company or another, use the same email, and they can switch between their profiles.
Click Save and continue.
Fill out their employment information:
Contract start date
Department
Job title (optional). Contractors typically work as external consultants or project owners. Make sure the job title reflects the contractor’s scope of work.
Manager (optional)
Hourly rate (optional). If the contractor is not hourly, skip this and pay them with a flat amount instead when you run their payment.
Click Save and continue.
On the Send invitation page you can invite the team member to securely enter their own personal information.
Click Send and continue to send the onboarding email while you finish setting up their Gusto features.
If you click Skip, you'll have to return to their onboarding checklist later to invite them to Gusto.
Set up the contractor's Gusto features:
Contact details (their personal email)
Documents — we may automatically create some forms. Add additional individual or team documents or agreements (Plus/Premium plans only).
Time & Attendance — invite them to track time (optional).
New hire reporting — available if a work address or work state was entered during onboarding.
New hire check-ins — turn this on to set up a private check-in schedule. We'll add a Check-ins section to the contractor's profile, under their Performance tab, where you can record how they're doing over time. Only admins with full access or performance permissions can see this information. Learn more about new hire check-ins
Click Save and continue.
We’ll send the contractor an onboarding email. They need to finish the setup before you can pay them. We’ll take you to their onboarding checklist. The contractor will appear in the Onboarding tab of your People page until they finish onboarding.
Learn how to view the contractor’s checklist later.
Learn how to add custom tasks to onboarding checklists (Plus and Premium only).
When you process payments, we’ll give you an estimated payment date range. On payday, but not before, we’ll send an email to your contractor to let them know we paid them. We strongly recommend that you tell them the expected payment date in advance.
Create one or more automated payments for your contractors — save time and make sure you never miss a payment.
Use these steps to set up an automated payment. Once you set it up, we’ll pay your contractors on the schedule you choose.
To set up an automated payment for non-US contractors:
Go to Pay.
On the right, click Pay contractors.
Under the debit date, click Automated payments.
Click Set up new automated payment.
Select the contractors you’d like to add to the automated payment.
Click Continue.
Give the automated payment a nickname.
Choose your payment frequency — how often you’ll pay your non-US contractors. Choose from:
Every week
Every other week
Twice per month
Monthly
Select the first debit date for the automated payment.
We recommend choosing a debit date 5 – 10 days before you plan to pay the contractor. This helps make sure they receive payment on time.
Click Preview debit schedule to view future debit dates.
Note: Bank debits may not show in your company’s bank account until the day after the future debit date. We still start the bank transaction on the future debit date, so you’ll need to have all the required funds in your bank account on that day. You may not see the debit in your bank account until the next business day.
Click Save and continue.
Enter and review the payment details for each contractor. Click Add Memo to add a note the contractor can see.
Click Save and continue.
Review the summary and individual payment details. Click Save changes.
By clicking Save changes, you understand that the exchange rates may differ on the debit date.
After you create an automated payment, the system sets it to active. Learn how to change this setting or manage other parts of the automated payment.
After you set up automated payments, you can view, edit, or delete them at any time.
To manage automated payments for non-US contractors:
Go to Pay.
On the right, click Pay contractors.
Under the debit date, click Automated payments.
Under the Active column, use the toggle to turn a schedule on or off.
Click the Actions menu (three dots) to:
Edit an automated payment.
Here you can edit all details of an automated payment — who’s included on it, the debit date, and the payment frequency.
Preview payments.
Delete the automated payment.
After you delete it, we will not create any new payments.
We may turn off automated payments if there are issues with your company or contractor’s account. If this happens, we’ll send you an email.
Automated payments may turn off or fail for several reasons:
Account verification
We may still be verifying the company or contractor bank account details.
Company bank account issues
Incorrect bank account information
Not enough funds in the account
Contractor or payment issues
Missing or unverified company or contractor information
Some countries have payment rules that limit how much you can pay at one time (duration-based limit). You may need to split large payments across several business days.
Payments in countries where we’ve stopped paying in local currency because of major exchange rate changes
You can send one-time payments to non-US contractors. We usually pay contractors in their local currency (or USD if they have a US bank account).
Delivery time depends on the contractor’s country and payment method. We’ll show the estimated delivery date based on that contractor’s payment details. Payments to a crypto wallet or Wise account may arrive sooner.
Exchange rates may change if you schedule a future debit date.
Always make sure your company bank account has enough funds on the debit date.
To send a one-time payment to a non-US contractor:
Make sure you’ve read the important reminders.
Go to Pay.
On the right, click Pay contractors.
Choose a debit date.
Contractors will receive payment by the estimated delivery date shown. That date is based on real delivery data from our payment partners for their country and payment method.
You may not see bank debits in your company account until the day after the debit date, but you should always have enough funds in the account on the actual debit date.
Enter the contractor’s wages:
Use a flat rate amount or enter hours worked. To change an hourly rate, update the contractor’s profile in People.
Review the wage amount: We default to USD.
If faster payroll is enabled (1-day or 2-day), click the circle icon to view the foreign currency. We always send payments in the contractor’s local bank account currency, no matter which currency you view here.
Review the Amount column. This shows the contractor’s foreign currency amount and the USD equivalent.
Exchange rates in Gusto already include fees (we show some fees, but not all).
Click Review summary.
If prompted, select a Transfer purpose. Some banks require these codes for international payments.
We do not share the transfer purpose with contractors directly, but depending on the country, it may show up in the contractor’s bank account.
Review the payment summary and fees, then click Submit payments.
Let your contractor know when to expect the payment, based on the estimated delivery date shown. We’ll email them on payday, but we recommend you let them know ahead of time.
We process the payment and send it to the contractor’s bank.
Contractors typically receive funds by the estimated delivery date shown, based on delivery data from our payment partner for that country. Payments to a crypto wallet or Wise account may arrive sooner.
If a bank error occurs (like not enough money in your account), we may move your company’s direct deposit speed to a slower rate.
Check your past payments or create a report to view your contractor payment history.
To view pending and past international contractor payments:
Go to Pay.
In the top right, click View pay history.
Click Non-US contractors.
Each payment shows a Status in the list. To see where a payment is, click See details. You will see three steps:
Payment submitted — the date you sent the payment request to Gusto.
In progress — the estimated delivery window for the payment. Delivery times for international payments can vary based on factors like bank processing times and local holidays.
Complete — the date we sent the funds. Funds should arrive by the end of that day.
If the payment shows Complete and your contractor does not have the funds, contact us.
To run a report for international contractor payments:
Go to Reports.
Find the International contractor payments report and select it.
Choose your date range, and click Generate report.
If you need to stop a payment to a non-US contractor, you have limited time due to international banking rules.
Cancel before 4pm PT on the debit date.
After 4pm PT, the payment cannot be canceled or stopped.
These rules exist because of how banks process international payments.
To cancel an upcoming payment to a non-US contractor:
Go to Pay.
In the top right, click View pay history.
Click Non-US contractors.
Click the payday.
If cancellation is still available, click Cancel payment.
Confirm by clicking Cancel payment again. This will fully cancel the payment and remove its record.
If the payment has already been processed and the contractor did not receive it by the end of the business day on the check date, we can look into it. We may try to recall the funds, but it's not guaranteed.
To contact us, sign in to your Gusto account and click the help icon in the top-right corner of the page.
If a contractor entered incorrect information during onboarding, you can request that they update it.
You can send a request if:
Your contractor wants to send payments to a different bank account.
You know the bank details are incorrect and need to be corrected before making a payment.
The contractor’s name from onboarding does not exactly match the name on their bank account.
Non-US contractors can also update some details from their Gusto account (without a request from you).
To send a request:
Go to People.
Search their name or use the filter icon to filter by non-US contractors.
Click the name to view their profile.
On the Contractor details tab, click the Request an update to bank account information link.
We’ll email your contractor, asking them to update their bank account information and resubmit their W-8 BEN(E).
Click Send form.
Have your contractor check the email address we have on file. If they do not see the email at first, they should check their spam folders.
We’ll email you when they update their info so you can schedule or reschedule payments.
Bank account issues
If there was a bank issue, the most common problems are wrong bank account details or a name mismatch. The name on the bank account must match the name in their profile.
Go to People.
Search their name or use the filter icon to filter by non-US contractors.
Click the name to view their profile.
On the Contractor details tab, click Edit next to their information.
Update the hourly rate and/or currency.
Click Save.
To change a contractor’s country of work, you need to onboard them again in the new country. Each country has its own tax rules, so they must sign new country-specific forms.
To change the country of work:
Dismiss the profile (with the old country).
Add them as a new non-US contractor in the new country. They’ll need to onboard again and sign new documents that apply to the new country.
If you try to use the email from the old profile to set up the new profile, you’ll get an error message. To fix this, set up the new profile with a slightly different email (or change the old email first, then set up the new profile with the original):
Just add a + symbol and your chosen text.
Original email: [email protected]
Modified email: [email protected]
We’ll send the contractor a welcome email to their usual inbox. Before you can pay them, they need to finish setting up their additional profile in Gusto.
To change a contractor’s worker type from individual to business or vice versa, you need to onboard them again with the new worker type.
They must sign new country-specific forms as their new worker type (individual or business).
To change a non-US contractor’s worker type:
Dismiss the profile (with the old worker type).
Add them as a new non-US contractor with the new worker type. They’ll need to onboard again and sign new documents.
If you try to use the email from the old profile to set up the new profile, you’ll get an error message. To fix this, set up the new profile with a slightly different email (or change the old email first, then set up the new profile with the original):
Just add a + symbol and your chosen text.
Original email: [email protected]
Modified email: [email protected]
We’ll send the contractor a welcome email to their usual inbox. Before you can pay them, they need to finish setting up their additional profile in Gusto.
Go to our article on how to dismiss contractors (of all types).
We only support employees who meet all of these requirements:
Valid Social Security number (SSN)
Employees must have an SSN. If you enter an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), or other invalid number, we may not be able to file their W-2s and other tax returns correctly.
Work address in the US
Home address in the US
A US bank account if you pay them through direct deposit
We do not support employees living in US territories (like Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands) unless they meet these requirements.
Crypto wallet is an optional payout method (that uses stablecoin for processing) for eligible international contractors.
We currently support USDC via our payment partner.
Instead of receiving payment through a bank account, contractors can choose to receive USDC, a U.S. dollar–pegged digital asset (1 USDC = 1 USD), in their crypto wallet.
You continue to fund payments in USD from your company bank account. Gusto converts the amount to USDC and sends it to the contractor’s wallet.
Crypto wallet payments are only available when:
Your company is enabled for International Contractor Payments (ICP).
The contractor is located in a supported country.
The contractor selects a Crypto wallet in their profile.
Crypto wallet payments are not available to companies in New York.
Supported blockchain networks include:
Solana
Ethereum
Base
Stellar
Polygon
If the crypto wallet does not appear as an option for payment in the contractor's profile, it's not available for that contractor at this time.
Standard pricing: 1.5% per crypto wallet payment, paid by your company.
The fee is shown separately before you submit payments.
The contractor receives 100% of the amount you enter.
To send a crypto wallet payment in Gusto:
Go to Pay.
Click Pay Non-US contractors.
Create a New payment.
Select contractors. Those who selected Crypto wallet as their payment method in Gusto will appear as Crypto wallet (Stablecoin).
Enter the payment amount in USD.
Review:
USD amount
USDC amount
Stablecoin fee
Submit payment.
Timing depends on your ACH speed:
1- or 2-day ACH: Payouts are designed to arrive within minutes to a few hours after the debit processes.
4-day ACH: Payouts may take up to 3 business days after the debit date.
Network conditions or compliance reviews may also impact timing.
Cyrypto wallet payments may be subject to per-payment or in-flight limits. If a limit is reached, you’ll see an error message before submitting.
Once a crypto payment is sent on-chain, it cannot be reversed or recalled.
There is no cancellation after the debit cut-off and on-chain transfer.
Before submitting a payment:
Confirm the contractor has entered the correct crypto wallet address.
Confirm the correct blockchain network is selected.
If funds are sent to the wrong crypto wallet, they cannot be retrieved.
Crypto wallet payments:
Are recorded in USD for reporting purposes.
Appear in Pay → View pay history → Non-US contractors
Appear in the International contractor payments report
The report includes payment methods (e.g., Crypto wallet (Stablecoin), local bank, Wise).
The payment delivery method does not change any tax reporting obligations.
Q: Why don’t I see crypto wallet as an option?
A: Crypto wallet payments are only available for eligible companies and contractors in supported countries. If you do not see the option, it may not be available for your account or contractor at this time.
Q: What happens if a contractor switches to a crypto wallet?
A: Your payroll workflow stays the same. However, depending on the contractor’s previous payment method, you may see a change in transaction fees.
Q: Can payroll be funded using a crypto wallet?
A: No. Payroll must be funded in USD from your company bank account.
Q: What countries are supported?
A: Crypto payments are typically available in supported countries through our payment partner. Availability depends on regulatory and compliance requirements.
Q: Who provides the cryptocurrency service?
A: Cryptocurrency transaction and custody services are powered by Zero Hash LLC and Zero Hash Liquidity Services LLC. Cryptocurrency assets are held and custodied by Zero Hash, not Gusto.
Q: Are there risks with cryptocurrency?
A: Cryptocurrencies are not legal tender, bank deposits, or insured by the FDIC. Blockchain transactions are not reversible. Cryptocurrency services are subject to regulatory and market risks.
Legal disclosures:
Cryptocurrency transaction and custody services are powered by Zero Hash LLC and Zero Hash Liquidity Services LLC. When you enable stablecoin payments on Gusto’s platform, you must also agree to the Zero Hash LLC and Zero Hash Liquidity Services LLC terms and conditions and enable your Zero Hash account. Cryptocurrency assets are held and custodied by Zero Hash LLC, not Gusto. Services may not be available in all states. Cryptocurrency assets are not subject to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or Securities Investor Protection Corporation coverage. The value of any cryptocurrency, including digital assets pegged to fiat currency, commodities, or any other asset, may go to zero. Stablecoin payments are not currently available in New York.
Cryptocurrency transactions and custody services are provided by third parties, not Gusto. Stablecoins are not legal tender, bank deposits, or investments, and are not insured by the FDIC or any other government agency. While designed to maintain a one-to-one peg to a fiat currency, stablecoins may lose value, and redemption may be limited, delayed, or refused in certain circumstances. Issuers may be required to freeze or forfeit tokens pursuant to a legal directive. Blockchain transactions carry inherent risks, including irreversibility, smart contract vulnerabilities, and permanent loss of funds from compromised or lost private keys. Earning yield through DeFi or other third-party platforms introduces additional risks separate from the stablecoin itself. The regulatory landscape for digital assets is evolving rapidly and may affect the availability or functionality of any stablecoin.
Wise is an optional payout method for eligible international contractors. Instead of receiving payment through a local bank account, contractors can choose to receive funds in their personal Wise account.
You continue to fund payments in USD from your company bank account via ACH. Gusto routes the payment to the contractor’s Wise account.
Wise account payments are available when:
Your company is enabled for International Contractor Payments (ICP).
The contractor is located in a supported country.
The contractor selects Wise account in their payment profile.
Wise payouts are supported for personal Wise accounts only.
Business or company Wise accounts are not supported.
If a contractor adds a business Wise account, payments may fail or be delayed.
If Wise account does not appear as a payment option in the contractor's profile, it is not available for that contractor at this time. Admins cannot manually enable Wise for a contractor.
Standard pricing: 1.5% per Wise payment, paid by your company.
The fee is shown separately before you submit payments.
The contractor receives 100% of the amount you enter.
There is no fee cap.
To send a Wise payment to a non-US contractor in Gusto:
Go to Pay.
Select Pay Non-US contractors.
Create a New payment.
Select contractors. Contractors who selected Wise in their profile will appear as Wise account.
Enter the payment amount in USD.
Review the payment details and associated fees.
Submit the payment.
Payment timing depends primarily on your ACH funding speed.
1- or 2-day ACH: Payments are designed to arrive within hours after the debit is successfully processed.
4-day ACH: End-to-end timing may take 2–3 business days after the debit date.
Network conditions or compliance reviews may also affect timing.
Wise payments may be subject to per-payment or in-flight limits. If a limit is reached, you’ll see an error message before submitting.
Once a Wise payment is sent, it cannot be reversed or recalled.
There is no cancellation after the debit cut-off.
Before submitting a payment:
Confirm the contractor has entered the correct Wise wallet address.
Confirm all payment details (name on account, etc).
If funds are sent to the wrong place, they cannot be retrieved.
Wise payments:
Are recorded in USD for reporting purposes.
Appear in Pay → View pay history → Non-US contractors.
Appear in the International contractor payments report. The report includes the payment method (for example: Wise account, local bank, or Crypto wallet).
The payment delivery method does not change tax reporting obligations.
Q: How do I know if Wise is available for my contractor?
A: If Wise is supported for the contractor’s country, they will see Wise account as an option in their payment profile. Once selected, it will appear in your pay flow.
Q: Why don’t I see Wise as a payment option?
A: Wise payments are only available for contractors in supported countries. If you do not see the option, it may not be available for that contractor at this time.
Q: Do I need to enable Wise for my company?
A: No. Wise becomes available automatically when a contractor in a supported country selects it in their payment profile.
Q: Can contractors use a Wise business account?
A: No. Wise payouts are supported only for personal Wise accounts. Business or company Wise accounts are not supported.
Q: What fees will I be charged?
A: The fees we charge depend on how and where your non-US contractors are being paid.
Paying a non-US contractor with a US bank account: A flat $5 fee applies per transaction.
Paying a non-US contractor with a non-US bank account (international wire): Gusto covers all intermediary bank fees, so your contractor receives the exact amount you send. The following fees apply:
Most countries: Payments under $1,000 have a minimum fee of $15. For larger payments, a fee of 1%–1.5% applies.
Taiwan, Ukraine, and Turkey: Payments under $1,200 have a minimum fee of $18. For larger payments, a fee of 1%–1.5% applies.
If we convert USD to local currency, we include the fee in the exchange rate.
The contractor’s bank may charge a fee to receive international wires or transfers. We have no control over the fees the contractor’s bank charges. Contact the contractor’s bank for details.
Q: Why do I see fees for some payments and not others?
A: Bank requirements differ. Currently, you may see slightly different information in Gusto, depending on the method we use to pay the non-US contractor.
Q: What happens if a payment fails?
A: When a payment fails, we notify admins and refund the company. The refund amount may be less than the original amount due to exchange rate fluctuations.
Contractors should update their bank information, and you need to process a new payment.
Q: Do non-US payments sync to accounting integrations?
A: Not at this time.
Q: What are the payment limits for China? Is there a workaround?
A: Each payment to a contractor in China must be less than 30,000 CNY. Payments of 30,000 CNY or more are not allowed. If you need to pay more than 30,000 CNY, split the total into multiple payments.
Important rules to know about the China payment limit:
We can send only one payment per contractor per day.
Each payment must be strictly under 30,000 CNY.
Payments will get sent on separate business days.
Example
If you need to pay 50,000 CNY, schedule:
One payment of 25,000 CNY on the next business day.
A second payment of 25,000 CNY on the following business day.
If you schedule the second payment the same day as the first, it'll get sent a business day later.
Q: Can I pay business contractors in China?
A: No. Only individual contractors.