If you run payroll anywhere near India, this week matters. The India EPF Scheme 2026 came into force on July 1. Specifically, it changes what employers file, when they file it, and how much they contribute for higher-pension staff. Meanwhile, three other regions moved at the same time. Germany started drafting its platform work law. The United States switched on new pay transparency rules, and Australia flipped superannuation to a payday model. So this digest walks you across four countries and the deadlines that now apply to your team.

India EPF Scheme 2026 Rewrites Employer PF Duties

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation formally rolled out the India EPF Scheme 2026, along with the EPS 2026 pension scheme and the EDLI 2026 insurance scheme, effective July 1, 2026. (Source: Business Today) In short, the notification pulls the higher pension option, digital filing, and contractor compliance into one framework. As a result, most India payrolls need a review before the next cycle closes.

What the India EPF Scheme 2026 changes

First, the higher pension math is now official. Employees who opted in keep the benefit. Employers then contribute an extra amount on wages above the statutory ceiling. Therefore the effective employer contribution for those members rises to 9.49%. (Source: Open The Magazine) Second, filing gets stricter. In addition, employers must submit prescribed returns within 15 days, make electronic PF payments, upload employee records digitally, and disclose ownership details.

The insurance side moved too. EDLI 2026 keeps the life cover for members’ families, reported at up to about ₹7 lakh. (Source: Free Press Journal) PF trips up growing teams often. So skim our field notes on provident fund compliance before you touch the new returns.

What to do this week

Because the clock already started, act now. Confirm your payroll provider has coded the 9.49% employer rate for higher-pension members. Then check that your returns can go out inside the 15-day window. After all, late digital filings are easy to miss during a transition. The government also opened three cleanup tracks. These are the Employees’ Enrolment Campaign 2026, VISHWAS 2026, and AMNESTY 2026, so past gaps can be regularised without the usual penalty fight. If you hire through an entity in India, review your India payroll setup. Also make sure exempted PF trusts have filed for continuation during the transition.

Germany drafts its platform work law before the December deadline

Across the EU, the clock is also running. Member states must transpose the EU Platform Work Directive into national law by December 2, 2026. Germany is now drafting its version. (Source: DLA Piper) The directive introduces a rebuttable presumption of employment. It applies when a platform controls how the work gets done. (Source: Ogletree Deakins)

So what does this mean for you? Say you engage delivery, driving, or task-based workers through a platform in Germany. The burden may shift to you to prove they are genuinely self-employed. For that reason, audit your contractor classification now rather than in November. If you hire staff directly in Germany, review the German employment law basics. That helps you tell a true contractor from a misclassified employee.

US pay transparency rules go live in Virginia and Maine

In the United States, two states switched on pay transparency this month. Virginia now requires a wage or salary range in every public and internal job posting, effective July 1, 2026. It also bans asking candidates for pay history. (Source: Epstein Becker Green) The Virginia Attorney General can seek civil penalties too. Fines run up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for each later one.

Meanwhile, Maine follows on July 29, 2026, and applies to employers with 10 or more staff. (Source: Littler) Both laws cover third-party and internal postings, so a recruiter’s copy counts. So fix your US hiring templates before your next req goes out. A stale posting is now a compliance risk.

Australia switches to payday super

Australia made its own big change on the same date. From July 1, 2026, employers must pay super at the same time as wages, not quarterly. (Source: Fair Work Ombudsman) Contributions must now reach the employee’s fund within seven business days of payday. Super is also calculated at 12% of qualifying earnings. (Source: Australian Taxation Office)

Practically, this means cash flow and payroll timing change together. If you employ anyone in Australia, confirm your provider can remit super every pay run. The super guarantee charge now bites when funds land late. For context on staffing there, our guide to hiring in Australia covers the employer basics.

Quick Hits

• United States: Chicago’s minimum wage rose to $17.05 on July 1, 2026. Cook County’s rose to $15.40 for non-tipped workers. (Source: Fisher Phillips)
• United Kingdom: Statutory sick pay is now a day-one right. There is no waiting period and no lower earnings limit after the April 6, 2026 changes. (Source: Acas)

Your EPF Scheme 2026 and cross-border compliance checklist

If you hire in India: First, confirm the 9.49% higher-pension employer rate is coded, and file EPF returns within 15 days. Then check that any exempted PF trust has applied for continuation during the transition.

If you use platform workers in Germany or the EU: Audit contractor classification before the December 2, 2026 transposition deadline. Assume the presumption of employment may apply where you direct the work.

If you post jobs in the US: Add wage ranges to every Virginia posting now, and to Maine postings by July 29. Also remove any pay-history questions from your screening flow.

If you pay staff in Australia: Move to payday super now. Contributions must land within seven business days of each pay run, calculated on 12% of qualifying earnings.

Maybe these compliance shifts have you rethinking how you run payroll across borders. Asanify’s Global HRMS and EOR handle multi-country payroll, statutory filings, and classification in one place. That keeps changes like the India EPF Scheme 2026 from turning into month-end surprises.

FAQ: India EPF Scheme 2026 and global hiring

Q: What changed under the India EPF Scheme 2026?
The India EPF Scheme 2026 took effect on July 1, 2026, alongside the EPS 2026 and EDLI 2026 schemes. It formalises the higher pension option, pushes electronic filing, and requires prescribed returns within 15 days. Employers of higher-pension members now contribute an effective 9.49%.

Q: Do I need an EOR to hire one person in India?
For most startups with one or two hires in India, an Employer of Record removes the need to set up an entity. It handles PF, tax, and statutory filings for you. Companies with ten or more India employees often move to their own entity. An EOR is usually the faster route when you are testing a market.

Q: When must EU member states apply the Platform Work Directive?
Member states must transpose the directive into national law by December 2, 2026. Germany, France, and Spain are already drafting their versions. The core change is a rebuttable presumption of employment where a platform controls the work.

Q: How often do payroll and pension rules change internationally?
Tax, pension, and payroll rules usually change once a year, often between April and July. Employment law shifts less often, but it can arrive suddenly. The India EPF Scheme 2026 and Australia’s payday super both show that. A per-country compliance calendar is the only reliable defence.

Not to be considered as tax, legal, financial or HR advice. Regulations change over time so please consult a lawyer, accountant  or Labour Law  expert for specific guidance.