AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
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The short answer
Yes. Under Article 9 of EU Regulation 260/2012 a payer sending SEPA credit transfers may not refuse an account because of the SEPA country where it is held, so an Italian employer can pay your salary into a euro IBAN from Ireland, Germany, Lithuania or elsewhere in SEPA, as long as the account is in your name. Your payroll tax and contributions are unchanged; only the destination of the net pay differs.
Many people arrive in Italy with a euro account already open: from a previous job in Germany or Ireland, or from an app-based provider that issued a Lithuanian or Belgian IBAN in minutes. The question is whether that account can take your Italian salary, and whether it is a good idea. The short answer is yes, and usually it is fine, with a few practical checks.
What makes a euro IBAN acceptable for salary
Three things matter, and the country code is not one of them under the SEPA rules:
- It is a SEPA euro account. The IBAN must belong to a country in the SEPA scheme and receive euro credit transfers.
- It is in your name. An employer can fairly ask for proof, such as a provider letter showing your name and IBAN.
- It is a payment account, not a wallet that only takes card top-ups. Check that your provider's euro details accept incoming SEPA credit transfers from third parties.
Teleborsa's report of 15 September 2026 sums up Article 9: whoever accepts credit transfers or collects by direct debit within SEPA "non può discriminare" against an account by the country where it is located. If HR still refuses, our guide to an employer refusing a foreign IBAN sets out the steps and where to report it.
What changes, and what does not
| Question | Italian IBAN | Other SEPA IBAN |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll tax and contributions | Withheld by employer as normal | Same; the account does not change withholding |
| Speed of a SEPA transfer | Set by the SEPA scheme and your provider | Same scheme; check your provider's processing times |
| Rent and utility direct debits in Italy | Accepted everywhere in practice | Should be accepted by law, but refusals are reported |
| Italian bank products (mortgage, loans) | Easier to build a relationship | Italian lenders may prefer to see salary into their own account |
The last two rows are where an Italian account still earns its place. Teleborsa's report lists utilities, telecoms, motorway tolls, insurance and F24 tax payments among the areas where foreign IBANs have been refused. If you plan to apply for a mutuo in a few years, an Italian bank will often want to see your salary arriving in an account it can review.
Altroconsumo, the Italian consumer association, says on its campaign page that a valid SEPA IBAN "should be accepted everywhere, but even today this is not the case". The same Article 9 covers companies collecting by direct debit, so if a utility or phone company refuses your non-Italian IBAN for a direct debit, the argument you would use with HR applies there too. Keep the refusal in writing; it is the evidence consumer groups and authorities ask for.
A practical set-up many people use
A common pattern is two accounts with different jobs:
- Salary arrives in the euro account you already have, so you are paid from your first month even if the Italian account is not yet open.
- Once an IT account is open, a standing transfer moves the amount for rent, utilities and direct debits.
- Money for family in Nigeria leaves from whichever account gives you the clearer rate and fee on the day; compare the FX margin on euro to naira transfers rather than headline fees.
If an Italian account is hard to open because of cost or documents, the conto di base banks must offer is explained in our conto di base guide.
Worked example
Example only. Your net monthly pay is €1,850. Your employer pays it to your Lithuanian euro IBAN on the 27th. On the 28th you send €900 to your new Italian account for rent and a €70 utility direct debit, leaving €950 in the original account for spending and savings. Your payslip, tax withheld and INPS contributions are exactly as they would have been with an IT IBAN; the only extra step is the €900 transfer you make yourself. Check your provider's tariff for SEPA transfers.
What to tell HR
- Your full name exactly as on the account, matching your contract.
- The IBAN and BIC, typed from the provider's app, not retyped from memory.
- A provider letter or statement showing your name and the IBAN, if they ask.
- A note that the account is a SEPA account, citing Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 260/2012 if the payroll form rejects it.
If you change the account later, tell HR in writing before the payroll cut-off, which your payroll office can confirm, and check the first payment lands. Name differences between your passport, permesso and contract can also hold up a first payment; sort them out early.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account holds EUR with its own account details alongside NGN, USD and GBP, and money stays in the currency it arrived in until you choose to convert with Swap, seeing the rate and fee before you approve. Outside Nigeria, Pryme's activities are carried out through regulated partners, and Pryme does not hold a licence in Italy. Sending to family is covered on Send; see also the multicurrency account.
Questions people ask
Can I receive my Italian salary in a German or Irish account?
Yes, if it is a SEPA euro account in your name. Article 9 of Regulation 260/2012 bars refusal based on the account's country.
Does a foreign IBAN change my Italian taxes?
No. Your employer withholds tax and contributions the same way; only where the net pay lands is different.
Will my salary arrive later in a non-Italian account?
SEPA transfers run on the same scheme across countries, so timing should be similar. Check your provider's processing times.
Do I still need an Italian bank account?
Not legally for salary, but it helps with direct debits that are still refused and with Italian loans and mortgages.
Sources
- Teleborsa: Discriminazione dell'Iban, Altroconsumo e Satispay sostengono un'azione coordinata (15 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Altroconsumo: Stop alla discriminazione dell'Iban (petition page) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.