Productivity Bonuses in Italy: The 1% Flat Tax Explained

If you hire in Italy, you will hear about the productivity bonus. It is one of the few pay tools where the tax treatment is clearly better than a normal salary increase. This article explains the basics in plain terms.

What the 1% rate is  

Italy lets employers pay certain performance-linked bonuses under a substitute tax. Substitute tax means the bonus is not added to the employee’s regular taxable income and taxed at the normal progressive rates. Instead, a flat rate applies.

The rate in the verified source is 1%. That is very low compared with the marginal income tax rates most employees face on ordinary pay.

The Italian name for this kind of bonus is premio di risultato. You will see that term in payroll documents and in union agreements.

The cap  

The flat rate does not apply to an unlimited amount. The cap is 5,000 EUR per employee. The 1% rate covers the bonus up to that amount.

The source does not say how the tax works on any amount above the cap. Do not assume. Ask your payroll provider how the excess is treated before you design a bonus plan.

The income limit  

The benefit is also tied to the employee’s earnings. The figure reported for 2025 is an income limit of 80,000 EUR.

We could not find confirmation that the same limit applies in 2026. Treat the 80,000 EUR figure as the last confirmed value. Check it again before you commit to a plan for the current year.

This matters for senior hires. A US startup that brings in an experienced engineer or finance lead may find that person sits above the limit. In that case the flat rate may not be available to them.

Why it matters for a US employer  

US teams are used to discretionary cash bonuses. In Italy, the tax treatment changes the math.

A bonus that qualifies is worth more to the employee after tax than the same amount paid as ordinary salary. That makes it a useful retention tool. It also lets you reward results without raising the fixed monthly cost.

The employee sees more of each euro. You can offer a competitive package without pushing base pay up.

What to check before you promise a bonus  

Do not copy a US bonus letter into an Italian contract. A bonus only gets this treatment if it meets the conditions of the regime. A vague promise to pay something at your discretion is a weak starting point.

Before you commit, confirm these points with your payroll provider:

• Does the planned bonus qualify for the substitute tax?
• Is the employee under the income limit?
• How are amounts above the cap taxed?
• Is the limit for the current year the same as the last confirmed one?

This article covers the income tax side only. Social contributions are a separate question. Ask about them explicitly so your cost model is complete.

Planning the budget  

Build the bonus into your cost model from the start. Model two cases for each hire: the bonus qualifies, and the bonus does not qualify. The gap between them can be large for the employee and meaningful for your own budget.

Keep the facts dated. The 80,000 EUR limit is a 2025 figure with no 2026 confirmation found. Write that into your assumptions, so nobody treats it as settled later.

Bottom line  

Italy offers a 1% substitute tax on qualifying productivity bonuses, up to 5,000 EUR. An income limit of 80,000 EUR was reported for 2025, and we have not found confirmation for 2026. Used well, the regime helps you reward performance at a low tax cost. Used carelessly, it leaves you with a promise the tax rules do not support.

To see how a bonus fits into the full cost of an Italian hire, try the HiringItaly cost calculator.