Our company has hired a couple Ukrainian non resident aliens (both have obtained work visas). Are they exempt from any payroll taxes?

They could be tax exempt, ashepardson.

Depending on the visa they have, a Nonresident Alien may be exempt from certain payroll taxes. To find out which taxes your employee is exempt from, they must complete an I-9 form and provide the below details:

• Copy of visa
• A valid Social Security number. If your employee has an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), they can’t be on the payroll. An ITIN looks like a Social Security number but starts with a 9.

I've added the following resources if you require assistance identifying the payroll taxes that your employee is exempt from:

• IRS Publication 515
• Contact your state agencies for state tax exemptions
• Contact a tax professional

Here's how you can exempt your employee from payroll taxes:

1. Go to Payroll, then Employees.
2. Select Add an employee.
3. Below the email address field, Turn off the radio button for the Employee self-setup. You'll need to add their info.
4. Fill in the info for each section.
5. From Tax withholding, click Edit.
6. Fill in the Federal Withholding info. If your employee is exempt, from the Filing Status ▼, choose Exempt.
7. Fill in the State Withholding info. If your employee is exempt, from the Filing Status ▼, choose Exempt.
8. From Tax Exemptions, select the taxes your employee is exempt from.
9. When you’re done, select Save.

You may want to check this article to guide you in setting up your payroll in QuickBooks Online: Get started with QuickBooks Online Payroll.

Additionally, you can click on this link to assist you in managing your payroll so that your employee will be paid: Create and run your payroll.

If you have further questions about payroll, let us know. We're always happy to help you.