How to Get a Salary Card?

I often come across situations where people use the card they were given at work for years without even considering whether it is beneficial for them. Many people still believe that choosing a bank for receiving their salary is solely a decision made by the company management. In fact, this is a myth.

I want to take a detailed look at how this process works, how to protect your right to freedom of choice, and what you can do to make sure your money goes where it is convenient for you to use it.

For most of us, a salary card is a familiar tool for everyday purchases and online shopping. This card is linked to a current account into which your employer transfers your salary.

After an agreement is signed between the employer and the bank, the company can introduce a salary project. This is a simplified system for transferring funds to employees' accounts at reduced rates. The company's accounting department prepares a register (statement) for salary payments and sends it to the bank along with the total amount. The bank then credits the funds to employees' accounts according to the register provided by the employer.

Salary projects often include preferential service terms, such as free account opening and maintenance, favourable rates or additional banking services. Thanks to cooperation with the company, banks often offer employees free card maintenance, commission-free cash withdrawals or other additional benefits.

There are two main ways to get a card for receiving salary payments. The choice depends on whether you want to use the bank partnered with your company or prefer another financial institution.

If you are satisfied with the terms offered by your employer's bank, the process will be as simple as possible:

1. The accounting or HR department will ask you to provide copies of your documents (passport or ID card and tax identification number).
2. The employer will provide the bank with the necessary information, after which you will go through the account-opening procedure in accordance with the bank's requirements.
3. All you need to do is sign the agreement and collect your physical card at a branch or at your company's office.

If you want to choose the bank yourself for receiving your salary, the procedure will be slightly different. To open a bank account yourself, you need to:

1. Choose a financial institution that meets your requirements.
2. Complete identification and verification online through the bank's mobile app (for example, using the Diia app) or visit a branch with your passport and tax identification number.
3. Sign the account-opening agreement and receive your active card.

Many people believe that switching to another bank will create too much extra work for the accounting department. This is a misconception. Modern payment standards in Ukraine make it easy to transfer funds to any account using individual bank details.

So, how do you link your card to the salary project used by your employer?

1. Get your card details. You will need your international bank account number in IBAN format. You can easily find it in your bank's mobile app (in the account information section) or request a statement containing your account details.
2. Submit a written application. As a rule, a free-form application is sufficient unless the company's internal rules provide otherwise. In the application, state: “Please transfer my salary to the account using the following details” and provide your IBAN.
3. Submit the application to the accounting department. I recommend doing this at least 10–14 days before the next salary payment date so that the accountants have enough time to update the system.

After that, your salary payments will be transferred directly to the card you have chosen. Your employer will make salary payments using your individual bank details.

I am convinced that a properly organised salary project benefits both sides. I have structured the main advantages in the table below:

Once you have received your card, I recommend checking several important settings straight away:

1. Card activation. Set your PIN and activate the card according to the bank's instructions — this can be done through the mobile app, at an ATM or in another way.
2. Setting limits. By default, banks often set low limits for online payments. Adjust them to suit your daily needs in the app.
3. Fees and services. Check the cost of additional options (for example, it is better to disable paid SMS notifications and enable free push notifications instead).
4. Account details with the accounting department. If you submit an application to change banks yourself, check with the accountant before the payment date whether your new bank details have been added to the system.

Making an informed choice of financial partner is an important step towards taking control of your money. Your salary should work for you from the very first day it is paid.

Translation into English was created with the help of artificial intelligence.