The COVID-19 pandemic uprooted most of the industries, disturbed the worldwide supply chain, and completely reformed the way people view the workplace (to name a few of its effects).
It also helped workers everywhere prove that, due to technology, you don’t have to be in the same office with your colleagues to do your job. Heck, you don’t even have to be on the same continent!
According to current statistics, if the trend continues, it is expected that, by 2025, 36.2 million Americans will work remotely. Now, some of these people will work from home and maybe will come by the office for meetings and other events.
However, some of these people will take advantage of their newfound freedom and move to a different city, state, or even country.
Plus, as more companies get accustomed to the idea of remote workers, they will be able to extend their search for talent at a global level.
This means that a company in the US can easily hire a software engineer from Germany or a web designer from France to collaborate on the same project with the US-based team.
But are things that easy? Can really anyone from Europe get a job in the US without having to go through the hassle of moving there?
Most European countries don’t have an issue with their citizens working remote jobs for US employers, as long as all the laws and regulations in place are followed.
Also, remote jobs require a bit more preparation than standard jobs, so let’s have a look at the most important steps one should take.
1: A Secure & Reliable Connectivity
As a remote employee, it is your job to make sure your current devices and network are safe and reliable. This means you will have to invest in a layered cybersecurity system and pay for your own broadband internet connection (in most cases).
In turn, the employer who wants to work with remote collaborators or employees will have to invest in a system that allows other people to access their file server remotely without any risks for the data and files stored there.
This system should also allow file sharing and access to various devices from a wide area of accepted locations.
In some cases, remote workers are requested to only use the devices provided by the company. If this is the case, employees and collaborators should follow this request since they may not be allowed to access the company’s network otherwise.
2: Tax Implications
Remote work and the fast spread of online jobs left tax regulators scratching their heads as they now have to figure out who pays what taxes. After all, the tax system is just as rigid in the US as it is in Europe so you may have to dig deep to find the answer.
For instance, if you are a US employee working remotely abroad, you are required to pay taxes in the US (cool, right?). However, most countries in Europe won’t let you live in tax limbo forever.
If you plan on living in a European country for more than 90 days (less in some cases), you may have to find a way to become a taxpayer in that country as well. Of course, the situation is way more complicated in this case since you may have to apply for a visa.
3: Worker Classification
Considering all the complications, you may be tempted to turn yourself into an independent contractor. However, you should keep in mind that once you do so, you no longer have the same benefits employees have (health insurance, dental, vacation days, and so on).
Of course, there are situations when it makes a lot more sense to be an independent contractor (especially if you work with more than one employer).
Key Takeaway
Remote work is a great trend and specialists expect the trend will endure for a few decades at least. However, it’s important that countries everywhere come together and look for reliable methods to protect business data and make the tax systems more flexible.
