Doing stuff @ Reddit via this sort of thing.
I might have been an international Reddit employee also had the recruiter not ghosted me when I gave times available for interview!
Ask HN: Anyone working remotely for a US company internationally?
51–60 of 95 posts
Re: Ask HN: Anyone working remotely for a US company internationally?
#52I have done this from 2015-2020 for two different US based startups. The most recent one got acquired by an entity that has a German HQ and I'm now attached to that. Both startups were Bay area based, around 50-100 people in size. Comp was about five to ten percent below bay area standards but I was making north of $180k/yr in the end. Setup was similar to yours. I was treated as a contractor. There were a few things…
Could you please point to how to make such an arrangement legal in Germany? I thought it’s only allowed for 18 months to work as a contractor only for one company? Or please send me a brief email, I have been looking for quite a while for a solution to this. Thank you very much in advance.
Following this. I just started working remotely for a US based company while living in Germany. Thought this was perfectly fine as long as I register as a "freelancer" in Germany?
Re: Ask HN: Anyone working remotely for a US company internationally?
#53Curious question: does that also mean you get US salaries between $100K - $120K?
Currently I'm making under $100K but I realized I'm getting severely underpaid. I'm currently interviewing at a bunch of places offering salaries ranging between $120K on the low end up to over $170K on the high end. They are all startups hence this question as I was wondering if bigger organizations would be worth looking into as well.
How did you found these opportunities? Some network of friends? Or regular stackoverflow jobs or another portal?
Re: Ask HN: Anyone working remotely for a US company internationally?
#54We have a few people working as contractors internationally but it's a bit painful for both the US company and the international contractors. We're just starting to try a new approach using Deel https://www.letsdeel.com/ It's too early to give a full endorsement of them as we're just going through the process for the first couple of employees but it seems promising so far and simplifies things for both the US company…
From what I can see, their guide for contractors to set up in Serbia (https://www.letsdeel.com/blog/how-to-set-up-as-an-entreprene...) is outdated (2019 law changes are not taken into account) and even incorrect (VAT taxation limit of 8M RSD is not the same as fixed-taxation-if-total-revenue-of-less-than-6M-RSD), even though it says it was written on Oct 18th 2021.
It also does not seem to help anyone in Serbia at all: basically, the article, other than being incorrect, suggests the things I had to do on my own (i.e. set up a company, and it has to be at least a Ltd/doo company since the start of 2020). I was hoping they'd incorporate in each of their "supported countries" and simply offer "regular employment".
Basically, what I am saying is that they might be ripping you off :D
Re: Ask HN: Anyone working remotely for a US company internationally?
#55We have a few people working as contractors internationally but it's a bit painful for both the US company and the international contractors. We're just starting to try a new approach using Deel https://www.letsdeel.com/ It's too early to give a full endorsement of them as we're just going through the process for the first couple of employees but it seems promising so far and simplifies things for both the US company…
I’m from Serbia, I’ve been working with US clients for a decade. I’m wondering why you’re not just sending Wire each month and call it a day?
It’s up to the employee to choose their tax status, they can become entrepreneurs, open LLC or simply report wire transfers quarterly as an individual.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone working remotely for a US company internationally?
#56I'm surprised people are now discovering Deel, Pilot, etc. The so-called "professional employer organizations" have existed for a long, long time.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone working remotely for a US company internationally?
#57We have a few people working as contractors internationally but it's a bit painful for both the US company and the international contractors. We're just starting to try a new approach using Deel https://www.letsdeel.com/ It's too early to give a full endorsement of them as we're just going through the process for the first couple of employees but it seems promising so far and simplifies things for both the US company…
I’m from Serbia, I’ve been working with US clients for a decade. I’m wondering why you’re not just sending Wire each month and call it a day? It’s up to the employee to choose their tax status, they can become entrepreneurs, open LLC or simply report wire transfers quarterly as an individual.
I was mostly highlighting how LetsDeel service is not really "selling much" for hires in Serbia — I am not sure what's the value add in other countries.
There are many ways to set up in Serbia, but for something resembling actual employment (which the topic is about), you are basically prohibited from using an entreprenuership since 2020, so you can either set up a LLC or take on a huge tax burden by self-reporting taxes.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone working remotely for a US company internationally?
#58I'm wondering, how is this kind of contract structured? Do they say "work X hours a week, we'll pay you X" like a normal employee? Or do you bill for variable hours (up to a maximum) where you fill up a log? Or something else? I've only ever experienced full time/part time so I'm curious.
It’s up for negotiations, it can literally be anything.
At one company the payment structure and PTO was exactly as if I was an employee, other one it’s per hour.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone working remotely for a US company internationally?
#59Earlier quoted context omitted.
I’m from Serbia, I’ve been working with US clients for a decade. I’m wondering why you’re not just sending Wire each month and call it a day? It’s up to the employee to choose their tax status, they can become entrepreneurs, open LLC or simply report wire transfers quarterly as an individual.
I was mostly highlighting how LetsDeel service is not really "selling much" for hires in Serbia — I am not sure what's the value add in other countries. There are many ways to set up in Serbia, but for something resembling actual employment (which the topic is about), you are basically prohibited from using an entreprenuership since 2020, so you can either set up a LLC or take on a huge tax burden by self-reporting t…
That’s true, I had to open an LLC because of that. However, tax burden for self reporting is exactly the same as when you’re employed at some company, it’s negative in other ways, like losing a bunch of benefits.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone working remotely for a US company internationally?
#60Curious question: does that also mean you get US salaries between $100K - $120K?
Yes. Any company that tries to play games with CoL is a red flag, to be honest. It basically mean they can't attract the best everywhere (since you know top performers are already working for SF level comp for remote companies) so good luck competing.
Asking for Bay Area level pay gives up a big advantage if you live elsewhere. If the going rate in SF is $200k then if I want the same I have to be better than somebody local.
Whereas if I am working for $100k then that compensates if I'm in a different timezone and perhaps not up to the skill level of a SF local.