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Ask HN: Strategies to land remote US job while living in living in EU?

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Re: Ask HN: Strategies to land remote US job while living in living in EU?

#11

Post by mrtksn »

tok1 wrote: post #8

I don't want to sound negative but with current tax legislation in most EU countries, this is far more complicated than it may sound, at least to do it lawfully. Not impossible but in many cases, it requires a legal entity in your home country to be fully employed (i.e. not freelancer-based). I investigated a somewhat related scenario: Being employed at a German legal entity with an already-remote contract and reloca…

It's not that complicated actually. There are already companies who establish local companies that function as intermediary for hiring local people. Alternatively, you can setup your own company that will employ you, pay the local taxes etc. and the company that actually you work for will pay your company for purchasing services.

Deel, Oyster HR and Papaya Global are examples for the first solution.

Re: Ask HN: Strategies to land remote US job while living in living in EU?

#12

Post by sarchertech »

Many US companies hiring people from Europe are treating them as de facto employees but paying them as contractors.

This is illegal. It’s not something that the US government has been regularly enforcing. But if the trend continues and ends up on the public’s radar, that will change.

Re: Ask HN: Strategies to land remote US job while living in living in EU?

#13

Post by mytailorisrich »

rozenmd wrote: post #2

You're looking for US companies with EU offices, basically. You get an internationally competitive salary, and because they've got a local office, they also comply with the EU's sane employment laws. I don't really have tips - I joined Atlassian in Sydney and transferred to Atlassian France. After a while I managed to find another job using my personal network. At least in France some local companies are starting to…

US companies with EU offices hire in those offices based on local compensation... quite obviously.

Re: Ask HN: Strategies to land remote US job while living in living in EU?

#14

Post by scrollinondubs »

I worked previously for a US-based company that hired engineers from around the world (Pagely) and they didn't care where anyone worked. I don't have any specific advice other than these employers exist and you just have to find them. These are good sites with ability to filter down to remote-only: https://angel.co/jobs https://remoteok.com/ https://weworkremotely.com/

If you get pushback based on complexity it creates for them having to manage payroll/tax witholding in different jurisdictions there are services like this one: https://opolis.co/ I would figure out fees for that and bake it into your proposed salary. You would have to do the math but could still represent a more cost effective hire to them and with no additional complexity... at least that's how I'd try to make the case. good luck

Re: Ask HN: Strategies to land remote US job while living in living in EU?

#15

Post by propogandist »

isbvhodnvemrwvn wrote: post #5
rozenmd wrote: post #2

You're looking for US companies with EU offices, basically. You get an internationally competitive salary, and because they've got a local office, they also comply with the EU's sane employment laws. I don't really have tips - I joined Atlassian in Sydney and transferred to Atlassian France. After a while I managed to find another job using my personal network. At least in France some local companies are starting to…

99% of US companies with EU offices will NOT pay you anywhere close to the US level of money, IIRC the offer I received from Atlassian in Poland some years ago was not even competitive with the local market.

+1; international offices are subsidiaries of the parent company, They’re setup to comply with local laws and also pay local market wages (vs US wages).

Any sane bigTech company in the US won’t want to deal with complexity of hiring EU staff directly, as the US HR staff will be on the hook for EU & country specific HR laws, tax requirements, benefits administration etc.

Re: Ask HN: Strategies to land remote US job while living in living in EU?

#17

Post by sarchertech »

scrollinondubs wrote: post #14

I worked previously for a US-based company that hired engineers from around the world (Pagely) and they didn't care where anyone worked. I don't have any specific advice other than these employers exist and you just have to find them. These are good sites with ability to filter down to remote-only: https://angel.co/jobs https://remoteok.com/ https://weworkremotely.com/ If you get pushback based on complexity it creat…

Most US companies will not deal with hiring someone as a direct employee from a country with the kind of worker protections most European countries have—unless they already have a presence there (and are likely paying local rates anyway).

Re: Ask HN: Strategies to land remote US job while living in living in EU?

#18

Post by alanfranz »

I think you’re asking for a US salary rather than a US company in itself, right?

Unless you’re an exceptional performer who can command a US salary from a position in EU, I think you could: - move to the US, maybe some remote area where cost of living is minimal but you get a reasonable internet connection - apply for a full remote job that accepts digital nomads, so they ack you could work from any timezone - go back living in your EU country

You should mind any Irs or immigration office complaining, though, and you may be breaking laws.

Re: Ask HN: Strategies to land remote US job while living in living in EU?

#19

Post by bitL »

tok1 wrote: post #8

I don't want to sound negative but with current tax legislation in most EU countries, this is far more complicated than it may sound, at least to do it lawfully. Not impossible but in many cases, it requires a legal entity in your home country to be fully employed (i.e. not freelancer-based). I investigated a somewhat related scenario: Being employed at a German legal entity with an already-remote contract and reloca…

It's super easy actually. All one needs is to be a freelancer in the EU and use W-8BEN form in the US. No additional taxes, just EU ones.

Re: Ask HN: Strategies to land remote US job while living in living in EU?

#20

Post by bitL »

sarchertech wrote: post #12

Many US companies hiring people from Europe are treating them as de facto employees but paying them as contractors. This is illegal. It’s not something that the US government has been regularly enforcing. But if the trend continues and ends up on the public’s radar, that will change.

It's not illegal. An EU person needs a legal entity in the EU (it can be either freelancer or a company) and then it's just usual B2B relationship where EU person pays their taxes, insurances etc. in the EU. US company still saves, i.e. instead of paying 200k to a fresh graduate they can pay it to a senior dev in the EU.
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