6th March 2018
Contractors willing and eager to operate across borders will have a huge range of opportunities at their hands. International assignments not only provide the chance to experience different cultures and travel the world, but also present wider professional development prospects.
However, taking up an assignment in a different country isn’t as simple as accepting the job and relocating (which in itself can be a challenging process). With global variances in employment legislation and tax requirements, remaining compliant with local laws is both tricky and risky for many. And with so many unscrupulous operators out there claiming to offer ‘compliant’ solutions, how can you tell if what you’ve been sold is real?
How to check your solution is compliant
- In the first instance, ensure you do your own research. There’s a range of resources that can be found online that will help you gather some initial information to benchmark your supplier against. Use what you find as a basis to explore the solution more and if the company is unable to provide a satisfactory answer to your queries, look elsewhere.
- Keeping up with the latest tax news is also key. Legislative changes are happening frequently when it comes to employment taxes and expat compliance requirements. Staying abreast of developments in any locations you are considering assignments in not only helps you verify the validity of the solution on offer, but is also beneficial for your general knowledge.
- Make sure you use your network as well. Other contractors are often the best source of information – do you know anyone who has been involved with the supplier before? If so, what was their experience?
- Look at a supplier’s history. How long has it operated internationally? What experience does its staff have? What training have they been given?
- Speak to your recruitment agency. Find out what due diligence checks have been carried out and whether or not the company is part of a preferred supplier list. Ask if there is an agreement in place that verifies if the company paying you is fully compliant in the country.
- Finally, remember that if a solution sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t compliant, so be wary of those deals offering to increase your take home pay above the usual threshold.
Credentials
In a world where authorities are clamping down on fraudulent activity and tax evasion it is vital to use a service provider with the expertise and knowledge to get the right compliant solution for you. With both a global reach and local knowledge at our disposal 6CATS can provide you with compliant, effective, contracting solutions wherever you are working.
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