Freelancer immigration: what you need to know
The popularity of freelancing is growing every year. After all, this way of organizing the workflow includes a whole lot of advantages: a free schedule, lack of reference to a particular workplace, opportunities for international cooperation, greater freedom in choosing projects.
All these advantages together form a good basis for moving a freelancer to another country, because he does not have to change jobs and working order.
But the process of relocating a freelancer in different countries is slightly different from the relocation of a full-time specialist. Consider it on the examples of different countries in Europe, Asia and North America.
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Freelancers are individual entrepreneurs who work in the areas of IT-technology, design, media, journalistic, translation activities, as well as engaged in various consulting or expert activities.
Freelancers are also often called hired freelance employees who are hired for the period of work on a specific project.
Before you pack your bags, you need to decide exactly where you want to move.
There are three categories of countries available for relocate:
Let's take Canada. For freelancer ideal relocate on the program "Self-employed person", that is, "Self-employed". But there are many nuances. Firstly, only representatives of art and sports fall into this category. That is, the copywriter and the web designer will still pass, but the SMM boxer is gone. In addition, there is a very strict system of assessing the value of a specialist, which depends on education, work experience, and knowledge of languages ​​(English and French).
In Canada, there are over 70 different programs for immigration specialists, but specifically with freelancers, there may be questions, because for legal work you need a contract with a Canadian company, and opening your company is quite expensive and dreary.
And, for example, in Thailand, the visa issue is quite simple. This is if you go the official and legal way. You need to apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa-B annual business visa without obtaining a work permit. The only thing every 3 months will have to update the visa, going outside the country.
Thailand’s immigration law was seriously tightened in 2015, but it’s still easier than Canadian or American.
I highly recommend not to participate in all sorts of frauds with visas. In Thailand, for $ 3,000, you can even buy a residence permit, then if this is found out, then it will not be limited to deportation - you can get a real term of 3-5 years. There is nothing to say about more developed countries, the punishments are much tougher there.
However, if you intend to live in the country for six months or a year, and not longer, then you should not bother too much with visas. In many countries, including European ones, there are options on the basis of tourist visas, with the help of which you can stay in the country for a long time if you update them in time.
To learn about the features of visa processing and extension, you can contact the consulate of the selected country or a special visa center.
Before moving, be sure to estimate the cost of living in the country and calculate what the minimum income is required to comfortably be in this country.
The main rule is one: “to work in a country with a high income, and live in a country with a low cost of living.”
That is, if you work as a freelancer with customers from Germany or the USA, then you will be comfortable living in almost any country.
But with Russian income, you need to choose a country where the level of the cost of living is not higher than the Russian. Otherwise, you will have to save a lot, and the very meaning of moving to another country for more comfortable work will be lost.
What you need to pay special attention to:
The cost of housing and communal. As well as features of renting housing. In Italy, for example, the removal process itself takes up to one and a half months. You will also have to conclude a contract for the connection of light with public utilities, for which you will need to make an Italian identification number. In general, the bureaucracy is on top.
The Internet. Pay special attention to the cost and characteristics of the Internet. In European countries, the Internet is quite expensive - a normal package with a speed of 10 Mbps and above will cost at least $ 40. In Asian countries, the Internet is often unstable, so often have to buy two modems of different operators and also pay for mobile Internet.
The cost of food and clothing. It is best to estimate the cost of a basic set of products: milk, bread, cheese, chicken breast, cereals, local vegetables and fruits. In different countries, the basic set may vary. For example, in island countries (Cyprus, Sri Lanka), seafood is cheaper than meat.
Transport. Be sure to find out the most convenient way to travel. This can be either public transport, or car rental, or the purchase of a moped. For example, in Poland, public transport is well developed, and in Montenegro it is advised to buy a moped for travel.
If you have children of kindergarten or school age, be sure to (!) Look at the prices of kindergartens and schools . They may simply be obscenely huge.
All the statistical information you can get on the Numbeo website in the “Cost of living” section .
For you, we have collected some of the most common locations for relocock freelancer and compared the cost of living in them:
All local prices are converted to US dollars for easy comparison.
* Pass on ground transportation.
** Rent one-room apartment in the center of a medium or large city.
*** The basket includes: milk, cereals or pasta, meat (beef), eggs, cheese, bread, local vegetables and fruits.
Features of work and withdrawal of money
When moving to another country, you need to decide whether you are going to stay in it for a long time or for a year or two.
The second option is much simpler in the bureaucratic plan, because it does not oblige you to be registered as a taxpayer in the country. In fact, you remain under the jurisdiction of Russia and pay taxes in Russia too. Formally, you are listed as a tourist in the territory of another state, which, in fact, imposes its own limitations.
In general, with all the difficulties that arise in this case, you can sort it out in a few weeks. Especially if you prepare while still in Russia.
In most countries, the time of uninterrupted stay in the country is limited, if you come on a tourist visa. Therefore, it is necessary to study this moment in advance. For example, a multivisa in Thailand lasts 180 days, but you can spend only 60 days continuously in the country. That is, to remain legally in Thailand, you will need to come to the border or to another country 2 times in six months.
If you have decided to move for a long time - a few years or even in the future with obtaining a residence permit, then it is much more difficult. And purely my opinion is that a residence permit for a freelancer is not so necessary, because I have freelance clients, whom I issued a business visa a few years ago with a reserve for long-term residence, and recently they again turned to me to move to another country, because she was already tired.
If possible, I recommend trying about a month of "test" living in the country. It often happens that the expectations of life and work in the country are very different from reality.
If you have not previously engaged in relocate planning, then for the first time I would highly recommend contacting professionals. After all, there are a large number of nuances that you cannot take into account due to ignorance, and this will result in large expenses and all sorts of problems in a new place.
Agree, it will be a shame to plan the move until the booking of tickets, and then find out that you were denied a visa. Or, even worse, it is already in the country to find out that you, as a foreigner, have been thrice abused.
But if you still decide, go ahead! For a freelancer, this is an excellent experience and an opportunity to get acquainted with the life of different countries and cultures.
All these advantages together form a good basis for moving a freelancer to another country, because he does not have to change jobs and working order.
But the process of relocating a freelancer in different countries is slightly different from the relocation of a full-time specialist. Consider it on the examples of different countries in Europe, Asia and North America.
')
Who is a freelancer
Freelancers are individual entrepreneurs who work in the areas of IT-technology, design, media, journalistic, translation activities, as well as engaged in various consulting or expert activities.
Freelancers are also often called hired freelance employees who are hired for the period of work on a specific project.
Freelance in different countries
Before you pack your bags, you need to decide exactly where you want to move.
There are three categories of countries available for relocate:
- Available: they have fairly simple immigration laws, entry and the process of obtaining a residence permit or even the opportunity to work without it. For example, Thailand, Ecuador, India, Indonesia.
- Medium availability. There are some difficulties for the immigrant, but the chances of being positive are extremely high. For example, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Portugal, China.
- Virtually inaccessible. Countries with very strict immigration laws, in which the entry freelancers almost closed. For example, USA, Canada.
Let's take Canada. For freelancer ideal relocate on the program "Self-employed person", that is, "Self-employed". But there are many nuances. Firstly, only representatives of art and sports fall into this category. That is, the copywriter and the web designer will still pass, but the SMM boxer is gone. In addition, there is a very strict system of assessing the value of a specialist, which depends on education, work experience, and knowledge of languages ​​(English and French).
In Canada, there are over 70 different programs for immigration specialists, but specifically with freelancers, there may be questions, because for legal work you need a contract with a Canadian company, and opening your company is quite expensive and dreary.
And, for example, in Thailand, the visa issue is quite simple. This is if you go the official and legal way. You need to apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa-B annual business visa without obtaining a work permit. The only thing every 3 months will have to update the visa, going outside the country.
Thailand’s immigration law was seriously tightened in 2015, but it’s still easier than Canadian or American.
I highly recommend not to participate in all sorts of frauds with visas. In Thailand, for $ 3,000, you can even buy a residence permit, then if this is found out, then it will not be limited to deportation - you can get a real term of 3-5 years. There is nothing to say about more developed countries, the punishments are much tougher there.
However, if you intend to live in the country for six months or a year, and not longer, then you should not bother too much with visas. In many countries, including European ones, there are options on the basis of tourist visas, with the help of which you can stay in the country for a long time if you update them in time.
To learn about the features of visa processing and extension, you can contact the consulate of the selected country or a special visa center.
Prices for living in countries
Before moving, be sure to estimate the cost of living in the country and calculate what the minimum income is required to comfortably be in this country.
The main rule is one: “to work in a country with a high income, and live in a country with a low cost of living.”
That is, if you work as a freelancer with customers from Germany or the USA, then you will be comfortable living in almost any country.
But with Russian income, you need to choose a country where the level of the cost of living is not higher than the Russian. Otherwise, you will have to save a lot, and the very meaning of moving to another country for more comfortable work will be lost.
What you need to pay special attention to:
The cost of housing and communal. As well as features of renting housing. In Italy, for example, the removal process itself takes up to one and a half months. You will also have to conclude a contract for the connection of light with public utilities, for which you will need to make an Italian identification number. In general, the bureaucracy is on top.
The Internet. Pay special attention to the cost and characteristics of the Internet. In European countries, the Internet is quite expensive - a normal package with a speed of 10 Mbps and above will cost at least $ 40. In Asian countries, the Internet is often unstable, so often have to buy two modems of different operators and also pay for mobile Internet.
The cost of food and clothing. It is best to estimate the cost of a basic set of products: milk, bread, cheese, chicken breast, cereals, local vegetables and fruits. In different countries, the basic set may vary. For example, in island countries (Cyprus, Sri Lanka), seafood is cheaper than meat.
Transport. Be sure to find out the most convenient way to travel. This can be either public transport, or car rental, or the purchase of a moped. For example, in Poland, public transport is well developed, and in Montenegro it is advised to buy a moped for travel.
If you have children of kindergarten or school age, be sure to (!) Look at the prices of kindergartens and schools . They may simply be obscenely huge.
All the statistical information you can get on the Numbeo website in the “Cost of living” section .
For you, we have collected some of the most common locations for relocock freelancer and compared the cost of living in them:
All local prices are converted to US dollars for easy comparison.
* Pass on ground transportation.
** Rent one-room apartment in the center of a medium or large city.
*** The basket includes: milk, cereals or pasta, meat (beef), eggs, cheese, bread, local vegetables and fruits.
Features of work and withdrawal of money
When moving to another country, you need to decide whether you are going to stay in it for a long time or for a year or two.
The second option is much simpler in the bureaucratic plan, because it does not oblige you to be registered as a taxpayer in the country. In fact, you remain under the jurisdiction of Russia and pay taxes in Russia too. Formally, you are listed as a tourist in the territory of another state, which, in fact, imposes its own limitations.
- Concluding official contracts with residents will be problematic.
- In most cases, you will not be able to open a bank account. Or, to open an account will require a tidy sum of several tens of thousands of dollars.
- You can receive transfers only to international bank cards or services. Therefore, you need to make a physical map of the service. For example, a debit card Payoneer or Paypal. But in this case, you may encounter double or even triple conversion on the card if the card currency does not correspond to the currency of the country in which you are staying.
In general, with all the difficulties that arise in this case, you can sort it out in a few weeks. Especially if you prepare while still in Russia.
In most countries, the time of uninterrupted stay in the country is limited, if you come on a tourist visa. Therefore, it is necessary to study this moment in advance. For example, a multivisa in Thailand lasts 180 days, but you can spend only 60 days continuously in the country. That is, to remain legally in Thailand, you will need to come to the border or to another country 2 times in six months.
If you have decided to move for a long time - a few years or even in the future with obtaining a residence permit, then it is much more difficult. And purely my opinion is that a residence permit for a freelancer is not so necessary, because I have freelance clients, whom I issued a business visa a few years ago with a reserve for long-term residence, and recently they again turned to me to move to another country, because she was already tired.
If possible, I recommend trying about a month of "test" living in the country. It often happens that the expectations of life and work in the country are very different from reality.
Take, for example, Bali. Many freelancers aspire to go there. But besides the “paradise picture” there are many nuances. It will not work under a palm tree - in high season, the temperature outside reaches 35 degrees. At the same time, the ocean is rather cold due to undercurrents. They are strong and insidious, even off the coast, so it is simply dangerous to sail away. In the cities of Indonesia, there is a strong lack of sanitation - rats can easily run along the roads. Plus, the strong influence of Islam on society.So it is worth to stay in the country a little longer than the usual vacation takes. Three to four weeks will be enough.
Such negative nuances are revealed only directly during the stay. And they can spoil the impression very much, even to the point of total disappointment.
If you have not previously engaged in relocate planning, then for the first time I would highly recommend contacting professionals. After all, there are a large number of nuances that you cannot take into account due to ignorance, and this will result in large expenses and all sorts of problems in a new place.
Agree, it will be a shame to plan the move until the booking of tickets, and then find out that you were denied a visa. Or, even worse, it is already in the country to find out that you, as a foreigner, have been thrice abused.
But if you still decide, go ahead! For a freelancer, this is an excellent experience and an opportunity to get acquainted with the life of different countries and cultures.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/449314/
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