I know that tax implications can start if you spend more than 6 months abroad. My employer also said there’s some kind of work conditions that UK government expects all employers to provide to employees, and they can’t control that if they let me work from abroad, so they can’t let me work even temporarily abroad.

In any case, if I don’t tell my employer that I work from abroad then they won’t have to legally worry about that stuff?

In such case can I work less than 6 months abroad? If yes, then can I also work more than 6 months abroad (I heard there can be some issues with tax, but how would anyone know that I worked abroad)?

12 comments
  1. Please don’t head to another country and not pay tax when you owe it.

    Get pissed off at Brits doing that in Sweden.

    Not that you are able to easily move to another country for 6-months, but still.

    If you plan on doing remote work in most countries, you need a working visa.

  2. Of course not, you create tax and legal problems for them as well as yourself.

  3. Your employer would be the most liable, my employer just had to let 2 people go as they moved abroad without telling the company, the company found out and they refused to return to the UK. It opens up a few problems for the business such as taxes and employee benefits in that country.

    Don’t do it unless you don’t care if you get fired ,,,

  4. There is also export control legislation you and your employer would need to consider.

  5. Irrespective of and tax or legal implications…have you considered things like healthcare for any medium/long term issues. If your employer provides health insurance it’s highly unlikely to cover you for treatment while abroad, and standard travel insurance won’t go much further than making sure you can get back to the UK. Then there’s the logistics of ensuring any company provided equipment is kept in working order, would the business firewalls allow connections from abroad to their systems, if the equipment fails how would you get it repaired without either costing you money or voiding a warranty…you should really speak to them about it

    ETA asking this to promote thought in others who may see the post but didn’t think beyond the law as much as asking you

  6. If there’s no problem with it, why not just tell them anyway?

    Unless you actually think there is an issue.

  7. >if I don’t tell my employer that I work from abroad then they won’t have to legally worry about that stuff?

    No, they’d only have to illegally worry about the liabilities you exposed them to without telling them, which would not be treated leniently by the authorities.

    * Depending on where you went, cross-border transfer of data could be a problem
    * If they don’t know you’re working abroad they can’t make sure that tax and social security payments were made at the right rate to the right country’s tax service.
    * Depending on your role, you could expose them to Corporation Tax liabilities if you are making sales (earning income for your employer).
    * If you’re not registered as paying tax or social security in your country of residence, you could find it difficult to access health services without a Social Security number.

    In short, don’t do this, working illegally in a foreign country is a stupid move which could cause you and your employer all sorts of problems.

  8. Our IT system monitors login from unexpected IP addresses, if using company IT abroad you have to fill out a form for your computer name and your login and what countries you will be logging in from

  9. Lying makes things so much easier. Do it with your other half if you feel like sleeping with someone else, as well.

  10. The transfer of company or client data over a foreign network is a boundary I wouldn’t touch with an army.

    Also, most remote jobs are typical 9-5 so depending on where you go, you may still be required to start at 9, and finish at 5pm UK time which could be 6pm till 2am (Using Australia as an example).

  11. >I know that tax implications can start if you spend more than 6 months abroad.

    Tax residency usually starts then yes, 183 days is common, some places have different rules.

    That does not mean you can work there for just under that amount, usually any work done in their country you will owe tax to them, even if you aren’t a tax resident (baring exceptions per country basis, e.g. Digital nomad visas or some places give you a week or so leniency).

    >My employer also said there’s some kind of work conditions that UK government expects all employers to provide to employees, and they can’t control that if they let me work from abroad, so they can’t let me work even temporarily abroad.

    Yes they legally have to meet certain requirements as an employer in the place they employing you at (think pension contributions and other social services), they might not be able to do so in a country where they have non legal presence in.

    >In any case, if I don’t tell my employer that I work from abroad then they won’t have to legally worry about that stuff?

    They will, if another country determines that they did in fact had employees in their country and did so illegally, they would be in a world of hurt.

    >In such case can I work less than 6 months abroad? If yes, then can I also work more than 6 months abroad (I heard there can be some issues with tax, but how would anyone know that I worked abroad)?

    Generally no, digital nomad visas exist though but the majority of things you read on digital nomad communities are straight up illegal in multiple ways, from employment and visa fraud (not allowed to work on tourist visas pretty much anywhere) plus the tax evasion schemes.

    Now if you gonna get caught is a different question, other countries are very unlikely to catch you, but if your company has consulted actual lawyers and have any kinda legal requirements to uphold then they will sniff you out quick themselves.

  12. How long are you looking to be away?

    I worked October ’21 and April ’22 from my holiday home in Bordeaux and none was the wiser.

    Still got all my annual leave to take.

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