Essential boundaries every freelancer should set with international clients

Be clear about your status 

Many freelancers fall into the trap, especially when they're just starting out. Faced with competition, they're willing to make plenty of sacrifices to win clients, sometimes acting more like employees than entrepreneurs. But a freelancer is an entrepreneur dealing with another entrepreneur. There's no subordinate relationship, just an equal relationship between the freelancer and the client. Unlike an employee, you're not bound to your client by an employment contract. You're free to organize your work and set your rates however you want. If you're not clear about your status, you risk accepting assignments, payment terms, and working arrangements that you shouldn't have agreed to.

Research freelance status abroad

What laws govern freelance work in your client's country? How are freelancers viewed? Is the definition broader or more restrictive than yours? Generally speaking, countries share the same understanding of freelance work: no subordinate relationship, but a "business-to-business" relationship. Find out about your rights and the standards that apply in your client's country. For example, since the start of 2025, the Netherlands has tightened its legislation to crack down on disguised employment. Companies hiring false freelancers are now in the tax authorities' sights. This crackdown also aims to better protect genuine freelancers.

Structure your working relationship around the international context

An international context means "potential time differences." You need to factor this in from the start of your prospecting. Which geographic region are you targeting for foreign clients? What's the time difference compared to where you live? Knowing this will help you plan how you'll communicate: video calls? Email? Phone? Depending on the project? Again, be upfront with your client to avoid disappointment. If your client calls you in the morning, but it's the middle of the night where you are, you won't be able to respond to their request easily. It's up to you to set your limits. Once again, you shouldn't have to put up with a pace imposed by the client. Instead, work out together how your working relationship will be organized.

Don't work for free  

It's a scenario many freelancers know all too well: you've met a client who asks you to do a free test. They give reasons that seem valid (or maybe not, but you want the contract). In the end, you've put in a full day's work, but you didn't land the contract. The test didn't go well. You tell yourself it was just a test and try your luck elsewhere. But the same company comes back to you asking for revisions to your test, which, as it turns out, wasn't so bad after all. Encouraged, you spend another two days on it. Another rejection. But the company offers you another test or asks for more revisions... which you accept, convinced you'll land the contract. You're working for free. 

For employees, the rule is clear: no unpaid work. Any trial period must be paid. For freelancers, the rule is essentially the same. Some clients try to convince you that free tests are an opportunity: you're getting access to the foreign market, so it's only normal that you prove yourself first. But any reputable company knows that tests should be paid, precisely to avoid undeclared work. To prevent abuse, set limits from the start. Ask for written terms specifying the conditions of the test. Negotiate a paid test. If that's truly not possible (and ask yourself why), weigh the costs and benefits of the test (the nature of the task, expected working hours, complexity, etc.). If the deal looks worthwhile, agree to a free test, but no more than that.

Turn down unregulated "spec work"   

Spec work is another form of unpaid labor. Sometimes, a client may put you in competition with other entrepreneurs. If so, you need to be told. The work becomes speculative when you're putting in time with no guarantee you've been chosen. The foreign client asks you to revise your work indefinitely or to work alongside other freelancers. The momentum can build to the point where you feel like you've landed the contract. But you haven't signed anything. In the end, you're working for free. Once again, set limits from the start: this shouldn't be an assignment (which requires a contract), but a test. And every test must have a clear beginning and end. 

Set your rates with the international context in mind

This is one of the biggest challenges freelancers face, especially when starting out: how do you set your rates? The first piece of advice is to do market research: what rates do other freelancers in your sector typically charge? Then you assess your own rates based on your expertise, your costs, and the time you spend working. The same thinking applies to the international context. Study the market: what rates do local freelancers charge? Are they different from what foreigners in the same line of work charge? In your calculations, factor in any additional costs associated with the international context, such as equipment you may need to purchase. Also include your working time (research required, project complexity, etc.). Don't forget fixed costs (internet plan, electricity, etc.). One caveat: setting your rates with the international context in mind doesn't mean you have to apply the foreign country's rates. You're not an employee on a local contract. You're a business, and you set your rates freely.

Learn how to spot scams  

Freelancers are a frequent target for scammers. Attempts at fraud start as soon as you launch your business, with various paid offers for administrative services that are actually free. Scammers may also offer paid services to handle the administrative process for you. That's another scam. Another type of fraud involves putting you in touch with so-called foreign clients. Fraudsters bank on the potentially precarious nature of your business (especially if you're just starting out). They offer you supposed lists of foreign clients and act as a middleman for a fee. In reality, the connection never happens because the foreign clients don't exist. 

An even more sophisticated scam involves fraudsters posing as foreign clients. It's very easy to create a fake IP address; you think you're talking to a foreign client when you're actually communicating with a scammer. Artificial intelligence adds another layer of difficulty: the scammer redirects you to their company's fake website, invents a history, fabricates figures, and so on.

At the slightest suspicion, ask for proof and verify it. Is there an official business directory in your client's country? Don't just take their word for it. Do your own digging. If you sense your client is dodging questions or trying to sell you a fantasy, cut off all contact. 

Vigilance is the keyword

Scams don't just affect new freelancers. Experienced entrepreneurs can get caught out too. The same goes for setting limits in an international context, as well as in contracts with clients from your own country. 

To avoid unpleasant surprises, stay cautious. Speak the same language as your foreign client. Avoid relying on translation software. You're not immune to translation errors, which can have serious consequences. Want to use a translator? Choose a sworn professional. But unless you can afford to pay for these translation services, it's better to handle all communications yourself, especially if your work with the foreign client is a one-off. Stay informed about the rules governing freelance status in the foreign country.