Remote Working for Non-Germany Company

The question would first be what kind of job that would be that one will hire you remotely? But you are correct that most professional jobs require fluent German except for some very niche fields like IT and some sorts of engineering.

But once in German you have to report and pay taxes on world-wide income and be insured in the local system. If an employer has a presence in Germany then they should pay you here and pay for half the cost of your health care coverage. If the employer is elsewhere, then you would have to pay the health coverage all on your own.

Double taxation should not likely happen but making sure the situation is clear with tax authorities to avoid that might be complex; I can't say anything about the UK system- or how it might he changed on this issue due to Brexit. The US situation could be a nightmare. The IRS requires not just US citizens to file from abroad but everyone they label a “US person”; including anyone residing and/or working in the States. This designation doesn't give you any benefits or rights like a US citizen but the same tax filing obligations! Hopefully this would not include you but it would have to be clarified.

If a US based employer is required to withhold payroll taxes for you then it creates a nightmare where you have to file US taxes as well. American expats are livid about this, having to file even if they have no income or connection to the States, and many give up their US citizenship because of it. And to be a non-citizen and get caught up in such system is insane. Don't rely on logic or concepts of jurisdiction to assume you would be necessarily exempt from this because that is not how the IRS works. They make their own rules and one needs to be duly informed of them.

Thanks for the response.

I work in digital marketing (online advertising). There are remote jobs available (mainly US based companies).

So if I have to pay my own taxes etc., how expensive is this likely to become? In terms of the admin, I'm sure my partner could help with the documents? But does this become horrendously complicated?

Thanks for the US info, but I am from the U.K.

As Tom explained above, if the employer has no presence in Germany, you'd have to do all administrative stuff yourself and pay all dues from your pocket. You'd be classed as self-employed.
There have been numerous discussions about this on the forum, which you might want to find and read.
I think engaging (and paying for) professional consultants for business registration, accountancy and taxation issues would be the only way forward, unless you are near-fluent in German (and not a newbie in such topics).
It might be easier, cheaper and lower risk to get a low level or part-time job in the beginning while learning German (or delay working here by one or two years while attending full-time classes).

Another aspect is timing and buerocratic delays: In my wife's case (also a non-EU national married to a German), it took three months after her arrival (on FRV with work allowed!) before she managed to complete the procedures and get the actual work permit.
Setting up your own business, as mentioned above, would add a few more months, I suspect.
This might work faster or slower in your particular case (it depends on the local Ausländeramt and Arbeitsagentur), but arriving and starting work immediately is not realistic (unless you arrive with a work visa for that job).

Many thanks for your response

Just so I'm clear - when I get married to my partner, there will still be a delay in being allocated the right to work by a few months?

You can utilize that time for attending intensive German classes - which will helpyou later on!

Ollyver27 wrote:

Thanks for the response.

I work in digital marketing (online advertising). There are remote jobs available (mainly US based companies).

So if I have to pay my own taxes etc., how expensive is this likely to become? In terms of the admin, I'm sure my partner could help with the documents? But does this become horrendously complicated?

Thanks for the US info, but I am from the U.K.

I understand you are from the UK but you specifically mentioned the possibility of working for US companies.

My point is that if such a company is US based and not in Germany, it can mean you might have to file US tax returns despite not being a citizen and possibly despite not being a resident.

Not only is the US one of only 2 countries in the world that tax their citizens abroad - but uniquely anyone they label a "US person", which includes not just citizens and foreign residents but possibly anyone on a payroll in the US. If you would actually get hire by an American company, it is absolutely necessary to clarify this or your life will be hell.  They decide and make the rules. Anyone considered a US person has serious troubles to get banking or financial services anywhere in the world. I have written about this subject in detail on other threads but most non-American are not likely to have taken note.

Thanks, and agreed this could be a good idea! I want to learn German and have started already, but do think some intensive course will be required at some point before the move / during the move.

It does scare me a little bit though about the wait to be able to work. And I hadn't realised this at all. So it took your partner 3 months for this right to be approved? Even though they had permanent residency through your marriage?

Is it possible to start searching for work (normal work, not remote) before this has been granted?

A little bit daunting if I have to wait for the work right to come through and then have possibly a few months of job searching too...

As always - thanks for your insights

TominStuttgart wrote:

Ollyver27 wrote:

Thanks for the response.

I work in digital marketing (online advertising). There are remote jobs available (mainly US based companies).

So if I have to pay my own taxes etc., how expensive is this likely to become? In terms of the admin, I'm sure my partner could help with the documents? But does this become horrendously complicated?

Thanks for the US info, but I am from the U.K.

I understand you are from the UK but you specifically mentioned the possibility of working for US companies.

My point is that if such a company is US based and not in Germany, it can mean you might have to file US tax returns despite not being a citizen and possibly despite not being a resident.

Not only is the US one of only 2 countries in the world that tax their citizens abroad - but uniquely anyone they label a "US person", which includes not just citizens and foreign residents but possibly anyone on a payroll in the US. If you would actually get hire by an American company, it is absolutely necessary to clarify this or your life will be hell.  They decide and make the rules. Anyone considered a US person has serious troubles to get banking or financial services anywhere in the world. I have written about this subject in detail on other threads but most non-American are not likely to have taken note.

Very good point, thank you. To be honest, I've gone off the idea of remote working on the basis of having to pay all German contributions myself, which might reduce my salary quite substantially!