You can work from anywhere! But can your employer afford it?

What if you just didn’t mention that you're working remotely from another country for some time? No one would really notice, right?

Remote work is so easy now. Wi-Fi, a laptop, a Zoom background and suddenly your “WFH” is actually “WFBali.” Why should HR care? 

Well, they should. It isn’t just about rules for rules’ sake. It’s about risk, for you and the company.

A real court case from India confirmed that just three days of Formula 1 racing created a permanent establishment in India and triggered local tax obligations for the event organizers. Three days! Imagine what a few months of remote work could do :)

🧾 Tax Trouble

Working from another country, even temporarily, can make you a tax resident there. That could mean:

- you owe income tax locally

- you have to file multiple returns

- your employer might get dragged into foreign corporate tax issues if you sign contracts or close deals on their behalf.

🧓 Social Security Surprises

If you stay too long abroad, you might need to start paying into another country’s social system. Even worse, the company might owe contributions too. Not every country has a nice regulation to smooth things over.

⚖️ Local Employment Laws Apply

If you work from abroad, you might become subject to that country’s labor laws. That includes minimum wage, termination protections, sick leave, and more. Your employment contract might not mean what you think it means anymore.

Furthermore, you might not even be allowed to work from another country. Tourist visas often explicitly prohibit even remote work for a foreign employer. This can put both the employee and employer in violation of immigration laws.

💡  Remote work across borders isn’t just a lifestyle choice, it can have tax and legal consequences. The risk isn’t theoretical, it’s real, and it can be expensive for you and your employer if you don’t get it right.