Remote work for other EU country

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besbos
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri May 05, 2023 11:29 am

Remote work for other EU country

Post by besbos » Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am

I currently live in Belgium, working for a Belgian company, but would like to move in with my Finnish partner in Finland.

My current employer agrees that I would work 100% remotely from Finland, but I'm worried what my netto salary would look like when I have moved to Finland. Do I pay social security to Belgium or to Finland? According to my accountant I will have to keep on paying social security to Belgium, although he does not have experience with working internationally. Does that mean I won't be able to get a Kela card? Will all my netto compensations be taxed in Finland?

I have had a phone call to Vero already and I have paid a visit to the International House Helsinki, but even they could not answer my questions.
How/where can I find an answer??

At this point I'm thinking to become a freelancer instead – if my employer agrees. Any thoughts on that?



Remote work for other EU country

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FinlandGirl
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2019 10:43 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by FinlandGirl » Sat May 06, 2023 12:05 am

besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
I currently live in Belgium, working for a Belgian company, but would like to move in with my Finnish partner in Finland.

My current employer agrees that I would work 100% remotely from Finland,
Does your employer also agree to doing all necessary formalities, like reporting all salary payments to the Finnish Incomes Register?
besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
Do I pay social security to Belgium or to Finland? According to my accountant I will have to keep on paying social security to Belgium
That sounds correct.
besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
Does that mean I won't be able to get a Kela card?
For what benefits?
Having a Kela card does not imply eligibility for all benefits.
besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
Will all my netto compensations be taxed in Finland?
As a Finnish resident you might might be liable for all worldwide income/inheritances/gifts you receive.
Income taxation of employment in Belgium depends on the contents of the tax treaty between Finland and Belgium.
besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
At this point I'm thinking to become a freelancer instead – if my employer agrees. Any thoughts on that?
It would remove the complicated cross-border issues.

gramirezv
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2020 12:46 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by gramirezv » Sat May 06, 2023 7:10 am

This info is available in Kela's website:

https://www.vero.fi/en/individuals/tax- ... -employer/

FinlandGirl
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2019 10:43 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by FinlandGirl » Sat May 06, 2023 5:41 pm

gramirezv wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 7:10 am
This info is available in Kela's website:

https://www.vero.fi/en/individuals/tax- ... -employer/
That's Vero, not Kela.

betelgeuse
Posts: 4503
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:24 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by betelgeuse » Sun May 07, 2023 1:23 pm

FinlandGirl wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 12:05 am
besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
Do I pay social security to Belgium or to Finland? According to my accountant I will have to keep on paying social security to Belgium
That sounds correct.
It’s not. Contributions can only be paid to Belgium if there’s an A1 certificate from Belgium.

besbos
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri May 05, 2023 11:29 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by besbos » Tue May 09, 2023 12:06 pm

FinlandGirl wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 12:05 am
besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
I currently live in Belgium, working for a Belgian company, but would like to move in with my Finnish partner in Finland.

My current employer agrees that I would work 100% remotely from Finland,
Does your employer also agree to doing all necessary formalities, like reporting all salary payments to the Finnish Incomes Register?
I think he's not aware of this. I will have to discuss this with him.
FinlandGirl wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 12:05 am
besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
Does that mean I won't be able to get a Kela card?
For what benefits?
Having a Kela card does not imply eligibility for all benefits.
Not sure how things work when I get sick or some other reasons I'm unable to work?
FinlandGirl wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 12:05 am
besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
Will all my netto compensations be taxed in Finland?
As a Finnish resident you might might be liable for all worldwide income/inheritances/gifts you receive.
Income taxation of employment in Belgium depends on the contents of the tax treaty between Finland and Belgium.
Any idea what's the best way to find out? I don't think I'm able to read and understand everything correctly.

FinlandGirl
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2019 10:43 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by FinlandGirl » Tue May 09, 2023 4:50 pm

besbos wrote:
Tue May 09, 2023 12:06 pm
FinlandGirl wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 12:05 am
besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
Does that mean I won't be able to get a Kela card?
For what benefits?
Having a Kela card does not imply eligibility for all benefits.
Not sure how things work when I get sick or some other reasons I'm unable to work?
For Finnish employers there is a legal requirement to provide occupational healthcare for all employees, so when you are sick you go to a doctor at the private healthcare provider your employer has contracted.

Employed people can also use the public sector healthcare, but that's really underfunded and I doubt you would get an appointment there for a normal cold that keeps you in bed for a few days.

In your case, you would likely go to a doctor at a private healthcare provider (costs around 100 Euro for a visit, plus lab costs).
besbos wrote:
Tue May 09, 2023 12:06 pm
FinlandGirl wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 12:05 am
besbos wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 11:36 am
Will all my netto compensations be taxed in Finland?
As a Finnish resident you might might be liable for all worldwide income/inheritances/gifts you receive.
Income taxation of employment in Belgium depends on the contents of the tax treaty between Finland and Belgium.
Any idea what's the best way to find out? I don't think I'm able to read and understand everything correctly.
Your accountant should be able to help you understand https://www.finlex.fi/en/sopimukset/ver ... 80066Art24

betelgeuse
Posts: 4503
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:24 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by betelgeuse » Thu May 11, 2023 8:06 am

FinlandGirl wrote:
Tue May 09, 2023 4:50 pm
besbos wrote:
Tue May 09, 2023 12:06 pm
FinlandGirl wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 12:05 am


For what benefits?
Having a Kela card does not imply eligibility for all benefits.
Not sure how things work when I get sick or some other reasons I'm unable to work?
For Finnish employers there is a legal requirement to provide occupational healthcare for all employees, so when you are sick you go to a doctor at the private healthcare provider your employer has contracted.
Occupational healthcare is not required to include handling sickness. The mandatory part deals with things like work safety. Many companies do provide the optional extra you are describing.

Public healthcare is provided having a municipality of residence. Kela only provides things like subsidized medicines.

” If, however, you move your residence to your host country, you or your employer should contact the healthcare authorities in your home country and request a Portable Document S1PDF document (PD S1) form instead. You must then register the PD S1 with the host country's healthcare authorities on arrival.”

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/w ... dex_en.htm

FinlandGirl
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2019 10:43 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by FinlandGirl » Thu May 11, 2023 2:10 pm

betelgeuse wrote:
Thu May 11, 2023 8:06 am
FinlandGirl wrote:
Tue May 09, 2023 4:50 pm
besbos wrote:
Tue May 09, 2023 12:06 pm


Not sure how things work when I get sick or some other reasons I'm unable to work?
For Finnish employers there is a legal requirement to provide occupational healthcare for all employees, so when you are sick you go to a doctor at the private healthcare provider your employer has contracted.
Occupational healthcare is not required to include handling sickness. The mandatory part deals with things like work safety. Many companies do provide the optional extra you are describing.
Otherwise the employer couldn't get a doctors certificate when the employee is sick, and that's how I read the "I'm unable to work".

betelgeuse
Posts: 4503
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:24 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by betelgeuse » Thu May 11, 2023 10:58 pm

FinlandGirl wrote:
Thu May 11, 2023 2:10 pm
betelgeuse wrote:
Thu May 11, 2023 8:06 am
FinlandGirl wrote:
Tue May 09, 2023 4:50 pm


For Finnish employers there is a legal requirement to provide occupational healthcare for all employees, so when you are sick you go to a doctor at the private healthcare provider your employer has contracted.
Occupational healthcare is not required to include handling sickness. The mandatory part deals with things like work safety. Many companies do provide the optional extra you are describing.
Otherwise the employer couldn't get a doctors certificate when the employee is sick, and that's how I read the "I'm unable to work".
Any doctor can issue that.

FinlandGirl
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2019 10:43 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by FinlandGirl » Fri May 12, 2023 12:01 am

betelgeuse wrote:
Thu May 11, 2023 10:58 pm
FinlandGirl wrote:
Thu May 11, 2023 2:10 pm
betelgeuse wrote:
Thu May 11, 2023 8:06 am


Occupational healthcare is not required to include handling sickness. The mandatory part deals with things like work safety. Many companies do provide the optional extra you are describing.
Otherwise the employer couldn't get a doctors certificate when the employee is sick, and that's how I read the "I'm unable to work".
Any doctor can issue that.
You wouldn't get an appointment with a doctor in public healthcare for a cold, so there has to be some setup how the employer pays for that at a private healthcare provider.

betelgeuse
Posts: 4503
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:24 am

Re: Remote work for other EU country

Post by betelgeuse » Sat May 13, 2023 6:33 am

FinlandGirl wrote:
Fri May 12, 2023 12:01 am
betelgeuse wrote:
Thu May 11, 2023 10:58 pm
FinlandGirl wrote:
Thu May 11, 2023 2:10 pm


Otherwise the employer couldn't get a doctors certificate when the employee is sick, and that's how I read the "I'm unable to work".
Any doctor can issue that.
You wouldn't get an appointment with a doctor in public healthcare for a cold, so there has to be some setup how the employer pays for that at a private healthcare provider.
They would be breaking the law if they did that. Here’s an example from a random wellbeing services county.

” Kun tarvitset sairausloma- eli sairauspoissaolotodistusta, ole yhteydessä hoitovastaavaasi. Mikäli sinulla ei ole vielä nimettyä hoitovastaavaa, ole yhteydessä hoitajan ja lääkärin vastaanottopalveluiden keskitettyyn puhelinpalveluun.”

https://www.keusote.fi/palveluhakemisto ... spalvelut/


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