Working for a foreign company

Edit: Thanks a lot for the replies. Just to add for further clarification, I am indeed not from Germany (or the EU).

Long story short, there’s a German company interested in hiring me.

As a foreigner currently based in Taiwan, it is impossible for them to hire me directlybgoven that they have no branches here. However, they’re willing to work with an EOR company that can facilitate my visa/payment procedures.

Do anyone here have any experience with such companies? Or any better suggestions on how to work with them?

The company suggested checking for a marketing agency to hire me and that they would take care of the payments for my salary to be arranged. However neither the company nor myself has such contacts locally.

I was told I could create my own “one-man enterprise” here, but I am not sure what the requirements are or if it would be feasible at the end.

Any help is highly appreciated.

You mean an EOR (employer of record)?
If your prospective employer is fine going that route, I wouldn’t see any issue. You’ll be probably more compliant than >90% of foreigners working remotely in Taiwan. And your employer can outsource some of their responsibilities to the EOR-company.

That would be the other alternative: Just work as a freelancer (note that this might require an appropriate work permit!) or start your own company. The benefit would be that you save yourself (or your employer) the cost of the EOR - at the cost of a bit more overhead for yourself.

Note that (compared to Germany) the authorities in Taiwan are rather “relaxed” when it comes to remote work and such. While in Germany, they would suspect you of “Scheinselbstständigkeit” and such, in Taiwan they usually do not tend to care about those things.

Usually, the tax administration will actually be a bit surprised if you truthfully declare your foreign income (which I’d recommend you to do so the German authorities don’t have anything against you. If you declare your income in Taiwan and maintain tax residency here, you can visit Germany on a business trip and even work for your employer there for a limited time without being liable for taxes in Germany because there is a double-taxation agreement between Germany and Taiwan).

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Many people here are employed by a company overseas and the company pays there salary either to an overseas account or directly to Taiwan.

There are two types of businesses you can have one of which is a “company” or what I use is an “enterprise”

From those you would then deduct office expenses utilites office PC’s etc and pay yourself a salary. Your company contributes to labour insurance pension and NHI.

Or you overseas employer pays you directly and you declare the income to the tax authorities here. But then you have no pension NHI or labour insurance covered locally. NHI you would pay yourself at the lowest rate as you have no local employer.

Are we assuming the OP is a German citizen?

Not necessarily. Why?

Well if you need a visa and ARC then yes that company would be responsible for your income not the German company they are contracted to.

What is your situation regarding residency here? APRC? JFRV? Student ARC? work ARC for other? etc Working Holiday Visa?

Well you bring up an interesting claim of Scheinselbstständigkeit. fake self employment? The OP would surely have a contract in place. I have a German friend living here who for decades has been on contract to a US tech firm with operations around the world. He is paid by the German services which he is contracted to Taiwan. Never had an issue with his annual contracts being renewed or his income being delcared.

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I currently have a Job-seeking ARC.

If you read my post again:

Note that (compared to Germany) the authorities in Taiwan are rather “relaxed” when it comes to remote work and such.

When dealing with a German company, they might see this as an important issue (because it is in Germany). My point was simply that in Taiwan, this is usually not an issue (unlike in Germany).

OK so yes that would not help if directly employed as no ARC from that.

OK My business is in the sports betting and data analysis industry. Let’s say BWIN wanted to employ you. They could contract with my company which could employ you as staff locally.

But these situations require a local business. Also you have a job ARC so I assume you already have work exerience after graduation. Not all jobs require a degree you can get marketing work without a degree and a work ARC The UK national does not have a degree but does have post secondary education. Her ARC was based on 5 years of work experience.

Have you looked at this? Would the company in Germany be interested in this? Or opening a branch office here to employ you?

based on first post, an arrangement through an EOR seems the straightforward solution

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Setting up a branch office would be way easier and better.

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Thanks for the info. I would assume that opening a new branch would come with some sort of expenses and administrative tasks that the company might not be willing to handle. But I will bring it up as an option.

It’s the cheapest and easiest way to do it. By far.

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Yes, I do have over 3 years of legal work experience in Taiwan (a mix between part time jobs while I was a student and a full time position). While I’ve been in Taiwan for a while, most of it had been as a student, so from what I’ve gathered those years of experience don’t count towards the APRC, thus a company that can sponsor the ARC becomes necessary as a bridge between the potential German employer and myself.

I’ll take a look at the link, thank you so much!

You can check with them, they do EOR.

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This is correct. However there are new rules in place for those that have studied here depending on the qualification which I am sure you have probably looked at.

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Thanks! I’ll take a look!

I always find myself getting plenty of mixed up information so I’m not 100% sure. I do know that graduating from local universities helps shaving some time off. But the requisites for the gold car still seem rather high IMO. Maybe I need to double-check and see if Ibmiss any updated pages

Maybe also useful, providing key points of some mentioned options:

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