Remote Work Abroad: What's Allowed, How Long It Lasts and What Really Sets You Free

I've been reading up again on the problems people are dealing with. This time in r/arbeitsleben, the German-language Reddit forum about jobs and employers. And one question keeps coming up there, in all kinds of variations: Am I allowed to do remote work abroad? And if so, for how long?

The idea is tempting. Laptop open, video call with the team in Cologne, and the sea outside the window. Covid proved that a great many jobs work without an office. For me, exactly that time was the trigger: in 2021, I moved to Cyprus with my family. What I learned along the way: the technology is the smallest problem. The biggest problem is the question of who allows you to work from there.

Three threads show pretty precisely where things get stuck.

Case 1: "How Do I Convince My Employer?"

Shortly after Christmas 2025, someone in r/arbeitsleben asked how to convince your own employer to let you work from abroad permanently, for example through a so-called Employer of Record, or EoR for short (see the original post). An EoR is a service provider that officially employs you in the destination country while you keep working for your company. Honest, as people on Reddit often are, the person added that they're fairly easy to replace at their company.

The answers were friendly, but sobering:

• At some companies it's simply not possible. Someone wrote that at their employer, working abroad permanently is categorically ruled out for tax reasons and because of the extra effort. Only business trips or time-limited stays are allowed. As search terms for further research, the person named: habitual place of work, 183-day rule, A1 certificate.
• It comes down to payroll. Another person said that if the employer uses an external payroll provider that can process payroll across the whole EU, it's probably possible. If the company does payroll itself, there's hardly a chance.
• An EoR works, but it costs. One person reported that their company hires people through an EoR provider. It works well, but costs around €600 extra per month and employee, plus flights and hotels when people are flown in now and then. Their conclusion: you really have to offer real added value for the employer to go along with it instead of just hiring someone else.
• And the sentence that got the most agreement: If you say yourself that you're easy to replace, you're in a tough spot. All that's left is an open conversation with your manager.

I find this thread so valuable because it shows the question of power. As long as your income depends on a job, someone else ultimately decides where you live.

Case 2: "Why Do German Companies Only Allow One Month a Year?"

In r/cscareerquestionsEU, someone wanted to know why most employers in Germany only allow around one month a year of remote work in another EU country (see the original post). The assumption: it's about taxes, because of the famous 183 days.

One detailed reply added a point many people don't think about: labor law. Even if you stay under the limit for tax purposes, the labor laws of the host country can apply to you and your employer. As an example, the person named France with its 35-hour week: anyone working 40 hours there might be entitled to overtime pay. On top of that, there may be contributions to the local social insurance and different rules on dismissals. That's why companies limit working abroad to short periods that essentially feel like a long business trip.

That explains the many "workation up to 30 days" rules at companies. Nobody is trying to annoy you. The company just doesn't want to take a risk in a legal system it doesn't know.

Case 3: "Are There Employers That Allow Permanent Home Office Abroad?"

As early as November 2022, someone asked exactly that in r/arbeitsleben (see the original post). The answers from back then are still current today. One person only knew workation models where you can spend part of the year in another EU country. Another was very clear: working abroad permanently under a normal German employment contract isn't provided for. Temporarily it works through a secondment, but within narrow limits.

And then came the sentence that hits the core for me: anyone who wants to work abroad permanently has to either start working for themselves there and carry the risks themselves, or be hired by a local employer.

How Long Can You Work Remotely Abroad?

The honest answer: it depends on whether you're employed or self-employed. I'm not a tax advisor, and this is not legal advice. But you should know these basic terms before you talk to your boss or your tax advisor.

The 183-day rule. It appears in most double taxation treaties and is often misunderstood. It doesn't mean "nothing happens under 183 days". It governs which country may tax your salary for the days you work abroad. For that right to stay with Germany as an employee, several conditions generally have to be met at the same time: you stay tax resident in Germany, you spend fewer than 183 days in the other country, your employer isn't based there, and your salary isn't borne by a branch in the host country. How the days are counted is regulated differently by each treaty.

Residence and center of life. Even under 183 days, a tax liability abroad can arise if you have a home there that's permanently at your disposal, or your family lives there.

The A1 certificate. If you work temporarily as an employee in another EU country, in the EEA or in Switzerland, even briefly, German social insurance law can continue to apply under certain conditions. The A1 certificate proves this. It's usually applied for by the employer.

The permanent establishment. That's your employer's risk. If you work from another country for a long time or with certain authority, the company can, in the worst case, become liable for tax there itself. That's exactly why many companies would rather say no.

Remote work abroad: taxes as a self-employed person. The logic is simpler here, but not automatically easier. If you move your residence, you're generally liable for tax where you live. You don't need an employer's approval, but you take care of residence rights, registration, taxes, social insurance and, depending on the country, VAT yourself. Get a tax advisor in the destination country for that in your first year.

Workation or Moving Abroad: Two Different Things

Many people lump these together. A workation is a few weeks of home office abroad, with permission, and you come back afterwards. That works with many employers and is a good trial run.

Moving abroad means: your life takes place there. Then a workation rule is no longer enough. Then you need an income that fits your new home. And this is where all three threads end up at the same point: either an employer who explicitly supports the effort, or self-employment.

If you're comparing countries right now, also take a look at my articles on moving to Malta and moving to Cyprus. They deal with exactly this question for two EU islands in European time zones.

The Alternative: An Income Nobody Has to Approve

Self-employment sounds like a big step to many. Your own company, your own product, your own clients. But there's a path in between: working as an independent sales partner for a company whose product already exists.

You're self-employed, you take care of taxes and contributions yourself and you decide where you work from. At the same time, you don't have to invent your own offer. Your job is to talk to businesses that need the product. And sales is one of the few professions that work almost entirely by phone and video call.

What to watch for with offers like this, I've written up in a separate article about location-independent jobs. In short: check whether the product is real, whether you get insight into leads and commission statements and whether a team stands behind you. And be suspicious of anyone who promises you a fixed income before you've even started.

Five Questions Before You Open Your Laptop Abroad

1. Am I employed or self-employed? That determines whom you have to ask and which rules apply.
2. How many days a year do I really want to be away? A few weeks of workation is something different from a move.
3. Where will my residence be in future, and where does my family live? That usually determines where you're liable for tax.
4. Who pays me, and who carries the risk? With employment, your employer carries it, which is why they often say no. With self-employment, you carry it, but you're the one who decides.
5. Do I have a tax advisor who knows both countries? It costs money, but it takes away the fear of getting something wrong.

What's in It for You

Maybe you know the feeling from the first thread: you have the plan in your head, the apartment in the south already open in your browser, and then comes the question of whether your boss will even go along. And the quiet suspicion that the answer might be no.

Remote work abroad only becomes relaxed once your income no longer depends on an employer's permission.

Here's what you gain:

• Clarity instead of half-knowledge. You now know that the 183-day rule isn't a free pass and why companies limit workation. That way you go into every conversation prepared, whether with your boss or your tax advisor.
• A real choice. You see the two paths that really exist: an employer who supports the effort, or a self-employed income. You no longer have to hope, you can decide.
• Freedom in where you live. With a self-employed income, you don't ask anyone whether you may live in Portugal, Cyprus or Malta. You clarify your obligations in the new country, and then the decision is yours.

How much you earn depends on you, your effort and your path. Nobody promises you a fixed income here.

What This Looks Like at Plaith

Plaith is based in Cyprus and helps self-employed people and small businesses win customers through Meta Ads. At Plaith, 6 specialists, combining people and AI, take care of videos, ad messaging and campaign management, from €26 a day plus a one-time setup, cancel monthly.

For this product, we're looking for self-employed sales partners who work remotely, whether from Germany, Spain or Thailand. You talk to businesses, the team in the background delivers. To be upfront: as of today, our partners still win most of their customers themselves.

If you want to know whether that fits you, find out how to become a partner. No sales pressure, and we'll tell you honestly if it isn't a fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Can You Work Remotely Abroad?

As an employee, your employer decides first. Many companies only allow a few weeks a year. For tax purposes, the 183-day rule, your residence and the relevant double taxation treaty play a role. As a self-employed person, you're generally liable for tax where you live.

Is It True That "Nothing Happens Under 183 Days"?

No, not across the board. The rule only applies if several conditions are met at the same time. A home or family abroad can trigger a tax liability earlier.

Do I Need an A1 Certificate for Home Office in Another EU Country?

Generally yes as an employee, even for short stays. It proves that German social insurance law still applies to you. Your employer applies for it.

Can My Employer Forbid Me from Working from Abroad?

Yes. There's no legal entitlement to work from abroad. Many companies only allow it for a limited time, because otherwise they take on risks regarding taxes, social insurance and labor law.

What Is an Employer of Record?

A service provider that officially employs you in the destination country and handles payroll, taxes and contributions there, while you work professionally for your existing company. It costs the employer extra money.