5 things to consider when freelancing abroad
An interview with intrepid editor/author/traveller Erin Ogilvie
Hi Friend,
Many people get into freelancing with the hope of living a nomadic lifestyle. And that’s one of the great things about being a freelancer–since you work from home with minimal equipment, you can, theoretically, work from anywhere.
Erin (who is also a social media genius and was previously highlighted in an interview) is taking off for a months-long trip to Scotland. In her guest post for Happy Freelancing!, she shares some of the important decisions she made and how she’s set herself up to live and work in Scotland for three months.
Keep in mind, none of this is legal advice. Erin’s information is geared to Canadians in Scotland (for three months). The rules and regulations regarding your travel will vary depending on your nationality, destination, duration, and work arrangements. But Erin’s information can help you determine what to research if you want to live an exciting life abroad.
One of the biggest benefits to being a freelancer is the ability to work from anywhere. However, it can be a bit of a pain learning the ins and outs of visas and taxes and who exactly you need to pay when. Take this article with a grain of salt, as I am no expert, simply a Canadian freelancer with a travel itch who wants to see the world.
So who am I? I’m Erin. Professionally, I operate as a freelance editor and self-published author under the name E.A. Whyte. My business is registered in Ontario, Canada, and I’m about to embark on a three-month adventure to Scotland.
Why Scotland? It’s where my family is from. And while I’m only one generation removed from being born there, I’ve never been myself. When my grandparents passed last year, I knew that I to see their homes, just to get that little sense of connection back. But it also feels more like going home than going away. The freedom to add that as somewhat of a long-term work trip was too good to pass up.
Today, I’ll share a few things I needed to consider when planning to live and work away from home for an extended period for the first time.
Visas
Typically when working abroad, one would need a visa to work or operate a business. However, the benefit of being a Canadian in Scotland is that you can stay for up to six months without a visa. That does not permit me to work, but simply to be there.
The loophole is that everything I have business-related is registered in Canada. There are also some stipulations on taxation based on the number of days spent in a country. I believe for Scotland/the UK, that’s more than 90 days. I intentionally planned to be there for less time just to be safe.
As a Canadian business taking Canadian clients, for this trip, I’m technically not working in the UK. The main thing I need to be aware of is that the clients I’m working for while abroad are not UK residents. Because we tax based on the location of the client and not the location of our work, taking a UK client while in the UK could constitute “working in the UK”. Having only Canadian clients doesn’t constitute “working in the UK”.
Workload or work-life-balance
My original intention with this trip was to not need to work. However, I knew that being away for that long, I’d go crazy if I didn’t have anything to do. So, I did make sure that my general workload would be lighter, and most of the work I have planned doesn’t need to be done in that timeframe. That gives me a lot of freedom to take off and travel to different areas of the country at the drop of a hat.
Being able to adjust my schedule to my needs played a huge role in setting up my trip the way I did. This trip would have looked very different in a 9-5 position. For one, I probably would never have gotten a three-month vacation! In Canada, most jobs don’t offer that level of time off, even for more senior positions. So I am very thankful to have the work I do.
Informing clients
While I don’t need to make my clients aware of my new, temporary location, it will impact when I’m available for meetings (time zones mess with my brain). For that reason, I did let my clients know that I would be in Scotland. None of them had a problem with it. In fact, many were excited to hear about my elongated journey!
Equipment
The other major benefit of my type of work is that it doesn’t require much in the way of equipment. As an author and editor, the only things I need are a laptop and an internet connection! (And also my agenda because I am hopeless if I don’t write things down.) Sometimes I’ll edit in hard copy on paper, but it’s not very common, and I know that I could manage without it for a few weeks.
Location
When I was considering this trip, I briefly debated being constantly on the move. Ultimately, though, I decided that I would rather have a “base camp”. I’m the kind of person who likes to experience places through the lens of locals. Being constantly on the move doesn’t allow for the same kind of depth that I want. So I have one AirBnB for the entirety of my stay, and while I am planning to go out from there from time to time, I’ll always have a home to go back to. (This is especially nice for someone who loves clothes as much as I do. I need a few suitcases for that amount of time!)
And there you have it! Any freelancers wanting to work and travel long-term should consider the following:
Location. Where do you want to travel? What are the implications and accessibilities for that location? Could you do your job there?
Visas. How long can you be in that country without a visa (if at all)? What are the specific work implications for freelancing? What kind of visa would you need?
Clients. Consider your type of work and how flexible it is. Additionally, how would your clients respond to your change in location? Does that matter to you?
Equipment. Realistically, how much do you need with you to do your job? Does that match with the type of travel you’d want to do?
Work. How much do you want to do while travelling? Is that workload sustainable while away from home?
One more important note about visas is that they can be expensive. Depending on where you’re going and for how long, a visa application can be hundreds to thousands of dollars. Some countries also require you to have a minimum amount in your bank account to prove you can sustain yourself while in their country. So, be sure to be thorough in your research and make sure you have the funds for where you want to go.
Happy travelling!
If you want to know more about Erin, or follow her adventures, connect with her on Instagram @eawhyte or her website www.eawhyte.com. She also has a fantastic book out, a young adult fantasy about a thief tasked with stealing the heart of her enemy. You can find out more about that book here.
If you want to learn more about being a digital nomad, Freelancing for Journalists has a great article that explores some of the myths and realities of working abroad.
For information on moving abroad as a freelancer, read Never Retire: Living the Semi-Retired Life.
Here’s to your ongoing freelance success,
Heidi
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