| Both independent contractors and hiring companies face complex cross border rules if they are located in different countries. Whilst there is a lot of information on the web about companies and their services, there aren’t many places to see the actual questions asked by contractors and remote employers. So we created our ‘Contractor Solutions’ series where Campbell Curtis, the CT Solutions Expert uses his vast experience with international umbrella companies to answer questions. – We’re always happy to jump on a call if that works best for you. – To safeguard our client’s privacy we have removed information like phone numbers, names of people or companies. – We also don’t publish salary rates, net earnings calculations or umbrella company fees. We have experimented with this in the past – it is arguably the most important piece of information when choosing an umbrella company. Unfortunately the calculations are often highly contextual (e.g. they can be influenced by factors like nationality, duration of assignment, region, marital status, industry, etc). So putting figures online could be misleading. Instead we’d rather you get a financial quote tailored to your specific circumstances. – Some of the question and answers might appear repetitive or basic. They are all enquiries we’ve received. We get asked some things a lot – that’s one of the reasons we are putting the questions and answers online. We also deal with a really broad range of contracting experience, from people thinking about their first contract all the way to industry veterans. And on that note if you came to this page because you want a company in Greece that sells Umbrellas (ομπρέλες)… sorry we can’t help you!– Lastly if you don’t what you’re looking for on this page, we’d still love to help – just get in touch. |
Scenarios we cover
Greek Digital Marketer leaving their permanent job to freelance with pan-European clients
| “Dear Curtis, I am exploring the option of working independently as a Digital Marketer, in Performance Marketing (e.g. Google ads, Facebook ads, TikTok ads etc). Currently, I am an employee and I have questions regarding the ways of work and employment status of the individual working with an umbrella company: 1. Is someone considered a freelancer or a private sector employee, when they work with an umbrella company? 2. Who pays the VAT per project and mandatory health insurance, the umbrella company or the individual? 3. Currently, I am an employee of a British agency that opened a branch in Greece and all my projects are pan-European. Is it an option to continue working with companies from abroad when working with an umbrella company? 4. Do I have to find my projects or does the company assign projects? 5. Do I get taxed in my country of residence or the country where the umbrella company resides? 6. Do umbrella companies charge based on a percentage of my project earnings or a fixed monthly fee? 7. How is my insurance and taxes handled during months when I do not have projects or when the number of projects and revenue is smaller than the previous month? 8. Apart from Digital Marketing, are there other sectors where someone can work under an umbrella company? e.g. music production and song-writing. I am completely new to this concept and I would like some guidance to find my way through this concept of work, then plan how I can proceed further and probably quit working for my current employer. Kind regards,“ |
Campbell:
An umbrella company can assist by invoicing your clients your earnings and paying you in Greece net/gross income.
Let me start by answering your queries in order:
- Yes
- Umbrella company manages these for you but these come off you individual earnings. health Insurance differs with country.
- Yes, and we can support you globally with our umbrella partner network
- You will need to find the project or contract yourself
- You will be taxed in the country of residency and where you physically work
- Umbrella companies differ in charges – some at 5% of gross income some set fee at circa EUR 450-500 per month
- Even during months with fewer or no projects, you may still need to cover your own taxes and insurance. Some umbrella companies offer flexibility, pausing fees or contributions during quieter months, but this varies. You should clarify with the umbrella company each they handle such scenarios.
- Yes, many sectors use umbrella companies beyond digital marketing. Contracting is accepted in almost every and any Industry & Sector so one is not limited if you choose the umbrella pay model.
I hope that clarifies things. From here let me refer you to our Greek umbrella partners who can take you through the next steps
