Can I work for a foreign employer while living in another country?

Yes. In many European countries, you can legally work for an employer that is not based in the country where you live. However, if you are in fact an employee rather than a genuine freelancer, this requires a compliant setup, typically a non-resident employer payroll (EOR) arrangement, to handle local tax withholding and statutory obligations correctly.

Can I keep my current job and just work remotely after relocating?

Often, yes. Many employers agree to a remote arrangement once asked, even if they had not considered it before. This still needs to be set up in a compliant way in the new country, including payroll, tax withholding and statutory registrations.

What does an expat's partner or spouse need to work abroad?

Depending on the route chosen, a trailing spouse or partner typically needs: confirmation of their right to work in the destination country, intercultural and language preparation, and either a compliant remote-work/payroll setup (if keeping a foreign employer), local job search support, or business incorporation support (if starting their own company).

What is a Non-Resident Employer Payroll (EOR) and when is it needed?

A Non-Resident Employer Payroll, or Employer of Record (EOR) arrangement, allows a foreign employer with no legal entity in the destination country to keep employing someone compliantly. It handles local payroll, tax withholding and statutory obligations without the employer needing to incorporate locally.

About this route-finder

This is a free interactive route-finder for foreigners, expat spouses and partners who want to work abroad. It asks about your destination country, your right to work, and your work situation, then recommends the right mix of services from the list below.

Services for working remotely from abroad for a foreign employer

With an employer abroad, which set-up? And how does it work for me?, provided by Remote employer toolbox: Compliant payroll for an employer with no legal entity in the destination country. Find the right option for your situation.

International remote job boards, provided by Working Nomads, EU Remote Jobs, We Work Remotely, Remote.co: Curated job boards to find an employer abroad you can work for remotely.

I want to make sure being employed by a company only based abroad is legal, provided by Global Advisory Experts: Norway tightened payroll and withholding tax rules for foreign employers in 2026 - here's what changed, and how to stay compliant.

With an employer abroad, how does Payroll and Tax work for me?, provided by Remote employer toolbox: Compliant payroll for an employer with no legal entity in the destination country. Find the right option for your situation.

International remote job boards, provided by Working Nomads, EU Remote Jobs, We Work Remotely, Remote.co: Curated job boards to find an employer abroad you can work for remotely.

Services for finding a local employer

Intercultural training, provided by Different Not Wrong: Prepare yourself to Norwegian workplace culture, norms and communication style.

Norwegian language training, provided by Johannes Læringssenter: Practical language courses, from survival Norwegian to workplace fluency.

Career coaching & CV localization, provided by Sammen om en jobb: Positioning, CV and LinkedIn, language, Get to work support tailored to the local job market.

Job search on FINN.no, provided by FINN.no: Norway's leading job listings platform - browse live openings directly.

Intercultural training, provided by Absolutely French: Prepare yourself to French workplace culture, norms and communication style.

French language training, provided by Absolutely French: Practical language courses, from survival French to workplace fluency.

Career coaching & CV localization, provided by Absolutely French: Positioning, CV and LinkedIn, language, Get to work support tailored to the local job market.

Job search on Welcome to the Jungle, provided by Welcome to the jungle: One of France's leading job listings platform - browse live openings directly.

Intercultural training, provided by Intercultural training: Prepare yourself to the British workplace culture, norms and communication style.

English language training, provided by Preply: Practical online language courses, from survival English to workplace fluency.

Career coaching & CV localization, provided by :

Job search in UK, provided by Indeed: One of UK's leading job listings platform - browse live openings directly.

Services for starting your own business

Intercultural training, provided by Different Not Wrong: Prepare yourself to Norwegian workplace culture, norms and communication style.

Norwegian language training, provided by Johannes Læringssenter: Practical language courses, from survival Norwegian to workplace fluency.

Accountant & incorporation, provided by Finadvice · free initial advice via Skape: Structuring and incorporating your own company, including personal tax guidance.

Intercultural training, provided by Absolutely French: Prepare yourself to French workplace culture, norms and communication style.

French language training, provided by Absolutely French: Practical language courses, from survival French to workplace fluency.

Accountant & incorporation, provided by Vachon: Structuring and incorporating your own company, including personal tax guidance.

Intercultural training, provided by Intercultural training: Prepare yourself to the British workplace culture, norms and communication style.

English language training, provided by Preply: Practical online language courses, from survival English to workplace fluency.

Accountant & incorporation, provided by 66pah: Structuring and incorporating your own company, including personal tax guidance.

Community, for every situation

Community & network, provided by SAPS (Stavanger) or Meetup (rest of Norway): Networking is essential - new friends and connections will help you hear about work opportunities, and enjoy local life.

Calculate your tax, provided by Skatteetaten (Norwegian Tax Administration): The official Norwegian tax calculator - estimate what you'll owe or get back.

Community & network, provided by Meetup: Networking is essential - new friends and connections will help you hear about work opportunities, and enjoy local life.

Calculate your tax - net salary, provided by URSSAF: The official French tax calculator - estimate what you'll owe or get back.

Community & network, provided by Meetup: Networking is essential - new friends and connections will help you hear about work opportunities, and enjoy local life.

Calculate your tax - net salary, provided by PAY CALCULATOR: Estimate what you'll owe or get back.

For HR and global mobility teams

This route-finder also helps employers recruit and retain foreign talent who come with a partner, by giving that partner a self-serve way to find the right local support, addressing the "trailing spouse" problem that is a leading cause of declined or cut-short international assignments.

Find the right route to work
as a foreigner, a foreign partner,
or even as a local.

This interactive route-finder understands your situation, where you are or where you are going to, your right to work, how you can work, what you should know to optimize your chances, and provides you with a tailored list of tools, job boards and trusted local services.

In just a few clicks.

Start my route now For HR Professionals

Photo: Diego Jimenez

My route, Step 1

Country where I am or will be moving to:

My working rights, my route, step 2

Does your current passport, visa or permit already allow you to work legally in your destination country?

Without existing work rights, your residence or work permit conditions will need to be resolved before most of these services can be put to use. Speak to your immigration counsel first: the route below still applies once that's settled.

Please check, as without existing work rights, your residence or work permit conditions will need to be resolved before most of these services can be put to use.
Speak to your immigration counsel first: the route below still applies once that's settled.

My work situation, my route, step 3

Select a country to continue.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
Many ask about the legality of working for an employer based in another country, and not based in the country where you work from: It is not only legal, and we are here to help you with creating the right set-up. Learn more here

My options for this route, Step 4

In many European countries, you can work for an employer that is not based in the country where you work from: it is legal.

However, freelancing for a company abroad when you in fact legally qualify as an employee creates compliance issues, that can include underpaid taxes and social contributions, as well as labour law infringements, unknowingly putting you, your "client employer" and your family at risk. This depends on a number of specific criteria. More often than not, you'll find you actually qualify as an employee. To call us, and talk to a real human for an entirely FREE assessment, in English, French or Norwegian, check "With an employer abroad, how does Payroll and Tax work for me?".

To maximise your chances of finding work in this country, you'll likely need to learn the local codes:

The local culture and work culture
Some language level, A2/B1 or B2 for specific fields
How to prepare a strong local CV
How interviews work locally, and the local way to handle them

We have lined-up the experts to help you get there, and a selection of local job boards too, for once you've learned the local codes.

For HR Professionals

You are an HR manager or
International mobility manager?

Many partners and foreigners don't realize that they have more options than they think. Without guidance, plenty end up taking whatever job they can find, stacking shelves with a law degree, or waiting tables with a decade of management experience, simply because they never knew what was actually available to them locally.

This is the "trailing spouse" problem global mobility teams know well: partner underemployment is one of the most cited reasons dual-career couples decline a relocation offer, or cut an international assignment short. That's underutilized talent and sunk relocation cost on both sides: the very thing a strong employer value proposition is supposed to prevent. Supporting spousal employment isn't a soft benefit; it's a measurable lever on assignment success rates, time-to-productivity and retention.

This page helps you recruit more foreigners who come with a partner, and retain more of them, by making sure that partner successfully integrates and finds their footing locally.

Share this route-finder directly with candidates and current employees. It gives their partner a clear, self-serve way to find the right payroll, tax, language, career and community support for their own situation, no back-and-forth needed from your team.

Make a difference in your recruitment process and address the spouse career topic right from the start. We can talk to them and inform them about their options.

Where you place this information matters: in the offer letter, the relocation package, onboarding, or later on, and so does how you introduce it. Talk to us about the right rollout strategy for your team, and spouse partners.

Looking for cookie settings? We don't store your answers or information in any way. Xenporos uses Zero cookies, zero fingerprinting either. You will only find them on external links.

Partner

Service name

Provider: TBD

Description.

What's included

Check it out Check it out Check it out Check it out

Find the right route to work
as a foreigner, a foreign partner,
or even as a local.

My route, Step 1

My working rights, my route, step 2

My work situation, my route, step 3

More info on how to work from your destination country for an employer located abroad (Yes it is possible, and requires the right set-up)

I am looking for an employer in your destination country

I want to start my business in your destination country

My options for this route, Step 4

For HR Professionals

You are an HR manager or
International mobility manager?

Do you need to employ staff abroad remotely, without a subsidiary?

Do you have ad hoc international mobility missions?

Service name

About this route-finder

Services for working remotely from abroad for a foreign employer

Services for finding a local employer

Services for starting your own business

Community, for every situation

For HR and global mobility teams

Find the right route to work as a foreigner, a foreign partner, or even as a local.

My route, Step 1

My working rights, my route, step 2

My work situation, my route, step 3

More info on how to work from your destination country for an employer located abroad (Yes it is possible, and requires the right set-up)

I am looking for an employer in your destination country

I want to start my business in your destination country

My options for this route, Step 4

For HR Professionals

You are an HR manager or International mobility manager?

Do you need to employ staff abroad remotely, without a subsidiary?

Do you have ad hoc international mobility missions?

Find the right route to work
as a foreigner, a foreign partner,
or even as a local.

You are an HR manager or
International mobility manager?