joehelsing

My wife and I are considering moving to the Czech Republic and ideally I would like to keep my job and work remotely.

I have still not pitched the idea to my boss yet as I'd like to do the research beforehand.
What options do I have?
Would I have to work as a contractor or can I remain a full time employee?
Would I get taxed in both countries or just the country I live in?

Thanks in advance

Joe

dmu

Hi and welcome to the forum!
Since Brexit, you need a Visa before being able to work in the EU and you'd have to research whether a "posted" worker would be granted one. Before going any further, check that new posted workers from the UK have been allowed since 1st January 2021....
Whatever, before 1st January 2021, the UK company would have paid social contributions to the host country, which are usually much higher than in the UK, and a posted worker couldn't by definition become "resident" in the EU country concerned. To do so, he/she would have to set up a business structure, pay social contributions themselves, and bill the UK company.
There aren't many BE members in the Czech Republic to confirm that this is applicable there, but hopefully someone will come along with pointers. I'd be inclined firstly to contact the Czech Consulat in the UK or look for an official Czech Government website for the basics, then, with full knowledge of the facts if they're in your favour, broach the subject with your employer.
Out of interest, is there a particular reason for considering the Czech Republic? Do you speak the language?
HTH

joehelsing

Thankyou for the quick reply! I have spoken to HMRC and they have indicated there is no hurdles for the employer so I will probably speak to Czech Consulat next.

My wife is Czech and we can have a nicer life in Czech than we can have in the UK.
I really don't want to jump on the UK housing ladder. I just want to build a house I can stay in
Also the beer is top notch!

dmu

That's a big bonus!
But it's not just a question of Income Tax. If it's the same in the Czech Rep as in France, the social contributions factor is just as important - where you're sitting working, there you pay your healthcare/pension dues. A registered self-employed would pay them automatically, and in the case of a posted worker, the employer would pay them. Hope the Consulat can give you precise info!

Moses2013

Tax is one issue and that can always change. One other thing to consider is what happens if you lose your job? While the employer now might allow it, how easy would it be to get another job in future with similar salary?

OrangeMango

You will find that the standard of living and the whole infrastructure ( housing, food prices, train service...) in Czech Republic is pretty much the same, even often better than in the UK.

Other than that, wait until Covid 19 is over, the Czech Republic is one of the worst hit places in the pandemic.

sternchen

Keep in mind that HMRC is not an authority that can speak for the Czech Republic. HMRC is probably happy to keep receiving your taxes but the Czech Republic will probably not be happy to miss out on taxes from somebody tax resident in the Czech Republic.

Since your wife is Czech and presumably speaks the language, it might be a good idea for her to phone the financial authorities and enquire what their view is.

Also, have you checked what the requirements for a spouse visa are?

Cihadlo

Hi Joe

Congratulations on your choice of the Czech Republic as a place to emigrate to. I’ve lived here for over 10 years and have never regretted the move.

As a resident in the Czech Republic you will be taxed on your worldwide income. The Czech Republic has a double taxation agreement with the UK and it’s possible that your employee arrangement could be covered under that. At the very least you will still have to make a Czech tax declaration to get the benefit of the the double tax agreement. This is really an area where there is no substitute for proper professional tax advice; there are many such advisers in Prague able to give advice to expats.

You will need to consider how you will be covered for health insurance. Pensions are another thing to consider, both state and otherwise.

As a post-Brexit arriver you will face some additional complications.

As a resident (and not a visitor) you will not be able to use a UK driving license and it will no longer be possible to exchange it for a Czech one. You would have to do the full driver training course (it’s a mixture of classroom and on-road training) and pass the exam and test. I not aware that it’s possible to do this in any language apart from Czech. It would be a major challenge for a Czech beginner!

You will need to pass a language test to get Permanent Residence. It’s currently at level A1 but it is soon to be A2. You won’t reach this standard without some serious study unless you’re some kind of language genius. Having a Czech partner won’t exempt you from this requirement.