You also need to watch out for "false freelancer" laws in the EU, meant to protect workers who should receive full-time benefits from the company. It makes freelancing a gray area when you have a repeat long-term client.
In France, this is usually an issue for the client, because the contractor can then ask to be considered as a full-time employee [0]. As a freelancer yourself, if you don't involve the state, they won't come after you. The idea of the law is to protect the employee.
However, speaking of freelancing in France, legally, there isn't such a thing. You have to have some form of company. There is some paperwork, but all in all it's pretty easy and quite fast (by French standards).
Taxes are high, though, so it may not be the best place to incorporate. It should also be noted that anything above basic social security isn't free nor included in said high taxes, so you'll have to pay out of pocket either for a complementary insurance or for the hospital if you need it, although I think it may be cheaper than in the US.
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[0] Some criteria have to be met, but basically if you're working full time several years for the same client, you can ask to be considered a full-time employee with a full employment contract, etc.
> It should also be noted that anything above basic social security isn't free nor included in said high taxes, so you'll have to pay out of pocket either for a complementary insurance or for the hospital if you need it, although I think it may be cheaper than in the US.
Complementary insurance (mutuelle) isn’t all that expensive compared to the US. I cover myself and two kids for €118 a month - very reasonable considering I pay very little out of pocket for any care or medicine during the year.
Yeah that's a useful note, although that's not on EU level, I'm in a EU country and the tax authorities are extremely vague about this.
I know people who worked like this for a single client for >5 years, and the only cases I've heard of it being audited is when workers actually complained about these schemes denying them employee rights (it was never in IT).
And like the other sibling mentioned on international clients it's even more vague.
However, speaking of freelancing in France, legally, there isn't such a thing. You have to have some form of company. There is some paperwork, but all in all it's pretty easy and quite fast (by French standards).
Taxes are high, though, so it may not be the best place to incorporate. It should also be noted that anything above basic social security isn't free nor included in said high taxes, so you'll have to pay out of pocket either for a complementary insurance or for the hospital if you need it, although I think it may be cheaper than in the US.
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[0] Some criteria have to be met, but basically if you're working full time several years for the same client, you can ask to be considered a full-time employee with a full employment contract, etc.