Expat partner Johan Emilsson was working remotely in Sweden anyway, so when relocating to India, his employer was happy to keep him on the books. But he still had to figure out how to pay tax.
Change of address
“I’m a software engineer and remote work is quite normal in my industry (especially since the pandemic). In fact I was already working remotely in Sweden,” says Johan, a father of two, who has been in Bangalore since July 2024. “So when we decided to relocate to India, my main concern was figuring out how I could receive my salary and pay tax in a country, where my employer has no presence.”
Best price point
“I found a number of service providers that support people in my situation. In the end, I contacted three companies: remote.com, oysterhr.com, and Business Sweden. In general, they all offer similar services, essentially acting as a payroll mediator between an employer and the employee. OysterHR was around €600 per month, and Business Sweden was around €1,000 per month. Remote was the best value (about €400 per month), so that’s the one I am using.”
Bureaucratic hurdles
“Of course, it isn’t a seamless process. My employer Safeture is happy to give me time to figure things out. I had to open up a bank account, which I have succeeded in doing, but it wasn’t straightforward. I also have to procure an Employment Visa, which I am still waiting to get processed. India is a very bureaucratic place, so there’s a lot of paperwork to be signed!” says Johan.
Alternative option
“Setting up a business is another option for any expat coming to India, who wishes to continue working for their employer at home, but pay tax here,” says Johan. “It’s actually pretty easy to set up a business. However, I have been told that closing a business down can be very time-consuming and costly, too. So I have decided against pursuing that option for now. I would say the main advantage of using a service such as remote.com is that it’s easy to follow. You have to on-board all of the relevant documentation, which takes a little bit of time but isn’t too much of a hassle. And when everything is ready to go, you just click a button, and you’re done. But before I do that I still need the employment visa!”
Photo: iStock
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