Contracting for UK company when living abroad

[gadgetgirl]

Hello!

I'm posting this for a friend, as I don't know the answer. Will try and keep it brief!

He's moving abroad (Canada) and will be on a tourist visa.

He has the opportunity to do some contracting for the company he currently works for in the UK i.e. the work can easily be done remotely.

How would he go about doing this? I presume to set up as a UK contractor, he'd need a UK address to register a business with?? (which he wouldn't have...)

And I'm also thinking that on a tourist visa, he won't be eligible to work in Canada, thus can't set up as a contractor there either?

Is there a solution?

Thank you in advance for any advice and help!

[NotAllThere]

On a tourist visa, he may not work in Canada. Even if it is working remotely for a UK company. But he'd probably get away with it. Simplest solution is to use an umbrella company.

How does anyone move to another country on a tourist visa? Usually, to get a work permit or other visa status change, you have to apply outside the company. And why is your friend incapable of posting the question himself?

[BlasterBates]

Yes strictly not allowed, but since this is a UK company a) no one will find out, b) he could easily argue he did this when visiting the UK. As long as he had a flight ticket, he'd be covered. This is kind of like a murder without a corpse. If he works in his room on his own remotely, no one can possibly prove he did anything.

[SueEllen]

Yes strictly not allowed, but since this is a UK company a) no one will find out, b) he could easily argue he did this when visiting the UK. As long as he had a flight ticket, he'd be covered. This is kind of like a murder without a corpse. If he works in his room on his own remotely, no one can possibly prove he did anything.

I think you misread the question - The guy is in Canada on a tourist visa. This means he cannot work while he is in Canada.

However if he sets everything up to make it look like he is in the UK permanently i.e. all his payments go though a UK bank account, he pays UK tax and NI, and happens to do some work while he is on holiday in Canada then I doubt anyone would be interested.

The only issue is that he doesn't have a UK address which is a bit tricky when payslips and other correspondence needs to be sent to him. If he can't get a UK address for this then he has to forget the idea.

[gadgetgirl]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm posting for him as he's a workaholic, and English isn't his first language, so it was just easier for me to do it than him. Plus I like a challenge, and am contemplating going contracting myself at some point (UK only!), so found some really interesting stuff on this forum.

Looks like contracting wouldn't work in this case...

Would he be able to carry on working for the company on a zero hours contract, then they pay him for the hours he works in the normal fashion whilst paying UK tax? He has a UK bank account which he'll keep.