Contracting in Poland

**d000hg** · 20 February 2014, 15:18

If that's the rate you charge for "working away" roles within the UK, then about the same for overseas sounds OK. If you normally work locally, clearly you'd have lots of extra costs.

**stek** · 20 February 2014, 15:29

I was the same position a while back turned out the rate they wanted to pay was £20/hr max.

**kevpuk** · 20 February 2014, 15:34

Originally posted by stek View Post

I was the same position a while back turned out the rate they wanted to pay was £20/hr max.

**northernladuk** · 20 February 2014, 15:49

I dunno about Poland but the rates for Middle East jobs dropped through the floor many years ago. Last time I had a look the rates out there were equivalent to a rate here so really not worth it unless you had a desire to be out there. The days of monster rates for working in different countries are long gone. If you can get much more than the rates you are quoting there I would be surprised. Maybe push for them paying for the travel and accommodation instead of a rate uplift?

It also doesn't cost that much to get there and accommodation will be cheap as chips so their argument is the cost and hassle wouldn't be much more than travelling down the UK to work in London.

I think it will come down to your preference. Would you be happy working for those rates in Poland?

**sandyh2001in** · 20 February 2014, 16:07

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

I dunno about Poland but the rates for Middle East jobs dropped through the floor many years ago. Last time I had a look the rates out there were equivalent to a rate here so really not worth it unless you had a desire to be out there. The days of monster rates for working in different countries are long gone. If you can get much more than the rates you are quoting there I would be surprised. Maybe push for them paying for the travel and accommodation instead of a rate uplift?

It also doesn't cost that much to get there and accommodation will be cheap as chips so their argument is the cost and hassle wouldn't be much more than travelling down the UK to work in London.

I think it will come down to your preference. Would you be happy working for those rates in Poland?

Problem is, there being no points of reference , its really a case of finger in the air rate quote.
I quoted him an obscene amount (20 percent higher than what Im on at the minute just to allay my own fears of the unknown ) and felt his head explode over the phone. He still wants to keep me in the running in any case and in fairness came back with some encouraging info ( 25 % expenses allowable after which a flat 19 percent tax rate) .

I am (quag)mired in Belgium right now so looking for a way out anyway, so dont really mind going at the same rate Im on here either. And Poland could be a whole new experience and probably do some good to the CV, so...

**Scrag Meister** · 21 February 2014, 08:20

Double your rate and tell them you are open to negotiation.

You will have hotels and flights etc.... to pay for.

**GazCol** · 21 February 2014, 08:32

I contracted in Wroclaw just after Euro 2012. The rate was around a third of my usual but the cost of living and the generous tax laws (from memory, it wasn’t as high as 32% it was 15% for the equivalent of CT and around 7% in local taxes, which can differ from city to city.) made it feasible. One of the most difficult things with contracting abroad is usually finding a cross border tax expert that is i) trustworthy ii) cheap iii) doesn’t try and get you onto a dodgy and highly illegal scheme, and lastly iv) speaks English to a high enough level to properly explain everything and has some presence in this country. Fortunately, that’s one thing Poland was good at.

Like any contract abroad though, only do it for the experience, not the fiscal gain, because the latter will only leave you disappointed. Get a boutique apartment/hotel in the old town, get on the ale every night with the locals and make the most of it.

**yasockie** · 24 February 2014, 01:18

If it's in a major city, consider that the living costs, while slightly cheaper than UK are not that different anymore, so I wouldn't advise lowering the rate too much.
There are definitely areas where high rates are attainable, simple supply and demand IMO.
One area that comes to mind is SAP, another is fracking (in the oil&gas industry).
I've also noticed a pattern where contractors and expats often form the initial bit a major move into a given market and it is a good position to be in as you can then end up being say head of EMEA (if you choose to go permie, of course)
There's plenty of flights and cheap too, the food is good, vodka is cheap and girls are pretty.
If the rate is good, I'd say go for it.

**SpontaneousOrder** · 24 February 2014, 14:27

Originally posted by yasockie View Post

and girls are pretty.

This. I've never known anything like it.

Contracting in Poland