Can I keep my salary and benefits the same if I move from one country to another for remote work? International remote work gives you the freedom to live abroad and build the lifestyle you want without pausing your career. But it also raises an important question: “Can I keep my salary and benefits the same if I move to another country?”

The answer isn’t always straightforward. Relocating can raise or lower your take-home pay and influence your healthcare, retirement savings, and long-term financial planning.

For employers, it impacts compliance responsibilities, payroll cost structures, and the ability to retain talent across borders.

This article breaks down how salary adjustments work and what happens to your benefits when you move. It also explains the legal requirements you and your employer must manage in an international remote work arrangement.

Learn how global relocation affects your compensation.

Key takeaways

1. Your salary and benefits can change when you move countries. The local cost of living, market pay rates, taxes, and benefit rules all influence your earnings and protections.
2. A financially sound cross-border work arrangement requires informed planning to avoid benefit gaps and compliance issues.
3. Deel reduces these risks by managing compliant global payroll, benefits, immigration, and employment in over 150 countries. It gives both workers and employers stable support during relocation.

Get exclusive discounts on Deel services through our partnership with Relocate.world

Understanding remote work from another country

International remote work is an arrangement where an employee performs their job duties from a country different from their contractual or payroll location. This location-independent setup offers meaningful benefits. You can live in a country with a lower cost of living, stay close to family, or build a healthier work-life balance. Employers benefit too because they can retain talent even when employees relocate. Research shows that remote digital jobs continue to grow. The World Economic Forum estimates that global digital jobs will increase from 73 million in 2024 to 92 million by 2030, with the strongest growth in higher-paying roles. Relocation, however, raises important questions:

• Pay structure: Can I receive the same pay working from different countries?
• Benefits: Can I keep the same job benefits if I move across borders?
• Legal status: Will relocating change my employee or contractor status?

Salary and compensation implications

As a remote worker, your pay may change when you relocate to another country. Employers often review compensation to maintain fairness, control costs, and meet local labor and tax requirements. Common factors that influence pay decisions include:

• The company’s relocation policy
• The duration of your stay abroad
• The local cost of living
• Local market pay rates
• Whether you remain an employee or move to contractor status

How your pay may change in different scenarios

1. When your employer initiates the relocation

Your salary may stay the same or increase to match local norms or higher living costs in the host country.

2. When you initiate the relocation

You may keep your current salary, or your employer may adjust it based on their relocation and pay-setting policies.

3. When your employment status shifts

• Moving from employee to contractor may increase your pay because you take on your own tax obligations and social protections.
• Moving from contractor to employee may reduce take-home pay because the employer covers social contributions and benefits.

How employers set fair pay for international moves

A structured, transparent compensation model helps employers adjust salaries consistently across locations. It supports compliance, aligns pay with local labor rules, and gives you clarity on how your pay may change. One common approach is location-based pay, where salaries are calibrated to the employee’s geographic location instead of the employer’s office location. Your pay may rise or fall depending on whether the new country has higher or lower labor costs. Employers may use:

• Local market benchmarks
• Regional pay bands Research shows that 40% of workers would accept a pay cut of 5% or more, and 21% would accept a cut of 10% or more, to maintain remote work. Before you move, clarify how relocation will affect your pay and contract terms.

How do currencies affect salary when working remotely internationally?

Currency fluctuations can change how much money you receive after payroll processing. Multi-currency payroll helps reduce these issues by allowing employers to pay in the host country’s currency. Deel Global Payroll supports:

• 120+ fiat currencies
• Crypto payments (Bitcoin, Ethereum)
• Forward rates to lock stable exchange rates

Benefits and health insurance abroad

When you relocate, your benefits package—especially retirement and health insurance—may not transfer with you. Many pension, health, and insurance plans are country-specific. Differences in healthcare systems, social security rules, and eligibility requirements can create gaps in coverage. Some employer-provided benefits remain flexible (e.g., wellness stipends, learning budgets, stock options), but core protections often do not.

How benefits shift when you relocate

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Area	Home-country benefits	Host-country mandatory benefits
Legal basis	Follows home labor, tax, benefit laws	Must meet host-country statutory requirements
Eligibility	Often lost after relocation	Automatic once living/working in host country
Contributions	May pause; retirement access may be lost	Mandatory contributions to host social security
Coverage	Often excludes non-residents	Must meet host minimum standards
Tax treatment	Home-country tax advantages may disappear	Host-country tax rules apply

Alternatives for healthcare coverage overseas

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Alternative	Description	Cost	Coverage	Accessibility
Expat health insurance	Portable, long-term international coverage	Higher	Global	Easy, no residency required
Local public health insurance	Government-backed coverage	Low–moderate	Local	Requires residency/registration
Private short-term plan	Temporary protection during moves or waiting periods	Low	Basic/emergency	Easy but not long-term

Legal and compliance considerations

Relocating abroad creates compliance responsibilities for both workers and employers.

For workers:

• Must follow host immigration, tax, residency rules
• May need a visa or work permit
• Tax residency may shift

For employers:

• Must confirm valid work authorization
• Must meet host payroll, tax, social security rules
• Employment terms must follow local labor laws Failure to comply can result in fines or loss of work authorization.

Work authorization and visa requirements

Your ability to work legally depends on holding the correct visa or permit—such as a digital nomad visa. Working without proper authorization risks fines, deportation, and compliance penalties for your employer. Deel supports this through:

• Visa eligibility checker
• Documentation prep
• Application and renewal management

Tax residency and payroll obligations

Tax residency affects which country can tax your income. Most countries use day-count tests (e.g., the 183-day rule).

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Factor	Home Country	Host Country
Tax residency	Based on days, home, or ties	Based on days or permanent home
Income tax owed	Taxed on worldwide income (if resident)	May tax income earned while living there
Social security	Required under home rules	Required unless a bilateral agreement applies
Employer duties	Standard payroll	May need local registration and withholding

Double taxation risks may be avoided through treaties or credits

Employer presence and Employer of Record (EOR) services

If your employer lacks a local entity, they often cannot:

• Sponsor visas
• Offer statutory benefits
• Issue compliant contracts An Employer of Record (EOR) solves this by employing you locally on their behalf. Deel EOR supports 150+ countries and enables compliant employment and visa sponsorship.

5 strategies employers can use to support remote workers abroad

1. A clear work-from-anywhere policy

Defines eligibility, process, pay adjustments, and visa support.

2. A global payroll provider

Ensures compliant multi-country payroll and deductions.

3. An EOR service provider

Enables legal employment where the company lacks a local entity.

4. Portable benefits

Allows flexibility when standard benefits can’t cross borders.

5. Dedicated cross-border HR support

Provides workers with immigration, equipment, and relocation guidance.

How Deel supports global teams

Deel provides:

• Visa sponsorship and relocation support
• Global payroll across 120+ currencies
• International health coverage
• Contractor of Record services
• Local HR expertise
• A unified HRIS for global teams

Make cross-border work easier with Deel

With the right support, international remote work is smoother for both employers and employees. Book a free demo to see how Deel simplifies global remote work.

FAQ

Will my salary change if I work remotely from another country? Yes. Salary may change based on local rates, cost of living, and tax obligations.

Can I keep my benefits after moving abroad? Not always. Many benefits are not portable and may require alternative or local coverage.

What taxes do I need to pay? You may owe taxes in both countries unless a treaty applies.

Is it legal to work remotely from another country? Yes, with proper visa/work authorization and employer compliance.

What documentation do I need for remote work visas? Typically:

• Passport
• Proof of income
• Proof of foreign employment
• Health insurance
• Accommodation plan