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ArticlesWorking with international contractors

What is a foreign subsidiary? And should I open one?

What is a foreign subsidiary? And should I open one?

So you want to hire abroad. You’ve done some research. You’re ready to go: but you keep hearing that you need a foreign subsidiary to hire teammates in other countries. Is that true? What even is a foreign subsidiary? We’ll answer your questions below. And, we’ll explain why you might not need a foreign subsidiary at all.

Written by
Matt Redler
share

Here’s what you need to know about foreign subsidiaries:

  • A foreign subsidiary is a separate legal entity that is owned or controlled by a parent company based in a different country.
  • Having a foreign subsidiary allows a company to hire employees and conduct business in a foreign country without running afoul of local laws.
  • Hiring independent contractors eliminates the need for a foreign subsidiary as they are not considered employees and are responsible for their own taxes and compliance with local laws.

Want to get a jump-start on hiring abroad, without a foreign subsidiary? Sign up to Panther for $0—it’s the platform that lets you hire and pay contractors, all around the world. Once you’ve found someone, use Panther to make the hire and run payroll: you can get going in days, not the typical weeks or months that a foreign subsidiary or Employer-of-Record would require. Sign up here and onboard your team in minutes.

Or, keep reading to learn more about foreign subsidiaries.

What is a foreign subsidiary?

A foreign subsidiary is a separate legal entity that is owned or controlled by a parent company based in a different country. This type of business structure allows companies to expand their operations and conduct business in foreign countries without having to navigate the legal complexities of doing so as a foreign entity.

By establishing a foreign subsidiary, companies can hire employees, open bank accounts, and purchase property in the foreign country, which can help them to better serve their customers and gain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

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Pay your entire team in one click.

What’s the difference between a subsidiary and an affiliate?

A foreign subsidiary is an entity that a company opens in another country, so that they can hire and pay their people there while staying compliant with local laws.

An affiliate, on the other hand, is a company that is affiliated with another company, but is not owned or controlled by it. Affiliates often share common branding, products, or services, but operate independently and make their own business decisions. Companies may form affiliate relationships to expand their reach, share resources or expertise, or enter new markets without incurring the cost of establishing a separate legal entity.

With Panther, you don’t need an affiliate or a subsidiary—you can start hiring today for $0.

Why you don’t need a foreign subsidiary to hire abroad

Hiring independent contractors abroad removes the need for a foreign subsidiary because they are not considered employees and are responsible for their own taxes and compliance with local laws. This means that companies do not have to navigate the legal complexities of setting up and maintaining a foreign subsidiary, which can be time-consuming and costly. Instead, they can simply enter into a contract with the independent contractor, which allows for faster, cheaper, and more flexible hiring.

In addition, hiring independent contractors abroad also allows companies to access a global pool of talent, without having to set up a physical presence in the country. This can be especially beneficial for companies that need to hire specialized skills or fill a short-term project. By using independent contractors, companies can also avoid the costs and risks associated with employing staff, such as paying benefits, providing training, and complying with full-time employment laws.

Start hiring today with Panther for $0, without opening a subsidiary

With Panther, you can compliantly hire & pay your contractors in 150+ countries, without ever touching the legal complexities of opening a subsidiary. It’s what smart remote teams do to stay flexible, autonomous, and compliant. Want to take a peek at the platform? Head here and see how Panther makes global hiring feel like magic.

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What Panther does for Rapid River, in a snapshot:

Hire and pay without Panther

Pay all your contractors individually
Do all currency conversions yourself
Shoulder the burden of platform fees
Spend hours each month making payments
Manually track & store invoices
Manually write & sign contracts
Manually file relevant tax documents

Hire and pay with Panther

Pay everyone with a single click
Get great currency conversion rates
Pay $0 in platform fees
Run payroll in seconds
Let Panther automatically create & store invoices
Let Panther automatically write locally-compliant contracts
Let Panther automatically file local tax documents

Why should I hire and pay my contractors in

with Panther?

Hire and pay with Panther

Pay everyone with a single click
Get great currency conversion rates
Pay $0 in platform fees
Run payroll in seconds
Let Panther automatically create & store invoices
Let Panther automatically write locally-compliant contracts
Let Panther automatically file local tax documents

Hire and pay without Panther

Pay all your contractors individually
Do all currency conversions yourself
Shoulder the burden of platform fees
Spend hours each month making payments
Manually track & store invoices
Manually write & sign contracts
Manually file relevant tax documents

Start hiring today for $0

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ArticlesWorking with international contractors

What is a foreign subsidiary? And should I open one?

What is a foreign subsidiary? And should I open one?

So you want to hire abroad. You’ve done some research. You’re ready to go: but you keep hearing that you need a foreign subsidiary to hire teammates in other countries. Is that true? What even is a foreign subsidiary? We’ll answer your questions below. And, we’ll explain why you might not need a foreign subsidiary at all.

Written by
Matt Redler
share
Section 1

Here’s what you need to know about foreign subsidiaries:

  • A foreign subsidiary is a separate legal entity that is owned or controlled by a parent company based in a different country.
  • Having a foreign subsidiary allows a company to hire employees and conduct business in a foreign country without running afoul of local laws.
  • Hiring independent contractors eliminates the need for a foreign subsidiary as they are not considered employees and are responsible for their own taxes and compliance with local laws.

Want to get a jump-start on hiring abroad, without a foreign subsidiary? Sign up to Panther for $0—it’s the platform that lets you hire and pay contractors, all around the world. Once you’ve found someone, use Panther to make the hire and run payroll: you can get going in days, not the typical weeks or months that a foreign subsidiary or Employer-of-Record would require. Sign up here and onboard your team in minutes.

Or, keep reading to learn more about foreign subsidiaries.

What is a foreign subsidiary?

A foreign subsidiary is a separate legal entity that is owned or controlled by a parent company based in a different country. This type of business structure allows companies to expand their operations and conduct business in foreign countries without having to navigate the legal complexities of doing so as a foreign entity.

By establishing a foreign subsidiary, companies can hire employees, open bank accounts, and purchase property in the foreign country, which can help them to better serve their customers and gain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

What’s the difference between a subsidiary and an affiliate?

A foreign subsidiary is an entity that a company opens in another country, so that they can hire and pay their people there while staying compliant with local laws.

An affiliate, on the other hand, is a company that is affiliated with another company, but is not owned or controlled by it. Affiliates often share common branding, products, or services, but operate independently and make their own business decisions. Companies may form affiliate relationships to expand their reach, share resources or expertise, or enter new markets without incurring the cost of establishing a separate legal entity.

With Panther, you don’t need an affiliate or a subsidiary—you can start hiring today for $0.

Why you don’t need a foreign subsidiary to hire abroad

Hiring independent contractors abroad removes the need for a foreign subsidiary because they are not considered employees and are responsible for their own taxes and compliance with local laws. This means that companies do not have to navigate the legal complexities of setting up and maintaining a foreign subsidiary, which can be time-consuming and costly. Instead, they can simply enter into a contract with the independent contractor, which allows for faster, cheaper, and more flexible hiring.

In addition, hiring independent contractors abroad also allows companies to access a global pool of talent, without having to set up a physical presence in the country. This can be especially beneficial for companies that need to hire specialized skills or fill a short-term project. By using independent contractors, companies can also avoid the costs and risks associated with employing staff, such as paying benefits, providing training, and complying with full-time employment laws.

Start hiring today with Panther for $0, without opening a subsidiary

With Panther, you can compliantly hire & pay your contractors in 150+ countries, without ever touching the legal complexities of opening a subsidiary. It’s what smart remote teams do to stay flexible, autonomous, and compliant. Want to take a peek at the platform? Head here and see how Panther makes global hiring feel like magic.

Section 2
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