For a contractor living and performing the work internationally, foreign-sourced income isn't subject to U.S. tax withholding, while U.S. source income, even if earned by a non-American, is subject to U.S. tax withholding.
Compensation: Overseas contractors typically earn competitive salaries, with averages ranging from $80,000 to $140,000 per year, along with allowances for Meals & Incidentals (M&IE) and potential tax benefits.
Businesses can often leverage job boards such as LinkedIn, Indeed, Jobrack, or Upwork to find international talent. They will then need to find out if they need to offer the contractor an employment contract and also understand the working hour requirements for independent contractors.
This is a key point in understanding how can a US company hire a foreign independent contractor. As long as the contractor complies with the tax and legal requirements of their home country and the U.S., they can provide services to a U.S. company without being considered an employee.
If your contractor isn't a US citizen and works outside US, you'll just need them to complete a W-8BEN (or a W-8BEN-E if they're a business entity). You don't need to send the form to the IRS, just keep it on file with your payment records.
Conversely, if the independent contractor is not a US person and did not perform any of their services within the US, you will not be required to issue Form 1099. Instead, the foreign contractor will have to complete and file Form W-8BEN.
Foreign independent contractors must submit IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E to certify their foreign status and claim any applicable tax treaty benefits. The US company may also need to file Form 1099-NEC if certain conditions are met, though this is more common for domestic contractors.
However, the IRS doesn't require a company to withhold taxes or report any income from an international contractor if the contractor is not a U.S. citizen and the services provided are outside the U.S. filing forms 1099 is required if: The contractor is located internationally but is a U.S. citizen.
Ing to IRS rules, any business “engaged in trade or business” with a U.S. citizen individual (freelancer / independent contractor), a U.S. business, or a foreign business with a U.S. citizen owner may be required to file a 1099 with the IRS, per the rules outlined above.
Conversely, if the independent contractor is not a US person and did not perform any of their services within the US, you will not be required to issue Form 1099. Instead, the foreign contractor will have to complete and file Form W-8BEN.