Hi,
My girlfriend (a NZ citizen) and I are currently living in Germany (DE) and will be moving to NZ in december.
I was granted a 24-month-long temporary working visa based on our relationship.
When handing in my quit letter, my company offered me to continue working for them as a freelancer from NZ. They even offered me to continue as a regular employee (without quitting) and change my fiscal residence from DE to NZ.
In the first case (freelancer), I guess I'd be a NZ-based sole trader and send invoices to my company in DE. But would my earnings be taxed in DE or in NZ ? I called IRD and they were unable to answer. Does anybody have a similar experience ? (probably with the UK ?)
Would the second case (stay as an employee) make any sense to you ? I am then liable to pay income tax in Germany, but not the pension/unemployment/social-security premiums, (which brings it back to the first case if tax is payed in DE) and I get to keep my end of the year's bonus. But I still feel it's not the right thing to do...
I know that DE and NZ have a double tax agreement, so no worries about paying twice.
Any advice is very much appreciated.
Cheers