Oliver Kray, the Managing Director of MyPostcard and a globetrotter, reveals what to consider when working abroad.
Berlin, 13.02.2024 – Working from anywhere in the world, is that possible? Yes, it is possible! Digital nomads show what it is like to work from anywhere while traveling the world. This offers “office with a view” a whole new meaning: creative brainstorming with a view of the beach, budget planning in the middle of Guatemala or programming in a café in Spain. Oliver Kray, CEO of the postcard app MyPostcard, works a lot from the road and shares his experience of working abroad.
Tax and labor law requirements for digital nomads
Within the EU, Germans can work abroad for exactly 183 days while remaining tax liable in Germany. Working abroad only temporarily has no tax or employment law implications. However, if a longer stay is planned, the income may have to be taxed in the country. There are agreements between many countries that determine where income must be taxed and what tax benefits are granted in order to avoid double taxation. Some countries even offer zero tax. In any case, it is advisable to have a tax advisor by your side to keep you informed.
Depending on the country, digital nomads may require a work permit. It is essential to find out about the immigration laws and regulations of the country in question in advance. Estonia, for example, was the first country in the world to introduce an official visa for digital nomads in June 2020. Neighboring Latvia has followed suit. Romania, Croatia, Portugal and Georgia have also created special visas. If you like the cold, Norway and Iceland welcome you with a visa for globetrotters. Outside the EU, things are more difficult: the USA, for example, has six other types of work visas in addition to the green card, which must be applied for at the US embassy in Berlin or the consulate general in Frankfurt am Main. Or if you would like to work in the midst of the relaxed lifestyle of Costa Rica, for example, with its beautiful beaches and impressive landscape of jungle, volcanoes and waterfalls, you can also do so. The visa is called Rentista and allows foreigners to stay for 2 years.
In addition, world travelers should have adequate health and travel insurance that is valid in the countries where they wish to live and work. If the stay abroad does not last longer than two years, a simple international health insurance policy that covers all costs for medically necessary treatment abroad is usually sufficient.
Mr. Kray, what do you always carry with you when you travel?
My technical equipment undoubtedly includes a socket adapter, a charged power bank for working days at the beach, and noise-cancelling headphones. I also like to travel to warm countries to escape the German winter. That’s why my sunglasses, for example, are never missing.
How do you take care of your data security abroad?
I establish a secure connection to a network in Germany via the Internet (VPN/ SASE). It can therefore be used to access regional network resources that are otherwise geographically restricted and offers increased security when surfing on public Wi-Fi networks. I also keep regular backups of all important data, such as in the cloud. In the event of device loss or theft, the data is securely stored and can be recovered. For many accounts, I also use two-factor authentication (2FA) to increase security.
What do you occasionally forget to look out for?
Roaming… Sometimes I make calls automatically and then realize I am no longer in Germany or the EU, and my flat rate abroad has different terms. This can be expensive. Internet-based applications such as WhatsApp via Microsoft Teams save me unwanted costs when making a (video) call – I also use them most of the time. Roaming charges are now waived in most European countries, which means that Internet use there is at the same rate as at home.
What is your favorite country to work in?
I find Spain very relaxed at the moment. The weather is great and the COO of MyPostcard lives there, so I’m always in good company when I’m working there. Being outside a lot, having good weather, and having good food – I can then channel the energy I gain directly into my work and projects. I often have my foldable laptop sunshade with me here, which definitely makes it easier to work in a country with so many hours of sunshine. Another tip: don’t get distracted by parties and the beach and always make sure you get enough sleep.
How has being a digital nomad changed your quality of life?
I am definitely more relaxed and more focused at the same time. Working from anywhere also opens up completely new perspectives and is particularly rewarding in my creative field. That really is priceless. The concept is therefore also really important to me for my employees at MyPostcard. If the opportunity arises – I’m all for promoting it.
How do you stay in touch with family and friends when you’re on the road so often?
In times of cell phones, video calls, and digital meetings, it’s no longer a big problem to stay in touch. Like most people, I use WhatsApp here but of course also about postcards. That’s how the idea for MyPostcard came about. There isn’t a postcard stand everywhere I work, let alone stamps or a post office. The app gives me the opportunity to send a greeting to my loved ones from anywhere. And a photo and a short message for the postcard are just as quick as a WhatsApp message. The printed card then arrives with my friends or family within a few days and everyone knows where I am or what I’m up to.
About MyPostcard
MyPostcard is Germany’s most successful postcard app and makes it possible to send personal photos as real printed postcards from anywhere via smartphone. With more than 70,000 designs, the company also has the world’s widest range of postcards, and offers audio and video cards in addition to postcards and greeting cards. MyPostcard takes charge of printing, and delivering the personalized postcards worldwide with the help of an international printing network. The company, based in Berlin and New York, was founded in 2014 by designer and serial entrepreneur Oliver Kray (CEO) and is now successfully operating in the e-commerce industry with over six million app downloads. Today, 35 employees work at the company. MyPostcard supports various social projects worldwide, including Amnesty International, All-Out.org, Terre des Femmes and in the past the #FreeDeniz campaign in cooperation with N24 / Axel Springer.
MyPostcard has a prestigious list of partners, including Deutsche Post, Haribo, adidas, Google and TUI. In the Financial Times ranking, MyPostcard is one of the Top 1000 Fastest Growing Companies in Europe. In the e-commerce sector, the company ranks 19th in Europe. MyPostcard has won the gold Stevie Award in the Company of the Year category, as well as the coveted Licensing International Award. The company also won this year’s German Innovation Award 2022 with the audio postcard. The MyPostcard app is available free of charge in the App Store (ranked 4.7 stars), Play Store (ranked 4.1 stars) as well as the Huawei App Store (5.0 stars). The app is currently available worldwide in eight languages.
For more information, please visit http://www.mypostcard.com/en/.
For more information or inquiries:
Maria Gomelskaia
MyPostcard.com GmbH
Hohenzollerndamm 3
10717 Berlin
Tel: +030 – 403 64 54 25
maria@mypostcard.com
www.mypostcard.com
Lilia Jäger-Köberl
Wilde & Partner Communications GmbH
Franziskanerstraße 14
81669 München
Tel: +49 89 17 91 90 – 592
lilia.jaeger@wilde.de
www.wilde.de
Comments are closed.