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philip.smith wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:30 am Hi,

I'm having trouble finding legislation/advice/official word on what is required to be above the board and legal while working remote in Cambodia? I'm planning on bringing my work laptop and working for my employer while in Phnom Penh.

It's for a government agency so everything will need to be above the board, compliant, and legal. I can't find anything out there other than the 'digital nomad' articles that don't touch on it a whole lot. Would be for a 10 week period, money wouldn't be entering Cambodia (I'll be bringing USD with me that will be more than enough the entire time, the money will be going to my NZ bank account).

Thanks

Abc123 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:59 am

philip.smith wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:30 am Hi,

I'm having trouble finding legislation/advice/official word on what is required to be above the board and legal while working remote in Cambodia? I'm planning on bringing my work laptop and working for my employer while in Phnom Penh.

It's for a government agency so everything will need to be above the board, compliant, and legal. I can't find anything out there other than the 'digital nomad' articles that don't touch on it a whole lot. Would be for a 10 week period, money wouldn't be entering Cambodia (I'll be bringing USD with me that will be more than enough the entire time, the money will be going to my NZ bank account).

Thanks

Not too many options I'm afraid. You could register a company. If approved, this will allow you to get a work permit.
As usual in Cambodia, it's all one big fuck up unless you come under certain categories as defined by the government.
There are several different visa classes; working EB, retired ER, looking for work EG, plus NGO, etcetc, but nothing that covers digital nomads so far.

The EB business visa ( or ordinary: the extension after one month of the ordinary is called EB) requires you to be working for a reagisted company in Cambodia. As of last week, you need a letter of employment with company stamp to apply for it.
They are issuing official application proformas to the travel agents (where everyone applies for their visas) for the company to sign and seal.

Tax on overseas earnings can be quite high here, if working for an overseas company earning money from Cambodia

You could use an EG visa and say you are trying to set a company up maybe. Others will be along to tell you exactly how to do it.

Lots of people who have effectively been made illegal overnight without any real official warning. It's fairly normal out here for the government to bring new demands in and change them - continuously. It causes chaos, but does allow certain people to make rather a lot of folding money. The country's going through a lot development, and being strictly legal, which wasn't enforced before apart from having a passport and visa, is now being enforced in some areas.

Surely the government agency can advise you? Be interesting to hear what they say.

pczz wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:08 pm The visa does not entitle you to work. For that you need a work permit. To have a work permit you have to be employed by an entity (company or sole trader) that is registered with ministry of commerce or sangkhat and tax office and you will be expected to pay tax on your income earned in Cambodia. Technically Cambodian residents have to pay tax on their world wide income but in general if you are not a Cambodian citizen they will usually only expect you to pay tax on your Cambodian income. The fact you are paid in NZ is irrelevant as you will be doing the work in Cambodia, but is complicated because you will be here for so short a time. I think for 10 weeks it will be impossible to sort it out legally. There is a hooha at the moment about whether or not you will even get a 6 month visa without a letter from a Cambodian employer. In which case its a mute point as you will not be able to stay 10 weeks on a tourist visa. Search the forum for visas. there was a thread about this recently

Abc123 wrote:

pczz wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:08 pm The visa does not entitle you to work. For that you need a work permit. To have a work permit you have to be employed by an entity (company or sole trader) that is registered with ministry of commerce or sangkhat and tax office and you will be expected to pay tax on your income earned in Cambodia. Technically Cambodian residents have to pay tax on their world wide income but in general if you are not a Cambodian citizen they will usually only expect you to pay tax on your Cambodian income. The fact you are paid in NZ is irrelevant as you will be doing the work in Cambodia, but is complicated because you will be here for so short a time. I think for 10 weeks it will be impossible to sort it out legally. There is a hooha at the moment about whether or not you will even get a 6 month visa without a letter from a Cambodian employer. In which case its a mute point as you will not be able to stay 10 weeks on a tourist visa. Search the forum for visas. there was a thread about this recently

I was told by my visa agent that all EB extensions- one, three, six and twelve month, now require an employment letter from a registered business.

Username Taken wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:22 pm Can't he just get an EG on arrival, then extend it for 3 months on the basis of 'looking for work'.
No-one needs to know what he is doing in his apartment for 10 weeks. He's not working for anyone here, and he's not getting paid by anyone here.

No one is going to come looking to see what you're doing. If necessary, just tell them you're writing a book.

PSD-Kiwi wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:24 pm

Username Taken wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:22 pm Can't he just get an EG on arrival, then extend it for 3 months on the basis of 'looking for work'.
No-one needs to know what he is doing in his apartment for 10 weeks. He's not working for anyone here, and he's not getting paid by anyone here.

No one is going to come looking to see what you're doing. If necessary, just tell them you're writing a book.

He could get an E-type (Ordinary) VOA, then apply for a 3 mth EG EOS. (EG is an EOS of the E-type visa, you cannot get an EG EOS on arrival...haven't I taught you guys anything?)

Exactly, no one needs to know what he's doing!