Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with offshore

Is there a website that tracks information about companies that have offshored information technology jobs?

cosmic.osmo — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:25:50 -0800

Is there a website that tracks information about companies that have offshored information technology jobs? I'm looking for a website that tracks companies that have offshored information technology jobs, and that can provide information about the locations and sizes of their offshore offices.

I've seen references to one at techsunite.org from around 2004, but it appears to be defunct.

Is there a major stigma towards offshore companies?

lapsang — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:50:31 -0800

Do most US companies prefer to work with US companies? Is there a major stigma towards offshore companies? I used to live in the US as a non-US citizen to study and work (H1-b). During that time I set up a US corporation and started out on my own. Then I moved to South America where I now live permanently. And retained the US company under which I now trade and also have a US bank account, pay US taxes and have an SSN.

I provide an 'offshore' service, speak fluent English, have US telephone numbers (VOIP) porting to me here in Colombia. I mention this because I have always assumed that my clients feel more comfortable dealing with a US company as opposed to an offshore 'unknown' that can't be sued.

FWIW I work with major corporations as well as smaller companies and my location has never been an issue for them however most of that work as come through referrals and recommendations so it may be different in a more competitive bidding process.

Obviously I should ask my clients and speak to an accounting firm with cross-border expertise but i wanted to see what the hive mind turned up.

Cheers.

What are the advantages of an offshore company and where should I incorporate one?

Kai2 — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:53:19 -0800

I am a British Internet marketer and need advice on setting up an offshore company and bank account to avoid tax. Details inside! I am a british citizen, but have never submitted a personal tax return due to not living in the country for most of my life (and also never being requested to complete one). Regardless, I now live outside the UK and move around far too often to ever become permanently resident anywhere. I guess i'm somewhat of a 'global citizen'. Ive recently started making a little money doing affiliate marketing online. At the moment, I use my personal UK bank account to make and receive payments. I want to avoid ever having to be liable for paying tax in the UK, and It seems that most people in this business form companies, so I thought I should incorporate an offshore company. As I understand it, I can open an offshore company and bank account and pay zero tax (until I remit money back to the country where I am living).

1. From what I understand, the benefits of an offshore company for me would be increased privacy (everything is being traded in the name of the company and I could even remain totally anonymous if I used bearer shares, nominee directors etc), limited liability and lastly because I couldn't open an offshore bank account without one. Is this basically correct?
2. Is there any reason (other than cost) to operate an offshore bank account in a different country to the country the company is incorporated in?
3. Are there any jurisdictions that particularly suit my requirements (i.e. no double taxation agreements with UK etc)?
4. Where in the world is the cheapest place to open an offshore company and bank account given the above? I'm not yet earning very much, so I'm looking for the cheapest solution which protects me. From the few hours Ive spent researching it seems that the Seychelles offers extremely good value. Panama is also attractive.

Thanks for any help!

Kai

FLASH

yoyo_nyc — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:37:55 -0800

Where do I find FLASH programmers, preferably offshore (AKA cheaper)? I need a FLASH/Webpage programmer for my planed start up. Since it is not an internet start up the web page needed is not a tremendous amount of work. In another Metafiler question someone posted: etsy.com where people can post handcrafted jobs and people bet on it.

Does something like this exists for FLASH/Website programmers?

Good/bad/indifferent time to buy in to China funds?

stavrosthewonderchicken — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:27:11 -0800

Investment timing: what do you think of the timing at the moment for dropping money into China funds, or BRICs? I'm very much on-board and up-to-date on the impending recession (or worse) in America, the ongoing housing collapse, the devaluation of the dollar, and growing credit woes, for what it's worth. I'm also aware of the need to carefully investigate the fee structure of any potential investment. I am fairly risk-adverse, but wanting to diversify and see if I can bring in a little higher average rate of return over the whole portfolio.

The wrinkle here is that the currency I'd be buying in to a fund or funds with would be Korean won. (Let's say, if it's germane, that I'm thinking on the order of the equivalent of tens of thousands of dollars, currently making about 6%, basically zero risk.)

The ones I'm looking at (although I am very much aware that 'past results are no guarantee of future performance') have averaged a 60%-100+% return in the past couple of years. Needless to say, that kind of thing is tempting indeed.

Any hard info, links, or just opinions would be most welcome, as I'm still far from fully-versed in this stuff.

Documentaries About Living in Hi-Tech Artificial Environments

jimmyjimjim — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 15:15:33 -0800

Is there any one definitive, super-evocative portrait of life on on offshore oil rig? Preferably with lots of oh-cool gnarly imagery? ....that I can buy on DVD, download from iTunes or GUBA or torrent, etc? I know there are lots that sort of fit the bill, but I'm looking for extra transportive, extra in-depth cool treatments. Also of interest: looks at life on aircraft carriers, antarctic base stations, etc. I'm into transportive experiences of living in really artificial (and preferably somewhat high-tech) environments. Very XY chromosome I guess...

Grand CaymanFilter

bhance — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 10:38:21 -0800

CaymanFilter: Looking for MeFite input on a trip to Grand Cayman ... I'm tagging along with students headed to Grand Cayman in mid-March, and I'll be left to my own devices while they are in class. I've devoured all the info I can find online, and am now looking for off-the-beaten-path, day-trip-ish, local-color type input from any MeFites beyond "snorkel, scuba, and visit Hell".

Offshore design firms?

tpl1212 — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 08:59:12 -0800

Does anyone have experience with an offshore design/illustration house? My company needs a bulk amount of small-but-fairly-realistic illustrations (think the kind of stuff one might see on a children's book cover) turned out, and I think this might be a good job for an offshore vendor...but i'm also just generally curious about working with such firms in the future.

...problem is, i'm not sure how to go about searching for a reputable offshore design or illustration firm (google seems to be turning up...lots of unhelpful results). Do such firms exist? Has anyone had a good experience with a particular firm?

Company specifics can be sent my way via email (in my profile) if you'd like...thanks!

Where should we escape to?

Listener — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 16:28:02 -0800

Where should we escape to? We (couple, not going to have kids) vant to be alone. We telecommute, so all we need is somewhere very quiet and safe and stable with good home Internet access. Where are the best places? I know we will have to do some travelling and check them out, but if you can give us some ideas, places, links, strategies to start on, we're grateful. I looked at past threads and found this about retiring in the US but I'm Canadian so that's right out. The Shetland Islands look like a good place to check out, since I have relatives in England. He's from eastern Europe and it would be nice to be in Europe to be near his family, but that's not the only option either. Would be nice if it's a place that has English speakers, but not absolutely necessary. Hot climate is nice but hardly necessary. We're both from cold "temperate" places.

We could buy a place to live cash down for about $100,000. Not much, I know. Of course in a few years we'll have more, but that's where we're at. This is not really about retirement, as we are decades from retirement age.

My first thought is Moose Jaw -- they have that nice natural spa in town. Pretty cold, but decent community activities, considering the tiny size of the place. Can we do better than Moose Jaw?

Can Neteller Impact a US Credit Report?

crewshell — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 00:16:38 -0800

Can offshore companies such as neteller, firepay, various online gambling sites and other such companies that operate outside of the US, but have us based customers, tarnish or submitt negative information to US credit reporting agencies (trans union, Equixfax, etc) ?

Diver down...and out, with your help

atchafalaya — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 14:04:05 -0800

I'm back at a job I loved, loathed and left fifteen years ago. What next? I was a diver tender 15 years ago. Now I'm back. The work is better, but it's still got some drawbacks. During my absence I got a degree in chemistry, and became an infantry officer in the reserves.

I like the diving and the money, but safety and longevity are an issue. Where can I take this? What's a logical jump to something that still involves diving, but is more scientific or at least safer? Throw me a line...