Remote work options¶
Remote work offers Africans a fairer opportunity to compete in a global jobs market.
Different kinds of remote¶
Many companies around the world advertise remote jobs, but not all remote jobs are the same kind of remote. It’s possible to waste a lot of time looking through job advertisements, and even applying for them, because the listings don’t make it completely clear what’s required.
Globally remote versus working from home¶
Be aware that many jobs are advertised as remote, and on inspection it turns out that they really they just mean “working from home” in a particular country or even state. (US-based companies are particularly prone to this, as if they forget sometimes that other countries exist.)
Sometimes a company is able to hire people across the world, but only in particular countries (where for example they have an office or are represented by an agency).
Globally remote generally does mean anywhere in the world, though there will likely be some constraints on hiring in certain countries. For example, international sanctions, or just logistical difficulties, mean that it can be very difficult to get payment through to employees in some countries.
A particular job might have a time zone requirement:
EMEA: Europe, Middle East, Africa
APAC: Asia-Pacific
AMER: Americas
If that’s the case, it’s probably a hard requirement, and for an African living in Africa only jobs in EMEA are likely to be suitable. But, someone at the edge of West Africa or East Africa might just be considered for a job in AMEA or APAC respectively.
Employment arrangements¶
Employee or contractor¶
An employer isn’t just a company that hands over money in exchange for work. It’s a legal arrangement. In most countries, an employer must be a legal entity in that country, pay local taxes on your salary, meet legal requirements (like having employer’s insurance) and so on. Almost no companies are so large and globally wide-spread that they can do this for every country.
In many cases, the actual legal arrangement that will hold is between a company and a contractor (i.e. you). You will have a contract to do work, but you won’t formally be employed.
You might in certain countries be required to set up your own contracting company, that works for the remote employer, and employs you.
Or, there might be an arrangement with a local agency that acts on behalf of the employer, and through which you receive your pay (Outsourcing arrangements, below).
These arrangements are more complex than simply being employed, and you also have fewer rights, but a respectable employer will make decent efforts to ensure that you enjoy fair treatment and are not a second-class kind of employee.
Outsourcing arrangements¶
In an outsourcing arrangement, a company - sometimes itself a global company or one covering a large global region, or one dedicated to a particular country - helps another company meets its staffing needs by handling the logistics of employing people in other countries. There are good ones, that have been the foundation for real, sustainable careers, and there are some exploitative ones. Do your research.
Outsourcing companies are in fact not just for remote workers - some will also provide office space and facilities, and some outsourcing means working in a local office with colleagues, all dedicated to serving the the same foreign company.
Freelance agencies¶
Another arrangement is a freelancing agency, a company that has a pool of engineers and other software professionals on their books, for temporary contracts. It’s a different kind of relationship, better suited to the seasoned professional who is able to step into an unknown context and begin contributing almost immediately than to a junior.