US companies can hire international independent contractors. This page summarizes the framework Inferr provides. It is not legal or tax advice — consult a qualified attorney.
What's generally clear
- US companies may engage international independent contractors — no work visa required.
- A contractor working entirely outside the US generally means no 1099-NEC and no US tax withholding by the employer.
- The key document is the W-8BEN — collected by the employer and kept on file (not filed with the IRS).
What Inferr provides
- A W-8BEN template, pre-fillable from your profile (name, country, tax ID field).
- A standard contractor agreement template (NDA, IP assignment, payment, termination).
- Country-by-country notes for common applicant countries.
- A referral to Deel / Rippling / Gusto for compliant payments and payroll at the offer stage.
What Inferr does NOT do
- Act as an Employer of Record (that’s Deel’s role).
- Guarantee legal compliance, handle payroll/payments, or give legal advice.
Misclassification — the main risk
The single biggest risk when hiring international contractors is misclassification (treating someone as a contractor who should be an employee). Employers are responsible for reviewing classification rules in the contractor’s country. Inferr surfaces this warning on international applicants and assumes no liability for classification decisions.
Every compliance note carries the same caveat: consult a qualified attorney for your situation.