Transitioning from Individual to Company Services Thread poster: Lamine Boukabour
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Dear colleagues,
For procedural purposes, a client has requested that I provide services to them through a company structure rather than as an individual. However, I operate as a freelance translator and do not own a business. Could my ProZ.com account assist me in addressing this matter? If not, is there a way out?
Thank you for your help.
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Keith Jackson 
France
Local time: 02:32
Member (2017)
French to English
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I can't see why it should be necessary. Not being a company doesn't mean that you are not a business. It is a silly request.
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Quentin NEVEN
Belgium
Local time: 02:32
Member (Jan 2024)
English to French
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Hi,
This is a weird request, indeed...
What they explained to you why they need this ?
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Lamine Boukabour
Algeria
Local time: 02:32
Member (2022)
English to Arabic
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks a lot for the insights. Based on your information, if I proceed with 'portage salarial,' do you think a translation diploma is required?
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Lamine Boukabour
Algeria
Local time: 02:32
Member (2022)
English to Arabic
TOPIC STARTER | Christopher & Quentin | Jan 24 |
The client, represented by a company, inquired about the existence of a company on my end, expressing a preference for engaging with a corporate entity rather than an individual. Unfortunately, I am not aware of the specific reason behind this preference.
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Zea_Mays
Italy
Local time: 02:32
English to German
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| As a freelancer you have business status | Jan 24 |
if you are registered as such (for EU countries for example with a vat number).
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Lamine Boukabour
Algeria
Local time: 02:32
Member (2022)
English to Arabic
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you for the information. I'd like to clarify that I am based in Algeria, and I provide my services globally from my home without the need for affiliation. For clients who request a VAT number, I simply provide my ID number without any issues. I understand that the requirements may differ in EU countries.
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Zea_Mays
Italy
Local time: 02:32
English to German
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Lamine Boukabour wrote:
Thank you for the information. I'd like to clarify that I am based in Algeria, and I provide my services globally from my home without the need for affiliation. For clients who request a VAT number, I simply provide my ID number without any issues. I understand that the requirements may differ in EU countries.
Do you have a freelance registration number or something similar? Or can you register as such? I think this would be enough for counting as a business instead of a private person.
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Lamine Boukabour
Algeria
Local time: 02:32
Member (2022)
English to Arabic
TOPIC STARTER
Currently, I do not have a freelance registration number or a similar credential. I believe obtaining a translation degree is required for such registration, but unfortunately, I do not possess one. I will explore if obtaining a certification from a highly recognized entity would address this matter.
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Lamine Boukabour wrote:
The client, ...expressing a preference for engaging with a corporate entity rather than an individual. Unfortunately, I am not aware of the specific reason ....
Probably worth trying to find out why, and then decide the solution.
It might simply be (as has been implied/suggested) that they just want reassurance you are definitely operating as a bona fide business.
But it might be more complicated than that (e.g. they could be seeking to ensure there is absolutely no possibility that you could be deemed their employee if the business relationship runs for a length of time).
There's no point trying to guess and serving up a solution that doesn't solve their problem. Find out what they want to achieve, and then work out how you can achieve it
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 02:32
French to English
They might think a self-employed person is more of a risk, if something happens there's nobody to jump in and deal with the situation. In which case setting up a company in which you are the sole shareholder/employee/whatever won't actually help in any way.
I know that my freelance status here prevents me from taking on interns or employees or even outsourcing work, so maybe they would like to give you tons of work and have you outsource it or hire employees as you see fit?
But as ... See more They might think a self-employed person is more of a risk, if something happens there's nobody to jump in and deal with the situation. In which case setting up a company in which you are the sole shareholder/employee/whatever won't actually help in any way.
I know that my freelance status here prevents me from taking on interns or employees or even outsourcing work, so maybe they would like to give you tons of work and have you outsource it or hire employees as you see fit?
But as Charlie says, you need to find out exactly why they want to deal with a company before actually setting one up. The time it takes, they might have found someone else anyway! ▲ Collapse
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Portugal has a (well-deserved) reputation for being very bureaucratic and slow, and yet establishing my company in Portugal, receiving the EU VAT number and opening a bank account took me 4 days in 2015...
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