10% income tax only? Where so I sign?
A cursory search suggests that France, like the US, has a progressive income tax system, so a highly paid worker in France would also have a high tax liability.
I actually really love visiting the SEA area.
10% income tax is on your take-home salary. From a different perspective my take-home salary after tax is less than half of what I cost my employer, i.e. if I'm paid €2,500 per month I actually cost my employer slightly more than €5,100 (and even that is ridiculous compared to what people pay in countries with similar income level)
Uncle Sam always gets paid.
[1] https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/how-resident-alien-t....
These things are worth staying current with an attorney every once in a while. I don't imagine it would be very fun to find out the wrong way.
This sounds a bit off. California state income tax tops out at 13.3%, and the vast majority of folks owe less. Even if you include SDI/VPDI, that's only an additional 1.1% in 2022.
The most common tax exemption for foreigners is an exemption from FICA taxes (Social Security + Medicare) [1], which commonly applies to certain folks with F/J/M/Q visas. But generally, they still owe both federal and state income taxes. In fact, as nonresident aliens, their effective federal income tax rate can be a bit higher due to not having the standard deduction and certain other tax benefits.
Another relatively common benefit is the various tax treaties [2]. This may provide some relief from federal income tax, depending on the country and the visa status, but not necessarily a total exemption.
[1] https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/fore...
Oh and get most of the typical middle and some upper class luxuries, instead of get a yacht or get nothing.
Good one. Maybe somewhere in rural Saxony, but not close to a larger city where I work.
Nobody ever pays the $100,000+ sticker prices of medical bills. Never. Doesn't happen. Firstly, if you have no insurance (very rare), you can negotiate very steep discounts with hospital and medical providers, as much as 90%+ off.
Secondly, tech companies give out either free or highly subsidized health plans, of which none would require you to pay $100,000 out of pocket.
Thirdly, out-of-pocket health expenses in the UK for example recently matched expenses in the US, so acting like Europe is a utopian health paradise seems exaggerated at best. Especially with 2 year long waiting lists for essential procedures like hip replacements.