They do have pensions and health care but they have to pay for it out of their salary (which also explains the difference in term of earnings). However at leas

They do have pensions and health care but they have to pay for it out of their salary (which also explains the difference in term of earnings). However at least for Software Engineers (I don't have experience in other fields), the difference is big enough to more than make up for the price of health care and pension and the loss of benefits. The only real problem is the lack of social status which means that it's very hard for a freelancer to get a bank loan to buy an house or an apartment.