Depends on the country. In NL, the legal requirements for independent contractors are quite strict. As an independent contractor, you must: - have multiple sou

Depends on the country. In NL, the legal requirements for independent contractors are quite strict. As an independent contractor, you must: - have multiple sources of income/contracts (at least 3, and no single contract may be worth more than 70% of your total income) - have complete control over how to do your job (i.e. the hiring party can only tell you what to do, not how or when to do it) - actively promote your own company (acquisition, marketing efforts) - invest in your own company: your tools (laptop, software licenses) must be your own (they are tax-deductible) - have your own liability insurance. If you fail any of these conditions, the tax auditor may classify you as an employee regardless of what the contract says, and both you and your employer may be fined (depending on whether they see you as a victim or an accomplice).