Living in other EU countries while being on a work visa

Question

If I have a work visa from one EU member state and my work is remote, can I live in other EU member states for longer than 90 days out of 180, or is it possible to actually live in other EU member states for as long as my EU work permit is valid?

Answer 1

In general:

• You are not covered by the EU freedom of movement (that's for EU citizens and their family).
• You are not allowed to live in other EU member states on the basis of your visa.
• You are allowed to visit other Schengen countries but only for stays of less than 90 days in any 180 period (if your residence permit is from a Schengen country). If your visa is not from a Schengen country or you want to visit Ireland, even that is not a given, you might still need another visa for a short stay.
• You are not allowed to work without additional permission even for less than 90 days.

There are a few corner cases and special rules, e.g. for long-term residents (after 5 years) or EU Blue Card holders but nothing that would give you a general right to live anywhere in the EU without restrictions or additional formalities.

Answer 2

Strictly speaking, you can't even work from another EU country for 90 days out of 180, unless your contract says so. Those days are meant for personal travel only. You are unlikely to get caught or have actual problems right away while working remotely, but getting into trouble someday is indeed possible.

For instance, if your employer gives you a faulty laptop, you get an electric shock and end up in a hospital, you will be entitled to the statutory work-related accident insurance. You will be paid while you are unable to work, and will receive free medical/rehabilitation treatment in order to be able to get back to work.

If the accident happens in another country, you will not receive the same compensation / treatment, or may have to pay out of the pocket for some of it. Your employer may also be fined for not paying insurance fees in the country where you actually worked, and if they didn't authorize you to work abroad, they may try to get that money back by suing you for damages. Finally, you may be fined by one of the countries involved (or both) for non-compliance with immigration policies and have your work permit revoked.

Even if there is no accident, if your employer finds out you're abroad while working for them, this will very likely be considered a violation of company policy or your contract, because your behavior creates potential legal trouble. You will be reprimanded, or, if you do it repeatedly, fired for cause.