W2 vs C2C for H-1B Visa Holders: Which Employment Mode Is Best for Career Growth in USA?
For H-1B visa holders,
choosing between W2 and C2C is essential for their
career growth and financial stability. There are two options for H-1B
visa-holding candidates, to work in the US they can either choose to work as W2
or C2C contracts.
Most candidates do not
understand the essential difference between the two. The right choice will
depend on what the candidate expects from their career and what kind of growth
they see in the US. Through this blog let us understand the difference between C2C
and W2 employment of H-1B visa holders.
What are The Difference
Between W2 and C2C
What is W2?
Under the W2 employment type,
the employee is working directly with the company. In this case, the company is
liable to take all expenses of the employee including taxes, Social Security,
Medicare, etc.
W2 employees also enjoy
benefits in the long run including health insurance, retirement plans, paid
time off and unemployment insurance. H-1B visa holders highly prefer this
option as it is more stable financially.
What is C2C?
Unlike W2, C2C is much more complicated as the employee is not working
directly for the company. In this arrangement, employees are hired on a
contractual basis by a third party that provides their services to clients.
When compared to W2, C2C does not handle the employee's taxes, insurance, or
visa sponsorship.
This model is preferred by
professionals seeking extra income with flexibility of time. The only drawback
in this mode of employment is that the H-1B holder has to take the
responsibility of abiding by visa regulations.
W2 vs C2C: Key
Differences and What To Choose?
1. Taxation:
W2 employees do not have to
worry about their taxes as all their taxes are automatically managed by the
company. Whereas C2C visa USA employees
have to manage their own taxation which includes Social Security, Medicare
contributions etc. According to this difference, C2C employees have to manage
their own taxes and often end up hiring an accountant for the same.
2. Benefits:
W2 employees enjoy the
benefits of health insurance, visa sponsorship, paid time off work, retirement
plans, etc. However, in the case of C2C employees, the company does not provide
these benefits.
3. Stability:
W2 employees tend to stay and
work in the US for a longer duration due to the benefits associated with the
same. C2C employment is more of a temporary solution to earn a passive income
on the side.
4. Flexibility:
Under C2C visa USA the employee or the H-1B visa holder has a lot more
options to choose from including their clients, who they wish to work with etc.
But in the case of W2 jobs, there is no flexibility and the employee is
expected to do what they are told.
Advantages and Disadvantages of W2 vs C2C
Pros of W2
1. Employee receives visa
sponsorship, renewals and compliance are all taken care of by the company and
they do not have to invest any money in the same.
2. Employees receive regular
pay checks along with benefits including healthcare, retirement plans and paid
time off.
Cons of W2
1. The salaries of these
employees are fixed and there is little to no negotiation allowed and there is
the absence of flexibility when it comes to choosing their clients and
deadlines.
Pros of C2C
1. C2C visa USA employees have a higher potential of earning as they
have the flexibility of choosing the rate of the project and earning per hour.
2. The employee has more
flexibility as they can choose their projects, clients as well as deadlines.
Cons of C2C
C2C employees do not enjoy any
benefits and have to finance their own taxes, visa sponsorship, health
insurance, etc
Conclusion
Now that we have reached the
end of this blog, it is easier to say that choosing between C2C and W2 jobs for
H-1B visa holders is not that difficult. The pros and cons of the two types, W2 vs C2C jobs have been laid out and
compared for a better understanding of the candidate. W2 has several long-term
benefits along with stability.
Whereas the C2C employment
type has more flexibility, higher potential for earning and much more. After
comparing the advantages and disadvantages of the two, the H-1B visa holder can
make an informed decision for the growth of their career in the right
direction.
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