Remote jobs for people in India with US companies: a practical guide

How the legal setup works

Most US companies hire people in India as independent contractors rather than full employees. As a contractor, you sign a services agreement, invoice the company in US dollars, and handle your own taxes in India under the Income Tax Act. You are not on the US payroll, so the company avoids setting up a legal entity in India.

Some larger companies use an employer-of-record (EOR) service such as Deel, Remote.com, or Rippling. The EOR employs you locally, handles Indian payroll compliance, and bills the US company. This gives you payslips and statutory benefits. EOR roles are less common but do appear on job boards.

A smaller number of US companies have Indian subsidiaries, for example Google India or Amazon Development Centre India. Those are standard employment roles and are separate from the remote contractor market this guide focuses on.

• Contractor: you invoice in USD, pay Indian income tax and GST if applicable, no US tax withheld
• EOR: local employment contract, statutory PF and ESI contributions, salary in INR or USD depending on the EOR
• Subsidiary employee: Indian employment law applies fully, benefits included

Time zone overlap: what US companies actually expect

India Standard Time (IST) is 10.5 hours ahead of US Eastern Time (ET) and 13.5 hours ahead of US Pacific Time (PT). That gap is real, and ignoring it in applications is a common mistake.

Many US companies ask for at least four hours of overlap with their core team. If the team works 9 am to 6 pm ET, four hours of overlap means you need to be available from 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm IST. That is manageable for most people.

Some job postings say 'overlap with US time zones required' without specifying how many hours. Treat that as a soft filter, not a hard block. In your cover letter, state your available hours in both IST and ET so the hiring manager does not have to calculate it.

• EST overlap window from India: roughly 6.30 pm to 2.30 am IST
• PST overlap window from India: roughly 9.30 pm to 5.30 am IST
• CST overlap window from India: roughly 7.30 pm to 3.30 am IST
• Async-first companies (common in open-source and product-led startups) often require only one to two hours of overlap

Which roles are most open to India-based contractors

Not every US remote role is open internationally. Many say 'US only' or 'must be authorised to work in the US', which rules out Indian contractors. Focus your search on roles that say 'contractor', 'worldwide', 'APAC welcome', or simply list no location restriction.

The roles most commonly open to India-based contractors in 2026 are software engineering, QA and test automation, data engineering, machine learning, technical writing, UI/UX design, digital marketing, and finance or accounting support. Customer-facing roles that require US business hours are harder to get because of the time zone gap.

• Software engineering (backend, frontend, full-stack): highest volume of open contractor roles
• Data and ML: strong demand, async-friendly workflows common
• QA and test automation: many US startups outsource this entirely
• Technical writing and content: fully async, time zone rarely matters
• UI/UX design: project-based contracts common, portfolio matters more than location
• Finance and accounting: bookkeeping, FP&A support, often part-time contracts

Where to find these jobs

General job boards mix location-restricted and open roles together, so you spend a lot of time filtering. The platforms below either focus on remote international roles or let you filter clearly.

1. We Work Remotely (weworkremotely.com): filter by 'Worldwide' under location. High volume of engineering and design roles.
2. Remote OK (remoteok.com): tag filter for 'worldwide' removes US-only listings. Good for tech and marketing.
3. Toptal: curated network, requires a screening process, but rates are higher and clients are US companies by default.
4. Contra: contractor-focused platform, many US startups post here, no platform fee for contractors.
5. LinkedIn: search 'remote' plus your role, then filter Location to 'Worldwide' or leave it blank and read each posting carefully for restrictions.
6. AngelList Talent (now Wellfound): startup-heavy, many early-stage US companies hire internationally without an EOR.
7. Deel's job board: roles posted here are already set up for international contractor or EOR hiring.
8. Upwork and Fiverr: project-based, lower average rates, but good for building a track record with US clients.

How to filter and apply without wasting time

Reading every job posting carefully before applying saves you from rejections that have nothing to do with your skills. Look for these phrases that signal the role is open to you: 'contractor', 'C2C', '1099' (US tax form for contractors), 'worldwide', 'remote globally', or 'no visa sponsorship required' paired with no location restriction.

Phrases that usually mean the role is closed to you: 'must be authorised to work in the US', 'W-2 only', 'US residents only', or a specific US state listed as the location.

Break-In Bad reads the full job posting, including location and time zone requirements, and scores each role for your eligibility before you apply. Roles scoring 75 to 100 percent are auto-applied on your behalf on platforms like Greenhouse, Lever, and Workday, with a screenshot as proof. Roles scoring 45 to 74 percent are flagged for your review. This stops you spending credits on roles that will reject you at the location screen. You get 50 free credits when you sign up.

Getting paid and handling taxes

US companies pay Indian contractors by wire transfer, Wise, Payoneer, or Deel. Wise and Payoneer are the most common for smaller companies because the fees are low and setup is fast. Rates are usually quoted in USD and converted at the mid-market rate minus a small fee.

In India, foreign remittances for services are treated as export of services. If your annual turnover from exports is below Rs 20 lakh, you are exempt from GST registration. Above that threshold, you register and charge zero-rated GST on exports, which means you can claim input tax credits. Income tax applies at your slab rate on the net income after allowable deductions.

Keep a simple spreadsheet of every invoice, the exchange rate on the date of receipt, and the INR equivalent. Your chartered accountant will need this for your ITR filing. Many contractors use a current account with a bank that supports FIRA (Foreign Inward Remittance Advice) certificates, which serve as proof of export income.

• Wise: low fees, fast setup, widely accepted by US startups
• Payoneer: popular for marketplaces and larger contractors
• Deel: handles contracts, invoicing, and payment in one place
• FIRA certificate: get one for every inward remittance, needed for tax records