The real risk of working without social security contributions in 2025: penalties, tax liabilities, and no healthcare protection

In aviation, we all know it. There are mechanics working under irregular arrangements, without social security contributions, without taxes, without proper healthcare coverage, and without any legal structure behind them. And it is not out of bad intentions. It is because for years this has been the norm, what companies asked for, what seemed faster, what everyone else was doing.

Until one day, it stops being that simple.

Because a company audit arrives.

Or an inspector asks for an A1 certificate.

Or you get injured.Or the tax authorities question your income.

Or a country tightens its controls on posted workers.

Or simply, someone asks you to prove that you are working legally.

And at that moment, everything that felt convenient turns into fear.

Behind many mechanics there are years of projects in different countries, payments straight into their bank account, meaningless invoices, “contracts” that are not contracts, or even no documentation at all. And when the time comes to justify it, they realise they have nothing. No contributions. No social security. No protection. No safety net.

The reality is that working without social security is not just an employment issue. It is a major personal risk.

You have no right to sick leave.

You have no healthcare coverage outside your home country.

You do not accumulate years for your pension.

You are not protected if an accident happens in the hangar or on the ramp.

You cannot prove real income for a mortgage or a bank loan.

You cannot explain why your financial records do not match your lifestyle.

Everything is fine, until it is no longer fine.

And the worst part is that many mechanics learn to live with that uncertainty. A silent fear. A constant thought that one day everything could go wrong. A “I’ll fix it later” that never comes.

In aviation, working off the books is like flying with an amber warning light on. You know something isn’t right, but you keep going, hoping nothing happens.

The good news

You don’t have to continue this way.

You don’t have to work unprotected.

You don’t have to accept conditions that leave you exposed.

There is a way to regularise your situation without losing income or opportunities. A way to work legally across Europe without being self-employed, without creating a company, and without needing to justify anything to anyone.

At Air Talent Management MT, we hire mechanics directly under a European employment contract. With a payslip. With contributions. With social security. With an A1 certificate to work legally in any EU country. With medical coverage and full employment rights. With stability and protection.

It is not about paying less or paying more. It is about being covered, safe, and completely legal. It is about being able to look ahead without fear.

Many mechanics have already made this transition. They have left years of uncertainty behind and now work with a solid structure that allows them to focus on what really matters: their work, their career, their future.

If you are reading this and deep down you know you have been working irregularly for a long time, you are not the only one.

What matters is that you can fix it. You can choose to be safe. You can choose to work legally and with full stability, without complications.

The first step is to get informed. The second is to regularise your situation. And the third is to work with peace of mind.

In the aviation sector, there is no room for risk. You should not have it in your professional life either.

If you want to understand how everything works and what options you have, we can discuss your case step by step.