• GLOBAL MOBILITY
ENGLAND
About us...
It’s worth noting that the provisions of the PPE Visitor route will be moved into the Standard Visitor route (so all visitors will be able to undertake PPE without the need for a different type of visa). However, visitors intending to undertake PPE must still have arranged their PPE activity prior to travel to the UK, and this must be undertaken within 30 days of their arrival in the UK as a Visitor. Special cases In some cases, business founders may find it useful to consider applying for an Innovator Founder visa. This is a special visa that, while a little more complicated to obtain, can open up a path if you want to set up and run an innovative business in the UK. To qualify for the visa, your business must be different from anything else on the market, must be endorsed by an approved body (also known as an endorsing body), and you must meet the other eligibility requirements. The authorities will expect applicants to have a business plan, which is scrutinised by one of the endorsing institutions listed and approved by the Home Office, which will act as a semi-sponsor of your business plan, if you convince this institution that your business plan is valid. Under the terms of the visa, founders can stay in the UK for six months and complete business activities as well. “In some cases, business founders may find it useful to consider applying for an Innovator Founder visa.”
MY ADVICE...
Give yourself enough time: the regime governing working mobility moves
Plan long-term: given the time and cost involved, think carefully about whether bringing in employees from overseas is the right way to go. If you have a short-term issue to solve, employing someone already in the country may be easier Get the right help: This can be an exhausting and time-consuming process, so it can definitely save time and aggravation to get expert help along the way.
slowly. Anyone looking to secure the correct Visa should allow for between three and four months.
Prepare to pay fees: the UK government is not shy about collecting its take from
the visa process. While the headline cost may appear low, there may be hidden fees to pay along the way.
Paul and his team support the needs of overseas companies setting up and operating in the UK. One element is paramount with every client – they all need support and expert guidance. Paul and his team advise clients on the appropriate legal entity, payroll, VAT, banking and company secretarial services. Clients range from publicly-quoted companies through to owner-managed businesses. Paul travels frequently to Australia, New Zealand and the US, and has been heavily involved in IR Global for nine years. He uses the support network for clients when they are focusing on expanding their UK company. Clients will use this as a foundation for further expansion into Europe and beyond. Paul Beare has particular expertise in helping clients decide on the best structures to use when setting up and growing a business in the UK — for instance, guiding clients towards the right choice between using a UK branch or a UK subsidiary.
and planning on bringing individuals over to fill roles. And while the new regime hasn’t necessarily made it more difficult to obtain the necessary visas, the changes to the salary threshold change might. Certainly for companies looking to employ people on salaries of between £25,000 and £35,000 (a large cohort for growing businesses), they would now see those applications rejected, meaning they’d either have to increase the salary or find another way to get to the UK. These changes made to the policies are designed to discourage UK Businesses from employing skilled individuals from overseas rather than recruiting from within the UK. It follows the Government’s initiative to decrease net migration to the UK. It may seem slightly counter-productive after leaving the EU and claiming the UK is open for business and looking for investment from overseas. Certainly, some would argue more overseas businesses may be discouraged from setting up a UK subsidiary if they are unable to employ the key individuals they require to establish their business in the UK. A wider view There are other rules coming into play that directly affect those starting or running their own businesses. For instance, from 31st January 2024, the current prohibition on visitors undertaking intra-corporate activities directly with clients will be removed, provided the client-facing activity
does not amount to the offshoring of a project or service to their overseas employer. This will now be included in the permitted activities for a Standard Visitor. In addition, visitors will now be permitted to work remotely whilst they are in the UK, but remote working must not be the primary purpose of their visit to the UK. Speakers at conferences will be permitted to be paid (this will be included in the list of Permitted Paid Engagements (PPE)).
paulbeare.com
“We build a relationship
with our clients, providing a point of contact, whom they know well. Whom they trust.”
is incidental to the visitor’s employment abroad and
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