Moving people across borders requires more than a visa
International business increasingly involves people moving between countries.
Employees may be sent on temporary assignments, senior executives may relocate permanently, founders may establish overseas operations and international businesses may move staff between offices.
Each move can involve immigration, tax, payroll, employment, family and practical relocation considerations.
Knightsbridge provides global mobility support for businesses, founders, senior professionals and internationally mobile employees moving between the UK and overseas destinations.
Our role is to understand what the organisation or individual is trying to achieve, identify the immigration and relocation requirements and coordinate the different parts of the move.
Employee relocation
An international employee move may arise because of:
- an overseas assignment;
- expansion into a new market;
- a senior appointment;
- a project requiring specialist staff;
- movement between group companies;
- a new overseas office;
- international recruitment; or
- permanent relocation.
The visa or work permit is only one part of the process.
The employer may also need to consider employment arrangements, tax, payroll, family relocation and the practical timing of the move.
Immigration and work permission
Before an employee relocates, the business needs to understand what permission is required for that person to live and work in the destination country.
Depending on the jurisdiction, this may involve:
- work permits;
- employer sponsorship;
- residence permits;
- intra-company transfer arrangements;
- business visas;
- founder or investor routes; or
- local employment requirements.
The process can differ significantly from one country to another.
Where local authorisation or representation is required, we can coordinate with appropriate overseas immigration or legal professionals.
Senior executives and founders
Executive and founder relocations can involve wider considerations than a standard employee transfer.
The individual may hold:
- company shares;
- directorships;
- business interests;
- UK property;
- overseas property;
- investment portfolios;
- pensions; or
- assets in several jurisdictions.
Their relocation may therefore affect both the individual and the organisation.
We help identify the issues that should be considered before the move takes place and coordinate specialist advice where required.
Moving family members
International assignments often involve spouses, partners and children.
A successful global mobility strategy should therefore consider the position of the wider family.
This may include:
- dependant immigration status;
- rights to work;
- children’s residence;
- schooling;
- housing;
- healthcare;
- documentation; and
- the timing of the family’s move.
These practical considerations can materially affect whether an international assignment works successfully in practice.
Tax and payroll considerations
Cross-border employment can affect where an employee is taxed and how an employer operates payroll.
Potential issues may include:
- employee tax residence;
- overseas tax obligations;
- continuing UK tax exposure;
- payroll withholding;
- social security;
- allowances;
- benefits; and
- employer reporting obligations.
Where specialist tax or payroll advice is required, we can coordinate with appropriately qualified professionals.
Business expansion and international mobility
Global mobility often forms part of a wider business expansion strategy.
A UK business entering a new market may need to consider:
- which employees should relocate;
- whether a local entity is required;
- work permission;
- corporate structure;
- local recruitment;
- tax;
- payroll;
- employee benefits; and
- longer-term staffing arrangements.
Similarly, an overseas business expanding into the UK may need to consider UK sponsorship, immigration and compliance requirements.
This creates a natural connection between our international relocation work and our established UK business immigration practice.
Temporary assignments and permanent moves
Not every international transfer has the same objective.
Some employees may move for a limited project or assignment before returning to the UK.
Others may be relocating on a long-term or permanent basis.
That distinction can affect:
- the immigration route;
- employment arrangements;
- tax residence;
- family planning;
- housing;
- payroll;
- benefits; and
- the employee’s continuing connection with the UK.
Understanding the intended duration and purpose of the move at the outset helps shape the wider mobility strategy.
Coordinating international moves
A cross-border move may involve several advisers and internal teams.
These can include:
- HR;
- finance;
- payroll;
- immigration advisers;
- accountants;
- employment lawyers;
- tax specialists;
- relocation providers; and
- overseas professional advisers.
Our role is to help bring the relevant elements together around the underlying business objective.
How Knightsbridge helps
We can support businesses and internationally mobile professionals with:
Mobility planning
Understanding the purpose, structure and timing of the proposed move.
Immigration
Identifying the relevant work and residence requirements.
Employee coordination
Managing the information and documentation required for the relocation process.
Family relocation
Considering dependant and practical relocation issues.
Tax and professional coordination
Bringing in appropriate advisers where tax, payroll, employment or local legal advice is required.
International expansion
Connecting individual employee mobility with the wider business strategy.
A more coordinated approach to global mobility
International assignments can become fragmented when immigration, tax, employment and relocation are handled independently.
Our approach starts with the objective and works outward from there.
Whether you are relocating one senior employee, transferring a team, moving a founder or establishing operations in another country, we can help identify the immigration and relocation issues that need to be addressed before the move takes place.
