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David Sapsted

David Sapsted

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Firms applaud UK pandemic recovery plan

A multi-billion pound, rescue-and-recovery plan for the UK economy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic was laid out in parliament on Wednesday by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak.

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Firms unprepared for new visa system - CIPD

Employers in the UK are facing a "painful adjustment" to the new immigration system due to be introduced at year's end, according to a report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Former chief reporter at The Times and news editor and New York correspondent for The Telegraph among other journals, David Sapsted writes sharply observed news for Relocate.

David Sapsted

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Hong Kong rush for UK passports

Immigration lawyers and relocation consultants in Hong Kong are reporting a surge in renewals of British National Overseas (BNO) passports in the wake of the national security law imposed on the city by Beijing.

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Swiss cities among costliest for expats

Swiss cities occupy four of the top five places in the latest ECA International survey of the most expensive cities for overseas assignees to live.

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Scottish immigration 'could be cut in half'

The UK government's post-Brexit immigration system could cut the number of foreign workers able to work in Scotland by up to half, according to a report from a group of academics.

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Immigration changes could thwart UK recovery plan

The government's scheme for a new, post-Brexit immigration system could "scupper" PM Boris Johnson's plan to rebuild Britain in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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'Office for talent' created to lure skills to UK

A cross-departmental unit to attract overseas scientists, tech innovators and researchers to the UK is to be established in the prime minister's office, the government announced on Wednesday.

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UK to build its way out of pandemic, says PM

Business leaders in the UK have given a guarded welcome to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's pledge on Tuesday to put jobs and infrastructure at the heart of the government's post-pandemic recovery effort.

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Manufacturers 'need revamped industrial strategy'

What specifically should the UK government do to help the manufacturing sector thrive in a post-coronavirus, post-Brexit world?

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UK tech seeks to capitalise on US visa bans

The UK's tech sector is trying to lure overseas skills and entrepreneurs affected by President Donald Trump's latest immigration curbs, according to a CNBC report.

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Create 'digital age' immigration system, says CBI

A massive re-skilling programme for millions of Britons and an effective immigration system to enable the UK to attract overseas IT specialists are called for in a major report on the future of the nation's digital economy.

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German banks demand equivalence deal with UK

The European Union is coming under pressure from German banks to reach a post-Brexit deal with the UK to enable financial services across the continent to continue to act smoothly when the transition period ends on December.

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Silicon Valley fury at Trump visa curbs

Business and tech industry leaders in the US have reacted with anger after President Donald Trump's latest round of immigration curbs, which they say will deny them the skills of thousands of expats they desperately need.

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Confidence high in UK tech despite pandemic

The UK’s tech sector is poised to receive a major investment boost in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new survey.

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Relief as England eases pandemic lockdown

British business and trade organisations reacted with relief on Tuesday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the most sweeping relaxation of the Covid-19 restrictions imposed three months ago.

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UK financial services still top FDI choice

Brexit notwithstanding, the UK retained its top spot for foreign direct investment (FDI) in financial services in Europe last year, according to a new survey.

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CBI launches plan for Scottish recovery

The UK's largest business organisation set out on Monday its agenda for a recovery plan for the Scottish economy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Lockdown relaxation sparks property surge

The easing of the coronavirus lockdown in the UK has led to a surge in the UK property market, according to an analysis by estate agents Knight Frank.

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Businesses welcome extra QE for UK economy

The Bank of England is to pump another £100 billion in its latest bid to boost the UK economy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

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'Hard Brexit' poses visa headache, lawyer warns

Failure to reach a trade deal with the European Union by the end of the Brexit transition period in six months' time would make immigration "impossible to manage", according to a leading immigration lawyer.

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Expert warns new visa system will be 'damaging'

The UK's proposed new immigration system could result in "damaging, long-term consequences, potentially for years to come", according to a leading academic.

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UK must end 'hostile' student visa demands

The UK government should double to four years the length of post-study work visas to enable universities to continue to attract overseas students in the post-pandemic era, according to a new report.

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Million-plus green jobs in the offing

More than a million 'green jobs' could be created in the UK as the nation strives to meet its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, according to a new report.

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Skills upgrade 'a must' for UK economic recovery

Only "dynamic enterprise" will enable the UK to recover from the ravages of the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been warned by the head of Britain's largest business group.

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Unilever opts for single HQ in London

Why has Unilever management done a U-turn and opted for a single HQ?

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UK steps up overseas tech drive

The UK government has launched a range of measures to boost international digital trade in a bid to turn the nation into a "global tech powerhouse".

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Hong Kong remains costliest expat city

Hong Kong has retained its No 1 spot as the most expensive city for expats to live in, according to Mercer's 2020 Cost of Living survey.

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Services 'being ignored' in EU trade talks

There is growing concern among British businesses - particularly in the services sector - that the UK and European Union will fail to reach a free trade deal by the time the Brexit transition period ends on December 31.

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Pandemic prompts surge in digital migration

The drive towards digital as a way of doing business has "gone into overdrive" because of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a global survey by a leading, US-based business consultancy.

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Most Brit expats staying abroad, poll finds

A majority of British expatriates are not contemplating moving back permanently to the UK, according to a poll conducted by a global financial consultancy.

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Call to increase high-skilled migration to US

America's falling birth rate and heightened restrictions on immigration are threatening both national prosperity and security, according to a leading academic.

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New UK nuclear plant reaches 'major milestone'

Despite restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 outbreak, the construction of the £21 billion Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in SW England reached a "major milestone" on Monday with the completion of the 49,000-tonne base for the second reactor.

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Lockdown prompts jump in job searches

An unexpected consequence of the pandemic lockdown and consequent rise in home working has been a surge in the number of people in the UK considering a change in job.

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Tech and R&D lead surge in foreign investment

Foreign investment in digital tech projects in the UK surged ahead by more than a third last year, according to the EY 2020 UK Attractiveness Survey.

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Pandemic sees UK immigration grind to a halt

The extent to which the Coronavirus outbreak has dramatically restricted immigration to the UK this spring was illustrated by a Home Office report on Thursday. Unsurprisingly arrivals by air to the UK were 99% lower in April 2020 than in 2019. What is the current UK visa situation?

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Oxford 'least affordable city for home-buyers'

Oxford is the 'least affordable' city in Britain when it comes to property prices, according to an annual survey by the Open Property Group.

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New visa needed 'to attract independent professionals'

The UK government is facing calls to amend its post-Brexit immigration plans by including a dedicated visa route for independent professionals who want to come to Britain but do not have a pre-existing job offer.

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Non-EU migration to UK hits record high

What's driving the latest UK immigration trends? Plus, more about shifting perspectives on immigration to the UK, as a result of Covid-19.

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Inflation crashes across Europe amid pandemic

Inflation rates in both the UK and eurozone tumbled last month to their lowest in almost four years, official figures showed on Wednesday.

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UK universities demand visa reforms

The UK's leading universities are calling on the government to fast-track the post-study work visa and extend it by six months in a bid to ensure Britain retains its appeal to overseas students.

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Larger firms thrown new loan lifeline

Business groups have applauded the UK government's decision to quadruple the size of emergency loans available to larger businesses affected by coronavirus outbreak.

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Unlease growing over UK immigration plans

The government re-introduced its post-Brexit immigration bill in the House of Commons on Monday amid a growing belief among its own MPs that the coronavirus pandemic should make ministers rethink the proposals.

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EU settlement scheme passes 3.5 million mark

The UK's Home Office announced on Thursday that the "milestone" of more than 3.5 million applications under the EU Settlement Scheme had been passed.

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Tech talent top priority for finance sector

The UK's financial services sector needs to attract "the widest and deepest pool of talent" to meet the challenges posed by the post-coronavirus world, according to a new report.

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Video conferencing becomes a Zoom boom

Video conferencing could be set to overtake emails as the number one business communications tool, according to a new report.

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Financial services central to Japan trade talks

The UK government published its negotiation objectives on Wednesday for upcoming talks with Japan over a post-Brexit trade deal.

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Growth in training, HR and finance vacancies

Although recruitment in the UK - in common with most other nations - has dropped dramatically because of the coronavirus pandemic, "pockets of hiring remain", according to a new survey.

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Businesses seek clarity over return to work

Businesses in the UK have given a cautious welcome to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's "roadmap" to get Britain back to work after a two-month, virtual shutdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Virus sees global recruitment grind to a halt

From new hirings to intra-company transfers, and from overseas assignments to graduate recruitment, the jobs markets across the globe have been crippled over the past two months by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Most UK firms poised to restart after lockdown

Almost 90 per cent of British businesses say they will be ready to restart operations in three weeks or less of the government lifting coronavirus lockdown restrictions, according to a new survey.

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'Ambitious' UK-US trade talks get underway

With critics arguing that any trade deal with the US would involve a loosening of regulations, the UK government vows to protect the NHS, and consumer and environmental health standards. How do business groups feel about the potential of a US/UK trade deal?

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Visa concerns 'spooking' UK universities

Universities are telling the UK government that action needs to be taken urgently to prevent the coronavirus pandemic posing practical problems for overseas students wishing to study in Britain.

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UK commission to tackle pandemic recovery

A Commission for Economic Renewal has been launched in the UK in a bid to formulate policies and interventions needed to rebuild the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Global economic woes as virus bites

Early indications of the catastrophic effect the Covid-19 pandemic is having on the global economy was illustrated by a raft of data published on Thursday.

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'Gold standard' plan for financial services

Proposals for a new "gold standard" in international trading relationships for financial services has been proposed in a joint report from leading Swiss and British finance industry advocacy groups.

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Backing for immigration hits 40-year high

Why is there more support for legal immigration in Britain than at any other time since the 1980s?

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Calls to ease trade barriers after pandemic

Why have trade ministers of the UK, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand launched a campaign warning against the rebuilding of global trade barriers in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic?

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UK businesses 'clamouring' for lockdown easing

Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused to say when a phased reduction of the lockdown on UK businesses would begin as he returned to work on Monday after spending more than three weeks recovering from Covid-19.

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Survey shows economic extent of pandemic havoc

The damage the Covid-19 pandemic is wreaking on the UK economy was graphically illustrated by three reports published on Thursday.