Home: David Sapsted

David Sapsted

David Sapsted

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New report shows global skill-shortage hotspots

The UK ranks among the world's top five nations facing a skills deficit in five key areas of professional expertise, according to a global survey of 2024 job listings.

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Where next for UK immigration policy?

The British government is considering a recommendation from its independent panel of immigration experts to scrap the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). This is currently the easiest and cheapest way to get visas for foreigners with specific skills the country is short of, writes David Sapsted.

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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Gearing up to realise AI’s productivity gains

Artificial intelligence once more grabbed the headlines in November when the UK government hosted the first international AI safety summit. Attracting political and business leaders from across the globe, it generated warnings aplenty about threats to security, privacy, employment and even the continued existence of humanity itself, reports David Sapsted.

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Business alarmed over visa crackdown

British business leaders reacted with concern on Tuesday after the government announced it was raising the salary threshold for a skilled worker visa to £38,700 from next April.

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Skills-based hiring

For decades now, obtaining a university degree has been considered by many to be essential to obtain a 'decent' job. But not anymore. Increasingly across the globe, companies large and small are looking to recruit on the basis of individuals' acquired skills, rather than on their academic records.

A tipping point year for UK free trade agreements

A tipping point year for UK free trade agreements?

During the 2019 general election campaign, one of the ruling Conservative party’s less plausible political commitments was that by 2022, 80% of the UK’s post-Brexit trade would be covered by free trade agreements (FTAs). David Sapsted reports.

Energising the road to NET ZERO

Energising the road to NET ZERO

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” These words of Abraham Lincoln ring even truer today than they did almost two centuries ago, writes David Sapsted.

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Women professionals get hybrid working boost

The post-pandemic surge in hybrid working has encouraged large numbers of professionally-educated women in the UK - particularly mothers - to move back into full-time work, new research has shown.

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Financial services face triple call for change

Changes to the governance of financial and related professional services in the UK, including relaxing immigration and mobility rules, have been proposed in three separate reports published this month.

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BMW chooses UK for new electric Mini plant

The 'net zero' future of the UK's automotive industry received its latest boost on Monday when German car giant BMW announced a £600 million investment in plant to build a new generation of electric Mini cars.

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Scientists' delight as UK rejoins Horizon

The leaders of the UK's science and university communities have reacted with barely disguised glee after Thursday's announcement that the nation is to re-join Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship scientific research programme.

Widespread support in UK for new trade deals.1

Widespread support in UK for new trade deals

Just over two-thirds of Britons are currently in support of government moves to sign free trade agreements (FTAs) with countries outside of the European Union, a new survey has found.

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Green light for major UK carbon capture projects

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gave the go-ahead on Monday to millions of pounds of government funding for two new carbon capture projects, which are seen as vital to the UK's bid to achieve its net zero target by 2050.

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UK 'most expensive' for employing expat staff

For the second year running, the UK has been ranked as the most expensive country in the world for companies to relocate staff, according to an annual survey from global mobility consultancy ECA International.

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Tata chooses UK as new gigafactory home

Tata Motors confirmed on Wednesday that it is to invest more than £4 billion in building an electric car battery factory in the UK.

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Long term hopes as UK signs up to CPTPP

The fact the UK has now formally signed its accession agreement with the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has been welcomed been welcomed by business leaders this week.

Businesses call for visa action over vacancies

Businesses call for visa action over vacancies

To the consternation of British business leaders, official figures this week have shown that there are still more than a million job vacancies in the UK economy.

InterNations Expat Insider survey 2023

Mexico reigns supreme in expat eyes

Mexico - a longtime favourite of the globally mobile workforce - has been ranked as the world's best destination for expats in this year's survey by InterNations.

Financial services demand easier mobility rules

Financial services demand easier mobility rules

The UK's leading trade organisation for financial and related professional services is calling for a government overhaul of visa rules to make it easier for firms to access the overseas talent they need.

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Changing skills needs pose growing challenge

There has been a noticeable decline in the number of learning & development (L&D) professionals in the UK who feel confident about responding to their organisations’ changing skills needs, according to research published on Tuesday.

Skills shortage still preoccupying UK business

Skills shortage still preoccupying UK business

While inflation and an increase in interest rates have dominated headlines in the UK of late, it has been the tight labour market and growing skills shortages that have been preoccupying the minds of many industry leaders.

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UK retains second spot in Europe for FDI

Political upheaval in the UK are believed to be behind a slight fall in foreign direct investment (FDI) last year. Yet the nation retained its position as second most attractive place in Europe for overseas funding, thanks to its 'global approach'.

UK-Switzerland seal mutual qualifications deal

Britain and Switzerland have entered into an agreement to recognise each other's professional qualifications in sectors such as legal services, architecture and accounting.

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Record number in work but vacancies still high

The number of people in work in the UK has hit a record but the number of job vacancies remains at more than a million, official figures showed on Tuesday.

New York now world's costliest city for expats

New York has replaced Hong Kong as the most expensive city in the world for expats to live in, according to this year's global survey by ECA International.

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UK financial services 'still dominate Europe'

Fears that Brexit would lead to an exodus of jobs and investment from the UK's financial services have again proved unfounded with the latest, continent-wide survey of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector showing that the nation remains by far the most attractive destination in Europe.

Cash boost for life sciences

Cash boost for life sciences but skills shortage stays

Industry leaders in the UK's pharmaceutical, tech and health sectors have reacted with enthusiasm – and no small amount of relief – following the government announcement of a £650 million 'war chest' to boost the nation's life sciences.

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UK expecting more visa curbs to cut migration

Faced with record net migration last year and a growing clamour from the right wing of the Conservative Party, the UK government is looking at further action to curb legal immigration.

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High hopes of new UK-Swiss trade deal

Business chiefs have reacted with enthusiasm to the start of talks between the UK and Switzerland over a new free trade agreement (FTA) aimed at boosting financial and professional services exports.

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Bank of England rules out any UK recession

As it raised interest rates on Thursday, the Bank of England radically overhauled its outlook for the UK economy, ruling out previous forecasts of a recession.

Accelerating growth

Accelerating growth: are the brakes coming off global immigration policies?

Given the ever-growing skills shortage across the globe, it is small wonder that many governments are scrambling to liberalise immigration policies – while adopting programmes aimed at upskilling indigenous populations – in a bid to solve the problem.

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UK stock market overhaul to revive the City of London

A major overhaul of rules governing UK stock markets has been unveiled by the nation's UK's financial regulator in a bid to reverse London's recent decline as a global financial centre.

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Call to bolster UK-India fintech ties

Proposals to strengthen fintech collaboration between India and the UK have been laid out in a report from the trade group representing the sector in both countries.

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Fresh optimism over UK growth prospects

Growing optimism among business leaders over the prospects for the UK economy this year was illustrated by two separate reports on Monday.

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UK services notch up further growth

The UK's all-important services sector, which accounts for about 80 per cent of the nation's GDP, recorded healthy growth during March for the second month in a row, boosted by the best export performance for almost a decade and a return to business travel.

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Latest UK growth surge 'confounds forecasts'

A survey of almost 1,000 company directors has suggested unexpectedly strong growth throughout the UK economy last month.

Irish Sea Trade Deal

Businesses' Relief at Irish Sea Trade Deal

Business groups across the UK have welcomed the agreement reached between London and Brussels that will effectively abolish the Brexit 'border' in the Irish Sea that has been restricting the free flow of goods between Britain and Northern Ireland.

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Recruiters join calls for visa relaxation

The UK’s trade body for the professional recruitment sector has joined other leading business groups in pressing for a relaxation in visa rules to enable companies to recruit the talent they need from overseas.

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Four-day week trial hailed 'a major breakthrough'

The world's largest trial of a four-day working week, without any loss in pay, has proved such a success that almost all of the organisations and companies that took part are continuing with the shortened week.

Broughton, Wales - March 2020: Sign outside one of the factory buildings at the Airbus plant at Broughton. The factory makes the wings for Airbus planes.

India Airbus order boost ahead of Wales Week

The largest programme of events to promote Wales globally will kick off in London this weekend, just days after the Welsh economy received a major boost from a multi-billion pound aircraft order.

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Businesses demand more visas to fill job vacancies

The UK's two largest business organisations have said it was now "crucial" that the government expand visa availability after official figures showed the number of job vacancies remained at a near-record high.

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Employers to boost pay amid staff shortages

The continuing battle in the UK to attract and retain staff will see employers increase pay awards this year to their highest levels in more than a decade, according to a new survey by the CIPD.

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Whitehall shake-up to boost tech and trade

Academics, business groups and tech leaders have applauded the UK government's creation of four new civil service departments aimed at boosting growth through trade and innovation.

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Where next for women in tech?

The statistics are, at best, concerning. While women make up half of the total workforce across Europe, only 22 per cent of the people employed in the continent's tech industries are female. And 77 per cent of tech leaders are men.

India and UK, two flags waving against blue sky

CBI mission to boost UK-India trade talks

The UK's largest business organisation embarked on its first ever mission to India on Monday at a time when the leaders of both nations appeared to be giving fresh impetus to sealing a landmark, bilateral trade deal in the coming months.

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Chancellor sees UK becoming a 'tech superpower'

The UK is “powerfully positioned” to play a leading role in the global tech and innovation industries that will "shape and define this century”, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said on Friday.

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Talent shortage in fintech ‘a global plague’

After a year of unprecedented growth in 2021, last year turned out to be one of consolidation for the fintech industry amid a global downturn in investment, largely due to the knock-on, economic effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

CBI director general Tony Danker

Business chief sets out roadmap to growth

The head of the UK’s largest business organisation fears Rishi Sunak's government is avoiding the necessary, radical measures to "transform" the nation's flagging economy because of a general election looming in the next 12 months.

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UK in top three for global investment this year

Despite fears of recession, the UK has been identified as the third most popular place for investment this year in a survey of thousands of business chiefs across the world.

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UK job vacancies still at near record

Job vacancies in the UK fell for the fifth month in a row in the quarter to the end of November but remain at historically high levels, according to the latest official estimates.

Busy container port

Green light for first three UK freeports

The government has given the go-ahead to Britain's first three freeports, with several others due to be approved in the coming months.

Marker for the City of London at London Bridge

Government unveils City rules overhaul

The government has announced a major overhaul of financial regulations to “bolster the competitiveness of the UK as a global financial centre and deliver better outcomes for consumers and businesses”.

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UK remains world-leading legal hub

The UK has retained its position as a world-leading centre for international legal services and dispute resolution, according to research published on Wednesday.

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New flexible working rights for UK staff

The UK government is to legislate to give millions of employees the legal right to request flexible working on the first day of starting a new job.

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London leading the world in fintech firms

A global survey of the top ten fintech cities has revealed that London now hosts the world's largest number of fintech companies. Overall, the city comes third in the rankings behind first-placed San Francisco and New York.

The search for talent intensifies

The search for talent intensifies

Despite the global economic downturn, the skills shortage in the UK is showing no signs of abating, according to a major survey by Hays. Unprecedented 93 per cent reported difficulties finding the staff.

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More UK firms shifting to four-day week

One hundred British companies have now made permanent a four-day working week for their employees with no loss of pay, according to a new report.

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Spanish city rated best for expats

Valencia has been adjudged the best city in the world to live in for expatriate workers after almost 12,000 expats around the globe expressed their opinions in the latest InterNations survey.

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Flexibility the answer to 'quiet quitting'

The crucial importance of flexible working to UK employees in the post-pandemic era has been reinforced by a survey by global collaborative tech company, Owl Labs.

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