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David Sapsted

David Sapsted

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Non-EU student numbers hit record despite pandemic

Fears that the Covid-19 pandemic would lead to a dramatic drop in the number of international students enrolling in the UK this year have proved to be unfounded, according to figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Rishi Sunak makes a speech

Bosses buoyed by new UK virus support plan

What business support has Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak unveiled?

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

UK globe, EU globe and world globe

UK companies 'struggling with post-Brexit plans'

Too few UK companies have made preparations for a business model on how they will continue to trade with Europe after the Brexit transition period ends on December 31, according to a new survey.

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Businesses 'need help' amid new pandemic controls

Business leaders have reluctantly accepted that new restrictions across the UK are necessary to contain the coronavirus pandemic, but are calling on government to formulate a new phase of business support.

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Quarter of top earners in UK are immigrants

Virtually a quarter of the UK's top earners are migrants who arrived in the country as adults, according to an analysis of government tax data by the University of Warwick.

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Expats in EU face losing UK bank accounts

Tens of thousands of British expats living in Europe face losing their banking facilities with UK providers because of the failure of the UK and EU to reach a post-Brexit deal over financial services.

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JP Morgan moves staff over no-deal fears

Amid mounting fears that the UK will fail to reach a trade deal with the European Union by the time the Brexit transition period ends on December 31, JP Morgan Chase has told about 200 London-based staff that they will have to relocate to offices in Europe.

A new report reveals a drop in applications from non-EU skilled workers to the UK - and the implications.

MPs slam Home Office immigration policies

An all-party committee of MPs has accused the Home Office in London of having little idea of how the UK's immigration policies impact on “both the illegal and legitimate migrant populations”.

Construction hard hat in front of a union jack flag

Brexit trade deal vital, say UK manufacturers

Make UK and Santander report highlights the "overwhelming importance" of the UK reaching a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU, with exports to all European nations accounting for almost half of the UK's total.

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Luxembourg a surprise winner in Brexit relocations

Without fanfare, Luxembourg has emerged as one of the big winners in the battle to attract post-Brexit relocations of financial hubs from the City of London.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak holds his red budget dispatch box aloft

UK businesses call for more jobs support

As the UK furlough scheme is set to end next month, and unemployment continues to rise, what do UK business leaders recommend the government do to sustain the labour market through the Covid-19 crisis?

Illustration of a green globe in a forest

Climate action 'will enable post-Covid recovery'

Speedy and bold initiatives by governments on climate change could be the catalyst for a global economic recovery in the post-pandemic era, according to the head of the UK's largest business organisation.

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UK Streamlines Student Visa Route

Overseas students planning to study at UK universities will now be able to apply for visas from October 5 under the new, points-based immigration system, rather than from January next year, as originally planned.

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UK tech shrugs off coronavirus drawbacks

The number of vacancies advertised in the UK's digital tech sector climbed by 36% between June and August as tech companies "gained in confidence after the challenges of lockdown", according to the industry body Tech Nation.

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Overseas workers' eyes turn to the UK

The number of international workers looking for jobs in the UK jumped in August to its highest level in 20 months, according to data released by the global job site Indeed.

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Oxford still atop the global university table

For the fifth year running, the University of Oxford has been adjudged the globe's finest university in the 2020-21 Times Higher Education (THE) 'World University Rankings'.

Portobello Road, London, street scene

UK services see biggest growth in five years

The UK's services sector, which accounts for more than three-quarters of the nation's GDP, continued its revival last month, recording the sharpest rise in business activity in more than five years. What has caused the latest UK growth?

Hong Kong street scene

Hong Kong international schools in security law dilemma

How are the new security laws impacting international schools in Hong Kong? What is the English Schools Foundation doing to make sure that "everybody is safe"?

UK visa application

Pandemic sparks fears over skills visas

How long it will take for the global situation to return to something approaching normal?

Credit Suisse stamp on gold bullion

Swiss bank picks Spain as post-Brexit hub

Credit Suisse follows UBS Group AG in establishing a European hub outside of London, in advance of the UK's exit from the EU on 31 December 2020. What made Madrid attractive to the Swiss bank?

The City Centre of Manchester

CBI: action needed in city centre "ghost towns"

Despite the resounding success of remote working, getting staff back into offices is as "important as getting children back to school," says the CBI's Dame Carolyn Fairbairn.

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Companies' expat costs fall in most nations

The cost to global companies of overseas assignees dropped significantly in many nations last year, according to the annual MyExpatriate Market Pay Survey published by ECA International.

Happy workers

Foreign workers 'fitter than Brit counterparts'

People born abroad and now working in the UK are healthier in both mind and body than the indigenous population, according to a report from the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford.

Woman working alone

Pandemic speeds 'revolution' in office working

What is the mood of the UK workforce - and how are companies adapting workplaces to a Covid-19 world?

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UK immigration plan 'should be more humane'

The Home Office is being urged to amend the points-based immigration system to be introduced on January 1, to make it "more humane and flexible".

Full Complement of Executives at Management Meeting

Banks leading race and gender equality drive

Banks in the UK now have a higher percentage of women in senior positions than their rivals in both the US and Europe, according to a new survey.

Indian flag with Covid-19 image

Pandemic decimates Indian expat workforce

India's traditional difficulties in attracting sufficient numbers of much-needed professional expatriates to support growing, global industries has now become "a Herculean task" because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report.

Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline

USA 'most liveable' for Brit expats

Why is the USA deemed most liveable for UK expats? What other countries make the "liveability" list?

Union Jack flag with financial charts

UK business hopeful despite GDP plunge

Business leaders reflected an air of inevitability as official data on Wednesday showed the UK economy had officially entered recession in the second quarter of the year.

Map of UK illustrating rising unemployment levels

Pandemic continues to take its toll on jobs

What can be done to reduce the overall cost of employment and prevent substantial redundancies? Experts from the Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce and TheCityUK weigh in.

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Global study finds many CEO's not up to the job

Nearly a fifth of CEOs at large manufacturing companies across the globe are the 'wrong fit' for the organisations they serve, according to research by leading business schools at universities in the US and Great Britain.

Coronavirus graphic over picture of financial chart

Pandemic effects 'less severe' than feared, says bank

Despite the pandemic-induced slowdown affecting every global economy, the Bank of England predicted on Thursday that the UK slump would be less severe than expected, although the recovery might take longer than originally forecast.

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UK abandons 'racist' visa algorithm

A controversial computer algorithm used by the UK Home Office to grade individuals' visa applications is to be scrapped after being branded "racist" by human rights campaigners.

Berlin skyline

'Highly-educated' Britons lead Brexit exodus

UK faces a potential brain drain after a 500% increase in the number of Britons granted citizenship in an EU state.

EU settlement scheme

Firms 'must act now' on EU settlement scheme

Employers are being urged to take action now to ensure existing staff from the European Union are not denied the right to work in the UK because of Brexit.

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Few firms ready for no-deal Brexit, says CBI

Three-quarters of British businesses are worried about the likely economic shock if the UK and European Union fail to reach a Brexit trade deal, a new survey has shown.

Luxury homes in London

Hong Kong turns its eyes on London property

Growing numbers of Hong Kong residents have been seeking to buy property in London in recent weeks, according to several reports in the past week.

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Amazon leads jobs boost in London and Dublin

The easing of lockdown restrictions last month has resulted in a pick-up in the London jobs market, according to a new survey.

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Female execs 'send profits soaring', survey finds

Leading UK companies with women occupying more than one in three executive roles can be up to ten times more profitable than firms with little or no female representation, according to new research.

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UK business growth picks up as lockdown eases

Surveys published on Friday showed both a growth in UK output and increasing confidence among UK employers about making hiring and investment decisions.

Students punting on the river at Cambridge University

Reduce Reliance on foreign students, says think tank

Universities in the UK are being urged to reduce their financial reliance on international students to protect their independence and long-term sustainability.

EU passport on Union Jack flag

Poll shows Britons favour EU migration

Almost two-thirds of Britons believe the nation will need more skills from the European Union in the wake of the Covid-29 pandemic, according to a survey published on Thursday.

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UK spells out route for Hong Kong relocations

The UK government released on Wednesday more details about how up to three miliion Hong Kong residents who qualified for a British National Overseas (BNO) passport would be eligible for a visa to work or study in Britain.

Fintech symbols superimposed over the London skyline

Foreign talent a top priority in Fintech review

The Fintech sector is worth around £7 billion to the UK economy. What are the priorities of the Fintech Strategic Review panel?

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Brexit makes expats move to 'shore up' finances

More than a third of British expatriates have taken action to protect their finances ahead of possible disruption caused by the end of the Brexit transition on December 31, according to the head of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory and fintech organisations.

Hong Kong cityscape at night

Hong Kong migration to UK forecast at 200,000

Up to 200,000 Hong Kong citizens with British passports are expected to come to live in the UK over the next five years, according to an estimate by the Foreign Office in London.

Priti Patel visits Calais

Businesses voice concerns over new UK visa system

Additional details provided by the UK government this week on how the new immigration system will work have done little to assuage business groups' concerns over certain aspects of the policy.

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UK offers more detail on post-Brexit visas

The UK government fleshed out details on Monday of the new, points-based immigration system that will come into effect when the the Brexit transition period comes to an end on December 31.

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Call for UK to prioritise student visas

The UK government is facing calls for changes in the immigration system to make the country's universities more accessible to overseas students in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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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).

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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.

UK visa on a passport

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.

St Paul's Cathedral, London, with building cranes in the skyline

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.

Wind turbines and solar panels

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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David-Sapsted-250920a

Non-EU student numbers hit record despite pandemic

Rishi Sunak makes a speech

Bosses buoyed by new UK virus support plan

UK globe, EU globe and world globe

UK companies 'struggling with post-Brexit plans'

Laptop and homework

Homeworking 'more or as productive' finds new CIPD research

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Businesses 'need help' amid new pandemic controls

Think Global People Autumn 2020 issue out now

Think Global People Autumn 2020 issue – out now!

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Quarter of top earners in UK are immigrants