The digital universe may be without borders, but in the physical world they remain barriers which define regions with their own cultures, customs and laws. And running a business within those constraints requires local knowledge delivered by trusted experts.
At Ward Hadaway, our Global Mobility team supports all businesses – from start-ups to long-established operations – who wish to operate across borders. We offer a bespoke, comprehensive service, incorporating visa applications, terms of employment, commercial and premises needs, acquisitions and exits – anything which a business needs when operating overseas.
Our team supports “outbound” UK businesses looking to branch out into a new domain or already operating overseas, as well as “inbound” international businesses currently working in or looking to work within the UK. As a result of our membership of the GGi network of international advisory firms, we are able to draw on the local skills of quality assured firms in jurisdictions throughout the world.
Sending your people across borders now can require more paperwork than for many years. For instance, did you know that if any non-UK national, whether from France, the USA or India, wishes to make a business trip to the UK, even for a day, they need a visa?
The work required to send a UK national overseas is dependent on the host country involved. Our team of immigration specialists can manage this entire process, working with local providers across the globe via our membership of GGI to ensure a successful outcome.
And to bring a non-UK national to work in the UK – whether an Israeli salesperson for a week’s training, a software engineer from Karachi to be permanently based in the UK office, or a German national to run the British HQ whilst living overseas – requires careful handling by a knowledgeable and tenacious team of specialists.
There are a range of visas which we can advise on and apply for on your behalf depending on the circumstances. In the UK these include:
But our Global Mobility service goes well beyond arranging the immigration matters, to cover all the local legal needs of an international operation. Contracts of employment? Restrictive covenants? Exclusivity clauses? Company incorporation? Distribution agreements? Corporate transactions? Leases? IP protection and licensing? Trademarks? Our team of specialists have got it all covered.
And we can put together a package to suit your specific needs in your jurisdiction, looking at ‘pay as you go’, retained or fixed and capped fee arrangements.
This can include bespoke training programmes for your teams – delivered in person and / or digitally – “multi-buy” visa applications, or even an all-encompassing retainer.
From our deep pool of specialists we can pull together a team that can assist you, no matter your requirements.
Visa guidelines hub
Applying for a visa is a complex process. On this dedicated hub, our immigration experts have cut through the mountains of regulation. We present clear answers to the frequently asked questions of those who want to move to the UK to work or study, and of businesses wishing to recruit individuals from overseas.