Workforce Mobility & Immigration in United Kingdom
Skilled Worker sponsor licence applications and per-pay-period salary compliance for non-UK partners, managers and key staff — EU nationals included since Brexit ended free movement.
United KingdomCurrency
GBP
Free movement
Not applicable — work permit generally required for all nationalities
Main non-EU route
Skilled Worker visa is the primary route for non-UK hires — EU nationals included since Brexit — requiring an employer-held sponsor licence; general salary threshold £41
Registration deadline
Typically within 1–2 weeks of arrival
Housing — single employee
~£1,650–2,100/month (1-bed; inner London boroughs average £2,200–2,600, outer London £1,200–1,700)
Housing — family of four
~£2,300–4,750/month (3-bed, wide range by borough)
Moving workforce into United Kingdom
The United Kingdom applies a 25% main rate of corporation tax on profits above £250,000, with a 19% small profits rate below £50,000 and marginal relief tapering the effective rate between the two bands — a structure unchanged for the 2026/27 financial year, but one where profit within the marginal band is taxed at an effective rate of approximately 26.5% on each additional pound, higher than either headline rate. VAT is charged at a standard 20%, with a £90,000 registration threshold — among the more straightforward tax regimes across HTLC's country practices.
Discuss your United Kingdom relocation planUnited Kingdom is not an EU/EEA member
Skilled Worker visa is the primary route for non-UK hires — EU nationals included since Brexit — requiring an employer-held sponsor licence; general salary threshold £41,700/year or the occupation-specific going rate, whichever is higher; per-pay-period salary compliance required from 8 April 2026
Confirm the right route for a hireWhat sits with the company
Once the right to work is confirmed, payroll registration follows — see our Payroll & Workforce Management in United Kingdom guide for the employer registration steps that come next.
Set up a relocation processWhat it costs to house a relocating employee
Figures below are indicative for London, United Kingdom's primary market for relocating employees — a company relocating multiple staff should budget by destination city, not a single national number.
| Item | Single employee | Family of four |
|---|---|---|
| Typical apartment | 1-bedroom | 3-bedroom |
| Rent (London) | ~£1,650–2,100/month (1-bed; inner London boroughs average £2,200–2,600, outer London £1,200–1,700) | ~£2,300–4,750/month (3-bed, wide range by borough) |
| Security deposit | Capped by law at 5 weeks' rent for annual rents under £50,000 (6 weeks between £50,000–£100,000); holding deposit capped at 1 week's rent | Capped by law at 5 weeks' rent for annual rents under £50,000 (6 weeks between £50,000–£100,000); holding deposit capped at 1 week's rent |
Frequently asked questions
Talk to a United Kingdom mobility expert
Immigration, not tax, is the structural risk companies underestimate in the UK: a sponsor licence takes time to obtain and is now checked at the level of each individual payslip, not the year as a whole. Companies planning to hire non-UK staff — EU nationals included — should secure sponsor status well ahead of the intended start date, not treat it as a formality alongside the job offer.