I am no expert when it comes to stocks and shares and all the jargon that goes with the financial markets. However, with even a layman’s eye, it looks like this could be a good time to invest in the UK. With a weaker pound, and a buyer’s market developing, investment opportunities for 2017 are emerging since Brexit.
It’s important to see through the fog of politics that Brexit is causing because at the moment no-one knows what the final deal will be with regards to trading. More importantly, no-one knows how this will affect immigration from EU and EEA countries, which affects work-forces and trade from EU countries. However, the UK has always had more of its net migration from non-EU/EEA countries, and it is unlikely that this will change anyway.
Some of the really big corporate players are considering moving away from London, possibly to Brussels. But it would be foolish to think that this is a knee-jerk reaction. Large companies of the FTSE level cannot hang financial decisions in the hundreds of millions, or even billions on the kind of flip of a coin politics like EU referendum. They plan years ahead, putting contingency plans in place, weighing up risks of different outcomes, and so on. So many other considerations are needed beyond an “in/out” deal – too many to assume big corporate moves are solely down to the EU referendum.
A recent article in the Telegraph gave ten examples of great opportunities to invest in the UK, ranging from London and Kent in the south, to Manchester in the North – especially given the BBC making a new home there. Birmingham is named as a hot-spot, especially with the HS2 plans making the midlands an interesting investment opportunity for 2017.
So these are potentially exciting times for those wanting to invest in the UK. I personally can’t see why or how Brexit has ‘created’ these doors opening, since the HS2, for example, has been on cards for years. The benefits of sharing high investment business between London and Birmingham has excited some more investment opportunities for 2017 and beyond.
What do I need to do Invest in the UK?
To begin with, here’s an illustration which can also be found on our UK Immigration Solicitors – Investors page:
In many ways, the Home Office can be one of the biggest hurdles that investors face when bringing their business to the UK. Applications cost a lot of money, require intricate levels of detail, and even the slightest error can result in a refusal. That alone can hamper a smooth transition to the UK, so applying very early and allowing plenty of time for the visa to be approved is very important. Of course, when it comes down to money…that’s what make the world go round. A strong application accompanied by the right funds can get everything sorted within just a few weeks, or even days.
It’s all a matter of ticking all the boxes, crossing the “t” and dotting the “i”. As long as sponsorship licences are put in place when needed, there shouldn’t be any reason for anything to go wrong.
When people choose to invest in the UK or seek investment opportunities for 2017 and beyond, regardless of Brexit, the doors will be opened at least for the terms of your business. In some cases this could include settling in the UK or bring family members along, but it’s always essential to check the small print in the Home Office rules.
Nevertheless, hard or soft, we’re banking on a good Brexit.
If you need any more information or guidance on Tier 1 visas for sponsorship, entrepreneurs and investors, please visit our pages: Investor & Entrepreneur.