12th June 2018
As regular readers of our blogs will know, compliance is a crucial issue in the recruitment field at the moment. With so much new and amended legislation affecting agencies, such as GDPR, IR35 and the Criminal Finances Act 2017, it is no surprise that many recruiters are perhaps unclear what the future holds, leading some to speculate what impact these changes will have on their firm in the future. However, when it comes to contractor compliance, speculation is not an option.
Unhelpful debates
Brexit is a key example. There have been questions raised as to how this will impact visa requirements of UK contractors seeking opportunities across the EU. However, it is important to note that, at the time of writing, nothing has been finalised as far as Brexit is concerned: we just don’t know how UK residents contracting in the EU will be affected.
If anything, too much speculation about potential change and conjecture based on ‘what-ifs’ is unhelpful and can actually be detrimental to agencies. For the time-being, ensuring you and your contractors are currently compliant and adhering to the tax rules in the country they operate in should be the focus. If you’re breaching rules now, it is unlikely that remaining compliant will be any less difficult post-Brexit.
Hang-tight
When Prime Minister Theresa May finally decides what these agreements will look like and there is a clearer picture of the impact that Britain’s exit will have on UK nationals working in the EU, we will, of course, be on hand to provide agencies and contractors with the specific and relevant compliance advice that they require. In the mean-time, agencies need to avoid unnecessary speculation, hold tight and wait to see what is agreed.
In order to be absolutely sure that all parties are compliant with local legislation, we strongly advise recruiters to partner with a specialist international contractor management company. Contact the team today.