GTS Orders UK

[TaycanHero]

Good luck TH.

Funny how the last 15mths or so panned out.

Are you going to the EU or ME? Some of the deals EU countries are touting for "digital" workers are interesting. Govt here needs to get a big fat grip!

It's been good fun sharing comments with you too Murph!

Yes the past 15 months have been a bit strange, and nor did I think this would be happening, but on the back of an immensely enjoyable 2022 - much of which spent abroad working, but having the most fun since I was in my mid-twenties - then returning home to a bereavement in December, I got some thinking time and decided it was strategically a very good time to leave the UK permanently for many different reasons.

I am indeed off to the EU - well, my business is. My consulting business is now trading from Malta, and I will not be tax resident anywhere. I will bounce between Europe and South Africa.

Most of my time will be spent in Spain (<183 days) assuming I get the digital nomad visa, and that too is making much of the Brexit "problems" become a complete irrelevance. Equally as you mention, it is why the EU is taking a real charge on the UK and other developed nations, and dare I say it, becoming very pro-business.

The only huge gripe is the Continent's atrocious banking system and financial services. If the UK does anything really well, it is banking, financial services and business services. Truly spoilt.

The hoop jumping and problems I have had with the Malta set up is something else. Very stressful. But sorted. Complicated as I also have an offshore company in Gibraltar.

The ME (UAE) on the face of it looks great. But factor in the freezone fees, requirement to pay for office space, unscrupulous accountancy fees (though the EU is also eye-wateringly expensive vs. the UK), and needing to spend 1 day every 180 there to maintain residency (1 day too many), plus it does not have a DTT with many countries, I decided against it.

Malta has DTT with far more countries, a legal and business system similar to the UK, 5% corp tax and 0% dividend tax with no requirement to ever step foot there. Also very easy to get there if I need to witness any documents, or any other biz admin.

I foresee Spain and Portugal economies booming in 10 years where the remote working revolution will see a flock of the most talented living and working there in digital industries. That was never possible even until recently because of lack of jobs and complicated visa processes, even for EU citizens.

The northern European's are desperate to escape sh*t weather and high taxation too!

It's flipping on its head now and the UK, plus much of northern Europe (Germany is going to be forced to offshore an increasing amount of manufacturing, and I bet Porsche will too when most of their cars are EV), is going to be struggling while southern Europe will be booming. The UK will be hobbling along with more political infighting, while patronising and ignoring the electorate. Collateral. I'm done with it.

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[Murph7355]

I hear you.

A dozen years ago I'd have done the same. Kids make it more complicated now. I also suspect UK based clients might be urged to do something about it by govt too, rather than govt actually doing something positive.

The UK is in for shit govt for at least the next 7yrs. Probably 12.

Best of luck.