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Hiring in Europe Post-Brexit: What You Need to Know

The world of work in Europe is not what it was a few years ago. Since the UK left the European Union, cross-border employment feels… different. For many HR directors, partner managers, and founders, the post-Brexit dilemma lingers whenever talk turns to expanding into, or hiring within, the UK or EU. Laws have changed. Rules have shifted. Uncertainty sometimes takes over, even in the boardroom.

The map has changed. The rules have too.

So, what actually happens when you want to hire in Europe after Brexit? How hard is it, really, to place your first employee in Paris, Berlin, or Stockholm if your company is still rooted in Manchester or London—or the other way around? Is remote work simpler, or is it fraught with new compliance questions? And if your plan involves scaling quickly, how do you stay confident that your contracts, payroll, and HR policies will actually work?

Through this guide, let’s walk through the key changes brought about by Brexit—and how management consultancies like EWS Limited are positioned to fill the gaps, simplify those messy regulations, and help you focus on growth rather than red tape.

Brexit and the new European hiring landscape

No one expected the practicalities of Brexit to be smooth. Yet the scale and depth of legal and regulatory updates continue to surprise. Since the UK is no longer an EU member, the fundamental freedom of movement ended for both workers and companies. Suddenly, what used to be a short hop through legal paperwork became a full-on expedition across compliance territory.

• UK companies can no longer hire EU nationals without checking work visas and right-to-work documentation.
• EU firms must revisit whether their easy UK-international assignments still make sense under new rules.
• Payrolling, tax, health insurance, social security—every task is now country by country, not one-size-fits-all.

While cross-border hiring may still be attractive, the friction has risen noticeably. It has sent ripples through finance, tech, and even compliance-heavy roles, as shown by recent data estimating 40,000 finance roles shifted from London to the EU, in cities such as Dublin and Paris.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Some companies have found a sort of rhythm in the new system, using management consultants, digital tools, or partnership models to rebuild their international talent pipelines.

Understanding the new laws for employers

Whether your firm is based in Madrid, Manchester, or Munich, the impact of Brexit boils down to a new set of requirements for every hire that crosses the UK-EU border.

Key employment law changes after Brexit

• End of free movement: All new hires across UK-EU borders are now subject to immigration checks and, usually, new permits.
• Points-based visas (UK side): The UK’s new system means skilled workers must now collect 70 points across job offer, salary, sector, and language requirements. The details are outlined clearly in breakdown of the new employment laws post-Brexit.
• No automatic recognition of professional qualifications: UK and EU firms must confirm local registration or re-approve professional credentials for jobs like law, healthcare, and engineering, although new EU legislation may soon help with mutual qualification recognition.
• Shifted social security: Dual contribution agreements are patchy. Avoid double deductions by understanding country-by-country treaties.
• Updated worker protections: In the UK, the government’s new Employment Rights Bill aims to radically reform worker protections from day one of employment.

For founders and HR heads, the lesson is that each hiring scenario now needs a review from both a legal and operational perspective. Very little can be left on autopilot. Advisors like EWS Limited find that the biggest compliance missteps aren’t usually dramatic errors, but rather seemingly small details—like missing a document renewal or misunderstanding an exemption.

The problem of professional qualifications

You hire a financial analyst or software engineer in Belgium, only to discover their UK license doesn’t apply directly. Or your new French actuarial lead must now prove their degree is valid across the Channel, due to lagging mutual recognition. This issue is not always straightforward to solve.

However, the European Commission’s initiative to simplify the process of recognizing UK professional credentials in the EU may turn the tide in the future, making talent transfers smoother.

Payroll, tax, and social security—country by country

Payrolling multiple EU countries, plus the UK, now requires technical understanding of every country’s local regulations. There is no default “payroll passport” anymore. Each employee’s personal tax and social security profile needs to be scrutinized at the offer stage.

• UK-based companies must register for payroll and tax in France, Germany, Denmark, or Sweden when employing locally, and vice versa.
• For information on national payroll processes, consult guides like Denmark employment outsourcing, Sweden, France, or Germany from EWS Limited.
• Short-term assignments rarely escape social security registration entirely.
• Each country’s threshold for ‘permanent establishment’ can trigger corporation tax or reporting obligations.

Compliance has become personal. There’s no more ‘one form fits all’.

Impact on sector and company size

Not every company feels the effects of Brexit in the same way. Large, global IT companies and banks may simply add another legal team to their workforce. But for scale-ups, Series B or C startups, or highly specialized consultancies, every new country means learning new systems, registering as an employer in new territories, and budgeting for extra admin hours.

This disproportionate burden has nudged many smaller and scaling companies toward outsourcing solutions or consulting firms like EWS Limited. These organizations can serve as a local employer of record, reducing in-house complexity and giving international teams a centralized point of contact.

Remote and distributed teams post-Brexit

One would expect remote work to solve most border issues, but, in practice, it’s a more complicated affair. A developer hired in Portugal but working for a UK-based gaming startup may still require:

• Proof of work eligibility in their home country,
• Registration of the employer for payroll purposes in the employee’s country,
• Adherence to local labor laws,
• Country-specific data protection and security requirements.

The “digital nomad” trend is alluring but can trigger double taxation or unexpected social charges unless properly structured.

Visa and immigration requirements: the points-based shift

After Brexit ended freedom of movement, the UK implemented a points-based immigration framework. Now, EU and EEA citizens must meet new requirements to gain permission to work there. It’s no longer enough to have an invitation letter; your new hire needs to meet UK skill, salary, and English language rules, as described in the comprehensive overview of the post-Brexit points-based system.

The UK “Skilled Worker” visa requires points for:

1. A confirmed job offer from an approved sponsor,
2. A role at a certain skill level,
3. A salary in line with sector norms,
4. Proficiency in English,
5. Optionally, jobs in health, STEM, or on the official shortage occupation list add further points.

For EU-based employers with UK hires, the best practice is to consult a local partner who specializes in international onboarding, such as those found at EWS Limited.

Recruiting and onboarding talent: current trends

While legal compliance is a top concern, employers still must find and attract talent. There have been losses—a measured 40,000 financial jobs left London as operations moved to the continent. In this reshuffled market, candidates are still open to international moves, but processes demand patience from both parties.

• Background checks often take extra time with new criminal record and accreditation checks for cross-border hires.
• Employment contracts must reflect both home and host country requirements.
• Probation, benefits, and dismissal rights now differ more between countries and, sometimes, sectors.

A one-page contract won’t cut it anymore.

One trend is the focus on making onboarding less painful. Companies engaging EWS Limited for global mobility solutions often request checklists, step-by-step guides, and pre-filled documentation, so that new hires can be productive without falling into compliance traps.

Payroll outsourcing and employer of record models

For scale-ups, SaaS providers, tech innovators, and consultancies, direct hiring in a new country can feel daunting post-Brexit. Payroll outsourcing or using an employer of record (“EOR”) arrangement offers a middle path.

• EOR models—like those operated by EWS Limited—allow companies to employ staff in countries such as Denmark, Sweden, France, or Germany without setting up a formal entity.
• Such partners can handle payroll, local taxation, benefits, and HR compliance—prioritizing a seamless employee experience.
• Multi-currency payroll outsourcing further reduces bottlenecks, helping pay teams unify policies for remote and hybrid teams.

Focus on growth, while the details are handled.

Often, when companies expand to a new market—or hire someone with rare skills who lives in another country—they use these models as a bridge until local incorporation might make sense. For insight on structuring new companies in the UK, take a look at the three steps to company formation abroad guide from EWS Limited.

Social security and taxes after Brexit

One of the more quietly complex changes is the effect Brexit has had on social security coordination. The ability to move workers freely on assignment, or to maintain consistent pension and medical coverage across borders, is weaker than before.

Double contributions risk

Now, a UK employee sent to Berlin or Paris for a temporary project may face the risk of “double” payroll deductions if agreements for social security coverage aren’t in place. Various treaties attempt to soften the blow, but the only way to be certain is to examine the bilateral rules for each country pair and keep careful records.

• Employers need to plan assignments ahead and prepare correct documentation before sending staff abroad.
• Employees must track eligibility for local versus home-country health insurance, pension accumulations, and tax deductions.

The evolving hiring market: new jobs, new expectations

Despite the red tape, demand for skilled workers hasn’t dropped. London’s financial sector job vacancies fell 17% year-on-year amid war and inflation, but there’s still growth in compliance, technology, and ESG roles.

Recruiters and HR leaders now operate with more caution—yet also creativity. Partnerships, joint ventures, and ‘remote hub’ strategies are gaining ground. Candidates often expect more transparency about how their employment is structured, what support is there for international moves, and what happens if they decide one day to move again.

At EWS Limited, the message to international clients is usually: build flexibility into your hiring plans, but accept that change won’t stop entirely.

Looking ahead: the future of European hiring after Brexit

With so much in transition, it would be hard—and probably foolish—to make ironclad predictions about what hiring in post-Brexit Europe will look like five or ten years from now. Legislative changes may soften some restrictions, especially around qualification transfers and short-term assignments. Remote work will keep blurring the line between “local” and “international.”

Yet the main message remains that hiring across the UK-EU border is more complex, slower, and a little more expensive than before Brexit. It may be, for the ambitious, a test of patience, detail orientation, and a willingness to stick with new routines.

The companies that will succeed are those that build compliance systems, lean on trusted advisors, and keep a steady hand even as regulations shift. EWS Limited continues to support founders, HR teams, and mobility leaders so they can put their plans into action, not leave them in legal limbo.

Conclusion: moving forward with confidence

Hiring across UK and EU borders after Brexit is harder, but not impossible. There will be new forms, extra waiting, unfamiliar terminology, and sometimes slower onboarding. However, the expanded opportunities for recruiting the best talent remain.

Talent is still cross-border. So is ambition.

As long as you keep a close eye on compliance, stay informed about changing regulations, and build partnerships with experienced consultancies like EWS Limited, your international workforce dreams can still be realized.

If you’re ready to clear the confusion and build your European team, talk to the experts at EWS Limited—because the right guidance today is what makes tomorrow’s success possible.

Frequently asked questions about hiring in Europe post-Brexit

What is hiring in Europe after Brexit?

Hiring in Europe after Brexit means that UK and EU companies must follow new immigration, employment law, and payroll requirements when employing workers across the UK-EU border. Freedom of movement is gone, so hiring now requires permits, contracts that observe both sets of rules, and country-specific tax and social security registrations. The overall process involves closer attention to legal, financial, and HR details for every hire.

Do UK companies need EU work permits?

Yes, in most cases, UK companies now require EU-specific work permits or right-to-work clearances when they wish to employ people physically located within the EU. The employee must have legal status to work in the country, and often, the employer needs to register locally for payroll and employment. This rule holds even for short-term assignments or remote roles.

How to find talent in post-Brexit Europe?

Finding talent after Brexit often involves working directly with recruitment agencies, HR consultants, or digital hiring platforms that understand local laws. Many companies also rely on trusted management consultants like EWS Limited, who help source, vet, and onboard workers in new countries, handling all compliance, payroll, and onboarding requirements. The process usually includes more job advertising, upgraded candidate checks, and thorough employment offers.

What are the new EU hiring rules?

The post-Brexit rules are country-specific, but generally: companies must check all right-to-work documents, observe new minimum salary and role requirements, and typically handle payroll under national law where the worker resides. Some professional sectors require formal recognition of qualifications. Social security and tax obligations also depend on local treaties and the duration or nature of the employee’s role.

Is remote hiring easier after Brexit?

Remote hiring after Brexit has not become easier—in fact, it adds complexity. Companies must still ensure local right-to-work, set up payroll accounts or employer registration in the worker’s country, and follow both home and host-country regulations for contracts and benefits. Many companies use employer of record partners like EWS Limited or payroll outsourcing to simplify this process, but the compliance obligation never fully disappears.