Across Borders – Your Weekly Expat Briefing
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Around The World 🗺️
🇸🇬 Singapore: Work Visa Salaries and Levies Hit Record Highs
Singapore continues to tighten its foreign talent requirements. Effective September 1, 2025, the minimum qualifying salary for new S Pass applicants will rise to S$3,300 (up from S$3,150) and will scale up to S$4,800 for older, experienced workers. The monthly S Pass levy will also be standardised at S$650. For the Employment Pass (EP), the minimum qualifying salary is now S$5,600 (scaling much higher with age and sector).
ProACT Sam Says
For employers and potential expat workers heading to Singapore, this is a serious cost-of-living and compliance issue. The government is ensuring foreign workers are only employed if they command a high salary benchmarked against local standards. If your current contract is near renewal, ensure your compensation package is reviewed now to meet the new, higher thresholds, especially if you are in your mid-40s or older.
🇪🇸 Spain Doubles Down on Property Restrictions: Tax and Ban
Spain is making it extremely difficult for non-EU residents to acquire property. Following the closure of the Golden Visa, the government has proposed a "Complementary State Tax on Real Estate Transfers" that would essentially double the tax cost for non-EU investors buying a second-hand home. Furthermore, the Prime Minister has suggested this could evolve into an outright prohibition on non-EU foreigners buying homes for speculative purposes.
ProACT Sam Says
Spain has moved from being a welcoming destination for foreign property investors to one that is actively discouraging them. For UK, US, and other non-EU expats, relying on property ownership to gain Spanish residency or generate income is now extremely risky. Even if the 100% tax proposal faces legal challenges, the political intent is clear: property is for residents. Prospective buyers must consult with a Spanish tax specialist before viewing properties, not after signing a purchase contract.
🇦🇪 UAE Golden Visa Closes Executive Loophole, Focuses on Tenure
While the UAE continues to expand its Golden Visa to attract specialists (including teachers, gaming professionals, and doctors), one pathway has tightened. New rules for the Highly Skilled Professional category now require applicants to have worked for their current local entity for a minimum of two years to qualify. This closes a loophole that allowed high-earning executives to immediately apply for the 10-year visa shortly after arrival.
ProACT Sam Says
The UAE is seeking long-term commitment, not just immediate wealth. If you are a new executive hire in the UAE planning for a 10-year residency, you must factor in the two-year continuous service requirement before your Golden Visa application can be processed. This shift emphasizes stability and contribution over quick status acquisition, impacting career planning for senior expat movers.
🌍 Global Pet Passports Get Simpler, But Costs are Skyrocketing
Good news for globe-trotting pet owners: several jurisdictions (including parts of the EU and Australia) are streamlining the digital acceptance of pet vaccination and microchip records, reducing the bureaucratic burden of border crossing. The bad news? Due to rising veterinary costs and specialised transport, the average cost of flying a large dog internationally has increased by 40% in the last year, often exceeding the cost of a human business-class ticket.
ProACT Sam Says
Moving your pet is often the most emotional and logistically complex part of a relocation. While the paperwork is slowly getting easier (a win!), the financial cost is immense. If you are planning an international move, budget for animal transport early and research certified animal relocation specialists, as airline policies are constantly changing.
🇪🇺 UK & EU Banking Safety: FSCS and Instant Payments Are Changing
For those with bank accounts in the UK or Eurozone:
UK Deposit Protection: The UK's Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) is raising its deposit protection limit from £85,000 to £120,000 starting December 1, 2025, offering greater safety for expats with high savings.
EU Instant Payments: New EU rules mandate that banks offer instant (real-time) euro payments at no extra cost, and must also provide free payee verification to reduce the risk of fraud.
ProACT Sam Says
The UK move gives greater confidence to those parking savings in sterling. The EU move improves the daily financial lives of Eurozone expats. Action Point: Familiarize yourself with your bank's new payee verification process in the EU—this will prevent accidental transfers due to a typo in the IBAN name.
🌍 OECD Clarifies Remote Work Tax Risk for Companies
The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) has updated its Model Tax Convention Commentary to clarify when cross-border remote work creates a Permanent Establishment (PE) for a company. The new guidance suggests that a home office will not generally create a PE if the employee works from home for less than 50% of their total working time over a 12-month period. However, this is based on actual conduct, not just contract.
ProACT Sam Says
This is a critical update for internationally employed expats. While the rule offers some flexibility, it makes the 50% mark a red line. Your company now has clearer rules on when they might be exposed to tax in your country of residence. If you are working remotely across borders, be prepared for stricter monitoring of your time and location by your employer to ensure they do not accidentally create a tax footprint in your home country.
🇬🇧 UK Tax Overhaul: New Exit Tax and Wealth Taxes Target Expat Planning
The UK's Autumn Budget, expected on November 26, 2025, is heavily rumoured to contain a significant package of wealth taxes aimed at raising revenue without increasing core income taxes. The most radical proposal is a potential UK Exit Tax (or "settling-up charge") that would levy a 20% Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on the unrealised gains of UK business or investment assets when an individual ceases to be a UK tax resident.
This measure would ensure gains accrued while resident in the UK are taxed upon departure. Further complicating wealth transfer, speculation is mounting that the government may abolish the CGT Uplift on Death, meaning beneficiaries would pay CGT on the full gain since the original purchase date, not the market value at death. Additionally, Inheritance Tax (IHT) rules for estate planning could be tightened by extending the Potentially Exempt Transfer (PET) period for gifts from seven to ten years.
ProACT Sam Says
The convergence of an Exit Tax, the removal of the CGT Uplift on Death, and tougher IHT gifting rules creates a critical, time-sensitive planning window for internationally mobile individuals. The Exit Tax risk is the most immediate concern: if introduced, it could apply from Budget Day, making any plan to leave the UK subject to an immediate, involuntary CGT charge on departure. You must urgently review your timeline for changing residence and the location/structure of your assets. For estate planning, you should not delay any planned substantial Potentially Exempt Transfers (PETs), as the seven-year clock may soon become a ten-year one. The collective message is clear: proactive restructuring and planning is now essential, as rules are likely to become dramatically more expensive and less flexible after the Budget.
Deadlines
31 December 2025
2nd & final instalment of 2025 Provisional Tax
Payment for Special Contribution for Defence for last 6 months of 2025
31 January 2026
2024/25 UK Tax Return Deadline
Learn more about our Tax Return Service for expatriates
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