Overseas working is defined as a period of time working outside the UK that does not meet the criteria for business travel in the destination region.  

Please note that you do not need to submit an overseas working request for one-off, short-term international business travel, such as attending a conference, meetings, giving a series of talks, etc. These activities remain outside of the overseas working process. For context and guidance, you can view the list of permissible business activities for short-term business travellers coming to the UK, however, please note that activities vary per country and adequate research must be undertaken.  If you are unsure as to how your arrangements would be categorised, we would strongly encourage you to contact the team at international-mobility-team@imperial.ac.uk and consult the UK government’s foreign travel advice for your host destination

Overseas working requests may fall under the category of:  

1. An Imperial College London business requirement   
2. A personal requirement e.g. extenuating circumstances 

While the IMT manages the legal and regulatory aspects of overseas working, the team is not responsible for overseeing related financial or health and safety administration (e.g. expenses, travel insurance, risk assessments). When planning a trip, you must also refer to the College’s Staff Travel, Safety (off-site working) and Occupational Health, and webpages for details of additional documentation that may be required and other key information. 

Risks for individual employees include: 

• Personal tax liability – Each territory has its own rules regarding when and how personal tax liability comes into effect.  If you are deemed to have unpaid tax liability, it could result in being stopped at the border on entry or exit, assets being frozen and hefty fines on top of the tax to be paid.  
• Social security – To access free health care in another territory, you may require a certificate of coverage or be required to pay social security in that territory. 
• Immigration and visas – To maintain your right to work in the destination and in the UK, rules may apply.  
• Pension – Your pension may be negatively impacted and considered taxable income in some territories. 

Risks for the College include:  

• Immigration and employment regulations – The College is legally responsible for ensuring that all immigration and employment regulations are followed in the UK and any territory where our staff are working. 
• Permanent establishment – An overseas employee may (in some cases) inadvertently create a 'permanent establishment' in that territory, creating a liability for corporation tax and interest charges. 
• Payroll – It may be necessary for payroll to be run in another territory in order to comply with local regulations. 
• Reputational damage – The impact of which upon the Imperial brand could be far-reaching for academics, students, and the international community. 
• Penalty charges – It has been known for Higher Education (HE) institutions to be hit with seven-figure penalties for legislative non-compliance.

The College’s International Mobility Team (IMT) and colleagues from across the organisation are working together as part of the International Mobility Project with three key objectives in mind:

1. Improve Imperial's in-house International Mobility function
2. Increase awareness and appreciation of the risks of overseas working and the need to request permission in advance
3. Undertake an up-to-date risk assessment for the current overseas workforce to provide required support and resolution of potential liabilities for individuals and/or College

The delivery of these objectives will be supported by an increased, long-term investment by the College in resourcing the IMT, in addition to industry-leading software to facilitate a high-quality, efficient service. 

Visit the International Mobility Project webpage for more information.

Initially, the project team will work closely with two Imperial departments (the Business School and School of Public Health) to pilot the new International Mobility Framework, which outlines how new overseas working requests are assessed by the IMT. While initially there will be no material change to the process for staff submitting new requests, the pilot period will allow the IMT to test an updated request form in addition to new, industry-leading software that will support them in delivering an improved service to users. Risk profiles for the current overseas workforce in the two departments will also be generated. The pilot will also evaluate how staff and senior leaders are engaged and informed. 

The lessons learned as part of the pilot will help to support and shape a College-wide rollout, currently planned for spring 2024. 

The pilot is scheduled to run during the 2023 Autumn Term, starting from 25 September.

Imperial has a duty of care to its staff, students and visitors. This includes a legal responsibility to maintain the health and safety of its staff in the workplace – regardless of their primary working location. For the College to fulfil this responsibility, you must provide up-to-date and accurate information about your working location, including any planned overseas working arrangements. In addition, failure to do so could result in significant legal issues (including fines and sanctions) and reputational damage for both you and the College. 
 
In addition, all staff must comply with the core terms and conditions of their employment contract, which will specify a primary working location. If this has or is expected to change, staff have a responsibility to notify the College.

The International Mobility Team (IMT) – formerly known as the Overseas Working Group – is responsible for managing the legal and regulatory risks of overseas working for the College. They review and assess overseas working requests for all members of staff and work with departments to facilitate legally compliant overseas working arrangements. The College’s in-house international mobility experts – Lewis Turner (International Mobility Manager) and Alex Haydon (International Mobility Co-ordinator) – with the Heads of Compliance and Payroll & Pensions, form the IMT. The team can be contacted at international-mobility-team@imperial.ac.uk. 

You can find an overview of the process for submitting a new overseas working request and guidance notes here: Process for managing and approving overseas working requests (.pdf)

The process for submitting a request is as follows:

1. You will need to discuss the request with your line manager and obtain written approval (i.e. in the form of an email) prior to submitting your Overseas Working Request to the IMT.  You should also carefully review the International Mobility Framework. Line managers should consult the College’s overseas working guidance in the first instance:  Overseas working guidance [pdf]
2. Following this, managers should download and complete the Pilot Overseas Working Request Form (.docx) and obtain sign-off from their Head of Department, before submitting it to the IMT for approval at international-mobility-team@imperial.ac.uk. 

Permission to work overseas must be requested in advance. Fully completed requests will be reviewed on a regular basis and confirmed with the College’s final decision.

Although there will be no material change to the existing process for submitting overseas working requests, requests from staff in departments participating in the International Mobility Pilot must be submitted via the Pilot Overseas Working Request Form (.docx). The updated form is expected to be rolled out across the College following the pilot exercise.

You can find an overview of the process for submitting a new overseas working request and guidance notes here: Process for managing and approving overseas working requests (.pdf)

We recognise that organising overseas working can be a lengthy and complex process with many moving parts. If you haven’t already sought approval from the IMT, but are planning to work overseas in the next few days or weeks, we don’t expect you to cancel or change your plans at short notice provided that you have the legal right to enter and work in your destination territory. However, we would strongly advise you to contact the team (international-mobility-team@imperial.ac.uk) with the details of your trip as soon as possible. The IMT can then provide you with tailored advice and support and, if required, work to mitigate any risks and liabilities.

It is important to note that staff members (or line managers on their behalf) are – as before – required to request permission to work overseas from the International Mobility Team (IMT) in advance. To fulfil its duty of care towards its employees, it is essential that the College has accurate and up-to-date information regarding your primary working location.

You can find an overview of the process for submitting a new overseas working request and guidance notes here: Process for managing and approving overseas working requests (.pdf)

Please contact the College’s International Mobility Team (international-mobility-team@imperial.ac.uk) for further advice in the first instance. We would also recommend consulting the UK government’s foreign travel advice for your host destination.

The work location categories defined in the College’s Work Location Framework (onsite, hybrid, remote) apply to UK-based staff only and do not encompass overseas working. If you are planning to work overseas, you will still need to submit a request to the IMT in advance, regardless of your UK working pattern or contract type. 

While the IMT manages the legal and regulatory aspects of overseas working, the team is not responsible for overseeing related financial or health and safety administration (e.g. expenses, travel insurance, risk assessments). When planning a trip, you must also refer to the College’s Staff Travel, Safety (off-site working) and Occupational Health webpages for details of additional documentation that may be required and other key information.

Yes – you will need to submit an overseas working request on their behalf via the Pilot Overseas Working Request Form (.docx)

We welcome any feedback you may have on the pilot or project as a whole. Please feel free to share your thoughts with the project team by contacting imobproject@imperial.ac.uk. 

Alternatively, you can submit feedback (with the option of remaining anonymous) via this form.