Research from HR technology and payroll business Remote has found 59 per cent of the UK HR leaders expect that most new hires in 2026 will be based outside their organisation’s home country. Company executives reported that on average, 57 per cent of new hires in the UK will come from abroad, meaning nearly two out of every three new recruits could be international within the next year.
The findings come from Remote’s 2025 Global Workforce Report, which surveyed 3,650 HR and business leaders across 10 countries and highlights how demand for borderless workforces is growing as businesses seek to solve the local talent shortages that are a significant threat to their growth.
Yet while as many as 3/4 of the UK companies (75 per cent) report that it is harder to find qualified talent locally than a year ago, hiring international staff is not straightforward.
Almost 77 per cent of the UK HR leaders said unclear or conflicting local regulations have made it harder to confidently hire talent they want and 75 per cent of those recruiting internationally have faced compliance issues. In addition, each incident costs an average of $42,000 globally and in the UK – almost £26,000.
“We are witnessing a seismic change in how companies recruit and scale,” said Job van der Voort, CEO and Co-founder of Remote. “Hiring globally is no longer a fringe strategy. The ongoing talent shortage, and the fact that companies struggle to source local staff, means it is now becoming the default.
“But companies must be prepared to overcome significant challenges,” adds van Der Voort. “Managing compliance, payroll, and regulations across borders requires robust infrastructure. Without it, the risks grow as fast as the opportunities.”
Country-level data reveals clear patterns in expansion strategies. 65 per cent of Dutch companies hired internationally in the past six months, followed by 57 per cent in Sweden and 53 per cent in Germany. In contrast, only 29 per cent of French companies reported doing the same, with Australia also showing a more cautious approach at 34 per cent. Meanwhile, companies in the UK and US are closer to the global average, with around 45–47 per cent expanding internationally, while both Singapore and South Korea hover around 49–50 per cent, showing strong regional appetite in APAC.
“This shift could have profound economic consequences,” added Barbara Matthews, Chief People Officer at Remote. “Talent that once had to migrate to wealthier nations like the UK or US can now stay in their home countries and still access global opportunities. That means skills, income, and economic contribution are increasingly retained within smaller and emerging economies, potentially reshaping the balance of global growth.”
The report uncovers how organisations are managing international hiring, compliance, payroll and workforce expansion. Respondents spanned small (<50 employees), medium (50–249), and large (250+) businesses across sectors including finance, IT & telecoms, and professional services.
