Workers who operate across borders face a wide range of complexities, from different regulations to visa regimes that often make life unnecessarily complex.

Research from the University of London highlights how policy decisions can have a big impact on the lives of many such workers. The researchers highlight the recent rise in visa costs in the UK and argue that this could further damage an already fragile economy.

“Transnational living is complex, challenging, resource-heavy and often precarious,” the researchers explain. “Transnational professionals need to extensively invest in their time, money, and effort to plan their lives. We have also seen how this group of workers use their network to adapt and react to external shocks, such as increases in visa fees, Brexit and the COVID pandemic.”

Precarious existence

The researchers explored how transnational workers adapt their networks in response to various external shocks and disruptions. It’s a good idea for people, businesses, and institutions to have connections across different countries. This can help them have a backup plan when things aren’t going well.

With the UK government making the visa process more expensive, it raises the question of whether people will choose to work in the country or go to easier and less expensive places instead.

“Financially, lower-income workers face hurdles, deterring their UK prospects. Specialized workers might seek friendlier immigration policies elsewhere due to costly fees, causing skill drain,” the authors explain. “The UK could miss out on returning transnational workers’ knowledge and investment due to fee-related disincentives. Industries like health care could suffer more from labor shortages, affecting services.”