Tax and Accounting Advice for
APAC Businesses Operating in the UK

Cross-border tax and advisory support between
the Asia-Pacific region and the United Kingdom

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing source of inbound investment into the UK and an increasingly important market for UK businesses. The region covers very different tax and regulatory environments.

From mature jurisdictions like Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia through to the high-growth markets of India, Indonesia, Vietnam and the rest of South-East Asia.

Our APAC desk supports clients with cross-border positions between the UK and the region.

The work covers UK entry for APAC businesses, expansion from the UK into APAC markets, individuals moving in either direction and the practical co-ordination of tax and compliance work across multiple jurisdictions.

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How we work on APAC cross-border matters

Each engagement starts with mapping out the jurisdictions involved, the entities and individuals in each and the flows between them. The right local advisers are then engaged through our PrimeGlobal relationships in the region.

The work is run from a single lead partner here who co-ordinates the overseas input and presents the position in joined-up form. The detail of each local jurisdiction is handled by the relevant local team and the client deals with one point of contact through the engagement.

Our APAC cross-border services

  • UK entry for businesses from across the Asia-Pacific region
  • UK businesses expanding into APAC markets
  • Cross-border personal tax for individuals moving between APAC and the UK
  • International tax structuring across APAC and the UK
  • Transfer pricing across APAC and UK entities
  • Permanent establishment analysis
  • UK-India business and personal tax, including our long-standing Indian film industry specialism
  • Co-ordination through PrimeGlobal member firms across the region

The Indian connection in particular is a long-standing area of strength for the firm. Beyond film and media, we work extensively with Indian businesses entering the UK, with Indian families with UK assets and tax exposure and with UK businesses operating in the Indian market.

The relationships in India run deep and the work goes well beyond the typical referral pattern.

What you can expect from our APAC team

Three principles run through our APAC cross-border work:

Real working relationships in the region

Through PrimeGlobal we work with named partners in the major APAC jurisdictions. The overseas input arrives from people we know and trust to a standard we can rely on.

Sensitivity to the way business is done

Business culture across APAC varies significantly by country. Our team understands the cultural and commercial context as well as the technical rules and shapes the advice accordingly.

One trusted point of contact

The lead partner here co-ordinates the work across the relevant jurisdictions. The client deals with us and we deal with the rest. The advice arrives in joined-up form.

APAC clients choose us because they want a UK firm that genuinely understands the region – one that acts as a trusted guide through the cross-border complexity, co-ordinates the local advice and delivers a single joined-up position rather than leaving the client to manage separate relationships in separate jurisdictions.

Here is what our clients have to say… testimonial icon


Why choose Macalvins?

Macalvins is a Top 100 UK accountancy firm and a member of PrimeGlobal, a network of around 300 independent firms across more than 80 countries.

We have years of experience supporting APAC businesses and individuals, as well as UK businesses looking to break into new markets on the continent.

Speak to our team

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Frequently Asked Questions faq

We are an APAC business looking at the UK market. How would you support us?

We typically start with a scoping discussion about the planned UK activity and the parent business. From there we set out the choices on UK entity structure, tax and payroll registrations, banking and the practical sequence of getting the UK operation live. The firm has a long history of working with APAC businesses entering the UK and the engagement is built around that experience.

How do you handle cross-border tax for individuals moving between APAC and the UK?

The work covers the UK residence position, the impact of the post-April 2025 changes to the rules for new arrivals, the treatment of overseas income and assets and the co-ordination with the home country tax position. For individuals moving from APAC to the UK or from the UK into APAC, the planning works best when it happens before the move rather than after.

Which APAC jurisdictions do you most commonly work across?

India is the largest single corridor for the firm followed by Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE and Australia. We also work into Japan, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand through PrimeGlobal relationships in those markets. The mix shifts with the client base but the regional coverage is broad and the local relationships are real.

Mr. Jackson
@mrjackson
Mr. Jackson
@mrjackson