Perth and the wider region boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the country; at 3% it is 1.7% below the Scottish average.  Residents’ median weekly earnings are also higher than the Scottish average at £570 per week vs £563.

Over 7000 businesses are registered in the area, and key sectors for work include public administration, education and health; wholesale, retail and motor trades; and accommodation and food services. There is a strong food & drink sector, and a focus to grow sustainable tourism and the low carbon technology sector – the Business and Place Development team are particularly interested in speaking to people within these sectors.

Unsurprisingly then, Perth and Kinross Council and NHS Tayside remain the largest single employers with Aviva and SSE headquarters both ensuring a wide range of jobs, from entry level to high-worth executive.

As an area, there is a real spirit of entrepreneurship leading to a higher than average level of successful, independently owned businesses.  Some 44% of new businesses in Perth stretch past the crucial 5-year mile stone, one of the highest percentages in Scotland.

This is helped in no small way by the local business culture, which is one of inclusivity and support, with a strong community working together across mutually beneficial goals and targets.

For non-EU nationals, and international businesses setting up in Perth, there are important guidelines to be followed. See opposite for useful links, or contact the Business Growth team.

Like the rest of Scotland, Perth welcomes talent and skills from across the globe, and there are a number of special business visa categories to ensure we are a competitive destination for investment and attractive to the world’s most talented personnel.

  • From visits to Scotland to search for investment and business opportunities, to more permanent solutions for longer term relocation of key investors and staff, you will find Scotland is open and ready to welcome your business. Information on the different UK visa classifications, along with processing times and English language requirements can be found on the Talent Scotland website.
  • If you wish to start a business as a non-UK national, you should register as a private limited company or a UK branch of your foreign company. There are a number of different options to consider when it comes to setting up and registering a business in Scotland as a non-UK national, and these can be explored further in the investment section of Talent Scotland.
  • Brexit: Since the result of the referendum, the UK government has made clear that its first priority in negotiations with the EU is to secure the status of EU citizens living in the UK, and UK nationals living in the EU. For more information about how EU nationals could be affected by Brexit, please click through to The UK Government website.
  • Employers are legally required to prevent illegal working and must check a person’s eligibility to work in the UK before you employ them. More information on workforce eligibility and who has the legal right to work in the UK can be found on the Talent Scotland website.