A Guide to Employee Relocation Abroad

Are you going to set up remote workers in a foreign country? In this article, we are going to tell you what exactly employee relocation is, and who can provide you with global relocation services.

Let’s dive into the findings.

What Does Employee Relocation Mean?

Staff relocation or global mobility refers to the transfer of employees, their families or even entire departments of a company to a new location.

Companies generally divide their relocation services into two areas: national relocation and international relocation or global mobility. The desired outcome is the same for both: moving an employee from A to B. However, the actual services offered differ slightly between the two options.

Here we look at international relocation. This is where an employee, and perhaps their family, is relocated across a political border.

International relocations are usually assignment -based. This means that employees travel to another country for a certain period of time and live in a rented property rather than a purchased one. As a rule, no properties are sold or bought unless the international move is permanent, which is not often the case.

Relocation packages are valuable recruitment tools to consider when entering new markets

Here are some typical elements that are often included in international relocation packages or policies: Immigration application processing, temporary housing, regional information brochures, housing search, school search, moving and storage services, travel management, cultural awareness and language training.

In addition, many companies offer a range of benefits, sometimes administered in-house, such as cost of living compensation, tax equalization, assignment bonuses and hardship allowances.

International transfers are usually more complex than domestic transfers due to cultural and language differences. This is where it is particularly useful for HR departments to outsource their programs to a relocation consultant or employer of record who has local knowledge and experience to support the employee during the relocation process.

So why do companies offer relocation support?

Relocating employees can put a strain on company resources. Therefore, many companies need to have clear and valid reasons for providing this support. There are many reasons to relocate employees:

●     There is a lack of suitable and qualified resources at the destination;

●     To ensure coordination and control of other locations;

●     To improve knowledge transfer between other locations.

If you intend to export to new markets, whether through distributors or from a new overseas location, it is most logical to relocate one or two of your key employees. How long depends on your specific objectives.

But make sure you spend some time figuring out and considering what you hope to achieve, how you plan to achieve it and how much it will cost the company.

How can an official employer help you relocate?

Let’s say your company has a great new opportunity for your employee John to advance his career with a job in Finland. He's excited about the position and the idea of learning about life in a new country. But he starts to think about all the things he needs to organize for himself and his family to make the move work: Visas, a new apartment, school for the kids, language lessons and what will his wife do in a foreign country.

How can you help him accept the job and manage the move without too many problems?

Well, this is where the Employer on Record comes in.

The main role of a relocation company is to manage the relocation process from a single source. There are many people involved in this process, and an employer of record brings these people together to ensure that the relocating employee has a seamless experience.

Ultimately, an Employer of Record has two clear relocation objectives to fulfill:

1. Reduce anxiety. In other words, it should manage the stress associated with relocation by taking the burden off the employee and their family.

2. Cost Management. An Employer of Record is a fiduciary for their clients, they must ensure that the parameters of the relocation policy are met and they manage the budgets set by their clients.

Swapp Agency makes the seemingly impossible task of an overseas relocation possible. Our experienced team of consultants is ready to help you and your employees make a stress-free transition from their current location to their new home in a foreign country.

How exactly do we work?

Swapp Agency takes care of everything involved in moving to another country:

Immigration. We take care of the visa and immigration formalities so that the process runs smoothly and successfully.

Payroll, benefits and compliance.

Accommodation. Depending on your needs, our consultant will work with your employee to find them a new home that meets their needs.

School and kindergarten. Integrating the family starts with the children feeling safe in their new environment. Our consultant will help your employee find a kindergarten or school.

Familiarization process. Starting a new job can take some time. With our change management services, we offer you and your employee an efficient way to integrate quickly into the existing team.

Intercultural training. We help with intercultural training for employees and their families. We help them to understand their new home culture and their new workplace.

The special thing about Swapp Agency is that you have a single point of contact. You have one person who takes care of all aspects of your relocation. Our consultants have personal experience not only with all the ins and outs of official business, but also with the personal and emotional side of relocating you and your family.

Conclusion

An Employer of Record can easily support you in your relocation. Whether you’re looking for a new home and need financial advice for your move to another country, Swapp Agency can take the financial stress out of moving and help ease the transition. If you are interested in relocating, be sure to contact Swapp Agency.