When a company offers an expat assignment to an employee, it signals a major career turning point. Expat relocation fills critical roles, supports global expansion, or develops leadership potential. However, accepting an expat assignment is a significant consideration for the employee, their family, and employer.
This article explains the basics of employee expat assignments, including the different types, benefits, and challenges. We explain the typical expat relocation package and how global mobility services can ensure a successful transition.
What is an Expat Assignment
An expat assignment, short for expatriate assignment, is when a company sends an employee to live and work in a foreign country for a specified time period. These international assignments are typically part of a company’s global mobility strategy to develop talent, expand business operations, or support international projects.
Types of Employee Expat Assignments
Employee expat assignments vary in length and purpose. Here’s a breakdown of the three most common types of expat relocation:
Short-Term Employee Expatriation
- Time Period: Typically lasts from 1-12 months.
- Purpose: Short-term assignments are often project-based or involve specific training programs, operational fixes, or support for a new launch.
- Best For: Employees who need to complete a task quickly without relocating a family.
Long-Term Employee Expatriation
- Time Period: Usually lasts from 1 to 3 years.
- Purpose: These expat relocations allow deeper integration into local teams, building leadership skills, and fulfilling strategic goals.
- Best For: Employees on a leadership track or managing international divisions or clients.
Permanent Employee Expatriation
- Time Period: Indefinite expat relocation to the host country as a permanent employee.
- Purpose: A company usually permanently transfers someone to support growth in a key market or assumes a long-term executive role.
- Best For: Employees looking to move permanently or deeply embed in an overseas market.
Pros and Cons of an Expat Assignment
Relocating an employee internationally impacts both the individual and the organization. While the professional and personal opportunities can be significant, there are also practical and emotional challenges to consider. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of expat relocation from both perspectives leads to informed, strategic decisions.
Expat Assignment Benefits to the Employee
For many employees, an expat assignment can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Working abroad can greatly boost career development while offering exposure to new environments and cultures. Below are some of the key expat assignment benefits employees may experience if they accept the offer:
Exposure to New Cultures and Life Experiences: Living abroad opens up a world of cultural insight, travel opportunities, and personal growth.
Accelerated Career Opportunities: Many global companies view expat experience as a fast track to promotion and leadership roles. In fact, in an AIR-INC survey, 80% of respondents said taking an expat assignment had a positive impact on their career.
Competitive Compensation and Perks: Expat relocation services often include housing, education support, and bonuses.
Expanded Global Network: Working internationally helps employees build a diverse and valuable professional network.
Drawbacks of an Expat Assignment to the Employee
Despite the opportunities, relocating for work also presents personal and professional challenges. Employees must consider how the move might affect their family, career progression at home, and overall well-being. Here are some common expat assignment drawbacks to keep in mind:
Time Away From Family and Friends: Distance from loved ones can create emotional strain.
Cultural and Language Barriers: Adapting to a new culture can be personally and professionally challenging.
Interrupted Career Path at Home Office: Employees may miss out on opportunities or visibility in their home country.
Complex Logistics and Stress: Visa issues, school transitions, and finding housing can be overwhelming.
Expat relocation services help reduce these challenges by managing logistics and providing support throughout the move.
Benefits of an Expat Assignment to the Employer
From a business standpoint, expat assignments are a strategic tool for expanding global operations, filling talent gaps, and investing in leadership development. Employers can gain several long-term advantages when they invest in international employee assignments, including:
Leverage Existing Expertise Abroad: Deploying experienced employees ensures knowledge transfer and project success.
Talent Development and Leadership Pipeline: Expat assignments prepare high-potential talent for future executive roles.
Achieve Strategic Business Goals: Having trusted talent on-site helps open new markets or resolve issues.
Strengthen Global Culture: Employees with cross-cultural experience help unify and grow the company’s global vision.
Drawbacks of an Expat Assignment to the Employer
While expat assignments offer substantial strategic value, management can be resource-intensive and complex. Employers need to prepare for both financial and operational risks. Here are some of the most common challenges:
High Costs of Relocation: Housing, travel, schooling, and other benefits make assignments expensive.
Risk of Failed Assignment: Poor adjustment or misaligned expectations can lead to early returns.
Loss of Talent at Home Base: The origin office may experience a skills gap while the employee is abroad.
Potential Resignation Post-Assignment: Some employees leave the company if not supported during repatriation.
Expat relocation solutions provide companies structure, support, and consistency to mitigate these risks.
What is in an Expat Relocation Package?
An expat relocation package offers financial and service-based support for an efficient transition abroad. It typically includes:
- Letter of Assignment: Formalizes assignment details such as role, duration, and expectations.
- Managed Relocation Services: Provides a seamless move from start to finish.
- Global Mobility Consultant: A dedicated expert guides the employee through each step of the relocation process.
Expat Relocation Services
A successful international employee assignment requires more than booking a flight and securing office space. It’s a complex transition that requires personal, professional, and logistical support at every stage. That’s where comprehensive expat relocation services come in. Global mobility structure, resources, and expertise manage an easy move for the employee and their family. These are the most common expat relocation services.
Visa and Immigration
The first necessary expat relocation service is procuring the visa or immigration for the employee and their family to live and work abroad legally. The expat assignment cannot occur without this service.
Household Goods Relocation Services
Coordinating the safe and timely transport of household goods and personal belongings is a core part of any relocation. Services typically include professional packing, international shipping, customs clearance, and final delivery.
Housing and Real Estate Services
Finding a comfortable, secure place to live is a priority. These services support everything from temporary housing upon arrival to rental home search assistance, lease negotiation, home sale support in the origin country, and long-term storage options.
Expat Services at the Destination Country
Once on the ground, employees and their families often need help navigating daily life in a new country. Destination services may include assistance with school selection and enrollment, opening local bank accounts, finding healthcare providers, learning local customs, and settling into the community confidently.
Expat Compensation and Tax Services
Working across borders means dealing with dual payroll, tax equalization, and cost-of-living adjustments. Specialized advisory services ensure compliance in both the home and host countries while maintaining fair and consistent compensation for the employee.
The Expat Relocation Process
Here’s what the expat journey looks like with employer and relocation consultant support at each stage:
1. Employer Offers the Expat Assignment:
The process begins when the employer identifies a talent need in a different country and selects the right candidate for the role. Then, they ask a global mobility company to forecast costs and create the expat assignment benefits package.
Human Resources presents the employee with a detailed letter of assignment, including the scope of the assignment, the expected timeline, and a comprehensive benefits and relocation package.
2. Employee Accepts the Expat Assignment
Once the employee agrees to the assignment, they formally sign a letter of assignment outlining terms such as compensation, housing, tax assistance, and repatriation. This commitment marks the start of pre-departure planning and initiates expat relocation planning from the global mobility company.
3. Expat Assignment Pre-Departure
This phase is critical to a successful transition. The global mobility consultant begins working closely with the employee (and their family, if applicable) to coordinate essential expat relocation services. The first service is obtaining work visas and immigration approvals. The timing of this step determines the timeline.
The expat relocation package at this stage also includes identifying housing options, scheduling household goods international moving, setting up school searches, and beginning cultural and language training.
4. Expat Assignment Departure
As the departure date approaches, the focus shifts to final preparations. Movers pack and ship household goods, and the global mobility consultant confirms temporary accommodations and finalizes travel arrangements. Global mobility ensures that all expat relocation services are in place so employees can arrive in the host country with minimal stress.
5. Expat Assignment
The work begins once the employee is on the expat assignment, but support doesn’t stop. The relocation consultant can assist with local settling-in services, troubleshooting, and ongoing questions. From navigating healthcare systems to understanding local customs, this in-country support helps employees stay focused and productive in their new role.
6. Expat Repatriation
When the expat assignment ends, the process comes full circle. Expat repatriation services help employees return to their home country or transition to a new location. These expat relocation services include coordinating the return shipment of household goods, providing reverse culture shock support, and assisting with reintegration into the original office or a new role within the organization.
NRI Relocation Provides Expat Relocation Solutions
At NRI Relocation, our managed global mobility services make every expat assignment a strategic success. We provide tailored relocation packages, comprehensive assignment management, and reliable, personalized support for employees and employers.
Whether your organization is considering its first international employee move or coordinating the relocation of key talent abroad, we’re here to ensure the expat assignment experience is seamless, rewarding, and aligned with your business goals.
Ready to explore expat relocation solutions?