Send an expatriate expatriation involves much more than an HR decision. Behind every expatriation, there’s a visa to obtain, a status to define, a family to support, social security cover to restructure, and a whole host of administrative formalities which, if not anticipated, weaken the mission before it even begins. Preparing an employee for expatriation means a global project built upstream. It’s not a process that’s improvised a few weeks before departure.
- Expatriation must meet precise strategic challenges and be formalized in a detailed contract before departure.
- Work visas and social security cover are the two non-negotiable administrative pillars of an expatriation file.
- The expatriate employee’s health cover must be rebuilt, as the original scheme no longer applies as soon as he or she switches to expatriate status.
- The family has a direct impact on the success of the mission: schooling, spouse’s job, local settlement.
- HR follow-up throughout the assignment and management of the return are just as important as preparation for departure.
Define the scope of the mission before preparing for departure
The decision to expatriate an employee is always based on a strategic challenge This is the challenge that determines the profile of the candidate for expatriation, the host country, the duration of the assignment and the type of contract applicable. It is this challenge that determines the profile of the candidate for expatriation, the host country, the duration envisaged and the type of contract applicable.
Before taking any administrative steps a complete review with the expatriate employee is essential. The host country, the city, the duration of the assignment, the responsibilities entrusted, remuneration, bonuses, housing and relocation allowances and the cost-of-living differential: each of these parameters must be defined and set down in writing. To provide a framework for negotiating terms and conditions, the guide negotiate your expatriate salary from Mondassur provides a structured framework for companies and employees alike. An expatriation contract that leaves areas of imprecision is a contract that generates conflict. All terms of the mission must be signed and understood by both parties before departure.
The two essential administrative pillars
Work visa
Obtaining a work visa is the first step. In some countries, the type of visa available depends on the salary paid to the employee. In some countries, the type of visa available depends on the remuneration granted to the employee, which means that contractual discussions and the immigration procedure must be conducted in parallel. In most cases, preparing an immigration file involves call in a specialist lawyer unless the subsidiary or local partner is already familiar with these procedures.
Social security coverage for expatriate employees
Social security coverage is the most underestimated aspect of expatriation planning. It varies according to whether or not there is a social security agreement between the home and host countries, and has direct implications for employee protection in the event of illness, accident or medical emergency.
As opposed to secondment, expatriation is defined as non-attachment to the social security system of the home country. The expatriate employee contributes to the scheme in the country of residence, and is no longer considered as an employee of his or her home company for the purposes of social security organizations. Anticipate this changeover: the local system in the host country often has shortcomings that only a thorough expatriate health insurance analysis addresses.
Mondassur helps companies choose the best social protection for their expatriates. Depending on the situation, you can opt for customized solutions or existing formulas such as GoldExpat 1er Euro expatriate insurance which covers the employee for 100% of hospitalization costs and 80 to 90% of actual medical expenses, depending on the plan chosen. Coverage in repatriation assistance must also be provided for serious accidents and medical emergencies abroad.
Administrative procedures to anticipate
Moving abroad generates a spike in administrative formalities, concentrated in the first few weeks: looking for accommodation, preparing for the move, opening a local bank account, and managing health formalities for expatriate employees. These procedures, commonplace in the home country, become time-consuming and stressful in an unfamiliar environment. These procedures, commonplace in the country of origin, become time-consuming and stressful in an unfamiliar environment.
The company has several options for supporting the employee in this area: delegate the management entirely to the company, with a dedicated allocation, or call on a relocation company to take care of all the practicalities. This second option significantly reduces the time it takes before the employee is fully operational on the job.
Family: the decisive factor, often dealt with too late
For a successful expatriation, preparing the family is just as important as preparing the employee. Children’s schooling, childcare for the youngest children, support for the spouse in his or her search for a local job, and training in intercultural elements are all subjects that need to be addressed before departure, and not left to improvisation once on site.
Expatriation means starting afresh in a new environment. When this uprooting involves the whole family, difficulties in adapting can quickly affect the employee’s equilibrium and, consequently, the success of his or her mission. Companies that anticipate this aspect invest directly in the stability of their international mobility program.
Maintaining the HR link throughout the assignment
Preparing for departure is not the end of HR work, it’s the beginning. Maintaining a regular and trusting relationship with the expatriate employee throughout their assignment is an objective that must be actively supported by the human resources department. Regular contact, personalized support and, if necessary, coaching: these are the kind of relays that help identify weak signals before a problem becomes a mission abandonment.
The International Mobility Service has a number of practical tools to help you achieve this goal. The assignment letter sets out the expectations of the business line and frames the contractual relationship. The country fact sheet sets out all immigration procedures, practical expatriation details, as well as the economic, fiscal, social and societal challenges of the host country. A qualitative survey of mobile employees completes the system: it helps identify operational friction points and continuously improve the expatriation program.
Health and managing the return of expatriates
Expatriate health is a major HR issue. Internationally mobile employees represent the company abroad, and mismanagement of their expatriate health insurance can rapidly impact a company’s image as much as its ability to attract future mobility candidates. Placing the health of expatriates at the heart of HR policy also means protecting the human capital on which the company’s international development relies.
Return management must not be neglected either. Reintegration coaching can be a useful way of restoring an employee’s confidence by highlighting the skills acquired during their stay, or helping a couple or family to readjust socially after an expatriation lasting several years. This is a time of transition, often underestimated. This is the key to retaining talent and making it available for future assignments.
Conclusion
Preparing an employee for expatriation means securing a mission that represents a considerable investment for the company. Visas, social security coverage, administrative formalities, family support, HR follow-up: each of these aspects determines the success of the project as a whole. Mondassur assists companies with their international health insurance needs from the definition of a contract adapted to the expatriate employee’s profile, to long-term follow-up if the situation changes.
