Category: Global Relocation Challenges

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5 Steps to a Successful Year-End Process

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While most people are happily preparing for the holidays, you’re scrambling through the year-end reconciliation of all of your relocation expenses. Well, even though it’s only November, here is a gift that will help you not only navigate this year, but help you to have a successful year-end process for years to come.

Though many relocation managers might prefer battling crazed Black Friday crowds to year-end reporting, the process tends to go more smoothly when run by the relocation department. To maximize efficiency, be sure to utilize these five steps:

  1. Create a year-end checklist. A detailed checklist will help identify all of the information you need to accurately report year-end compensation. Your checklist should include due dates, responsible individuals and departments. Establishing the responsibility for reporting all of the relevant compensation data is an important component, and can include wages, imputed income, benefits, equity, taxes, and more. This year-end checklist will help you identify all the resources you will need to create a complete and accurate report. Your itemized checklist needs to include items such as early cutoff dates and all employees who will receive the tax filing services (employees on the tax eligibility list), as well as provide for the time needed for verification, approval and processing. A well-developed checklist will also set firm deadlines for the reporting and tax filings.
  1. Set up a year-end preparation call. When setting due dates, be cognizant of the vacation times made mandatory by some countries around the end of December. During the call, review your year-end checklist with all involved parties to ensure that they are aware of their role and due dates. Use this call as an opportunity to build understanding and develop relationships that will make year-end reporting easier in the future. If you have not already held a year-end preparation call, schedule one as soon as you finish reading the rest of this article!
  1. Verify all of your data! Accuracy is vital, especially when it comes to compensation reporting. Data such as addresses and tax ID numbers/Social Security numbers should be confirmed, as well as wages, benefits, sick and vacation time. Double-checking data prevents backtracking and costly errors down the line.
  1. Finalize your data. Make sure that the final payroll reports of the year have been included, plus any end-of-the-year benefits. Be sure to back up the program data again and be sure to save it in a secure location should it need to be referenced in the future.
  1. Get ready to submit your report. Double-check the deadlines for all the countries on your list and be prepared to provide specific data for each. Tax providers may ask for data for different assignee/transferee populations. Be sure to adhere to your year-end deadlines and, whenever possible, send the data ahead of time. Some international locations may have very tight turnaround times to make that final tax payment of the year.

As with anything, practice makes perfect. The more you follow these five steps, the easier year-end reporting will become for you and you can be confident of a successful year-end process.

Learn more about how to save time and money while managing your corporate relocations.

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Making Global Tax Less Scary for International Relocation

Making Global Tax Less Scary for International Relocation: Relocating across international borders can be a little scary. However, the experts at Global Mobility Tax were kind enough to provide these treats to take the trickiness out of workforce mobility.

When sending employees on assignments, careful planning can minimize overall tax cost.  Each country has its own set of laws that are subject to change.  Employees should seek guidance from their tax advisors, making global tax their specialty.

Social security tax

If there is a totalization agreement in force between the home country and the host (assignment) country, a certificate of coverage should be obtained in order for the assignee to be exempt from social security tax contribution in the host country.

Physical presence

If an employee has regional responsibilities and is required to travel to countries like Singapore (60 days), Taiwan (90 days), Malaysia (60 days), China (90 days) and Hong Kong (60 days), he can arrange his visits in order that the physical presence stays below the de minimis day threshold and be exempt from income tax in these jurisdictions.  In addition to physical presence, other requirements, such as no cross charge of costs, will also have to be met in order to be exempt from income tax.

Japan

Preferential tax treatment on employer provided housing can be achieved if the lease is signed by employer, the employer pays the rent to the landlord directly and the employee pays back “legal rent” to the employer with after-tax money.  If all the conditions are met, the valuation of the taxable benefit is reduced.

Individuals who are residents in Japan on Jan 1st are required to pay local inhabitant tax assessed on income paid in the preceding year.  If the assignment is expected to end in early January, the employee may consider repatriating before Jan 1st so that local inhabitant tax does not apply in the final year of assignment.

China

In order for certain non-cash benefits such as housing, relocation, education, home leave, meals and laundry as well as language training to be treated as non-taxable compensation,  the amounts have to be reasonable and have be paid by the employer directly or reimbursed by the employer upon presentation of official receipts (fapiao).

 

Learn more about global relocation programs and services

 

DISCLAIMER

Although the above information is presented in good faith, it is for general guidance on matters of interest only and is not intended as tax advice.  The information presented herein may not be applicable to or suitable for the individuals’ specific facts and circumstances.

The information should not be used as a substitute for consultation before any actual transaction with a professional tax adviser who is familiar with all the relevant facts making global tax their specialty.

Global Mobility Tax, LLP assumes no obligation to inform any person of any changes in tax law or other factors that could affect the information contained above.

About Global Mobility Tax (www.glomotax.com)

Global Mobility Tax, LLC (GMT) is dedicated exclusively to the tax and HR issues impacted by global mobility. Our quality people and high-touch client service approach enable us to offer world-class service to global organizations.

Their core specialty is tax planning for international assignments and relocations. In concert with our global service partners, we can offer your organization global strategy, planning and compliance.

GMT clients include both public and private companies, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to industry start-ups, based in the US and abroad.

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Increase the Success of Global Assignments with Language Training

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Global Assignment Success – Moving top talent from one location to another has many hurdles. Global relocation has its own set of unique challenges. Of them, overcoming language and cultural differences are two of the most important. Without an understanding of how to properly communicate with business contacts in a host country, your transferees will not be able to accomplish anything positive and will not be effective ambassadors of your company. Austrian-British philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein explained, “The limits of my language means the limits of my world.”

To overcome these obstacles and have global assignment success, companies with global reach enroll their transferees in cultural and language classes. By having talent properly prepared, companies understand that their transferees will be able to immediately communicate with contacts upon arriving in their host countries. This has been proven to reduce limitations for transferees and increase the success of global assignments.

Individualized instruction can range from a self-paced, online class to live, instructor-led, virtual session. Not only can the employee take the course, but the whole family can engage in the training. Group lesson for employees are typically offered on site at a company’s facility or a physical location of the company’s choosing.

Companies value metrics and want to see their employee’s progress. Many programs have trainers who track the student’s progress at regular intervals and report it back to the company. Cultural and language training providers benchmark progress to internationally recognized assessment scales, such as the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) scale. Instructors are trained to administer assessments on the four major language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Evaluations are also a key component to our philosophy of continuous improvement.

As a leader in the corporate relocation industry, Global Mobility Solutions (GMS) offers an array of cultural and language training options. To learn about how GMS can prepare your global transferees for success, please read our PDF.

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Overcoming a Reluctance to Move

Excited Family Carrying Boxes Into New Home On Moving Day

Relocating one’s self – and in some cases one’s family – to a new, unfamiliar location can be a stressful, frightening experience, regardless the financial opportunity. A recent Worldwide ERC study evidenced that “Family resistance to move” was cited as the overwhelming reason why candidates were reluctant to relocate.

How can a human resources department, that has already spent a lot of time and money searching for the right candidate, ensure that an offer that includes relocation is accepted? How can they take the anxiety out of moving?

Pre-decision solutions are designed to assist both the employee and the company in determining the benefits and challenges of a potential relocation and overcoming reluctance. First, a mobility management company engages the candidate or transferee early in the process. Since mobility management companies are not bound by the same EOC rules that apply to human resource departments, they can ask more specific questions about lifestyle and family. This creates a complete picture of what would make the transferee comfortable in a new setting. This can include information about schools, shopping, activities, desired commute, and much more. Because the process includes questions that go beyond job performance, spouses and families feel more involved with the relocation process. The mobility management company further reduces stress by arranging community tours, housing information, and cost of living analyses. A pre-decision program can remove all the unknowns – generating positive excitement for the transferee and overcoming a family’s resistance to move.

Global-Mobility-Solutions-Pre-Decision-HR-Benefits overcoming reluctance

Global-Mobility-Solutions-Pre-Decision-Transferee-Benefits overcoming reluctance

For the company, pre-decision solutions are proven to increase offer acceptance and decrease time to acceptance. Additionally, because of built-in programs like Candidate Expense Management, the final cost of relocation have been shown to be less when utilizing a pre-decision solution. The Program Manager of Talent Acquisition at Providence Health and Services said of her experience with pre-decision, “By initiating relocations prior to the face-to-face interview, we know that transferees have arrived more quickly, have settled better, and stayed longer.” What more could a human resources department want?

To learn more about mobility pre-decision solutions, please visit www.gmsmobility.com/pre-decision/

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European Court of Justice Rejects Safe Harbor

Amazing London skyline with Tower Bridge during sunset

European Court Rejects Safe Harbor: On October 6th, the European Court of Justice declared the US – EU Safe Harbor Framework invalid on several grounds which may create complications with cross Atlantic transfers of personal information. As a brief overview, the ECJ found that while the Safe Harbor framework did meet requirements in holding US companies accountable for the privacy of personal data transmission, it could not ensure or protect the privacy rights of EU citizens from public US institutions.

server-room European Court Rejects Safe Harbor

“The ECJ found Safe Harbor Framework insufficient in privacy protections.”
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What was the EU SafeHarbor Framework?

Up until October 6th EU Safe Harbor provided U.S. companies the ability to transfer personal data from the EU to the US while complying with privacy rights provided to European Citizens under the EU Data Protection Directive. Companies would “self-certify” or confirm that they met the EU’s minimum requirements for data protection with the Department of Commerce and provide a public copy of their company’s privacy policy (accessible on company websites). The Federal Trade Commission acted as the enforcement arm of the agreement, investigating complaints and ensuring that companies kept the promises made during self certification.

The Max Schrems Complaint
The Schrems case came about when an Austrian law student brought concerns to the ECJ that his private Facebook data, in transfer from Ireland to the United States, did not comply with EU privacy rights. Schrems claimed that Public US institutions (such as the NSA) frequently mined data from US companies without oversight essentially violating his right to privacy as a citizen of the EU. After reviewing Schrems complaint, the ECJ came to the same conclusion and ruled the self certified approach invalid.

European Court Rejects Safe Harbor – Impact and Solutions
If your company transfers employee data from the EU to the US and used Safe Harbor to self certify, your company is no longer in compliance with EU regulations. However… don’t panic! Keep calm and consider implementing Model Contract Clauses or MCCs. There are 3 sets of model contract clauses provided by the EU to help corporations comply with EU privacy laws. Whether some or all clauses should be implemented at your organization depends on how your organization handles private information. For your convenience we’ve added the links to the 3 standard clauses recommended by the European Commission:

  1. EU controller to Non-EU controller Set 1
  2. EU controller to Non-EU controller Set 2
  3. EU controller to Non-EU processor

Depending on your organization’s international structure, you may also consider implementing “Binding Corporate Rules” which according to the European Commission are:

“internal rules (such as a Code of Conduct) adopted by multinational group of companies which define its global policy with regard to the international transfers of personal data within the same corporate group to entities located in countries which do not provide an adequate level of protection.”

Final Thoughts and Necessary Disclaimer
While the information we’ve provided is accurate and sourced from the European Commission, we advise all organizations to consult with their legal team and/or representatives before taking any action. This article is intended to provide a leg up on the history and research currently available on the topic of European Court Rejects Safe Harbor consolidated into a single article and should be used for informational purposes only.

[divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=””]Brought to you by Global Mobility Solutions, a trusted partner in global talent management.[divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=””]

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3 things assignees need to know about expat health insurance

Shot of a young businessman using a digital tablet during a late night in a modern office

An increasing number of assignees are extending their stays abroad, which may require employers to consider more permanent relocation benefits for their expat mobile workforce. For instance, employees moving internationally for longer periods of time may likely have a greater need for expatriate health insurance.

Talent living and working abroad should have access to quality health care; but for a wide-variety of reasons, insurance may not be the same in the host country as it is in the United States. Keeping that in mind, here are three things assignees and their employers should know about expat health insurance:

One-quarter of uninsured respondents cited good health as the primary reason for a lack of coverage. One-quarter of uninsured respondents cited good health as the primary reason for a lack of coverage.

  1. Uninsured individuals face massive health bills: Relocate Magazine cited a recent online survey conducted by health insurance provider Now Health International that found one-quarter of expats fail to take out international health insurance when they move abroad. The 25 percent of uninsured respondents cited good health as the primary reason for a lack of coverage. Yet, as medical care costs in popular expat areas continue to grow, the uninsured will face large bills if their optimism proves to be incorrect.
  2. Some countries are better providers than others: Access to medical resources and the level of industrialization are two key reasons why some nations have better expat healthcare options than others. Taiwan is one of the highest rated countries for both healthcare affordability and quality. In fact, in its most recent Expat Explorer survey, HSBC found that nearly 70 percent of assignees in Taiwan spent less on health care while on assignment than in their home country. While assignee satisfaction with Taiwanese healthcare affordability and quality is 3 times the global average, inexpensive health care options can also be found in the U.K., Thailand, Japan and Saudi Arabia. The U.S., Ireland, Brazil and New Zealand are on the opposite end of the spectrum.
  3. Employers want to provide it, but they can’t always afford it: A study conducted by Expacare found 23 percent of employers want to provide health insurance for talent abroad but don’t have room in their budgets. However, budget restricted employers can still help their assignees by providing information and resources covering the host location’s healthcare system and available expatriate insurance options. Although some countries provide universal health care solutions, dependence on government programs can be risky. In fact, Twelve percent of respondents in the Now Health International study thought they would be taken care of by their host country’s health care system. However, a growing number of nations are beginning to pass legislation that limits expat coverage to accident and emergency incidents only; one of many reasons that highlight the need for quality assignee education on expatriate healthcare.
  4. There are sources to learn about expat health insurance: VisaGuide.World has developed a useful resource that explores the topic of health insurance for expats, including its importance and how to purchase an expat health insurance plan.

Brought to you by Global Mobility Solutions, a trusted partner in global talent management.

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HR innovation and talent management: A perfect pair

relocation coach helping a moving employee

The global economy is a more diverse marketplace than ever before. Workers on one end of the world can connect with employees thousands of miles away in real time thanks in part to the latest technological advances. As a result, international operations are growing, and global mobility is now an integral part of expanding business processes.

Although international relocation has become an important aspect of improving global operations, a surprising number of companies are still handling assignments in similar ways they were performed years ago. Development in technology has had a major impact on talent mobility over the years, but if companies want to keep pace with increasing global demand, they’ll need to implement cutting-edge systems as international assignments become more common in the workforce.

HR technology can drastically impact talent mobility processes.
HR technology can drastically impact talent mobility processes.

Human resources must embrace technology
A stand-alone approach to global assignments is outdated now that mobility has become a standard practice across different verticals. Human resource information systems must integrate with supporting technologies that incorporate assignee data into the company’s general HR database, as it is crucial to creating a ubiquitous mobility process. A unified system helps create affordable, scalable and realistic processes that can grow in unison with increasing global demand.

Cutting-edge HR technology plays an integral role not only in streamlining mobility processes, but it also aids in back-end organization. For these reasons, the HR technology market is now worth more than $15 billion in software alone, according to a recent study conducted by Bersin & Associates, which cited Bloomberg statistics. In fact, the human resources consulting firm said the value of new tools that help in managing employee communications, recognition and workplace wellness is also growing rapidly. In fact, the top 50 venture deals completed in 2014 totaled more than $560 million.

What’s the next step?
Certainly, the recent influx of investment in HR technology is promising for international relocations, but human resource departments need to make smart and strategic steps when implementing new technology into existing mobility processes. According to workforce mobility association Worldwide ERC, member companies individually invest an average of more than $15.7 million in each year for global transfers. This points to the need for businesses to outline a smart and strategic mobility framework. Too much money is at stake to consider anything otherwise.

Since international mobility has become a norm, organizations need to know how to outline an actionable and profitable plan for a successful assignment. A recent Deloitte study outlined how businesses can diversify their talent mobility designs based on two key dimensions: development value and business value. The design helps companies ensure that the level of support they provide to assignees is justified based on the forecasted business value of each assignment. There are four categories in the value-based approach:

  • Learning experience: These assignments are high in development value and low in business value because the talent – often young, promising employees – are expected to bear some of the costs associated with the move in exchange for global experience and professional growth.
  • Commodity job: Target employees are volunteers or low-cost talent, which makes this level of support low in business and development value. These are designated for local and at-risk assignees.
  • Strategic opportunity: These assignees are the future leaders. The focus here is on development, experience and retention, which makes this level of support high in development and business value.
  • Skilled position: Although low in development value, skilled position employee support during a relocation is high in business value because these assignees typically have specialized skill sets. They have deep, niche capabilities and are rapidly deployed on project-based assignments.

This type of framework, when used in unison with cutting-edge HR technology, can add significant value to any international assignment process. Not only will it help businesses decide the financial viability of certain assignees, but it also provides a framework for HR departments on how much support to give during the process. Companies can also use smart strategies and technology to develop and retain the next generation of leaders – the majority of which are not only willing to, but expect to be internationally relocated at some point in their careers.

Brought to you by Global Mobility Solutions, a trusted partner in global talent management.

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Growth in rental market poses challenge to talent mobility

Phoenix Arizona city skyline at dusk, showing a beautiful city destination for companies considering a 2020 Phoenix Relocation

Rental Market Workforce Mobility Challenges

Rental fees are increasing, thanks in part to a tightening rental property market, increasing the challenges for rental market workforce mobility as renters are facing higher prices while wage raises grow at a tepid pace. Domestic relocation may be impacted as a result, posing a challenge for transferees as they look to take on a new location. Companies can provide relocated talent with help before a move, but as rent in most markets continues to mature, transferees are likely to see a larger portion of their income spent toward rent.

Rent, Number of Renters Increasing

Rent is growing in a number of major markets.
Rent is growing in a number of major markets.

According to new industry research, the number of domestic renters grew in 2013. More specifically, a recent study conducted by the National Low Income Housing Coalition found that last year there were 42.4 million renters in the U.S., which represented slight growth from the 41.9 million in 2012. High housing costs continue to plague the modern-day renter as the rental property market tries to combat historically low vacancy rates. Renters made up 36.5 percent of all households in 2013, a nearly 1.5 percent increase from 2012 and close to 4 percent more than in 2006.

Major domestic metropolitan areas have experienced moderate to steep inclines in rent per household in recent years as well. The New York Times, citing real estate website Zillow, recently pointed out that 90 cities in the U.S. had a median rent that was more than 30 percent of the median gross income when factoring out utility fees. Individuals moving within domestic borders will likely have to dedicate a greater portion of their salary toward housing costs. As a result, there is less room for peripheral moving expenses, which can add up quickly.

Further research shows rent will likely increase in the near future as well. Citing research firm Capital Economics, The Times noted rent could rise as much as 4 percent this year, which is a modest incline from the 2.8 percent growth in 2013. However, as inflation in certain markets is annually at 1 percent or higher, rent increases could even outpace Capital Economics’ projections. For instance, rent in Miami costs, on average, 43 percent of the typical household income. In Chicago, that figure rose 10 percent in one year as renters give way to 31 percent of their incomes on average.

Brought to you by Global Mobility Solutions, a trusted partner in global talent management.

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Top 5 emerging international markets

Walking through the beautiful streets of Dublin, Ireland

When it comes to the corporate relocation process, finding the right fit for employee mobility can be difficult. Different areas of the world are better positioned for personal and professional growth depending on the vertical, but developing in an emerging market is much easier said than done. A multilayer economic hotspot may be the ideal location to relocate talent for new or existing business ventures, but it takes time and a depth of knowledge to successfully adapt and find personal success in a new market.

A recent Forbes analysis of international GDPs found 70 percent of world growth in the next several years will come from emerging markets. Although China and India comprise about 40 percent of that maturation, there are still other viable options for businesses aiming to relocate talent. Keeping that in mind, here are five emerging markets to keep tabs on for a potential international relocation and reasons to further invest in talent relocations in these geographical areas:

  1. Emerging markets offer unique opportunities for expatriates.
    Emerging markets offer unique opportunities for expatriates.

    Central America: Although this encompasses several different countries, the region is small enough where businesses could individually identify local economies and choose which one best aligns with their business needs. CBS News recently came out with a list of the ten best places to invest in real estate, and half of the locations were located in Central America. The low cost of living and typically warm climate make for happy employees, which is a primary objective of global relocation. In terms of real estate investment, finding a return in this region of the world won’t be as difficult, either. CBS specifically cited Mexico, two cities in Belize, Nicaragua and Panama as possible real estate investment gold mines. Businesses and their employees can consult relocation services on the best areas to buy or lease property once a move location is decided.

  2. Colombia: The South American nation isn’t exactly well-known on the international stage as a manufacturing haven, but it’s proximity to the coastline, strong economic growth and cost of doing business make it a viable possibility to relocate talent. Bloomberg predicts GDP growth between 2013 and 2017 will occur at a rate of nearly 22 percent with just a 3 percent inflation rate. A separate Reuters report noted Columbia’s economic growth was as high as 6.5 percent in the first quarter of 2014, although that figure dipped to 4.3 percent in the second quarter. A strong economic backbone and low projected inflation present an opportunity for relocated talent to find personal and professional success.
  3. Indonesia and Malaysia: While China, India and Korea dominate the economic growth talks, smaller nations such as Malaysia and Indonesia are gaining a considerable amount of attention with regard to commercial prosperity. The two nations are separately governed bodies, but the bordering nations’ economies will likely continue to grow in the next few years. Indonesia’s GDP is projected to grow more than 30 percent between 2013 and 2017, while Malaysia is expected to mature 22 percent in the same time period. The latter nation’s inflation rate is as low as 2.5 percent and has a considerably low ease of doing business rank, according to Bloomberg. While vast cultural changes may prove to be a challenge for newly moved employees, global relocation firms can provide talent with services to help the settling-in process, whether it’s through offering van line services, tax preparation or providing ongoing counseling and support after the move.
  4. Turkey: Bloomberg also ranked Turkey in its top-20 emerging markets, calling the nation the seventh-most viable nation for economic growth. Its GDP is forecast to grow more than 21 percent between 2013 and 2017, but its inflation rate is 5.4 percent, which has pundits jumping off the Turkish bandwagon. However, Turkey is a highly opportunistic market not only because of the current local real estate boom, but also because its workforce is packed with young and emerging talent. CBS News reported that half of residents in Istanbul, the nation’s capital and largest economic market, are aged 30 and younger, meaning buying power in Turkey is likely to increase as the rest of the population ages. Young talent may enjoy moving to this Western European and Southeast Asian nation not only because of its projected GDP growth, but also because of the young and emerging talent surrounding them. A youthful workforce in the nation’s capital specifically may help newly moved talent find individuals who have similar interests and desires, thus making the relocation process easier.

Emerging markets provide a strong opportunity to relocate top talent. Businesses can benefit from sending employees to other countries to help further develop company production and create new business resources. Recent Ernst & Young forecasts show investors are already exploring emerging markets as developing countries are attracting half of foreign direct investment. Companies focused on employee mobility are moving toward emerging markets, and a business that relocates its top talent to these locations could directly benefit from regional economic growth.

Brought to you by Global Mobility Solutions, a trusted partner in global talent management.

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