Global expansion can be a tedious process, many times companies turn to “expat employment” in their target country to have a sense of familiarity and security. This is a very common practice for companies to send existing employees to oversee the new operations. As we have discussed before in this Post, hiring an expat is not as simple and straightforward as hiring a local national of the country.
We’ve identified some factors and tips for hiring an expat internationally:
Plan ahead
It is important to leave plenty of time to make arrangements for visa processing and work permit applications before you send the expat to your new country. The processing time for visa and work permit varies from country to country. There are certain exceptions, for instance the citizens of European Union can freely work in member countries without much red tape. The ASEAN Countries may adopt this practice very soon, but don’t count on the immigration authorities. Take control of the process by planning ahead and working with a consultant if there are too many unclear items.
Cost
Cost is definitely a factor to consider when sending an expat into your new country. The initial costs may include government fees, visa costs, work permit costs, flights, housing allowance and other costs associated with the employee’s move.
