| Candidate Assessment | Allows informed decision-making by the employee and family as to the likely success of an international relocation. Can help protect the company's return on investment as deselection by the employee is preferable to a failed relocation. |
| Immigration Assistance | Assistance provided to obtain necessary passports, work permits, visas and other documentation for the employee to legally work and live in the destination country. Typically, coverage for accompanying family includes any documentation needed to legally enter and live in the destination country; work permits for spouse/partner are dependent on company culture and destination country laws. |
| Tax Counseling | Helps the employee and spouse/partner understand the financial implications/tax impact of an international relocation. Most commonly provided by the company's tax firm before departure and upon arrival. |
| Repayment Agreement | Requires repayment of all or a portion of the incurred relocation expenses if employment is terminated within a specific time period, most commonly 1-2 years after the effective transfer date. Enforceability depends on destination country law; generally helps protect the company's relocation investment. |
| Medical Examinations | Coverage for medical examinations and required inoculations for the employee and accompanying family, especially if health certifications are required by the destination country. |
| Home Finding Trip | Provided to the employee and spouse/partner to find permanent housing and set realistic expectations of the new location. Provides opportunity for area orientation and can help reduce the need for temporary living upon arrival. Specific trip parameters should be included in policy to help contain costs. A pre-decision trip may be offered in lieu of a home finding trip. |
| Destination Services | Provided by a local destination services provider; speeds acclimation for the employee and family. Services can include area orientation, home finding, school orientation, settling-in assistance, etc. |
| Language Training | Offered to the employee and spouse/partner when needed. Can be a critical component to a successful transition, especially for the spouse/partner. Generally offered both pre- and post-arrival; 80-120 hours per person. |
| Cultural Training | Essential to prepare the employee and family for life in a different cultural environment as effective cultural integration plays an integral role in assimilation. Most commonly, a 2-day program is offered for adults, a 1-day program for children. |
| Miscellaneous Expense Allowance (MEA) | An allowance provided to assist with relocation-related expenses not covered elsewhere in policy. Often based on salary, but can be a flat amount. It is best practice to cap the amount and include a list of items in policy for which the MEA is intended to be used. |
| Departure Location Housing | Inclusion/exclusion in policy can depend on policy tier, with lower levels or new hires often receiving no support. Some companies adhere to their local domestic relocation policy for this component. If one does not exist, normal and customary home sale closing costs and lease cancellation costs may be reimbursed. |
| Departure Country Auto Disposition | Sometimes tied to whether departure location housing is covered. If auto disposition is included in policy, most common coverage is for the loss on sale for up to 2 vehicles, usually with a monetary cap for cost containment. |
| Shipment of Household Goods | Coverage generally includes a small air shipment and a surface/sea shipment based on family size. Best practice is to provide limits in policy, including a list of items that will not be shipped and services that will not be provided. |
| Storage in Transit | Typically provided for up to 30-60 days, if unavoidable. |
| Pet Transportation | Inclusion/exclusion in policy is highly dependent on company culture. If included, usually limited to household pets, such as dogs and cats. Limiting the number of pets and including a monetary cap will help contain costs. |
| Temporary Living | Provided in both the departure and destination locations, usually for 30-60 days total. Along with lodging, companies may reimburse for meals and car rental during the temporary living period in the destination country. |
| Final Move | Coverage for the expenses for the employee and accompanying family to travel to the new location. Specific coverage details should be listed in policy to help reduce exceptions and contain costs. |
| Destination Housing Assistance | Inclusion/exclusion in policy can depend on policy tier or homeownership status at time of authorization, with lower levels or new hires often receiving no support Some companies adhere to their local domestic relocation policy for this component. Most common coverage if included is reimbursement of closing costs on the purchase of a permanent residence for current homeowners. |
| Destination Location Transportation | Addresses assistance that may be provided for auto purchase/lease/company car. Auto purchase/lease facilitation may be provided through third parties that specialize in working with expats. Generally, companies will not contribute to the cost of auto purchase/lease if not covered by the company car policy. |
| Education Assistance | May be provided for higher employee levels and in certain locations where adaptation to the destination location educational system or language is needed. Assistance may include limited tuition reimbursement, or tutoring. |
| Spouse/Partner Career or Transition Assistance | May be provided through a preferred third party company specializing in spouse/partner job search or family transition services. Alternatively, reimbursement may be provided, often with a monetary cap for cost containment. |
| Tax Return Preparation | Often provided for the tax year in which the relocation occurs; usually includes tax return preparation for the departure and destination countries, as needed. |
| Tax Assistance/Equalization | The decision between tax equalization and tax assistance (gross up) may depend on the departure and destination countries and any resulting tax liabilities that the employee may incur. |