A close look at international assignment policies, practices and trends.
The Alternative International Assignments Policies and Practices Survey (AIA) reports offer an in-depth look into the use of international assignments other than long-term expatriate assignments, including:
- Short-term assignments (2023 edition)
- Permanent moves/one-way transfers and internationally hired foreigners (2023 edition)
- Commuter assignments (2021 edition)
- Numbers are increasing again post pandemic: Nearly half of the participants reported an increase in the number of STAs during the last two years (2021–2022), and more than half expect further growth in the next two years (2023–2024)
- Cost containment resurged as the foremost concern for managing STAs, after having dropped to the sixth position in the previous survey
- Just above a third of the surveyed companies have accompanied (non-single) STAs, while half do not, and 14% stated that such arrangements would not be deemed the company’s responsibility.
- Nearly 60% of the surveyed companies allow family members to visit short-term assignees at the assignment location in lieu of a home leave trip, and one-third allow short-term assignees to spend their home leave in a different location than their home country.
- The most frequent reason for employers to relocate employees internationally permanently remains providing career opportunities for employees. Of the surveyed companies, 71% rated this as 3 or 4 on a scale from 1: Not a reason to 4: A key reason.
- Similar to the previous edition, tax filing, tax and social security briefing assistance, language training, and cross-cultural training remain the most common “plus” allowances or benefits provided to permanently transferred employees, provided by more than half of respondents. The fifth most prevalent benefit in the current edition is a lump sum, moving up from eighth in the 2021 survey.
- Most participants apply the same approach or policy to one-way transfers and internationally hired foreigners even though internationally hired foreigners are less often managed by the global mobility team.
- Most survey respondents indicated that they provide the same allowances/benefits (61%) and relocation support items (71%) to internationally hired foreigners as to one-way transfers.
Short-term assignments
- Trends and demographics
- Short-term assignment policy framework
- Compensation approach and tax support
- Cost of living/daily living costs
- Housing and utilities
- Mobility and hardship premiums
- Education and childcare
- Transportation
- Travel and home leave
- Additional support
- Benefits
Permanent Moves/One-Way Transfers
- Trends and management
- Compensation approach for permanent moves/one-way transfers
- “Plus” allowances/benefits in kind and relocation support
- Benefits
Commuter Assignments
- Trends and management
- Compensation approach for commuters
- Living costs
- Tax
- Housing and utilities
- Mobility premium/assignment incentive and hardship premium
- Education and childcare
- Transportation
- Travel policy
- Benefits
- Additional assistance
The survey full reports are available in PDF:
- 1,500 USD/1,260 EUR each for nonparticipants
- 500 USD/420 EUR each for participants
Only results from companies that completed the survey by the deadline of the survey edition cycle are represented in these reports. But you can still participate in any or all of the assignment type questionnaires and for each one you complete, get a 66% discount on the full report of that assignment type and exclusive access to custom cuts of the data. To participate, click here.
Custom cuts start at 2,500 USD/2,100 EUR. Please contact us to discuss this option.
The Alternative International Assignments Policies and Practices Survey (AIA) reports offer an in-depth look into the use of international assignments other than long-term expatriate assignments, including:
- Short-term assignments (2023 edition)
- Permanent moves/one-way transfers and internationally hired foreigners (2023 edition)
- Commuter assignments (2021 edition)
The survey explores trends, management, and policies and practices that companies have put in place to move talent effectively and efficiently.
Most companies are still evaluating what the future will look like, but remain focused on managing their mobility programs in the most sustainable and effective manner. The survey is an opportunity to take a pulse and gain insight on the latest trends in those assignment types mentioned above.
Latest Survey Findings
According to the latest survey findings, the most reported challenge by assignment type include:
- Permanent transfers — salary and benefits package in host location
- Short-term — cost containment
- Commuters — tax and social security compliance
- Talent development — return on investment
- International business travelers — immigration and tax and social security compliance
More than 60% of organizations allow families to visit short-term assignees in lieu of home leave. A majority of respondents do not allow assignees to spend home leave in a location other than the ‘home location’.
Compared with previous survey results, more companies:
- Have a formal policy for permanent transfers (up to 8%) and plan to develop a formal commuting policy.
- Provide a home-finding trip to permanent transfers (up to 10%).
- Consider governmental tax-free per diem limits when setting their per diem/daily allowance for commuters (65%).
Flexible benefits are rarely used in policies for alternative assignments. 20% offer them to one-way transfers, but less than 5% to commuters.
Data Analyzed
For each mentioned assignment type, the survey examines:
- Short-term assignments
- Trends and demographics
- Short-term assignment policies and practices
- Compensation approach for short-term assignments
- Cost of living/daily living costs
- Tax housing and utilities
- Mobility and hardship premiums
- Education and childcare
- Transportation
- Travel and home leave
- Additional support
- Benefits
Permanent Moves/One-Way Transfers
- Trends and management
- Compensation approach for permanent moves/one-way transfers
- “Plus” allowances/benefits in kind and relocation support
- Benefits
Commuter Assignments
- Trends and management
- Compensation approach for commuters
- Living costs
- Tax
- Housing and utilities
- Mobility premium/assignment incentive and hardship premium
- Education and childcare
- Transportation
- Travel policy
- Benefits
- Additional assistance
Participate
Participate in any or all of the assignment type questionnaires. For each one you complete, you will receive a 66% discount on the full report of that assignment type and exclusive access to customized reports of the data. Participate by [DATE] and receive a free executive summary. To participate in this survey please click here.Pricing
The four reports are available in PDF:
- 1,500 USD/1,260 EUR each for nonparticipants
- 500 USD/420 EUR each for participants
Only results from companies that completed the survey by [DATE] are represented in these reports, but you may still participate in this survey to receive both the discounted pricing and access to custom cuts of the data.
Custom cuts start at 2,500 USD/2,100 EUR. Please contact Client service or Olena Oleksyienko to discuss this option.
Order Two or More and Save
A 15% discount will be applied to your order if you purchase two or more editions of these reports.. Please contact your mobility consultant or call your region's client service number noted below.
A Global Executive Summary Report from the 2016 AIA Survey, offering a comparative look at trends and management of six alternative assignment types — permanent transfers, short-term assignments, talent development, commuters, global nomads and intra-regional transfers — is available for 1,150 USD.