Checklist for transferring abroad

6 points to check a transfer abroad

Your boss or HR department might ask if a transfer abroad would be attractive. This is usually a great opportunity, one worth taking if the conditions and circumstances are right. Here's a quick guide to what you should definitely consider before signing anything:

Why, when and for how long abroad
A stay abroad should make sense within your career planning. This applies generally, but also and especially in connection with your current employer. If the transfer is only in the interest of the employer, you should think it through very carefully, because there is a risk that your career will be set back and you will be disappointed upon your return. In general, the younger you are when you take the step abroad, the more sensible it is. But managers over 40 can also benefit from this, for example, when setting up foreign branches. There should always be a clear perspective on what will happen after your return. For stays of more than three years, new adjustment problems in your home country usually arise upon return, both personally and professionally.

Which contract should the stay take place with
Caution is advised here: Only the old employment contract with amendments and an explicit and balanced relocation agreement guarantees a return to the old company in a specific position. Issues such as social security, taxes, illness, incapacity for work, allowances, language lessons, flights home, and much more should be regulated. Family welfare, e.g., the costs of attending an international school or multilingual kindergarten, must also be agreed upon. In any case, ensure that the salary abroad corresponds to the purchasing power at home, otherwise the standard of living will quickly decline. In many countries (e.g., South Africa), security is an issue. The employer should make special provisions for this, e.g., covering the costs of guarded accommodation, insurance, etc. PROGEDO naturally offers appropriate relocation consulting for employees and employers.

Keeping in touch with homeDetailed information
A merely superficial investigation into what awaits you in the new country is dangerous. There are almost always unpleasant surprises. The experiences of others may not always be applicable to your own individual personality. The employer should offer a trip to the planned location before signing the contract, a thorough orientation – especially outside of Europe – and cover the costs of intercultural training – even if it involves the whole family. In any case, you should ask around in online expat networks well in advance and consider becoming a member, for example, of InterNations. A particularly important point that should be clarified before moving abroad is the search for a school and the educational plan for children in the family.

How best to organize this in your personal life is up to each individual. Six-monthly flights home should be possible so that you can see family and friends in person. It's hard to maintain meaningful contact for years through social media alone. Professional employers provide a mentor as a contact person who ensures that contact with your home company, former team members, and colleagues is not lost. Otherwise, you'll be a stranger to everyone upon your return.

Stay grounded
If you're going to countries where your purchasing power is significantly higher than your German salary, you shouldn't freak out about your lifestyle. Otherwise, returning home will be tough. It's the right time to build up savings and enjoy the host country and its financial advantages. Quite a few people change employers after returning because things aren't working out. Lucky for those who have savings.

Repeat offender
Those who have had positive experiences can and should repeat the experience. If it makes sense for their career planning, they can gain a reputation as an internationally deployable manager, making them much more attractive to their own company or other employers. It's also possible to switch employers directly to a position abroad. For repeat offenders, there are many options that others with the same level of professional qualifications simply don't have.

You should persuade your employer to support you and your family in obtaining a residence and work permit for the host country. They should also cover the costs of clearing out your apartment, relocation, finding accommodation, and providing support with settling into the host country. Employers who refuse to do this are either up to no good or have not thought the relocation project through and lack experience. This should not be at the expense of the employee. What often goes wrong? PROGEDO relocation is happy to provide professional advice to both employees and employers.
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