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Description

International Mobility: Preparing Assignments, Securing Status and Managing the Return

Two days to structure the support given to employees sent on assignment abroad

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • All levels
  • Up to 6 participants

A poorly prepared international assignment is expensive: the wrong status, incomplete social protection and insurance cover, a spouse with no professional solution and a return that nobody planned. Requests often arrive late and the HR team improvises on matters that commit the company and the family concerned for years.

These 14 hours provide a method for handling an assignment end to end. Participants distinguish the different forms of mobility and their consequences, build the components of the package, organise pre-departure preparation and prepare the return from the outset. The programme suits newcomers and experienced practitioners alike.

Learning objectives

  • Distinguish the main forms of international mobility and their implications
  • Select the status suited to the duration and nature of the assignment
  • Identify the points to secure in terms of social protection, insurance and taxation
  • Build the components of a coherent and explainable mobility package
  • Organise pre-departure preparation for the employee and the family
  • Prepare the return and repositioning from the scoping stage onwards

What makes this programme different

A scoping grid comparing the possible statuses for one and the same assignment
Dedicated work on family support and its effect on assignment success
The return prepared from day one rather than at the end of the assignment

Programme

1Scoping the assignment and choosing the status

The contractual form follows the assignment

  • Types of mobility: short-term assignment, secondment, expatriation and local contract
  • Selection criteria linked to duration, host country and reporting line
  • Consequences of each status for the contract and administrative management
  • Internal stakeholders and external advisers to involve

2Building the package and contracting

Rewarding a situation that has no local equivalent

  • Possible components of the package and the rationale for each
  • Treatment of housing, schooling and home-leave travel
  • Points of vigilance regarding social protection, medical cover and retirement savings
  • Tax points of vigilance and the role of specialist advisers
  • Drafting the contract amendment or local contract and the assignment annexes

3Preparing the departure and supporting the family

Success is often decided outside the office

  • Visa, immigration and administrative formalities and the preparation timeline
  • Spouse support and schooling arrangements for children
  • Cross-cultural preparation and key facts about the host country
  • Health, safety and the course of action in the event of an incident

4Monitoring the assignment and organising the return

Do not lose the employee on the way back

  • Maintaining the link with head office during the assignment
  • Remote performance review and structured check-in points
  • Anticipating the return position and the search timeline
  • Recognising the experience gained and capturing lessons for future assignments

Who is it for

International mobility managers and coordinators as well as HR managers, payroll managers and line managers of assignees.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.