The HR/GMS Guide to Summer Travel

From The Business Immigration Benchmark, Episode 017

Summer officially starts this week, but if you're like me you felt it start as soon as school was out a few weeks ago. Unfortunately for global mobility teams, summer is no vacation. With foreign national employees often using the summer months to travel back to their home countries or overseas for a vacation, HR immigration and GM teams have a lot on their plate from June - September.

In this week's episode of The Business Immigration Benchmark, I talk through the key reminders for HR immigration and global mobility teams managing a foreign national workforce during the summer travel season.

Watch or listen on Spotify or YouTube, or check out this quick 5-minute read where I recap the key takeaways from the episode!

📆Programming note for next week's episode: I'll be speaking with my friend and former colleague Jeff Dybdahl about managing mobility vendors and cost containment. It was one of my favorite episodes to date, so be sure to tune in when it drops on Monday 6/24!

📈 Upcoming GMJ Event on Immigration Benchmarking: My colleague at Audrey Lustgarten and I are hosting an event with Global Mobility Journeys GMJ on Thursday 6/20. In the event, Audrey and I will release and contextualize the results of WR Immigration's latest benchmarking surveys on H-1B Alternatives and Green Card Sponsorship Policies.

Register here: https://forms.office.com/e/LsZQN3qdSy

🔑 Key Takeaways:

1. Remind your foreign nationals to renew their passport before traveling overseas, if needed.

2. Communicate and message your company's travel requirements and policies via multiple channels.

3. Plan ahead for visa stamping appointments and consular delays.

✈️Summer Travel Housekeeping

As summer approaches, many foreign national employees will be planning vacations. Here are some essential tips to include in your communications to them:

1. Valid Passport Reminder: It's crucial to remind your foreign national employees to keep their passports valid. This simple yet often overlooked step can prevent significant travel disruptions. Send out a yearly reminder to help them stay compliant and avoid future issues.

2. Travel Requirements Communication: Work with your immigration vendor to send out clear travel requirements. This communication should advise employees to check in with immigration counsel before international travel. For example, F1 students filing H-1B petitions or employees applying for adjustment of status may have specific travel restrictions. Clear communication can help avoid conflicts with their immigration status.

3. Expat Assignments and Visa Stamping: If your company offers expat assignments with annual home country trips, ensure these trips align with any necessary visa stamping or extension requirements. This coordination can save your company from covering multiple trips for visa purposes.

4. Employment Verification Letters: Many employees will need employment verification letters for visa stamping. Clearly communicate your team's turnaround time for these requests, whether it’s two or three business days, so employees know not to wait until the last minute.

5. Provide a Visa Stamping Checklist: Include a link or attachment to a checklist for visa stamping. Even seasoned H-1B workers can benefit from a refresher. Partner with your immigration counsel to create or update this checklist.

6. Company Policies on International Work: Remind employees of your company’s policies regarding international work. Some companies do not allow employees to take laptops or cell phones outside the U.S. Ensure this information is easily accessible, and remind employees to notify their managers of their travel plans.

🌍 Real-World Example

Recently, I worked with a foreign national that needed to travel to China urgently for a sick family member and required visa stamping. Although the trip was planned for two weeks, the employee’s company does not allow remote work from outside the U.S. This situation highlighted the importance of discussing potential delays with HR and the manager, ensuring everyone is aware of the policies and potential issues.

💭My Parting Thoughts

Summer travel can bring about various challenges for foreign national employees, but clear communication and proactive planning can mitigate many issues. Make sure your team is prepared with effective communication strategies, comprehensive checklists, and best practices.

If you have any thoughts or questions, please shoot me a DM on LinkedIn and let's chat! Please also share your feedback on the podcast, because I love drawing on the audience to generate ideas for future episodes.

See you next time!

Laura