foreign assignment letter

The letter of understanding should specify all pertinent details without leaving any room for interpretation. Lack of clarity can lead to misunderstandings and costly mistakes which drain resources and distract the employee, impacting the success of the assignment. The key to drafting effective letters of understanding begins with knowing your ...

The role of an assignment letter (agreement) Short-term assignments are highly complex. Hence, it is crucial to have proper documentation in place to clarify and provide guidance. An effective assignment letter not only benefits the employee, but also the employer (HR, legal, tax and payroll, for instance). The assignment letter should clearly ...

Having an IAP in place is a great first step when reassigning an employee overseas. But every employee and every overseas opportunity is different in some way. You may need to fine tune the policy to the needs of the company, the employee or the position. To do this, HR will draft the contract and a letter of assignment, which shapes the IAP ...

An international assignment agreement is a contract between an employer and employee that formally assigns the latter to a position in a foreign country. Several pieces of important information are contained within this contract, such as where the assignment is, how travel and lodging costs will be paid, how much the compensation is, and how ...

Assignment letter This is a critical step in the overseas assignment process. The assignment letter should spell out the agreement between employer and staff, with clear explanations of position and duties, the period of assignment, and the terms of compensation. Know and comply with local employment and immigration laws

The assignment letter should clearly spell out an compensation and benefits (per diems, reimbursements, serviced accommodation costs etc) that the employee would receive during one short-term assignment, accordingly making all parties acute the assignment entitlements and mitigating any dispute instead retroactive negotiations in the future.

The number of employees working abroad is increasing. As it becomes more common, some assume this will lead to greater standardisation, with template assignment letters the norm. However, the legal, tax, pension and other variables involved in international assignments require a more bespoke approach, leaving little room for standard ...

The assignment letter should clearly explain the level of benefits provided and how they are delivered, i.e. in-kind or in cash, bearing in mind the most tax effective form of delivery for the company depending on host country tax legislation. Tax charged on assignment benefits can be considerable, sometimes up to 50% of total assignment costs.

Often, international assignment leads to outsourcing for global expertise. Payroll, tax, employment law, contractual obligations, among others, warrant an investment in sound professional advice.