With an impressive keynote lineup, hundreds of sessions, the world’s largest HR marketplace, and the iconic Chicago skyline as a backdrop, the SHRM 2013 Annual Conference & Exposition will give you everything you need to be more focused, energized and successful. Make your plans now to join TRC Global Solutions and ensure that you are faster, stronger, and bolder.
Visit TRC at Booth 2408 at the Exposition and learn how we’ll exceed your expectations of a relocation management company. Register to win a Tiffany gift card to use any way you like!
Jerry Funaro, CRP, GMS, Vice President of Global Marketing at TRC Global Solutions, Inc., was honored with Worldwide ERC®’s Meritorious Service and Mobility Editorial Achievement awards at ERC’s recent National Relocation Conference in San Diego.
ERC’s Meritorious Service award is presented “in recognition of dedicated service and significant professional contributions to Worldwide ERC® and the global workforce mobility business community”. In Funaro’s case, this included serving on ERC editorial and program planning committees, moderating several panels at ERC conferences and writing articles for Mobility magazine.
Funaro received the Mobility 2012 Editorial Achievement award “in recognition for his outstanding contribution to the professionalism of the global mobility industry”, with his article, “When a Transferee is Part of a Same-Sex Couple”, published in the August 2012 issue of Mobility magazine.
Join TRC for “Tiered Policies…or Tired Policies” at the Worldwide ERC National Relocation Conference
Attending the Worldwide ERC National Relocation Conference? Join TRC Global Solutions for Tiered Policies…or Tired Policies?
Thursday, May 16, 2013
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Has your tiered policy kept up with your company’s modern business needs… or is it a relic from another era? We’ll begin this session with a quick audience poll, where you’ll learn how your current tiered policy compares to other ERC member companies. Next, our three corporate panelists will discuss their quite different approaches to tiered policy structure and content. Then we’ll dedicate most of our session to questions from the moderator and audience. This is designed to be a lively, interactive and informal session. We encourage you to share your tiered policy challenges and successes with our panel and your fellow corporate professionals.
Moderator:
Jerry Funaro, CRP, GMS
Vice President, Global Marketing
TRC Global Solutions, Inc.
Shelton, Connecticut
Participants:
Charles Ameno, CRP
Manager, Global Relocation Benefits
Chevron Services Company
Houston, Texas
Margie Albert, CRP, GMS
Senior HR/Global Mobility Representative
Hitachi Hi-Technologies Americas
Dallas, Texas
Mia Huddleston, CRP
Vice President| Relocation Program Manager U.S./Canada JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Columbus, Ohio
Join TRC at the Worldwide ERC® National Relocation Conference in San Diego, May 15-17, 2013
What’s the best kind of meeting experience you can imagine? We think it’s one where you spend some concentrated time with your smartest peers, comparing notes and discovering some amazing solutions to your biggest challenges. That’s what you’ll find at Worldwide ERC’s National Relocation Conference! The Conference will help you manage your business and your career for optimal success, in a fast-paced, lively learning environment that draws the best and brightest professionals and speakers.
Join TRC’s Jerry Funaro for the interactive corporate session, “Tiered Policies…or Tired Policies”, and learn how your peers have updated their programs to meet today’s recruiting and retention objectives. Enjoy a complimentary chair massage at the TRC Relaxation Station and visit us at Booth 500!
Corporate first-time attendees are eligible for FREE registration (up to a $1695 value)! Contact Jerry Funaro, Vice President, Global Marketing at jfunaro@trcgs.com or +1.203.925.2001 for more information.
Join us for an informative webinar sponsored by TRC Global Solutions covering the obligations and liabilities of relocation management companies for complying with the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP Rule). This regulation requires that firms performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes built before 1978 be certified by EPA and use certified renovators who are trained by EPA-approved training providers to follow lead-safe work practices.
Information and Registration >
Date: April 16, 2013
Time: 2:00 PM (ET)
Cost: FREE
Focus: U.S. Domestic
CE Credit: CRP
Students and young professionals in the US and UK expect to live and work abroad at some point in their career. This expectation was uncovered in a survey, conducted by international relocation specialist MOVE Guides, as part of a wider report into Gen Y and global mobility.
The report highlights a growing recognition of international relocation as a rite of passage amongst Gen Y workers, for whom cross-cultural experience and career development are a priority. Indeed, 93 per cent of professionals surveyed in the UK and abroad expect to live and work overseas at some point in their career and 85 per cent of those surveyed would consider moving to a new country for a job opportunity without having previously visited it.
According to Brynne Herbert, MOVE Guides CEO and founder, the desire for overseas experience will become more pronounced as companies continue to expand into emerging markets:
“Cross-border business opportunities are increasingly important for younger staff at multinational firms. Ambitious Gen Y employees want to experience these new markets and gaining global experience is becoming more important than financial reward. Those companies not meeting the needs of this generation will find themselves struggling to recruit the brightest and best that the global talent pool has to offer.”
The report highlights the growing expectation to live and work overseas as part of a wider trend of employees progressively viewing themselves as ‘consumers’ who seek autonomy, transparency and choice in their career paths. Members of Gen Y, who are predicted to make up 75 per cent of the global workforce by 2025, are the first to have grown up with international travel, mobile technology and internet connectivity as the norm, and increasingly expect employers to offer them the experiences and technologies that they are accustomed to in their personal lives.
“Gen Y’ers are becoming increasingly savvy, both in terms of the technology they use and what they expect from their employers. The internet has altered the way they find information, make purchase decisions and communicate with others”, comments Herbert. “This is a generation used to shopping around for the best deal – and this extends to the employment world. If companies want to attract the right talent, they must adapt quickly.”
In global relocation terms, this means HR departments will see an increasing need to innovate to support international assignments and relocation. According to Herbert, as the gap closes between enterprise and consumer technology, employees will expect the same sleek technology and convenience when, for instance, they book a holiday or other service online, from their employers.
Herbert concludes: “Organisations that offer Gen Y new technologies for international relocation will position themselves as progressive and innovative, and ultimately win the fight to obtain and retain the best global talent.”
Source: www.moveguides.com
Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is proposing to amend the U.K.’s Short-Term Business Visitors (Appendix 4) agreement. Many companies use Appendix 4 agreements to reduce the burdens of payroll withholding and reporting requirements in respect of short-term business travellers to the U.K. who benefit from relief under double taxation agreements.
Overview
The current Appendix 4 agreement divides business travellers into four categories for reporting purposes based upon the number of days the employees have spent in the United Kingdom. Broadly, the greater the number of days spent in the U.K., the greater the reporting requirements. The proposed changes are significant. The biggest change will be the requirement to inform HMRC of individuals who are likely to spend over 150 days in the U.K. as soon as “… it can reasonably be anticipated that the employee will be present in the U.K. for more than 150 days.”2 This is even if treaty relief will be due. The other change proposed is that dual residents will be able to be included in the agreement.
Those businesses that already have an Appendix 4 agreement will not have to sign a new agreement, but will be sent a new agreement when the Appendix 4 report for 2012/2013 is filed.
During a recent meeting of the Joint Forum on Expatriate Tax and National Insurance Contributions, HMRC expressed the view that employers that do not operate withholding on the basis that treaty relief is due without an agreement with HMRC should obtain such an agreement. This is particularly important with the introduction of Real Time Information (RTI) as HMRC will be expecting compliance with the agreements and potential penalties will apply for non-compliance. Under RTI HMRC will be able to check whether employers are being compliant on a monthly basis. (For more details on the introduction of RTI, see Flash International Executive Alert 2012-214, 30 November 2012.)
KPMG Note
We understand that the new agreements will be kept under review for two tax years to address any problems that arise in practice following the introduction of the Statutory Residence Test and RTI in April 2013.
Key Changes
With effect from 6 April 2013, the main changes are as follows:
1. Appendix 4 agreements apply to dual residents where the employee is treaty resident in the overseas state (previously the employee had to be non U.K. resident).
2. Under the new RTI payroll reporting regime, employees covered by an Appendix 4 agreement will not be included in the monthly submissions to HMRC.
3. The agreement has to be signed by the business and has to be authorized by HMRC.
4. Reporting for the 1 to 30-days, 31 to 60-days, and 61 to 90-days categories are unchanged.
5. 91 to 183-days category split into 91 to 150-days and 151 to 183-days categories with the following reporting requirements: “Visitors to the UK 91 to 150 days: For an employee in the UK for a period of 91 days but not exceeding 150 days in the tax year PAYE can be disregarded provided that (a) all of the information requested for visitors up to 90 days is provided and in addition (b) in the case of non US citizens and Green Card holders the employee provides a statement from the overseas Revenue authority confirming residence in the other state for tax purposes throughout the period in the UK. This statement should be passed to the HMRC Office by 31 May following the end of the relevant overseas tax year. This arrangement is only provisional until the relevant certificate is received. In the case of US citizens it will only be necessary for the employee to provide evidence of continuing residence in the US.”3
6. New category of 151 to 183 days. As noted in the draft agreement “Visitors to the UK 151 to 183 days: Applications will be made on a named individual basis for authority to include the employee in this arrangement. The application will be made as soon as it can reasonably be anticipated that the employee will be present in the UK for more than 150 days. The application will include (a) all of the information requested for visitors up to 90 days and confirmation that the statement from the overseas Revenue authority will follow by the relevant 31 May, and (b) a statement by the employee giving reasons why he/she considers himself/herself to be treaty resident in the treaty partner country by reference to the appropriate article in the relevant Double Taxation Treaty.
Helpsheet HS302 provides more information about dual residence generally and the tests to be applied to determine the country of tax residence.
HMRC will consider the circumstances and will (1) notify the employer that the individual can be included in the Appendix 4 arrangement, or (2) authorise code NT and issue a Self Assessment Tax Return, or (3) confirm that PAYE should be applied and issue a Self Assessment Tax Return.”
KPMG Note
The introduction of the statutory residence test from 6 April 2013, may mean that more individuals are considered dual residents. HMRC seems to have recognized that this may increase burdens on employers and, therefore, have now included such dual residents in the Appendix 4 agreement.
The introduction of RTI means that HMRC for the first time will be able to monitor how U.K. withholding is operated each pay-day and hence will be able to determine whether employers are following the terms of the agreement. It is, therefore, essential that employers have systems and processes in place to track and monitor their short-term business visitors.
Source: KPMG
Representatives and employees of multinational companies making investments in Russia will be able to obtain five-year business visas without an invitation letter. Temporary residence permit holders no longer need a work permit to work in Russia. Fines have been increased for individuals or organizations that facilitate unlawful entry.
The Russian government has announced several immigration reforms, including a new five-year business visa for employees of qualifying multinational companies, automatic work authorization for temporary residence permit holders, a new e-filing service for employers applying for employment or work permits, and increased sanctions for noncompliance.
New Five-Year Business Visa
The reforms create a new multi-entry business visa for representatives and employees of multinational companies making investments into the Russian economy. The visa will be valid for up to five years and will not require a government-issued invitation letter from a sponsoring entity. Russian entry visas are generally only valid for travel for up to one year, so the new visa will benefit frequent business travelers from eligible companies. Another benefit is that eligible companies will not be required to present a government-issued invitation letter from a sponsoring entity as part of their application.
The Russian government has not specified when the new five-year visa will become available, and the Federal Migration Service has yet to establish eligibility criteria or application procedures.
Automatic Work Authorization for Temporary Residence Permit Holders
Temporary residence permits are now free to work in Russia without a work permit. In addition, employers are no longer required to obtain an employment permit to hire temporary residence permit holders.
Temporary residence permits allow foreign nationals to live in Russia on a long-term basis as a step towards permanent residence, but previously they did not grant work rights. Permit holders were required to be sponsored for a work permit if they sought to take up employment.
E-Filing Service for Employment and Work Permits
Employers are now able to use online filing to submit initial applications for employment permits and individual work permits, as well as applications for permit amendments, renewals or duplicate copies. Employers using the new system are still required to submit paper versions of supporting documents after the initial online filing.
Tougher Sanctions for Immigration Violations
Foreign nationals who overstay a visa for more than 30 days after January 1, 2013 will be subject to a three-year ban on reentry from the date they exited Russia, unless they can demonstrate to the Federal Migration Service that there was a compelling reason for the overstay.
Fines for individuals or organizations that facilitate a foreign national’s unlawful entry into or transit through Russia have been increased to a maximum of 300,000 Rubles (approximately US$ 9,890). The severity of potential criminal sanctions has also been increased.
Fragomen worked closely with VISTA Foreign Business Support (Moscow) to prepare this alert. It is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen Global or send an email to emea@fragomen.com.
Source: Fragomen
The Human Resources and Social Security Ministry of the People’s Republic of China
(PRC) along with 24 other PRC government authorities jointly issued and enacted on 25
September 2012, the Administrative Measures on Entitlements of Foreigners with Chinese
Permanent Residency (PR) in China [Ren She Bu Fa [2012] No. 53 (Circular No. 53)].
Circular No. 53 was issued to clarify the benefits entitlement of foreigners who hold PRC
PR permits following the issuance of the Administrative Measures and Implementation
Rules governing the approval of Chinese permanent residency for foreigners (Decree No.
74 of the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) which specified the
criteria, procedures, and administration of foreigners’ applications for permanent
residency.
Key Entitlements of Circular No. 53
Foreigners who become PRC permanent residents are entitled to the same rights and
obligations as Chinese citizens. The key entitlements worth mentioning are noted below.
Living and Working in PRC
Foreigners with PRC PR can live in China indefinitely, and can leave and enter China
without the need to obtain visas, with a valid passport and foreigner’s Chinese PR permits.
In addition, foreigners with PRC PR who wish to obtain employment in China are not
subject to work permit application requirements.
Comprehensive Chinese Social Insurance Coverage in PRC
As with Chinese citizens, foreigners with PRC PR are covered by the Chinese social
insurance system regardless of their employment status in China, which includes basic
medical insurance and pension. They are also allowed to contribute to the Chinese
housing fund and receive relevant benefits from the fund.
Investing in PRC
Foreigners with PRC PR are allowed to invest in China in the form of foreign-invested
enterprises or foreign direct investment with the local currency (the renminbi) obtained
from legitimate sources. They are also entitled to the same rights as Chinese citizens with
respect to transactions involving banking, insurance policy, stock, futures, and other
financial-related transactions.
Source: KPMG
Immigration (Corporate)
Companies must include intentions of foreign sponsorship in the due diligence process surrounding acquisitions. Most nations are increasing their scrutiny of who will be working in their country, why, when and for how long. The current economic difficulties have made many countries redouble their efforts to support national economies and to protect employment for their own citizens as much as possible. Not surprisingly, the administrative hurdles related to immigration have grown, and details regarding validity, rate of pay and roles and responsibilities are required. TRC advises clients to plan at least three months in advance for any international assignment.
Immigration (Individual)
Immigration laws are being more strictly enforced than in the past, and penalties can be steep. Increased post 9/11 scrutiny of border crossings and the amount of time spent in countries makes it much more likely that those who are not in compliance with local immigration laws will be detected. Some dodgy practices, such as working on tourist visas, have become even riskier than in the past, and can result in immediate deportation and even denial of future entry. All employees working in a foreign country must have the proper documentation and visa to support it. Failure to do so could result in fines or imprisonment for the employee and / or the employer.
Tax Treaties
Many countries have tax treaties in place with other nations to outline and identify when and under which circumstances taxes are due. Typically, an employee may work in another country for a certain number of days before a tax liability becomes due. It is important to keep careful track of the number of days worked in a foreign country, and to enlist the help of global tax experts to ensure compliance with the myriad requirements. Penalties can be severe.