The Global Phoenix - Issue 3 August 2017 | Page 20

Ensuring Data is Accurate,
Current and Transparent
Accurate Immigration Data
As far as immigration compliance is concerned,
it goes without saying that data must be sourced
‘from the horse’s mouth’; official government
bulletins, backed up by visits in person to relevant
government offices and consulates. The data
researcher must be knowledgeable enough in
the field to ask the right questions so as to cover
all categories and permutations. Knowledge
of immigration law, an understanding of its
application and exceptions is also essential.
Incorrect advice to corporate in this area carries
weighty implications both for the employing
corporation and for the individual employee. The
consequences of non-compliance can range from
hefty fines to imprisonment in a local jail, certainly
no joke in a hardship destination!
Accurate Relocation Data
In the field of expatriate housing and other
aspects related to the relocation side of talent
mobility, local service providers with hands-on
experience who are specialised in their local
market are in a strong position to provide local
data. Going to the very rootstock of information
is always preferable to a ‘chinese whisper’
approach; only local professionals will have a
genuine and first-hand knowledge of their local
market reality. At the same time, it is essential that
local suppliers are educated as to ‘expat reality’
and are cognizant of corporate and expatriate
expectations and requirements.
Local HR live and work in the local reality on
a local salary, so are usually not in the best
position to provide budget data relevant for
the expat. This is especially the case in hardship
destinations where expats live in a different and
almost incomprehensible world to local staff.
Unfamiliarity with expatriate expectations can
cause misunderstandings which can in turn
lead to unnecessary frictions in the workplace,
hindering integration and team building.
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