Expatriate Foundation
Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI)
Pre-Approved Recertification
Title: International Human Resource Management: Repatriation
Cost: $20 USD
Recertification Credit Hours Awarded: 2
Specified Credit Hours: Strategic, International
The Expatriate Foundation is pleased to announce approval from the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) to facilitate a course entitled: International Human Resource Management: Repatriation. The course has been launched and is posted below; it consists of five modules that you, the student, will review and learn from.
A ten question quiz is posted directly following the information. Email the ten quiz answers to HRCI@expatriatefoundation.com so that we can make sure you maintained an 80% pass rate (8 out of 10 questions marked correctly). A certificate of completion stating the credit program ID number will be emailed to the student within 2 business days - to ensure they can log the recertification credits in a timely manner www.hrci.org.
Payment:
You can send your payment of $20 USD to Expatriate Foundation, PO Box 7173, ST Petersburg, FL 33734 OR use a mastercard or visa to pay on the donation page of the website. Locate HRCI credit course #B and enter your information - we will get confirmation of your payment immediately. If your company AR department is sending payment, please ensure your name is documented on either the check or correspondance. 
This program has been approved for 2 (Specified -Strategic, International ) recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). Upon successful completion, please be sure to note the program ID number on your recertification application form. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HRCI homepage at www.hrci.org. The use of this seal is not an endorsement by HRCI of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met HRCI’s criteria to be pre-approved for recertification credit.
Module 1
An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence.
Etymology: Medieval Latin expatriatus, past participle of expatriare to leave one's own country, from Latin ex- + patria native country, from feminine of patrius of a father, from patr-, pater father
Date: 1768 (www.merriam-webster.com)
Modern day expatriates go by many names including: expatriates, expats, international designees, international workers, global employees/workers.
Repatriation (from late Latin repatriare - to restore someone to his homeland) is the process of return of employees or soldiers to their homes. Direct managers and HR staff often notice the difficulties a repatriate experiences, but they are not always able to act on it. Budget shortcomings and time constraints are frequently cited as reasons why it fails to be an agenda priority. Solutions for repatriation difficulties do not have to be expensive and can lead to great benefits for the company. Basic support can consist, for example, of good communication in advance, during and after the international assignment, or a mentor program to assist the repatriate. The expatriate and his/her family should feel understood by his or her company. Support can increase job satisfaction, thereby protecting the investment made by the company [1] Module 2 March 2006 “When you go [abroad], somebody back home has to be an anchor for you,” he explains. “I came home because my executive sponsor—my anchor—was retiring. I freaked out.” Without help from his sponsor, he feared he would be left out in the cold. “You need to have someone at a high level carving out a spot for you,” he says. With the help of his mentor, Tyler secured a lateral position after repatriation, but started to resent the fact that the company didn’t appear to have his best interest at heart. “You feel slighted,” he says. And he started asking himself: “Why am I breaking my back for these guys? I don’t have to stay.” So he left. Within two years of his return from Mexico, Tyler left the company because of a lack of promotional opportunities and the inability to capitalize on his international experience. Tyler’s story is all too common. In fact, 25 percent of repatriates resign within 12 months of returning from an overseas assignment, according to a 2005 study, Understanding and Avoiding the Barriers to International Mobility, by Geodesy, a partnership between PricewaterhouseCoopers and Cranfield University School of Management. “In the last 20 years, we’ve gotten savvier about preparing families for overseas assignments. But, not [many] firms do repatriation well,” says David A. Harrison, a professor at the Smeal College of Business at Pennsylvania State University who is collecting data on repatriation. Lisa Johnson, GPHR, director of consulting services for Cendant Mobility, agrees. “Most companies are failing at repatriation. Repatriation is one of the most chronic, least developed areas of expatriate programs, and one that has the most long-term impact,” she says. A 2004 survey by Cendant Mobility, Emerging Trends in Global Mobility: Policy and Practices Survey, bears this out: Only 49 percent of companies have repatriation programs. › The problem lies in false expectations from both HR and the expatriate. HR may not be thinking of promoting the expatriate when he returns, while the expatriate believes he is due a promotion for sacrificing his normal career progression as well as his or her family’s comfort to take the assignment. The expatriate may also believe that he has a lot to offer the company based on experience gained from the exposure abroad, whereas HR may not know how that experience fits into the company’s objectives. With a little work from human resources and the employee, the two sides can meet and communicate expectations before, during and after the assignment, and develop a more successful repatriation plan. The Disconnect Companies send employees overseas for a variety of reasons: transferring skills to local employees, maintaining corporate control and starting a new operation. Leadership development is a distant fourth on the list, according to the Cendant Mobility survey. In contrast, virtually all expatriates believe international assignments are developmental, and they accept such assignments primarily to build global leadership skills. “Expatriates assume they have made a major sacrifice and will be repaid when they come back,” says Harrison. Most repatriates expect a promotion upon return, but few receive one. According to the Geodesy survey, 33 percent of repatriates are promoted, 58 percent of repatriates stay at the same level, and 9 percent are demoted after returning. In fact, only 27 percent of expatriates are even guaranteed a position after returning from assignment; the vast majority are left to find their own path home and secure a domestic position within or outside the company. In short, employers “abandon these people when they come back,” says Revel Miller, president of Revel Miller Consulting, an expatriate counseling consultancy in Santa Barbara, Calif. “They don’t give them promotions or help them to re-assimilate into the business or culture. They don’t even give them recognition or support.” It’s no wonder that many repatriates leverage their international experience to secure positions elsewhere. But it doesn’t have to be this way. HR professionals can take a number of steps to ensure that expatriates enjoy a smooth return home, and that the company can maximize their valuable international experiences. Before They Go A smooth repatriation experience begins before the employee leaves home. The first mission of the HR professional, then, is to determine the purpose of the company’s overseas assignments. For many companies, it’s twofold: Some assignments are developmental; others are task-oriented. Thus, the HR professional’s role is to ensure that each expatriate understands what type of assignment he is undertaking and what career opportunities to expect when he comes home. “Not all companies can guarantee a promotion upon return,” says Johnson. HR professionals need to explain to expatriates they won’t receive a promotion after the assignment and will need to work to secure a satisfying domestic position. “We used to send a high-potential U.S. manager to run a region, but what do you do with that person when he comes home? We didn’t have a place to put him,” says HR program manager Robin Smithtro. “Now we’re sending more individual contributors. When they come back, they have more growth room within the domestic workforce.” In addition, by the company providing a potential career path upon the employee’s return, “the employee will have a better idea of what skills to develop while on assignment,” says Shannon O’Donnell, international projects director for Chestnut Global Partners LLC (CGP), a nonprofit international employee assistance services company headquartered in Bloomington, Ill. Assign a home-country mentor and an overseas mentor to expatriates, recommends Freeman. “The host-country mentor is a cultural interpreter. The home mentor is someone the assignee can call to stay tuned-in. Your best ally is someone who has been an assignee in the past,” he says. That was certainly the case with Carl, whose name has been changed to protect his anonymity. Carl is an engineering supervisor who spent three years in Germany before returning to the United States. “I developed a mentorship with my American director in Germany. He recommended I keep up with people of influence here and gave me some names. On my third home trip, I made appointments to meet with directors about opportunities for coming back.” Through his mentor’s contacts, Carl secured an interview and eventually a position within the same company. “I don’t know where I’d be without [my mentor],” Carl says. “Some of the expats I worked with had terrible times coming back; there was nothing available to them. I was the only one who came back to a promotion.” While They Are Gone HR professionals need to remember how much expatriates rely on them and what an impact their personal touch has on those out of the loop. Their efforts can mean the difference between capturing repatriates’ international experience and giving it to the competition. Johnson recommends, “Update the individual’s [career plan and] resume frequently, six months into the assignment and then annually, so that, upon repatriation, those new skills and range of responsibilities are articulated.” “If an expatriate doesn’t remain in contact with the home office, he is not a ‘visible’ asset to the team and, therefore, might not be considered for a promotion,” says David Sharar, managing director of CGP. Also, don’t be too rigid about return dates, warns Freeman. “If [an expatriate is] supposed to come home February 2007 and an ideal opportunity becomes available in July 2006, [everyone needs] to be nimble in altering the timing.” Often, the best place for a repatriate is on the team of a former expatriate executive. Senior leaders with expatriate experience value it and relate well to repatriates, Johnson says. Budd Buschmann, a former international HR manager for 24 years at a major oil company, witnessed this scenario often. “If the employee returned to a domestic group, his international experience meant little to his new colleagues. The returning employee felt underutilized,” says Buschmann, who is now president of Expatriate Service Providers, a consultancy headquartered in Savannah, Ga. “On the other hand, employees repatriating to an international headquarters group were recognized for their talents and contributions overseas. These employees were fast-tracked.” Upon Return The most important thing an HR professional can do to retain repatriates is to recognize and applaud their international experiences. “When you go overseas, you get help with buying a house and enrolling your kids in school. When somebody comes back, the company is not as supportive. It’s not treated as an international relocation, but it is. You have a new house, new schools, and you have to re-establish connections with colleagues,” says Harrison. Most companies provide financial repatriation assistance, such as home loans. However, repatriates seek more practical help, such as information on which school districts rank highest. HR professionals should arrange for this type of help through their employee assistance program and encourage repatriates to use it. “Use them creatively. Rotate repatriates into different functional areas,” Harrison recommends. “Assign them to be part of cross-functional teams, managerial teams, things that leverage their expanded knowledge, such as designing products for an international market.” HR can also tap repatriates to serve as trainers for future expatriates, adds Harrison. “They are a wealth of knowledge for new candidates and their spouses going overseas,” says Miller. Another idea: Ask repatriates to complete a questionnaire about their assigned country and give advice for future expatriates. “Record that knowledge in a database so it is retrievable,” suggests Miller. Lastly, “recognize them,” recommends Miller. “Do write-ups on them in newsletters. Give brown-bag speeches bringing the news of things going on overseas. Have them be a star for a while.” Appreciating their experiences will help retain their loyalty. It also will help others see what new talents and experience repatriates could contribute to special projects. And it will encourage others to take expatriate assignments. “We are seeing rapid globalization, and it’s going to become a real problem to find people who are willing and qualified to go overseas if everyone hears about people who were not satisfied” after repatriation, says Johnson.
Repatriation is often the ‘forgotten’ phase of the expatriation cycle; the emphasis for support is mostly on the actual period abroad. However, many repatriates report experiencing difficulties on return: one is no longer special, practical problems arise, new knowledge gained is no longer useful, etc. These difficulties are highly influenced by a number of factors including self-management, spouses’adjustment, time spent abroad and skill utilisation. What is crucial is that every individual perceives these factors in a different way.
www.wikipedia.org (extracted 06.21.08)Retaining Repatriates
Vol. 51, No. 3
Pre-assignment planning, ongoing communication and mentoring help retain valuable repatriates.
By Kathryn Tyler
In 1999, TJ Tyler rushed back to his Detroit-based automotive employer from a two-year engineering project management assignment in Mexico. The reason for his hasty return? He wanted to be sure he had a job to come back to.
Module 3
Repatriation laws
Most countries in central and eastern Europe as well as Germany, Greece, Armenia, France, China, Japan, Norway, Finland, Philippines, Ireland, Turkey and Israel have Repatriation laws. This gives non-citizen foreigners who are part of the titular majority group the opportunity to immigrate and receive citizenship. Repatriation of their titular diasporas is practiced by most ethnic nation states. The most famous repatriation law is Israel's Law of Return: Society for Human Resource Management
The Law of Return is Israeli legislation, originating in 1950, when the memory of World War II and the Holocaust were still fresh, that gives Jews, being those with a Jewish mother or grandmother, or a spouse of such a Jew, or a convert to Judaism (Orthodox, Reform, or Conservative - not secular - though Reform and Conservative conversions must take place outside the state, similar to civil marriages) the right to migrate to and settle in Israel and gain citizenship.
Module 4
HR Magazine, June 1997 
Myth 1
They're in Western Europe, not a Third World country.
How difficult can it be?
Many U.S. expatriates I met overseas were frustrated because their employers downplayed the challenges they faced in adjusting to life and work abroad. These expatriates were tired of hearing comments from homebound colleagues such as "Yes, it must be tough not to be able to find an English-speaking doctor. But, hey, you are in Paris, you must shop all the time!" To someone living in a city where the exchange rate and value-added tax make everyday items 60 percent more expensive (a McDonald's Happy Meal was $6!) this type of comment can be demoralizing.Many colleagues do not realize that the inefficiency and lack of customer service that seems quaint during a vacation becomes increasingly frustrating when encountered daily. ð Imagine not being able to get utilities turned on in your new home because you have not learned "the system" or moving into an apartment with bare light bulbs and no kitchen sink and discovering that these items cost three times more than in the States. Incidentally, the French believe that it is presumptuous to make interior design decisions about light fixtures or kitchen appliances for tenants.
Another common frustration is the practice by some employers of paying expatriates only in U.S. dollars. Dealing with very different banking rules and fluctuating exchange rates is incredibly time-consuming and stressful for expatriates, who need local currency to buy groceries.
Myth 2
We are giving them allowances and premiums—
that should solve most of their problems.
Companies are wasting an amazing amount of money on well-intentioned efforts to aid expatriates. Unfortunately, various financial incentives and protections are often given indiscriminately without considering the individual circumstances of employees and their families.In one case, an expatriate's employer provided him with a lavish apartment near the Eiffel Tower. The employee would have preferred simpler accommodations and intensive language lessons for his spouse. Another firm sent an employee and his wife on a pre-assignment visit via first class airfare and accommodations at the Ritz Hotel. Needless to say, this created certain expectations. The expatriate, who was being paid in U.S. dollars, was shocked when the company later refused to revisit the exchange rate differential after the dollar plummeted in value and they were barely able to pay rent.
I heard countless couples say they would have traded part of the ongoing premiums for more home visits or access to a car. As an experienced expatriate in Germany told me, "Companies seem to feel that once they have transported families and their goods to the foreign country, their responsibility has ended. They leave them stranded."
Myth 3
We are sending our best and brightest.
They can handle anything.
That assumption is especially common among smaller companies that send people to perform a "knowledge transfer" with newly created foreign offices. Employees chosen for international assignments usually have a high level of technical expertise, foreign travel experience and, occasionally, some language skills. Because of their many abilities, employers have unstated expectations that these individuals can handle any situation that arises with minimal effort. Unfortunately, employees are aware of this expectation and are hesitant to discuss their true feelings with the home office because they fear being perceived as struggling.Experience traveling abroad is certainly useful, but travel does not equip individuals for the challenge of conducting every personal and business interaction under a new set of rules. These rules affect everything from hiring new employees (handwritten cover letters are standard in France where handwriting analysis is often used as a screening tool) to buying produce in a market (shoppers never touch fruit or vegetables).
For example, according to the Windham International and National Foreign Trade Council study Global Relocation Trends 1995 Survey, nearly 40 percent of the responding employers offered no cross-cultural preparation to expatriates. In my experience, this percentage approaches 90 percent with small- and mid-sized companies.
Myth 4
We are a global company, so we give our expatriates
appropriate support from the home office.
In many companies operating overseas, senior management is sensitive to the global environment, but employees at other levels are untrained and unaware of the support expatriates need. A number of expatriates of small- to mid-sized companies complain that it took weeks to process expense reimbursements through the U.S. headquarters because the accounting staff was intimidated by exchange rate conversions.One company refused an expatriate's request that his paychecks be deposited directly in his U.S. account. He continued to receive checks in U.S. dollars, which he had to send back to the United States for deposit. "Here I am, totally disrupting my life for the company, and they can't help me with this" was his sentiment.
Expatriates often complain about conference calls from the United States that are scheduled late at night or on local holidays when the office is closed. Fearing they will appear to have abandoned their American work ethic, expatriates often hesitate to mention local holidays. One Californian's family was frequently awakened by calls from her home office—no one could seem to remember the nine-hour time difference.
The failure to promote global sensitivity throughout the organization is documented in the Windham International/NFTC Survey, which indicates that of the 43 percent of participants that provided global training, 25 percent provided it only to potential expatriates.
Myth 5
Language skills are critical for the employee,
but optional for the family.
Many small- and mid-sized companies provide language training only for the employee—if they provide such training at all. The result: Families that do not learn at least minimal language skills often are afraid to leave their homes.I knew several spouses who rarely left their apartments except to shop at stores with English-speaking clerks. Others ventured out only on weekends when their more fluent spouses could accompany them.
This can damage a partner's self-esteem. As one spouse who holds a doctorate in economics said, "I have to remind myself I am not stupid, although my limited French reduces me to the level of a 3-year-old in communicating."
The language barrier becomes more critical in emergencies. Even with sufficient language skills to communicate at the grocery store, people may not have the vocabulary to deal with medical situations.
Myth 6
The trailing partner who left behind an established career will adjust. It just takes time, and we providing an allowance.
Partners of expatriates are very cynical regarding what they call the lip service paid to their predicament. They indicate there is little or no recognition or appreciation for their situation. And when employers do offer assistance, trailing spouses often discover that the assistance promised is of little value. When FOCUS, a resource center for expatriates, surveyed its London members, only 11 percent of trailing partners received any career support. With high unemployment rates and restrictive policies in many foreign countries, it is almost impossible for a spouse to obtain employment unless it is with the expatriate's company—which is usually not possible because of lack of need or anti-nepotism policies.
Instead of feeling excited about a new experience, many trailing spouses feel isolated and lonely, leading them to focus on the negatives instead of the positives of their new world. Despite the assumption that allowances will solve the unemployment issue, according to a recent survey completed by Right Associates, 42 percent of dual-income families reported a decrease in their living standard after relocating.
Beyond the Myths: Ways to Help
Though many larger companies are attempting to stabilize or reduce their number of overseas assignments, the expatriate workforce is growing because of the steady increase in small- and medium-sized companies entering the international marketplace.
Considering the fact that failure rates for overseas assignments average 45 percent, employers should understand how to best support expatriates. Following are specific ways HR professionals can strengthen expatriate programs and policies:
1. Hire a relocation service in the host country. A relocation service can make the difference between productive employees able to focus on challenges at work, and distracted and frustrated individuals who feel the company has deserted them.
One expatriate's employer refused to hire a relocation service, instead asking its local corporate attorney to negotiate the real estate lease and obtain the residency permits. Because the attorney had to educate himself in these areas, the company spent three times what it would have spent for a relocation service offering more competent and comprehensive assistance. Services provided can include obtaining immigration and work permits, car and home insurance, and drivers' licenses; locating housing; negotiating leases; facilitating connection of residential utilities; finding doctors and sorting out health care issues; selecting schools; and helping clients assimilate into the new culture.
2. Provide predeparture assistance and ongoing consultation for expatriates and their families. Expatriates I met rarely had received any predeparture assistance beyond tax advice and relocation of household goods. It is crucial that, at the very least, basic language skills and cross-cultural training be provided.
Predeparture assistance should also address critical family issues such as what the partner will do, children's schools, medical coverage, and making friends. In addition, basic household issues such as temporary living accommodations, obtaining appliances compatible with foreign electric service, banking needs, and shipment logistics should be addressed. The most successful expatriate families develop action plans for the first two weeks, one month, three months and nine months, with key milestones they are striving to achieve.
Don't assume that "no news is good news"—maintain regular contact with expatriates. Become a trusted resource for resolving issues at headquarters and lend a sympathetic and confidential ear when expatriates just need to vent. I suggest calling weekly during the first 60 days of expatriation and monthly thereafter for the first year.
3. Design flexible expatriate policies. Instead of allowances and premiums governed by arbitrary rules, provide a fair budget and a choice of support services. That approach spends employers' money more wisely and gives expatriates the sense that the company understands the challenges their families will face.
4. Monitor your internal systems and people. Are you really a global company? Make sure that your firm is not so "headquarters/U.S. centric" that you unknowingly create barriers for expatriates? Can the accounting staff translate foreign currency? Are phone conferences scheduled with faraway time zones in mind? Do procedures accommodate entirely different systems overseas?
Companies operating overseas need to invest in global awareness training and education for employees at all levels in the organization who are involved with global operations. This modest expenditure will result in a much greater return in all the investments being made in the firm's global expansion.
Solve the difficult problems
To reach "strategic partner status" in globalization, help your employees focus on the difficult problems of integrating expatriates and their families into their host country—not just the "easy" issues of moving households and managing tax implications. Recognize the differences between expatriates, then use that recognition as a departure point for developing expatriate policies.
The cost-benefit ratio of serving a small pool of expatriates may seem high, but the company's investment in expatriates may be the key to future business success. Enhanced support from HR reduces the risks of the organizations's expansion strategy and enhances the chances of success.
Module 5
Repatriation – Getting the expatriates home safely and happily.
The process is important for the expatriate, the expatriate’s family, and the sponsoring organization. Too commonly, an expatriate experiences emotional and/or professional obstacles that hinder a seamless return; often causing them to exit the organization.
Resources/References:
Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Body of Knowledge
www.shrm.org
www.hrci.org
www.wikipedia.org
www.websterdictionary.com
www.humanresourcemagazine.com
^1 Ripmeester, N. “Handle with care”, Graduate Recruiter, Issue 22 (February) 2005
Quiz Module: To ensure successful completion of this course, email the answers to the following 10 questions to HRCI@expatriatefoundation.com. Please ensure that you state your name and current mailing address to ensure that we may send you a completion certificate within 2-3 business days.
Question # 1
Which country does NOT have an established repatriation law?:
a) Israel
b) Greece
c) Ireland
d) United States
e) Turkey
Question # 2
Repatriation is often considered which phase of the whole expatriation process?
a) Initial phase
b) Infant phase of the process
c) Peak phase - when the expatriate has successfully completed more than 50% of their international assignment
d) The "forgotten phase"
Question # 3
Too commonly, an expatriate experiences what during the repatriation phase?
a) a welcome home parade
b) emotional and/or professional obstacles
c) professional demotion to customer service agent
Accompanying families of expatriates returning from their assignment are part of the repatriation process:
a) True
b) False
Question # 5
The corporate HR department should begin planning for repatriation when...?
a) 2 weeks prior to the planned expatriates return
b) When the expatriate has landed to begin their assignment
c) Prior to the expatriate leaving to begin their assignment
d) None of these answers are correct
d) Doesn't really matter
Question # 6
What year was the word Expatriate (Expat) formed for general use:
a) 32 B.C.
b) 1924
c) 1873
d) 1768
e) 1506
Question # 7
The International deployment and repatriation of employees is simple:
a) True – the process is generally seamless
b) False - Visa, tax and immigration laws are constantly changing and the penalties for non-compliance can be extremely costly; personal and professional variables are also complicated and need to be consistantly addressed
Question # 8
Expatriates are always…:
a) Single
b) American
c) Over the age of 45
d) As diverse as any other population
Question # 9
The need for better repatriation processes will:
a) Die out by 2012
b) Continue to decrease until virtual communication takes over
c) Continue to grow due to globalization
Question # 10
What is repatriation?
a) Repatriation is the taxes that an expatriate has to pay on their income
b) Repatriation is the process of integration into the employees’ assignment country
c) Repatriation is the process of integration into the employees’ home country
d) Repatriation is a Brazilian cake that was created by post WWII German expatriates
e) None of the above
Congratulations, you are done!! Make sure to send your answers (and any questions or comments) to HRCI@expatriatefoundation.com. 
