Expatriate

Expatriate: An employee who is assigned to work in a country other than their country of citizenship or habitual residence, usually for a defined period.

What is an Expatriate

An expatriate, often called an expat or assignee, is sent on an international assignment by an employer. Assignments may be short term, long term, or permanent. HR uses the term to distinguish cross border staffing from local hires and remote work.

How Does it Work

Assignment types

Common assignment types include business travel, short term project assignments, long term international placements, and repatriation back to the home country.

HR responsibilities

HR manages selection, compensation and benefits adjustments, immigration and visa support, international payroll, tax equalisation, cultural onboarding, and repatriation planning.

Practical usage and examples

Organisations use the expatriate concept to design policies and budgets for mobility and compliance. Typical HR scenarios include:

• Moving a manager to lead a new office for 18 months.
• Seconding engineers for a six month project abroad.
• Providing tax equalisation and housing allowance for a long term assignee.

Related HR concepts

Related terms include global mobility, international assignment, expatriation, repatriation, cross border employment, immigration compliance, and expat payroll.