Immigration: Plan Smart and Deploy Global Teams Faster
As Global Operations Director at Acumen International, I have worked closely with companies navigating the complexities of global expansion. Time and again, I’ve seen how misconceptions about immigration and international talent deployment can lead to costly delays, compliance risks, and missed opportunities.
This article is not just a reflection of my experiences but a collection of practical insights from our Global Operations team. We have shared the most common pitfalls we encounter, along with solutions to help organisations anticipate and effectively address these challenges.
Misconception 1: Immigration is Just a Formality
The rise of remote work has reshaped the landscape of international expansion, offering businesses more flexibility in how they grow globally.
But remote isn’t always enough. For many critical roles, success depends on physically relocating talent — whether to lead market entry, forge local connections, or manage in-person operations.
Some roles and scenarios demand talent on the ground in another country — leading market entry, forging local connections, or providing in-person leadership. Building partnerships often relies on face-to-face presence, where trust and collaboration grow stronger through direct engagement.
In my role at Acumen International, I’ve seen how business leaders adapt to this reality.
However, one critical element is often misunderstood or downplayed: immigration. It’s frequently seen as 'just another box to tick' during global expansion and hiring foreign talent.
This is a costly oversimplification. Immigration is a complex, strategic component of your global expansion strategy that determines whether a company can bring the right people to the right place at the right time.
To thrive in international markets, companies need to rethink immigration — not as an obstacle but as an enabler of growth, agility and competitiveness. Done right, immigration turns ambition into reality, empowering teams to drive impact on the ground. It's not a roadblock; it's a doorway to a world of talent and fresh ideas.
Misconception 2: Focusing Solely on Visa Acquisition
Many companies assume that getting a visa is the only step in deploying global talent. However, this overlooks key factors like work permits, salary thresholds, and sponsorship requirements. For example, in the Netherlands, hiring a highly skilled migrant means meeting strict salary criteria based on the employee’s age and type of permit.
Employers must also become recognised sponsors with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). Only organisations — not individuals — can apply for this status, which requires proving financial stability and compliance with local rules.
The order of obtaining work permits and visas also varies between countries. Some require a work permit before applying for a visa, while others handle these steps differently. The type of visa, such as for investors, skilled workers, or intra-company transfers, can further change the process.
Missing critical steps like salary thresholds or sponsor requirements can cause delays, non-compliance, or failed assignments.
Misconception 3: Assuming Immigration Regulations are Consistent Across Regions
It’s a common misconception that immigration rules are standardised within regions like the EU or ASEAN. While these regions often have overarching agreements, such as the Schengen visa for travel within the EU or ASEAN’s economic cooperation framework, immigration policies at the national level can vary significantly. Each country retains its own procedures, documentation requirements, quotas, and compliance rules that must be followed.
For instance, within the EU, a Blue Card allows skilled workers to move between member states. However, the conditions for issuing the card—such as minimum salary thresholds or recognised qualifications—differ by country. In ASEAN, member countries have agreed to some mutual recognition arrangements for professionals in fields like medicine and engineering.
However, the pathways to secure work permits remain distinct and subject to national regulations.
Assuming that one-size-fits-all across a region can result in costly oversights, such as failing to meet specific local requirements or missing deadlines. Companies must account for differences in document authentication, language requirements, or even interview processes with local authorities.
Businesses can benefit from staying informed about local regulatory changes, consulting with in-country experts, planning ahead for potential hurdles, avoiding surprises, and successfully deploying talent across regions.
Misconception 4: Underestimating the Timeline and Costs
Immigration processes often take longer and cost more than expected. Collecting the necessary documents, securing official translations, and meeting authentication requirements can take weeks. Once submitted, applications may face delays due to backlogs, stringent reviews, or evolving policy changes.
Costs can quickly add up beyond application fees, including expenses for legalisation, translations, expedited processing, and compliance with local requirements like minimum salary thresholds or mandatory health insurance.
Without realistic planning, these factors can disrupt business timelines and inflate budgets. Advanced preparation is essential — understanding required documents, expected costs, and processing times allows companies to align their plans with immigration realities.
Streamlined processes, such as centralised document management and early stakeholder coordination, can help mitigate delays and control expenses.
Misconception 5: Assuming Skilled Employees Are Always Prioritised
Many companies believe that skilled employees will automatically be prioritised for visas and work permits. In many countries, this isn’t always the case. Strict quotas often apply to even highly skilled positions, and visa slots can fill up quickly, particularly in high-demand periods or sectors. For example, countries like the United States impose annual caps on H-1B visas, with demand frequently exceeding supply.
This can result in unmet hiring goals or delays in talent deployment. Quotas may also be tied to specific industries, job roles, or nationalities, adding another layer of complexity.
Understanding these limitations, early preparation, and flexibility in hiring timelines can help avoid unnecessary delays caused by quota constraints and ensure smoother global talent deployment.
Misconception 6: Dependent Visas for Families
When skilled employees relocate overseas, they often bring their families. However, the processes for obtaining dependent visas and accessing family support services are far from uniform across countries. Many businesses underestimate the extensive requirements, such as financial documentation, health clearances, or additional permits for dependents to work or access public services like education or healthcare.
For example, some countries limit dependents’ ability to work or require private schooling arrangements, which can add significant costs and complexity. These variations can affect an employee’s satisfaction and productivity, especially if their family struggles to settle in the new location.
To avoid delays and unexpected challenges, companies must plan for family needs early in the relocation process. This includes understanding country-specific requirements for dependent visas and realistically assessing the availability of family benefits in the host country.
Proactive planning ensures a smoother transition for employees and their families, reducing stress and fostering long-term retention.
Misconception 7: Not Anticipating Potential Delays in Health and Background Checks
Immigration processes often require comprehensive health checks, criminal background verifications, or even security clearances. These requirements vary widely by country and can lead to unexpected delays if not anticipated.
For example, some countries mandate in-depth medical examinations, while others require background checks that involve multiple agencies, which can create bottlenecks due to processing backlogs or additional documentation requests.
These delays can disrupt timelines for deploying talent, especially if critical roles are involved. Businesses may underestimate how long it takes to gather necessary records, address discrepancies, or wait for approvals from local authorities.
To mitigate these risks, companies should prioritise understanding the specific health and security requirements of the destination country.
Aligning timelines with realistic expectations also minimises disruptions to relocation and onboarding.
By addressing these checks proactively, businesses can avoid surprises and keep their global talent deployment on track.
Misconception 8: Misunderstanding Work Permit Sponsorship Requirements
Many assume that any organisation can act as a sponsor for work permits. However, in most countries, only financially stable and well-established companies qualify to sponsor foreign employees, particularly skilled workers. Sponsorship is a critical responsibility, requiring organisations to meet stringent criteria to ensure compliance and successful international talent deployment.
To act as a sponsor, companies must often demonstrate:
In addition, skilled worker sponsorship typically involves:
These requirements ensure that only reliable employers can access global talent pools while safeguarding employee rights and host country interests.
Failing to meet these standards can lead to application rejections, fines, or the suspension of sponsorship privileges. To ensure smooth foreign talent deployment, organisations must prioritise financial and operational readiness, particularly when hiring skilled professionals.
To help companies get immediate clarity on total employment costs, our Global Payroll Calculator provides real-time payroll projections for hiring in 190+ countries — factoring in local taxes, employer obligations, and compliance requirements.
Closing Word
Throughout this article, I have highlighted common pitfalls we have encountered at Acumen International when supporting clients in their global employment efforts. My hope is that this advice proves useful for companies at any stage of their global journey or for employees considering international assignments.
Over 25 years of working with businesses in 190+ countries, we’ve gained a deep understanding of what makes global hiring successful. This experience has taught us that the real key to international expansion isn’t just about compliance or processes — it’s about creating a framework that empowers businesses to deploy talent efficiently while meeting the needs of both the organisation and its people.