Relocation News and Trends
NuCompass keeps you up to date with the latest relocation trends and mobility news.
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Tax Reform Affects on Moving Expenses
There has been significant discussion and debate in Washington regarding new tax proposals. Below is an update provided by Worldwide ERC® on what is being considered in current legislation. While this is not final and will likely go through more iterations, we wanted to keep you updated on current events as they affect relocation. <!--break-->
Proposed Tax Reform Impact on Relocation
Worldwide ERC® recently issued a press release about the proposed tax reforms and the potential for a significant impact on the relocation and global mobility industry.
USCIS Toughens Scrutiny of Nonimmigrant Extension Filings
USCIS has rescinded a long-standing policy with regard to nonimmigrant visa extensions. This is a significant change because the USCIS will no longer rely on past approvals as a consideration in evaluating extension applications. Under the new policy, officers can re-evaluate an applicant’s eligibility each time an extension is requested.
Government Affairs and Relocation
Worldwide ERC® recently published a Government Affairs Update, which outlines the potential impact on relocation and global mobility programs. Information in this update includes:tax reform, Social Security, IRS changes, the new French withholding system, the travel suspension, the FinCEN advisory, and airline carbon emissions.
Relocation Technology on the Move
NuCompass' Chairman, Frank Patitucci, is quoted in the article, "Tech on the Move", in the September 2017 issue of HRO Today Magazine. The article, written by Christa Elliott, takes a look at how new technology advances, including virtual reality and artificial intelligence, will impact the global mobility industry.
Do You Know Where Your Global Assignees Are?
A few decades ago, there were public service announcements on television that aired each night with a simple message: “It’s 10PM - do you know where your children are?” The message was provided as a reminder that parents should be aware of the location of their children with the idea that late at night, they should be safe at home. There is an application in that message for employers – particularly as concepts such as “Duty of Care” for employees is becoming a topic to consider and political environments around the globe are rapidly changing.
H-1B Processing Update
Please see this information from our immigration partner, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, regarding expected H-1B processing delays in the coming months.
Hurricane Irma Preparation and Relocation Impact
As we continue to work through challenges presented by Hurricane Harvey in TX, it is now clear that Hurricane Irma is headed for Florida and possibly up the East Coast of the United States. In preparation, we have begun reviewing activity on relocating employees and home sale properties in the potential path of the storm.
Trump Ends DACA - What Employers Should Know
As has been discussed and anticipated, the Trump administration recently announced their intent to discontinue DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). The key points of the "wind down" strategy are detailed in the update below, provided by Berry Appelman & Leiden. BAL states that employers may be unaware that some employees will be affected, and provides an FAQ document with more information for employers. These changes may also affect employees who are being relocated by their employer, especially international assignees.
Hurricane Harvey Relocation Update
With the unprecedented events in Houston having an effect on many NuCompass clients and their employees, we invoked our teams at the beginning of the storm to be prepared in the aftermath for the needs of relocating employees.
This event can affect relocating employees in all stages of relocation, from those in the process of leaving the Houston area to those who had planned to relocate into Houston. In addition, homes that were in NuCompass’ unsold inventory or BVO sales that were scheduled to close in the near term will likely be impacted.