Orientation Trip
On arrival overseas, a welcome pack provides you with important information about your new neighbourhood; local maps, emergency contact details, places of interest and notable dates and events.
A relocation service representative will tour you around the area so you become quickly acquainted with local facilities and amenities and feel more comfortable in your new location.
House Finding
You can also receive assistance with finding a rental house or buying or selling a home. A relocation service can also provide support for renting out your house back in your base country if necessary.
Housing services include pre-screening properties for you, setting up viewings, negotiating contracts or leases on your behalf, organising utility connections, dealing with the legal aspects of the housing process, and undertaking inventory inspections for you.If you have chosen not to ship your furniture overseas, then ask for assistance with furniture rental.
Immigration and Registration Documentation
Work permits, visas and residence permits entail a lot of paperwork, and the process is often time consuming and complex. A relocation service will help you with the legalisation of documents and the necessary immigration paperwork for you and your family, reducing the work for you with their specialised knowledge of local processes.
The service will also assist you with registrations with the local authorities and the tax office.
Administration
Organising mobile phone coverage, opening bank accounts, or arranging driving licence conversions, as well as finding a doctor and dentist, is all potentially part of a settling-in services package.
Child Care
Your relocation focal point can help you organise childcare arrangements, or assist you with finding toddler groups or preschools; a good way to help your young children adjust to their new surroundings and introduce you to other parents in the neighbourhood.
Very often, parents find a school before looking for a house. Choosing the right school for your children is a high priority for parents moving overseas, and a
relocation service can support you with this search. They can provide information about different schooling options for your family in your new country, make appointments for school viewings, and assist you with the selection and registration processes.
Spousal Support
Whether it is support to find a new job, educational course or volunteer opportunities, or help arranging the membership to an expatriate group, a relocation service can support an accompanying spouse on the quest to build up a social network, get involved in hobby groups and activities, or get a career back on track.
Employers realise that a successful expatriation depends largely on the ability of their employee’s family to settle in to their new location, and there is more and more the need for a spouse to be able to pursue their own career whilst overseas. Some relocation services therefore offer programs that support spouses develop strategies to continue a career, despite expatriation.
If you want to join your local gym, sign up for yoga classes, or take your children for swimming lessons, your focal point will be on hand to inform you about the leisure facilities in your neighbourhood. In addition, you can also ask about local entertainment such as the nightlife, cultural institutions, restaurants or movie theatres.
Language and Cultural Training
If you are staying overseas, then it is advisable to learn to speak a little of the local language and find out about the foreign culture. Taking an introductory language and cultural training course organised by your relocation service company will help integrate you into the local community and ensure you feel more comfortable in your surroundings.
This kind of course is particularly useful if you have children who will be attending local schools, or you are in a small expatriate community.
Additional Services
Some
relocation services also offer additional provisions; handyman or concierge services; arranging personal insurances; travel bookings; car rental.
Many companies remain available for a fixed period (up to a year) after your move to answer any questions or provide additional support to help you with life overseas.
Amanda van Mulligen
More Expat Resources
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