The Importance of a Corporate Immigration Policy

Most corporations have policy or procedure on such activity as travel & entertainment, business conduct, vacation, and dress code, however a minimal percentage actually have formal documentation on the policy and procedures designed to respect the immigration laws of the countries business is conducted in. Under the scope of corporate integrity, a formal written immigration policy affirms the intention of a corporation to abide to the laws of host countries and informs employees of their responsibilities.

At its minimum, a clear and concise statement regarding compliance is essential. In addition, an official corporate immigration policy addresses the following objectives:

• Defines who will own or facilitate the specific aspects of the process within the home and host countries. This is typically centrally managed within the (International) Human Resources department;
• Informs employees about the intent of the policy, the process and ramifications for unacceptable or non-compliant behaviour;
• Provides a clear corporate statement on a company’s internal policy and the intention to comply;
• Other aspects, such as tracking expiry dates of work permits, costs that are covered, required documentation, and contact information is also relevant information contained within the policy.

For our clients, a template can be provided to facilitate this important corporate initiative. For more information, please contact Terri Oliver, Director Consulting Services, TheMIGroup at terri.oliver@themigroup.com or at +1 905 813 9600 x5098.