When Work Takes You (or Your Exec) Abroad

Our Guide to Seamless Relocation

For most people, relocating for work is a major life event. For an Executive Assistant, it can feel like project managing someone else’s entire life—with shifting deadlines, missing paperwork, and emotions you’re quietly tasked with smoothing over. Whether it’s your executive taking up a role overseas, a new hire arriving from abroad, or you yourself making the move, relocation sits right at the intersection of logistical complexity and personal vulnerability. And that makes it a space where we EAs truly shine.

The ability to combine empathy, foresight, admin mastery, and cultural fluency isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. This article walks you through everything an EA needs to consider, including essential travel links and a welcoming checklist, all wrapped in the real-world nuance this kind of transition demands.

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The Emotional Undercurrent of a Relocation

There’s a subtle truth about international relocations that rarely makes it into the HR slide decks: it’s often lonely, uncertain, and overwhelming—even if the logistics are flawless.

You’re not just helping someone set up Wi-Fi in a new flat. You’re helping them recalibrate their identity in a place where even popping to the post office or ordering a coffee might feel unfamiliar. I’ve seen execs arrive with impressive CVs and full relocation packages… and still struggle because no one thought to show them where to buy plasters, how to register with a GP, or how to find other parents whose kids don’t speak the local language yet.

This is where you, as the assistant, become more than an operations anchor. You become a cultural interpreter, an early-warning system, and sometimes even a friend.

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1. Planning: Laying the Groundwork

The best relocations start long before the boxes are packed.

Whether your executive is heading off to launch a new market in Singapore or you’re onboarding someone relocating to your London office, your first job is to understand the environment they’re moving into—and what they’ll need to legally and practically exist there.

This often starts with visa and work permit research. Rules vary wildly depending on the country, role, nationality, and even sector. For instance, an American relocating to Germany might need both a residence permit and separate registration with the tax office within two weeks of arrival.

💡 Helpful links:

• UK Visa & Immigration

• U.S. State Dept – Moving Abroad Checklist

• EU Immigration Portal

🧭 Real-world tip: One EA I spoke to keeps a “country snapshot doc” for each region they’ve supported a relocation into. It includes visa types, national ID processes, local emergency numbers, and things like “what side of the road do they drive on?”—basic, but vital.

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2. Paperwork: The Part Everyone Underestimates

You might be surprised how often relocations falter because someone’s birth certificate is in the wrong format or a police check hasn’t been apostilled. Documentation is where EAs become mission-critical.

Every country has different rules—but here’s a starting list of what’s often required:

• Valid passport (with at least 6 months left)

• Visa or work permit documentation

• Proof of employment or sponsorship

• Medical records and prescriptions

• Birth/marriage certificates (translated and certified)

• Proof of accommodation

• Financial evidence (e.g. recent bank statements)

• Police clearance or criminal record check

📁 Organisational tip: Create a shared drive (or use something like Trello) with folders for each document type, country requirement, and submission deadline. Colour-code by priority. You’ll thank yourself later.

🧍‍♂️ Assistant insight: If you’re working with immigration lawyers or relocation agencies, stay looped in. Don’t assume your executive is reading every email they’re copied into. You are their translator—and their timeline tracker.

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3. Healthcare and Insurance: Not Just a Form, but a Safety Net