Effective Negotiating Skills For Expat Contracts
Since the recession wreaked havoc on even the most imposing of global superpowers
, lucrative expat packages once used to lure foreigners abroad are being scaled down. A surplus of skilled workers and even larger waves of unskilled labourers looking to move overseas makes for fierce competition in many struggling local marketplaces.
Economies once favoured for their generous relocation packages are now only offering such cushy contracts to those expatriates in top management positions. The lavish benefits of expatriation that used to guarantee luxurious lifestyles have been scrutinised and slimmed down; still, there are some important features of your expat package that you shouldnt compromise.
Thats why when its your turn to put your name on the dotted line, its important youve made adequate preparation and cultivated effective negotiating skills.
Remember to choose which battles you fight and to play your cards carefully; compromise some features in order to guarantee others.
The best time to negotiate a contract is when you have a solid offer, but before youve formally accepted. Once you put pen to paper youll be hard-pressed to bend the rules and demanding too much too early can jeopardise your offer in the early stages.
Negotiating your salary as an expat
The primary stage of contract negotiation focuses on salary. This portion can often seem like a science unto itself. Some specialists have even created charts advising to what extent base salaries should be increased depending on the place youre moving from and the place youre moving to.
In all reality though, this part is less a formula and more about your ability to use effective negotiating skills. If you prepare with plenty of information and data to support your request, employers will be harder pressed to deny your demand. Visit expat chat rooms, bulletin boards, forums and information-rich web sites like Expat Arrivals.com to learn about the ins and outs of predicted living expenses in your new destination.
Cost of living
In order to decide which feature is the most important addition to your base salary to negotiate, its necessary for future expats to find out about the cost of living in their destination. In many cases housing, or accommodation, will be largest cost; in other cases and depending on your situation, expat healthcare may monopolize a good deal of expenses.
Research what is particularly expensive in the city youre moving to, collect reference prices and compare these to your base salary. The facts and figures employers use to generate salaries can often be outdated or incorrect. Communicate with those on the ground or visit authority sites like Mercers Cost of Living Survey or any of the Cost of Living pages at Expat Arrivals.com. Then approach your employer and justify your request with the hard numbers.
Expat health insurance
A large portion of nations that look to lure expats overseas do not have high quality public health facilities, and some may even have a limited showing of private hospitals. Expat health insurance is essential. This should ALWAYS be an employment benefit provided for expats and their families by the employer.
Insurances are never the same learn about the multiple levels of co-pays and premiums imposed, and discuss what happens in the case of an emergency or should you need an evacuation. These should be covered both in instances of a natural disaster or a medical situation.
Expat housing and accommodation
Housing or accommodation costs usually the most important hidden variable when discussing negotiating a contract. Employers can be reluctant to include it as part of your expat package, as its not usually a cost covered for local employees. However, some destinations only have housing that exists at the standard you may be used to at exorbitant rates this is true in India, for example. In this case it would be necessary to negotiate a housing allowance to alleviate the burden of excessive accommodation costs.
In a less expensive city, housing may be overlooked to negotiate for other perks or a higher salary.
Expats are usually afforded luxury housing when it is included as a perk. It can either be included as an amount of money that the expat is free to spend on accommodation each month or less frequently, provided accommodation in an already rented or owned luxury flat, compound, or villa. This happens most often in destinations like the Middle East, where the closed communities in which expats live become increasingly important.
Schooling and Education
More and more, companies that relocate employees are realizing they must also be responsible for the welfare of their trailing spouse and children. Largely this means tuition costs at international schools. Regardless of location, tuition fees for international schools are universally high estimate between US$10,000 to US$60,000 annually. If you do not use effective negotiating skills to account for this expense, it can begin to wear your wallet thin. Furthermore, this is often an unanticipated cost as many expats do not have to finance public school in their own country.
International schools can be spare in many locations, and thus have long waiting lists. It is vital that expats do their best to apply in advance if possible, or inquire as to whether their company has reserved spots that they can take advantage of. Guaranteeing a student onto the enrolment list can be as important as having the company pay for tuition.
Adult classes are sometimes included for the entire family including language lessons or cultural seminars. It can be worth negotiating for language and enculturation classes to expedite you and your familys adaptation to the new country
by: Stephanie Katz
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