What is an international assignee?

An international assignee refers to an employee who is sent to a to a foreign country to complete a temporary assignment that often requires some specialized skillset. International assignment periods can range from a few days to a few years

With oil & gas (O&G) companies often operating in multiple countries and handling geographically spread operations, the reliance on international assignees tends to be quite common.

Examples of international assignments in the oil & gas industry

International assignments can come into play in all sorts of ways in the oil & gas industry. Here are some of the most common industry-specific examples:

• Construction (e.g., construction supervisors, technical specialists)
• Exploration & production (e.g., geologists, engineers)
• Financial operations (e.g., accountants, analysts)
• Government and stakeholder relations (e.g., government affairs advisors, regulatory compliance managers)
• Health, safety, and environment (HSE) management (e.g., process safety engineers, environmental compliance officers)

How does international assignment work?

International assignment tends to be a complex process, often involving several steps.

The specifics of these steps will depend on factors like the country in which the international assignee will be residing, the responsibilities they’ll be taking on, and the length of the assignment.

At a bird’s eye view, though, you can narrow down the steps to the following:

1. Identifying the needs and the challenges you’re looking to solve
2. Selecting the candidates with the necessary skillset and expertise
3. Planning the assignment, taking into account objectives, location, and duration – among other things
4. Taking care of work permits, immigration, and other necessary documentation
5. Facilitating the relocation process, including housing, transportation, and other factors
6. Adjusting assignee’s compensation package to fit working and living abroad
7. Cultural and language training if relevant (this often depends on the length of the assignment)
8. Supporting the assignee and increasing the chance of success through with regular check-ins and performance evaluations
9. Repatriation panning will often come in at the end to help the employee adjust back into regular routine. This stage is especially relevant for cases where the international assignment is on the longer side.

Difference between an international assignee and an expatriate

While international assignee and expatriate can sometimes be used interchangeably, they tend to hVE subtle differences. Below is a breakdown of what each definition means. Actually no —

While both international assignees and expatriates are employees that are moved to work in a host company

Actually yeah:

International assignees

• Relocates for a temporary period
• Moves to the country with a clear assignment and objectives in mind

Expatriates

• Relocate to a different country for an extended period of time – sometimes indefinitely
• Often move to the country host country with a broader focus in mind – not necessarily defined objectives