What is repatriation?
Repatriation refers to the process of an employee — and often their family — returning to their home country after completing an international assignment.
Although it might sound straightforward, it is typically one of the most complex phases of the assignment lifecycle. It involves tax, immigration, social security, payroll, and logistical aspects that must all be carefully managed.
Beyond compliance, numerous practical steps are required — such as arranging temporary accommodation, managing shipment and customs, registering residence (Anmeldung), paying the broadcast contribution (Rundfunkbeitrag/ACTBS in Germany), or reapplying for child benefits (Familienkasse Kindergeld).
💡 Did you know?
According to the KPMG Global Assignment Policies and Practices Survey (2021), up to 30% of long-term assignees (1–5 years) leave their companies within two years after returning home — often due to inadequate post-assignment support and career planning.
Why does repatriation matter?
A poorly managed repatriation can lead to significant risks for both the employee and the company, such as:
Double taxation if deregistration abroad is not completed correctly.
Incorrect residency status, potentially triggering audits, fines, or back payments.
Overstaying visas or residence permits, complicating future travel.
Gaps in social security or pension entitlements.
Payroll and reporting errors if employees are not onboarded back into home payroll on time.
Properly managing this process ensures legal compliance, avoids financial risk, and supports a smooth reintegration for the employee.
How WorkFlex supports repatriation
WorkFlex covers compliance throughout the full assignment lifecycle — from planning to return. For the repatriation phase, we provide a comprehensive checklist designed to capture every compliance and practical step involved.
Our repatriation checklist guides you through:
Deregistration abroad, including residence, tax, social security, utilities, and memberships.
Re-registration at home, such as residence registration, health insurance, and local obligations (e.g., Rundfunkbeitrag or Familienkasse for child benefits in Germany).
Practical arrangements, including temporary housing, shipment of household goods, and customs clearance.
Payroll alignment, such as switching back to home payroll and processing the final bonus or relocation allowance.
This structured approach provides HR teams and employees with full transparency and peace of mind — ensuring all compliance obligations are met and practicalities are handled smoothly.
In addition, WorkFlex’s Vendor Management Portal allows you to easily initiate and coordinate vendors for relocation, move management, and settling-in services.
Status transitions
Assignments include automated status stages to better track the repatriation process:
Returning Soon – Automatically triggered when an assignment is approaching its end, based on a predefined time threshold.
Ending Soon – Indicates that the repatriation process has already started.
Finished – Marks that both the assignment and all repatriation activities have been completed.
End assignment (Start repatriation process)
Use this flow to initiate the repatriation planning phase.
Steps:
Click End Assignment to start the repatriation process.
Enter the return-to-work date and other repatriation details, such as:
Number of dependents
Family relocation arrangements
Housing or schooling requirements
Select any additional repatriation support services, for example:
Temporary housing
School registration assistance
Shipment coordination
Confirm your changes by clicking on "End assignment"
Assignment not ending on the originally planned end date? See here flow on how to change dates:
How to change assignment end date
You can now easily extend or shorten the duration of an assignment.
Steps:
Open the assignment.
Click Change End Date in the bottom-right corner.
Enter the new expected return date.
Review and update any selected services as needed.
Confirm that all assignment details are still valid and correct.
Confirm your changes.
Bottom line
Repatriation is a critical step in the assignment journey. With WorkFlex’s repatriation checklist, employees and HR teams gain full visibility into the return process — minimizing risks, avoiding unnecessary costs, and ensuring a seamless transition home.