Welcome to Version III of the Weekly Covid Report
The dust of the crisis has settled across most of Asia. Of our 17 country destinations, face-to-face service delivery has resumed in all but three. Nationwide lockdowns have transitioned to localized actions, and where successful containment of the virus has occurred, borders are cautiously opening.
Our focus must now be on what lies ahead in three distinct areas: Borders, Immigration, and Arrival Procedures. Movement in any of these can have real implications for relocation timelines and costs to our clients. We have redesigned our weekly update to highlight important information for each:
- Borders – a quick reference to learn if borders are open, partially open, or closed. We will also list in brief a description of who may gain permission to enter.
- Immigration – quick reference for visa applications and the status of processing
- Arrival Procedures – overview of pre-arrival requirements, arrival protocols, quarantine rules, and costs.
We also place a spotlight on duty of care issues for the assignee. Every country’s containment measures vary in type and enforcement. In Asia, assignees will experience mandatory face-coverings, temperature checks, social gathering restrictions, and tracking mobile apps. The repercussions for violations can range from substantial fines to jail time and deportation.
The complexity and rapid pace of change in all these areas have necessitated new support requirements for assignees and their families. As we enter this new period, we have taken the time to reflect upon what we’ve learned and formalize the services developed in the field on the fly. Shortly, we will be presenting them to our clients to help bring greater transparency, coordination, and stability to the assignee experience.
