HR support for international
assignments
Sanna Huovinen 27.2.2012
International Assignments
• International Assignment is a situation when an Aalto
University employee is transferred abroad by the employer to
work for over 1 month:
– less than 1 year (but over 1 month): short term international
assignment
– over one year: long term international assignment
• 2011
ca.180 employees on International Assignments
• Most popular destinations: North-America, European Union +
EEA countries. Also Asia, Australia and NZ
Internationalization support for employees
IR
www.aalto.fi/
For International Staff
HR
Short term
staff mobility funding
• Information website for Int.
Staff
Support for TT
& POP recruitments
Housing coordination
• Support in finding housing for
incoming international employees
• Process and material
Assignment (outgoing) support
•
•
Process and material, e.g. assignment
policy and –contract
Local support
Incoming support
• E.g. Erasmus program
International campus services to
promote integration
• Family program  spouse program
• Networking opportunities within and outside Aalto
• Events: Win Winter, Four Seasons,
Welcome events
• Family Friend –program (host family program)
services
Employer obligations
abroad
• Registration, payments
Social security &
Taxation
Employer registration
External
Service Providers
•
•
•
•
• Process and material
• Local support
Relocation
Partnerships, collaboration
agreements, intl. Networks
Help in drafting and finalizing
international university collaboration
agreements
Information on Aalto partnership
strategy
Information on international networks
CLUSTER and Nordic 5 Tech
coordination
Grant advising
• Guidance for international
mobility within research
projects
• Guidance, advice,
consultation and services in
administrative implementation
of the projects
Grant Scouting
Grant writing
• Profound cooperation in
application/proposal writing
• Esp. ERC, FP7, Tekes
Legal services
• Research contracts (national
and international funding)
• Legal support for
commersialisation of research
results
• IPR-services
3
• Helping researchers and
research groups to identify
sources of funding for research
(national, international, EU
etc.)
• Guidance on the preparation of
research proposals
Information services
• Information services relating to
applications and contracts
RSS
Instructions
• Inside
> Aalto Employee
> International HR
> International Assignments
• Links to Inside:
• https://inside.aalto.fi/display/HumanResources/International+
Assignments (in English)
• https://inside.aalto.fi/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=983286
(In Finnish)
Inside
International Assignment Policy and
International Assignment Contract
• The purpose of the International Assignment Policy is
to support a smooth advancement of the Assignment
and reassure an appropriate, fair and prompt handling of
the process from planning to repatriation. Eg.
instructions of reimbursement of costs. > Can be found
from Inside
• A separate International Assignment Contract is
always made to supplement the primary employment
contract regarding the terms of working abroad.
> Contact HR
How to start?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Contact the receiving unit
Invitation
Inform the home department (superior and HR-support)
Financing and compensation of costs
Travel plan in M2
Apostille
Other issues before leaving
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
International Assignment Contract
Insurance
Social Security
Taxation
Health Care Issues
Housing
Practical Issues (moving, travel arrangements, family
issues)
New Universities Act
• Since January 1, 2010
• University Staff from Civil Servants to Employees
> changes have taken place in taxation and social
security of those working on an International
Assignment.
Taxation
• If you work abroad over 183 days in either successive 12 months or
in a calendar year, depending on the country, the taxation may
transfer to the country where you work. In this case, you
(Employee) pay the taxes according to the taxation practices of the
target country.
• This so-called 6 month rule applies only with the following
requirements:
- Work-related stay in a foreign country lasts a minimum of 6
months and
- Tax agreement between Finland and other country does not
prevent taxing of wages in the country where the work is done
and
- Employee does not reside in Finland more than 6 days/month
in average
• If the 6-month rule applies, the Employee must contact the tax
officials of the destination country about taxation practices
Social Security / EU, EEA, Switzerland +
Social Security Agreement countries
• Employee must have a certificate which states that an
Employee is entitled to the Finnish social security on the
assignment, and the Aalto payroll withholds the social
security contributions to Finland.
• If an Employee works in an EU/EEA country,
Switzerland or a country with which Finland has a social
security agreement (USA, Australia, Canada, Israel,
Quebec) > the home unit of the Employee must apply
for an A1 certificate from the Finnish Centre for the
Pensions (Eläketurvakeskus, ETK)
Social Security / Other Countries
• Stay is less than one year > Employee must inform
Kela. Employee reports also the family members who
move abroad if the Employer applies the Finnish Centre
for the Pensions A1 certificate for the Employee
• Stay is over one year > Employee must apply
entitlement for the Finnish social security from Kela. Also
family members moving abroad must be reported in the
form. Also the Unit fills in the Employer's notification
concerning an Employee posted abroad.
Remote Work
• An Aalto Employee’s is considered working remote,
when the reason for the stay is something other than
employee’s role or Assignment (for example, Aalto
employee accompanies spouse on an International
Assignment) > Remote Work Contract
• Entitlement to the Finnish Social Security is applied from
Finnish Centre for Pensions / Kela same way as for
assignees. Employee must contact Tax authorities
concerning taxation when working remote.
If you are working with Grant
• If you are not an Employee
- No International Assignment Contract
- Employer does not apply certificate from the
Finnish Centre for the Pensions
> Independent arrangements
HR Coordinators ARTS
•
•
•
•
•
Johanna Glader – Media
Tiina Päivärinne – Art
Satu Pöyhönen – Design
Kira Topp – Architecture
Piia Väisänen – Film & Stage Art and Mediacentre
LUME
Remember two things!
• Be early!
• Contact your HR-coordinator! 
THANK YOU!
Sanna Huovinen
Coordinator, International Staff Services
sanna.huovinen@aalto.fi
+358 50 312 0912