Onboarding International Employees (IMPATS)

A talented researcher from abroad walks through the doors of TNO for the very first time. The employment contract is signed. The visa has been arranged. The laptop is ready. On paper, this researcher is ready to start. In reality, it has only just begun. For organizations competing in an increasingly international labor market, attracting talent is no longer the biggest challenge. Making international employees feel at home, productive, and committed for the long term is.

At TNO, they have spent years developing an integrated approach to attracting, onboarding, and supporting international employees—whom they call “Inpats.” This approach covers everything from immigration procedures, tax arrangements, housing support, and regulations for highly skilled migrants to cultural integration, language development, and fostering a genuine sense of belonging.

In this online meeting, Thomas Stokman, International Workdesk Coordinator at TNO, will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how TNO handles the onboarding of international employees (“inpats”) on a large scale. He will share the policies, processes, stakeholders, and lessons learned from supporting international employees throughout their journey, from recruitment to integration.

More importantly, we will open a discussion on some of the issues facing international HR.

How can a traditionally Dutch organization create a true home base for international colleagues without losing its own identity?
Where does an employer's responsibility end when employees relocate with their partners, children, and entire families as part of their career move?

Why do we still offer different benefits to international and domestic employees when talent mobility is becoming increasingly common?

If your organization is attracting international talent—or plans to do so in the future—this session will offer practical insights, real-world examples, and a discussion that will challenge assumptions about what modern onboarding should look like.
Join us and discover together what it really takes to turn a new hire into an enthusiastic member of your organization.

International onboarding is most effective when treated as an integrated employee journey, beginning during recruitment and continuing through immigration, relocation, arrival, integration, and retention. Clear ownership between Recruitment, HR Operations, managers, specialist providers, and employees helps prevent gaps during handovers.

• Create one connected onboarding journey. Map the process from first candidate contact through the first year, including immigration, housing, registration, tax support, family needs, learning interventions, and follow-up conversations. Clearly identify ownership, timing, dependencies, and escalation routes.
• Treat housing as a critical onboarding risk. Temporary accommodation and professional home-search assistance do not guarantee permanent housing. Set realistic expectations early, start the search promptly, and establish an escalation route when housing is not secured in time.
• Include the family in retention thinking. The adjustment of partners and children can influence whether an international employee stays. School-search assistance, partner guidance, family services, and structured follow-up can help address foreseeable transition challenges while maintaining clear boundaries around employer responsibility.
• Look beyond immigration and payroll. Successful onboarding does not end when permits, registration, or the first salary are arranged. Buddies and structured check-ins can help address longer-term factors such as workplace inclusion, language, housing, family transition, networks, and belonging.
• Apply support consistently while reviewing fairness. Clearly defined support tiers can reflect different transition needs, but eligibility criteria and areas of manager discretion should remain transparent and periodically reviewed against comparable cases.

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