Global migration rose last year after three consecutive annual declines, according to a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, an international economic policy group with 34 member countries across five continents.

The group's 2012 International Migration Outlook report found increased permanent migration in many countries, which may indicate expanded corporate relocation efforts. New Zealand, Australia, the United States and some parts of Europe saw gains. However, migration declined in prominent nations such as Sweden, Italy and Spain.

The increases seen in some countries reversed losses from the previous year. In 2010, migration to the U.S. dropped 8 percent. The 24 European OECD countries saw net declines of 3 percent without counting inter-European moves. Countries such as Mexico, Canada and Korea experienced increases of 10 percent or more during that time due to job demand.

"Labor market developments and migration flows are closely linked," said OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria. "The decline in labour demand has been the driving force behind the fall in migration during the crisis, not restrictions imposed by migration policies, as our 2012 Migration Outlook shows."

Gurria further explained that long-term labor market needs must be addressed in the coming years. Changes may be needed to ensure policies are in line with the global economic recovery, particular those that assist migrants with integrating into their new culture.

Younger workers set to grow in importance

Some young expatriates still face job issues in new countries, according to OECD, and lower levels of job training mean that they face higher levels of unemployment or underemployment compared to local workers. New expatriates made up 70 percent of all new workers in Europe during the past 10 years, along with 47 percent of new U.S. workers.

The need for these new workers is also expected to grow in the future. The group says many foreign skilled workers will be needed in OECD countries in order to balance retirements from baby boomers.

Companies should ensure their relocation efforts and policies are properly focused to account for the approaching wave of employee retirements. A lack of preparation may create a talent vacuum in which positions become difficult to effectively fill.

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Rents in Geneva have skyrocketed during the past 10 years due to the city's overwhelming demand. While many analysts blame the issues on the large population of corporate expatriates, the Swiss think tank Avenir says the larger reason for the spike in costs is that unlike other markets, there has not been an increase in the development of new property to meet that demand.

The lack of new units in the area is mostly due to tight property laws, including a strictly managed development zone. This zone drapes over more than 30 percent of the available space for residential properties, as well as approximately 60 percent of available space in the city and suburbs, the think tank noted. The restrictions affect land prices, building types, where developments can be built, as well as rents and earnings. Those restrictions have driven many investors and developers away.

Companies looking to relocate transferees to the Swiss city may need to allow for higher housing expenses or seek out cost-effective alternatives in other cities.

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Companies struggling to fill an open position with a qualified applicant may soon find that the vacancy has resulted in productivity issues. This lost productivity can have a significant cost, even if it is difficult to measure. To avoid this issue, companies should explore all talent recruitment options, including employee relocation.

The problem of the skills gap may be more easily rectified by companies broadening their search scope to ensure that the right candidates are located and interviewed for the position. This may encourage some companies to explore employee relocation options, as top talent may be found in other locations.

Peter Capelli, director of Wharton's Center for Human Resources, explained to human resources information website HR.BLR.com, that while some companies believe there is a skills gap, much of it may be due to their own perceived hiring obstacles or internal restrictions. Employers have full control of their hiring process, and need to utilize creative solutions to discover the ideal candidate.

A report from staffing organization Manpower Group explained that approximately 50 percent of American companies have been unable to fill their business with qualified candidates. The figure was much higher than in 2010, when fewer than 15 percent of companies reported such issues with hiring.

Capelli further explained to the website that the difficult economic conditions in recent months may make employers fear the costs of benefits and payroll associated with hiring and relocating an employee. However, the counter-productivity of leaving these positions open and having current employees take on additional workload does not improve the situation. Not having the proper staff can hurt the progress the company has already made, which complicates matters further.

Companies that are recruiting should explore all options before filling a position. In the end, the potential costs from bad hires or productivity declines may far outweigh the initial investments in additional recruitment support and relocation benefits.

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Many spouses of transferees involved in corporate relocation experience a difficult time when trying to gain employment after arriving in a new country. The satisfaction of an accompanying spouse can have a major impact on whether a relocation is successful. Whether a spouse is seeking full-time employment or volunteer opportunities, their needs should be a significant consideration.

Complications can arise if the accompanying spouse cannot receive a work permit. Re:locate Magazine recently cited a survey from Permits Foundation, a non-profit aiming to improve work permit rules, which found that roughly 60 percent of spouses would be unlikely to move if acquiring work permits was difficult. Less than 10 percent said they would definitely relocate anyway, while others expressed some level of hesitation.

Nearly 90 percent of spouses would appreciate information on local job offers, according to the magazine. In addition, 80 percent noted that it would make their job search easier if the transferee's company provided a list of employment contacts or job vacancy information. While it is certainly not an assurance that a job will be available, the effort may still improve a spouse's outlook toward the transfer.

A report from Towers Watson, a global professional services company, and Worldwide ERC®, found that only 16 percent of companies prioritize family issues when making transfers. However, nearly 60 percent of failed relocation initiatives were due to family or personal situations. Another 21 percent of failed assignments were because the transferees' family was unable to adapt to the new country's culture.

Because of the costs involved, companies should ensure they are not overlooking family concerns or other important relocation issues. Steve Kueffner, senior international consultant at Towers Watson, said including business leaders outside of Human Resources may help companies better manage talent and transfers.

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When contemplating corporate relocation requirements for a new office overseas, some industry experts think relocating top talent to lead the company may not be necessary, according to Human Resource Executive Online.

One executive explained that while US firms may think a US-centric viewpoint is needed, this is changing rapidly since, many companies now have strong financial and marketing education programs which produce quality local employees. Instead of relocating a person from the home office to an overseas posting, companies can instead transfer a local employee back to the home office for training. Once that training is complete, they can return home with the knowledge they need to run the overseas office.

A report from Ernst & Young explained that while seeking out international talent is an important aspect of the corporate relocation process, many companies are not taking advantage of it. Only 16 percent of top executives noted that they prioritize these types of talent searches, while one-third of managers said the same thing. However, this may actually be exceedingly important.

"The most significant event in human capital in the past three to five years has been talent management's move to the forefront," said Bill Leisy, global talent management market leader, Ernst & Young. "Not only is it of increasing importance to the development and execution of an organization's business strategy, but it has become a unique competitive advantage."

As a whole, many employees feel that the current talent management strategies at their company need some improvement. The report also noted that only 20 percent felt their company effectively manages talent across all of its markets. In addition, just 18 percent felt that the company kept a productive balance between local and expatriate managers overseas.

However, challenges remain in recruiting international talent. Another executive explained that the international slots at multinational companies were previously thought of as great places for local executives to start their career in the industry, but this sentiment has declined significantly.  Now, local companies sometimes have an edge in recruitment. This is happening in China more than ever before, as the language demands of working for a multinational are difficult for some potential hires to satisfy.

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Due to continued growth and improvements in the country's infrastructure, China could be the largest economic market in the world by 2025, according to a report compiled by the McKinsey Global Institute and Foreign Policy magazine. As business opportunities expand in the Far East, corporate relocation initiatives in this area will also gain momentum. Any company with plans to relocate employees to China should consult with a relocation management company to ensure that their relocation policies are adequately structured to support the unique scenarios that may occur in this region.

Both Europe and the United States have experienced a lack of economic growth due to ongoing recovery issues, which could contribute to more growth in China, the magazine explained.

China is experiencing its most significant economic growth in modern times, the report noted. Its process of industrialization and urbanization is approximately 100 times as large and 10 times as fast as Britain's Industrial Revolution. In the past 10 years the number of residents in the country's cities surged from one third of all citizens to fully half.

When looking at the report, "The Most Dynamic Cities of 2025," nearly 40 percent of the 75 cities on the list are in China. This ranks it much higher than other economic powers on the list. The United States only had 13 cities in the report, while Europe had only three cities represented. The findings further suggest a power shift in how business may be conducted in the future.

McKinsey examined a larger pool of cities and predicted how they would fare in the coming years The research found the 75 cities listed in the report should be the strongest economic centers in the near future.

Despite an expected decline in Western influence, cities such as London, Paris, Chicago and New York will still be vastly important economic centers for years to come, the report explained. In 2010, close to 50 percent of the world's GDP growth occurred in approximately 360 cities located in the most developed parts of the world. Nearly 200 North American cities represented 20 percent of total worldwide GDP growth.

Corporations may want to monitor the continued improvements in China, as well as other developing countries in the next several years. Doing this will aid these entities in planning out a lucrative relocation plan in an area with large growth prospects. It is important to look at the world's economic progress as a whole, though, in the wake of the recession, as other typically strong areas could remain important players in business.

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Transferees who have recently moved due to a corporate relocation initiative need to pay extra attention to their personal health, as a drastic lifestyle change can increase the chances of falling ill.

It is easy for transferees to depend on eating take-out or going to restaurants while still adjusting to their new area. This isn't entirely a bad thing, but many transferees may develop unhealthy eating habits this way, which could make them sick. Sticking to a healthy diet is important, and could make a dramatic difference on a person's well-being.

Transferees who participate in exercise regimens will not only improve their physical health, but also their stress levels and overall mental health. Yoga is one stress-reducing method that can accomplish both simultaneously, as it aids in one's ability to stretch and relax their muscles and mind.

Additionally, proper sleep is important. Transferees need to make sure they are getting enough rest, especially in the early part of the move. Not only will this allow a transferee to stay healthy, but it will also ensure they adjust to time zone differences and work more efficiently.

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Those heading up corporate relocation initiatives to Melbourne, Australia, may find attracting talent there is easier now that the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a business forecasting and advisory firm, has named it the best city to live in the world.

The Australian city earned a score of 95.5 percent, as it only had minor credit removed for climate issues, culture and small criminal incidents. Australia's appeal appeared widespread, with both Sydney and Adelaide in the top seven.Even though Sydney was the lowest of the three Australian cities, it was just 1.4 percent below Melbourne's figure.

"Australian cities continue to thrive in terms of livability: Not only do they benefit from the natural advantages of low population density, but they have continued to improve with some high profile infrastructure investments," said Jon Copestake, survey editor for EIU.

Citing Syria's civil war, the EIU said the capital, Damascus, dropped to 130th out of 140 cities. The 13-place-fall was the largest seen this year. The city that was on the bottom of the list was Dhaka, Bangladesh. Companies transferring employees to cities with poor livability ratings may want to consider hardship allowances to make the posting more appealing.

EIU added that London fell two places to 55th, despite hosting the Olympics. The drop was due to last year's riots in the northern part of the city.

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Many companies have expressed a heightened interest in using corporate relocation to expand their Asian business operations to Myanmar. However, despite major revitalization efforts, the market may still need time to mature, according to The New York Times.

As the country has improved relations with Western nations, sanctions have eased and demand for business and investing opportunities has increased. However, waves of corporate transfers may need to wait. Citing Colliers International, the Times noted that the city only has approximately 645,000 square feet of office space. That's about half of the total space in Bangkok's largest single property.

Residential space is also in short supply. Colliers analysts told the paper that hotel costs have tripled in some locations. The cost of serviced apartments has also doubled to about $2,500 per month. In addition, while there have been discussions to loosen restrictions, Myanmar also does not allow foreigners to own property at this time.

The limitations of current public infrastructure may make large-scale development difficult. However, continued improvements to may encourage companies to look toward the area as an emerging market.

Overall, the country's progress remains fragile. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Derek Mitchell, the U.S. ambassador to Myanmar, said there are ongoing talks about lifting the remaining American sanctions against the country, but there will be "lots of bumps" along the way.

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Business consultants say that companies are having a more difficult time with corporate relocation programs in the past, as a number of issues are complicating the process for some transferees.

A number of personal and professional factors played into this trend, according to a report from the executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles International. Many potential transferees may be less likely to move because of the instability of the job market and a lack of desire to leave their existing professional network.

On a more personal level, many are more hesitant to uproot family. Because of that factor, addressing family considerations in advance are even more critical for a successful transfer. Spousal satisfaction was noted as the biggest relocation challenge in many situations.

The firm added that the relocation packages being offered by some companies are less attractive as they once were. To overcome these issues, the opportunities provided by a transfer need to have enhanced near- and long-term benefits beyond merely added compensation. To ensure a company’s policies are competitive, working with a global relocation company is a wise decision.

Atlanta leads U.S. in talent attraction

Heidrick & Struggles added that areas in the South, Southeast and Mountain West are the most attractive destinations to recruit talent to, with Atlanta leading the way.

The capital of Georgia received 70 percent of the survey's vote. It earned points for a high quality of life, good infrastructure and affordability. Following Atlanta was Chicago due to its diversity, inexpensive living costs, solid transportation system and cultural aspects. Denver followed in third place, as it had high marks from those who enjoy outdoor activities. Dallas was also considered to be an impressive destination, as it is affordable and several Fortune 500 companies operate in the city.

"These are significant metropolitan areas that balance urban life and a high quality of life," said Rusty O'Kelley, managing partner of leadership consulting for the Americas at Heidrick & Struggles. "They are real business centers with a meaningful business and demographic diversity which is making them very attractive to top talent."

Areas including Detroit and the Gulf Coast were not highly rated by those surveyed, as there are many relocation hurdles for these areas. This negative connotation was partially due to their slow growth. Traditionally popular destinations such as New York City or San Francisco also had somewhat negative results due to high living costs.

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