In a world of mounting geopolitical tensions and intensifying competition for talent, multinational companies are rethinking how—and where—they move their people. With traditional destinations raising immigration barriers, some may argue the EU (European Union) is emerging as a flexible, stable alternative, albeit with its own complexities.
In this insight, we unpack how varying EU migration policies in different jurisdictions are reshaping global mobility strategies—and, why understanding them is now essential to workforce planning.
Also known as ‘parking’, contingency planning in immigration is the practice of preparing alternative, temporary relocation options when visa issues, or mobility disruptions, block or delay a move to the intended destination. While often used as a short-term solution, these redeployments can evolve into longer-term assignments if needed.
Rethinking mobility in a changing world
Employers worldwide report acute shortages of skilled labor. In the EU, more than 57% of companies seeking information technology specialists reported difficulty filling roles, with demand for those specialists projected to double by 2030.1 Meanwhile, traditional immigration hubs are tightening access or reaching capacity limits, making employee relocation harder than ever. Multinational companies are now forced to look beyond traditional destinations, often turning to regions with more predictable and flexible immigration rules.
In practice, employers typically redeploy staff because visa quotas or policy shifts derail plans. The United States, long a magnet for highly skilled migrants, highlights these challenges: its annual H‑1B quota of 85,000 visas is perennially oversubscribed.2 New policies in 2025—travel bans for 19 countries, higher fees, stricter enforcement, and permit delays—are already disrupting mobility.3 As of July 2025, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is facing a backlog of 11.3 million cases, delaying work permits, green cards, and assignment timelines.4 The 2025 travel ban and 75% of H-1B registrations that remained unselected illustrate these disruptions, forcing companies to secure interim placements for affected talent.5
Some governments are stepping up. For instance, Canada’s open work permit program for current H‑1B holders met its 10,000-application cap in just 48 hours—a clear signal of employer urgency.6
Some redeployment needs are predictable. For example, under the EU Intra-Company Transferee (ICT) permit in France, assignments are limited to three years, after which employees must complete a six-month cooling-off period. Employers can therefore schedule a non-EU posting for that cooling-off period in advance rather than plan last-minute interim solutions.
Contingency planning in practice
Choosing a redeployment location starts with aligning business needs to viable visa routes—while also weighing tax and social security implications. This is what separates true contingency planning from interim stopgaps like business travel, remote work, or bench-waiting.
Remote work is often not covered by traditional work permit categories and faces fewer formalities—but still carries risk. In France, for instance, foreign employees can work from home without a French permit if they only serve a foreign employer. Yet this can trigger permanent-establishment or social security complications. Belgium presents a different twist: if a Belgian employer allows remote work from abroad, work authorization is technically required—though not always enforced. Still, this signals rising compliance risks and legal ambiguity around cross-border work.
While these interim fixes serve short-term needs, they rarely solve deeper immigration and staffing issues. By contrast, placing an employee within a local subsidiary—say, in France—brings the move under formal mobility policy, offering far greater legal and compliance clarity.
The EU holds strategic value as a temporary base, thanks to its relative political stability, single market, and broad range of immigration pathways. Employers can tailor decisions to their workforce needs, balancing visa eligibility, processing times, and quality of life. But this value is conditional. With shifting politics and regulatory frameworks, staying ahead of policy changes is vital.
A promising framework on paper
At first glance, the EU appears ideal to host for skilled employees. Recent policy updates support this: the revised EU Blue Card lowers salary thresholds, reduces minimum contracts to six months, and includes experienced professionals without university degrees. Other measures—like the EU Intra‑Company Transferee permit and the new Talent Pool—offer even greater mobility flexibility.
Even researchers benefit. The EU’s scientific research residence permit further complements the Choose Europe for Science campaign by streamlining immigration formalities specifically for researchers. France, for instance, leveraged this through its Safe Space for Science program—launched at Aix-Marseille University—which recently welcomed 20 researchers from a pool of 298 US-based applicants, following policy shifts under the Trump administration.7
Country-level divergence and implementation gaps present practical constraints
Despite bold EU-level ambitions, real-world implementation varies widely across the bloc. Fragmented regulations and inconsistent enforcement undermine cohesion and predictability.
For instance, when France implemented the revised EU Blue Card in May this year, it retained the existing high salary threshold at 1.5 times the national average salary—a nod to domestic politics. Macron’s Choose France summits and pro-talent visa programs signal openness, yet his immigration bill tightened entry instead, revealing internal tension. In 2024, just 17% of residence permits were work-related, and only 5.6% fell under the Talent Passport scheme—a stark disconnect from the rhetoric.8
The Netherlands and Belgium tell a similar story. The Dutch government is pulling back on openness, capping university enrolments and reducing English-language courses. While skilled worker visas like the highly skilled migrant permit remain, 2023’s political crisis led to the fall of the cabinet over immigration disagreements. Even the caretaker government has proposed tightening the rules. Companies should brace for closer scrutiny and potential restrictions ahead.
Belgium actively promotes highly skilled migration but its federal structure causes bottlenecks. In 2023, Flanders issued over 12,000 single permits9, but many took more than four months to process. Still, demand is rising. In 2024, nearly 19,000 non-EU work permits were granted—a 70% jump over the previous five-year average.10
Meanwhile, Italy is charting a different path. In June 2025, the government approved nearly 500,000 work visas through 2028 to tackle labor shortages. If rolled out as planned, Italy would become the EU’s largest source of new work permits in this period—a serious option for redeployment.11
Navigating EU regulatory complexity
Beyond the EU-wide frameworks, country-specific policies and implementation gaps still pose serious hurdles. The recast EU Blue Card and ICT permit have helped harmonize rules, but big differences remain.
For example, Blue Card holders can move to another Member State after 12 months—but must reapply within 30 days of arrival and meet local thresholds. Holders of national permits face even tighter restrictions. Meanwhile, the upcoming ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System)—due in 2026—will add yet another compliance layer for visa-exempt travelers, including business visitors. Effective planning and risk management are now more critical than ever.
In the face of fragmented immigration rules, tightening visa quotas and growing unpredictability in key destinations, multinational employers are increasingly turning to contingency planning as a way to preserve business continuity and safeguard their workforce strategy. When implemented effectively, redeployment offers more than a short-term fix. It becomes a tool to maintain business continuity, retain talent, and adapt to shifting policy environments.
Keeping operations on track
From a business perspective, contingency planning helps minimize disruption. When visas are denied or geopolitical shifts derail assignments, having a ready-to-go redeployment plan keeps critical operations moving, especially for high-stakes work like R&D or client delivery.
In Belgium, for example, some employers temporarily base staff there while awaiting US visas. Rather than leave roles vacant, the employee contributes locally until US entry is secured. Similarly, Dutch companies have extended EU assignments to avoid pausing employee productivity.
Without contingency planning, staff may sit idle in their home country for weeks or months—stalling projects and increasing risk.
Retaining talent and building flexibility
Contingency planning also helps retain talent. By offering employees viable alternatives during uncertainty, employers show commitment—and prevent attrition. With the global talent shortage projected to hit 85 million workers by 2030, this is no small matter.12
Strategically, it adds flexibility. Companies can mix and match tools like the Blue Card and ICT permit across different countries to adapt to restrictions. But this agility comes at a cost—navigating payroll, immigration, and social security across multiple jurisdictions is complex and often requires external support.
For employees, effective contingency planning offers stability. They retain legal status, continue working without interruption, and often access family reunification benefits and paths to permanent residency. Plus, the Schengen area allows visa-free business travel up to 90 days within 180 days—though employers should always verify each country’s rules.
Contingency planning has moved from a niche mobility tactic to a mainstream element of strategic workforce planning. It is now an essential component of workforce planning. As uncertainty grows, organizations are increasingly equipping their mobility teams with tools that can assess viable relocation options, evaluate travel possibilities, and model contingency plans—allowing swift, informed decisions during times of disruption.
When done right, contingency planning not only protects projects and compliance—it keeps top talent engaged and mobile. As mobility teams evolve from operational executors to strategic partners13, having a smart, well-tested contingency plan is no longer optional, it’s business critical.
Get in touch with us to explore how the Vialto Rapid Deployment Dashboard can support safe and swift redeployment of your workforce.
Hugo Vijge
Director
Violaine Jaussaud
Director
Silke van Bauwel
Manager
Fanny Sézérat
Manager
Marijan Vrhovac
Senior Associate
Fabian Gielis
Senior Associate
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