Three Global Mobility Trends Employers Should Be Watching Right Now
Overview
Immigration compliance has never been a set-and-forget function. But three developments across Vietnam, Japan, and Sierra Leone are making that clearer than ever.
On the surface, these changes look unrelated. One is about digital credentials. One is about application fees. One is about on-site inspections. But together, they point to three trends that every HR leader, mobility professional, and business head managing international talent needs to understand right now:
Digital compliance is now part of immigration compliance
Changes in immigration costs are becoming an increasingly important consideration for workforce planning
Employers should expect continued focus on immigration compliance and documentation readiness
What Are the Key Changes?
Vietnam - A Business VNeID Is Now Required to File Immigration Applications
Effective June 1, 2026, Vietnam discontinued the use of company e-signatures and tokens for accessing government portals used for immigration filings with no advance notice.
Companies must now hold a valid Business VNeID to submit visa pre-approvals, Temporary Residence Card (TRC) applications, exit visa applications, and work permit applications. Offline submissions have also been discontinued, and no transitional process currently exists.
The immediate complication: In some cases, obtaining a Business VNeID requires the company's legal representative to hold a valid TRC but a Business VNeID is now required to file for the TRC. Organizations in this situation may need to assess alternative governance or representation arrangements depending on their specific circumstances.
Japan - Immigration Fees Are Moving to a Variable, Beneficiary-Pays Model
Japan has enacted legislation raising statutory fee caps for immigration procedures. Final fees are expected to be confirmed through a Cabinet Order during fiscal year 2026.
Estimated fee structure:
1-year residence period: approximately JPY 30,000
3-year residence period: approximately JPY 60,000
5-year residence period: approximately JPY 70,000
Permanent Residence: approximately JPY 200,000
Previously, Japan applied a flat fee regardless of the immigration status or duration granted. Under the proposed model, individuals receiving longer residence rights will pay proportionately higher fees.
Important: These are estimated figures only. Final fees have not been formally established and remain subject to the Cabinet Order.
Sierra Leone - Nationwide Immigration Inspections Are Underway
On June 1, 2026, Sierra Leone launched nationwide inspections targeting compliance with Work Permits, Residence Permits, and Non-National Identity Cards.
A joint task force comprising immigration, labor, civil registration, and security authorities is conducting inspections at workplaces, business premises, project sites, and residential areas. No end date has been announced. Non-compliance may result in arrest, detention, or deportation under Sierra Leonean immigration law.
Who Will Be Affected?
These developments are directly relevant to:
Global Mobility Managers and Heads
Key Benefits of These Developments
These changes introduce real operational responsibility. They also reflect government objectives worth understanding.
Vietnam: The Business VNeID initiative is part of Vietnam's digital administration agenda improving authentication security and standardizing access across public services.
Japan: The proposed fee model reflects a policy position that individuals receiving longer residence rights should contribute proportionately more to the cost of those benefits.
Sierra Leone: The inspections are designed to strengthen immigration governance, improve migration data accuracy, and address illegal immigration.
Understanding what each government is trying to achieve helps organizations assess compliance requirements with the right level of seriousness.
Compliance Updates
Vietnam:
What This Means for Employers
These three changes, read together, make the same point: immigration compliance now requires continuous operational readiness, not just periodic approvals.
For HR and mobility teams, this means immigration cannot operate in isolation. It needs to be connected to workforce planning, finance, legal, and administration, so your organization can respond quickly when requirements change, often without notice.
For CHROs and business heads, delays in immigration filings affect project timelines, onboarding schedules, and the ability to deploy talent where it is needed. That is a business continuity concern, not just a compliance one.
For Compensation & Benefits and Procurement teams, Japan's proposed variable fee structure is a direct signal that immigration cost models built on flat-rate assumptions need to be revisited.
Implementation and Next Steps
Immediate Actions for Employers
Vietnam
Confirm Business VNeID status - Owner: Mobility / Admin Team
Identify urgent pending filings and escalate immediately - Owner: Immigration Manager
Sierra Leone
Audit all foreign national immigration documents without delay - Owner: HR Operations / Mobility Coordinator
Ensure documents are accessible at all relevant work and residence locations - Owner: Administration Manager
Japan
Review fee allocation policy and flag budget implications to relevant stakeholders - Owner: Compensation & Benefits / Global Mobility
Recommended Next Steps
Vietnam: If Business VNeID registration is not yet in place, initiate it immediately. If a legal representative barrier exists, engage legal counsel to assess your options based on your organization's specific structure.
Japan: Track the Cabinet Order publication closely and update assignment cost projections once official fees are confirmed. Prepare internal communications for assignees and hiring managers ahead of finalization.
Sierra Leone: Brief relevant managers and foreign national employees on documentation requirements and what to expect if an inspection occurs at their location.
Key Takeaway
The updates from Vietnam, Japan, and Sierra Leone each address something specific but they reflect a consistent direction: compliance requirements are expanding, costs are becoming more variable, and documentation readiness is under greater scrutiny.
For employers managing international talent, the organizations best positioned to handle these changes are those that have already built the internal processes, cross-functional alignment, and expert partnerships to respond quickly and accurately.
At Anywr India, we don't just report policy changes. We help employers understand what they mean operationally and what to do about them.
Managing an international workforce across multiple jurisdictions? Our immigration and global mobility specialists can help you navigate evolving regulatory requirements and support compliant workforce deployment.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Immigration requirements and applicability may vary depending on permit category, local regulations, and individual case circumstances. For tailored guidance specific to your organisation’s needs, please reach out to Anywr’s immigration experts for a consultation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About Anywr
Anywr is a French international group specializing in global mobility solutions.
Founded in 2012, Anywr operates in 12 countries across 4 continents. Our mission is to support companies in addressing their Human Resources challenges. We respond to your needs in terms of international mobility, particularly in terms of immigration policies, relocation, the implementation of mobility policies and EOR.
Do you have a mobility project for your teams? Contact us!