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Permits Foundation Employer Survey

Welcome to the Permits Foundation International Dual Careers Survey 2026



This survey is intended for senior professionals with insight into international mobility policies, practices or decision making.

We appreciate your feedback which is instrumental to Permits Foundation's work in support of international dual careers. Since we were founded in 2001, data from our employer and partner surveys has helped inform the global mobility community and improve government policies around the world. The final survey report will be made available on the Permits Foundation website. At the end of this survey, you have the option to provide your email address should you wish to receive the report upon publication.


To bear in mind when completing this survey:
  • The survey consists of approximately 20 questions and will take around 10-15 minutes to complete. 
  • Please answer these questions from your professional perspective. You can skip the questions that don’t apply to you. There is space at the end to add in any further comments you would like to make (optional).
  • Some questions may seem obvious, but please do answer; full data ensures that our work is evidence based.
  • Where we refer to international employees we mean highly-skilled, internationally mobile employees (e.g. intra-corporate transferees, critical skills visa holders, international hires and foreign local hires).
  • Unless otherwise stated, where we refer to partners, we include married and civil or non-married partners.
  • Only two questions in the final section (your name and your organisation) are mandatory. This information is gathered for verification purposes and will not be published.
  • All responses will be treated confidentially. Results will be anonymised and presented in aggregated form only. Further information is available in Permits Foundation’s privacy policy.

PART I. The following questions relate to global mobility and the relevance of spouse and partner work authorisation.
 
1. What are the primary benefits of global mobility to your organisation? 
Select all that apply.
 
2. In the last 2 years, have any employees in your organisation declined an international assignment because of concerns about their partner’s career continuation? (If your organisation is client based, you can move to the next question).
 
3. Did they accept an assignment in another country?
3. During the last 2 years, have any international assignees cut short an international assignment because of concerns about the partner's career continuation? (If your organisation is client based, you can move to the next question).
 
As a result of the assignment being refused or cut short, what impact did this have on your organisation?
Select all that apply.
 
4. In your view, should recognised accompanying family members of highly-skilled international employees be permitted to work upon recognition of their dependant status? 
5. Which of the following dependants should be included in the definition of eligible family members? 
Select all that apply:
Which of the following should be included in the definition of eligible dependants?
Select all that apply.
6. If known, what percentage of your internationally mobile employees are:
 
7. Have you seen a gender difference in the decision to decline international opportunities?
PART II. The next questions help us to explain to policymakers if there is a link between partner work access and country attractiveness.
 
8. Where a host country allows partners to directly access work, how does this impact the following?
By 'directly access work' we mean the partner is automatically authorised to work once recognised as a dependant.
 
Space Cell PositiveNo impactNegativeDon't know
Reputation of that country as a place to do business.
Your organisation’s ability to retain employees in that location.
Employee’s willingness to accept an assignment in that country.
The perception of that country as offering an attractive environment for key skills and talent
Your organisation’s ability to support equal opportunity and inclusion objectives.
9. What government practice around employee and dependant visa processing can help to improve the outcome of an international assignment? 
Select all that apply.
10. Please select the top 3 destinations where your organisation would benefit most from legislative change to facilitate direct partner access to work.
PART III. The following questions look at the changing global mobility environment in the past two years and resulting expectations/practices around partner work access.
11. How would you describe employees’ willingness to accept an opportunity to move and work in another country, compared to 2 years ago?
This question relates only to employees with family members.
 
Why do you think that is?
Select all that apply. Option to add further comment.
12. Compared to 2 years ago, how have the following types of international assignments changed in your organisation/for your clients?
Space Cell IncreasedDecreasedNo changeDon't know/ Not applicable
Commuter assignments (regular travel between base and host country)
Developmental assignments
Graduate moves
Host plus
Long-term assignments (more than 3 years)
Medium-term assignments (of 1-3 years)
Permanent international moves (local contract in host country)
Short-term assignments (less than 12 months)
13. In the past 2 years, have you had any enquiries from your international employees about the right of their partner to work remotely while in the host country? By remotely, we mean they want to work for an employer who is not based in the host country.
(For client based organisations, have you had any enquiries from your clients about remote work for accompanying partners?).
PART IV. These questions relate to partner support within your organisation.
14. When are you/your colleagues most likely to be asked about the partner’s right to access work in the host country? 
 
15. Do you use our world map as a resource that helps to manage employee/partner expectations?
16. Compared to 2 years ago, how has the level of partner support changed in your organisation?
(If your organisation is client based, you can move to the next relevant question).
 
17. Which forms of support does your organisation currently offer to accompanying partners?
Select all that apply.
PART V: About you
Finally, we require some information from you as part of our standard verification process and to help ensure the results reflect a broad and relevant range of perspectives. Your name and organisation will be treated in confidence and will not be linked to your individual responses in any reporting. 
 
20. What is your primary role? (optional) 
23. What is your organisation’s geographic reach? (optional) 
The survey is about to be submitted. Once you hit the button below, your survey response is complete. If you want to review and/or change any answers, please do so now.
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