Global mobility in Australia is entering a more deliberate phase. Based on a survey conducted by AIRINC and Grace Corporate Mobility, the findings show that while many organisations have seen mobility activity increase over the past year, the outlook ahead suggests a more stable environment.
This does not mean mobility is becoming less important. Rather, organisations are deploying mobility more strategically to support critical talent, specialist skills, leadership development, business growth, and key projects.
This survey combines AIRINC's global mobility data, advisory and benchmarking expertise with Grace Corporate Mobility's experience managing domestic and international workforce mobility programs across Australia, New Zealand and globally through our network of trusted partners. Grace supports organisations with policy advisory, relocation management, destination services, immigration coordination, household goods movement, temporary accommodation, and ongoing assignee support.
Part of the Grace Group, Grace has been helping people and organisations relocate for more than a century and today manages thousands of domestic and international employee moves each year. This combination of strategic mobility expertise and relocation logistics capability provides a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities shaping workforce mobility across the region.
Read some of the highlights.
Mobility activity in Australia appears to be levelling out after a period of change. Many organisations experienced increased activity over the past year, but future expectations point to a more measured outlook.
This suggests a shift toward more intentional mobility. Rather than expanding activity broadly, organisations may be focusing mobility investment where it can deliver the greatest business value.
52% reported increased mobility activity over the past year.
48% expect activity to remain about the same in the upcoming year.
Only 8% expect activity to decrease in the year ahead.
Mobility in Australia continues to cover a wide range of use cases, from domestic permanent moves and international assignments to business travel and immigration-only cases. Domestic mobility remains especially important, while international moves continue to support business and talent needs.
The broader picture is one of selectivity. Organisations are not simply moving employees for the sake of mobility; they are using different mobility types to meet specific workforce requirements, project needs, and role-based priorities.
96% of organisations currently have domestic permanent moves.
88% have international long-term assignments.
72% manage business travellers.
One of the clearest themes from the survey is the need for mobility policies that can adapt to changing business and employee needs. Just over half of organisations say their current policy suite effectively meets their needs, which means many are still working with policies that only partially support today’s mobility environment.
Flexibility is clearly important, but the way it is delivered matters. When flexibility is handled mainly through exceptions or one-off negotiations, it can create inconsistency, increase administrative effort, and make costs harder to manage. Structured flexibility can help organisations provide options while maintaining governance and fairness.
52% say their current policy suite effectively meets their mobility needs.
36% say their policies only somewhat meet their needs.
84% say flexibility is at least moderately important.
38% provide flexibility by exception.
Mobility teams are operating in an increasingly complex environment. Immigration and tax requirements continue to have a major impact on programs, while employee expectations around the relocation experience are also evolving.
The survey also highlights internal challenges, including limited team capacity, cost pressure, and the difficulty of maintaining policy consistency while managing exceptions. Together, these issues can stretch Mobility teams and make programs more reactive than strategic.
80% say visa and immigration complexity significantly impacts the assignee experience.
48% cite income tax complexity as a factor affecting assignees.
44% cite maintaining policy consistency while managing exceptions as a top program challenge.
Global mobility in Australia is becoming more focused and intentional. Activity is stabilising, but the demands placed on Mobility teams are increasing. Organisations need programs that can manage cost, compliance, and speed while also providing flexibility, consistency, and a strong employee experience.
Download AIRINC & Grace Corporate Mobility’s full Global Mobility Insights: Focus on Australia report to explore the current pressures shaping mobility programs.
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