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. Instead, organisations appear to be using mobility more selectively to support specific business needs, critical roles, and key projects.
This survey brings together AIRINC’s global mobility data, advisory, and benchmarking expertise with Grace Corporate Mobility’s deep experience in relocation logistics across Australia and New Zealand. Grace has been a trusted name in household moving, commercial project logistics, and records management for more than a century, and today is one of Australasia’s largest relocation logistics and information management providers.
Together, AIRINC and Grace are sharing these insights to help organisations better understand how mobility programs in Australia are evolving. These findings have already been presented at industry events, with more discussions planned in the months ahead.
1. Mobility activity is stabilising, not slowing down
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.
2. Mobility is becoming more targeted across use cases
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.
3. Policy frameworks need to balance flexibility and consistency
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.
4. Complexity, compliance, and capacity are straining programs
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.
- 44% also cite mobility team capacity and capability as a top 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’s full Global Mobility Insights: Focus on Australia report to explore the current pressures shaping mobility programs.
This content is based on survey results and has been produced in collaboration with AIRINC. To learn more, visit the AIRINC website.
