Five Relocation Trends to Watch in 2026
We’re almost through 2025, and in many ways it has been a year of transition for the $62 billion global mobility industry. Keep an eye on these trends as they continue to impact mobility now and into 2026.
AI and tech innovation
According to one recent study, nearly half (46%) of global organizations expect to increase their use of technology. They have a long way to go; the study found that only 2% currently use AI for compliance, and a mere 4% use chatbots and similar support tools.
Companies are looking to AI to streamline relocation processes, improve the employee experience and enable mobility leaders to use predictive analytics and actionable data to make better decisions and drive cost savings. The good news for them is that leading relocation management consultants like CapRelo are well ahead of the AI curve. The AI-fueled platform puts all aspects of a company’s mobility program—including expenses, contracts, and email correspondence—in one place where AI synthesizes it into meaningful snapshot summaries.
Compliance challenges
We expect to see the global E-visa spend this year top out in the $3 to $4 billion range amid increasing international assignments. That growth comes at a time of near-constant changes in immigration rules, entry requirements and visa processes. In recent months alone, Canada announced changes to its Express Entry Program while China announced a new trial policy that “unilaterally grants visa-free entry” to citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay.
As regulations change, companies will need to prioritize compliance with local laws regarding employment, taxes, social security, and immigration across different regions. Effective work visa sponsorship strategies will be crucial to ensuring compliance. Leveraging global HR compliance tools will help navigate these complexities.
Rising costs
According to the 2025 Managing Mobility Survey, 36% of business leaders believe mobility drives organizational growth, yet rising costs will continue to plague mobility teams. One estimate puts administrative costs for long-term assignments at $9,800 and for short-term assignments at $8,700.
And a recent IAM report has strong implications for managing relocation programs. It found that pandemic-era cost spikes were not temporary, but have had a lasting impact across multiple cost categories, with costs rising from as much as 30% to over 80%.
We can expect to see continued pressure to streamline processes, leverage strong partner collaborations and integrate technology that supports smarter mobility models. ROI will become baked-into mobility program key performance indicators.
A push toward sustainability
As global mobility grows, so does its potential impact to the global environment. Did you know that five of the UN’s 17 goals for a healthier planet by 2030 are directly impacted by global mobility? These goals include reducing transportation emissions, improving air quality, cutting energy use, and eliminating landfill waste from packing materials and office supplies. As a result, global relocations present a major opportunity to implement greener practices. Balancing that growth in an environmentally responsible way may perhaps be the biggest challenge for HR mobility leaders in coming years.
Data-driven safety precautions
With social disruptions and geopolitical unrest worldwide, HR’s duty of care to remote workers has never been greater. Through AI’s predictive analytics capabilities, we can expect to see HR leaders leveraging data-driven approaches to predict potential unrest and enable early action to protect employees.
Some potential transferees are taking duty of care into their own hands, too. Global conflict, stricter borders, and travel bans are motivating expats to take precautions and carefully select their destinations. Some are turning to “safe countries” such as Costa Rica, Iceland, Greenland, and South Africa as global unrest and uncertainty become pressing relocation factors.
Partner with the Relocation Experts.
For more than 25 years, CapRelo has been guiding global businesses in all things mobility – from compliance regulations to duty of care best practices and the latest mobility technology. Let us help you, too. Call us for a personal consultation today.
