Before accepting a cross-border job, turn the relocation promises into questions with a named person responsible for the answer. Save the answers with the contract, relocation policy, payroll model and immigration advice.
Compensation and payroll
- What is guaranteed base pay, in which currency, and in how many instalments?
- Which bonuses are discretionary, and what happens to them if employment ends before payment?
- Does “net salary” mean a contractual net guarantee or merely a non-binding estimate?
- Who pays the cost of a tax shortfall if the special regime is refused?
A statement that the employer “supports” an application may only mean it supplies documents. Ask whether the employer pays for advice, files the application or guarantees any financial outcome. These are separate commitments.
Application responsibility
Write down the application name, responsible party, triggering event and deadline. For Ireland’s SARP, for example, employer certification is ordinarily due within 90 days of arrival. For arrivals from 2026, certification within 180 days may still permit relief, but loses the first year. See Revenue’s qualification conditions. A generic promise to handle the tax paperwork does not protect a deadline.
Relocation benefits and repayment
List flights, shipping, temporary housing, deposits, school search and professional fees separately. For each, ask whether reimbursement is gross or net of tax, whether receipts are required, and how long payment takes. Read any clawback: can you owe the gross cost even though you received less after tax, and is repayment reduced over time?
Changes after arrival
- Can the employer move you to another entity or location?
- Would a promotion, reduction in hours or unpaid leave change a salary test?
- What happens to the work permit and family permissions if employment ends?
- Who checks overseas working days and social-insurance coverage?
A simple evidence register
| Question | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|
| Pay and bonus | Signed compensation schedule |
| Tax relief | Eligibility analysis, application receipt and approval |
| Moving support | Policy with limits and clawback wording |
| Right to work | Permit advice and approval, where required |
You do not need to send these documents to ExpatEngine. Its tools work without uploading your contract. Use the finder to prepare a shortlist and the offer worksheet to compare the answers.
Worked budgets are original illustrations by ExpatEngine. Authority links support the specific rules cited; the examples are not individual tax advice.