By Sharan Kundi, Global Head of Immigration, Vialto
Important note: This article reflects what we are seeing in conversation and planning with our clients. It is not intended to recommend or encourage movement where local authorities or embassies are advising individuals to remain in place. Any movement should only be considered where necessary, lawful, and safe, and only after checking official guidance, route status, border requirements, and documentation implications.
Vialto teams have been working closely with organizations who have employees in countries impacted by the military actions across the Middle East. Their first priority was, of course, to ensure employee safety, balancing this with business continuity and workforce mobility strategies. In this article, we’re summarizing some of the considerations being weighed in this unpredictable and evolving situation.
1. Travel restrictions
The most common immediate action we are seeing is to limit employee travel and movement into or through the region. This includes pausing travel into the region, restricting business travel, and putting relocations on hold. This appears to be the baseline action for many organizations, even in cases where evacuation protocols haven’t been activated.
2. The UAE as the main focal point
Most of the actions we are seeing are centered on the UAE. This includes both travel restrictions and scenario planning for potential team evacuations. Some firms are widening the lens to the broader region, including Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel. Companies are mapping options for their regional employee populations, including family members, even if they’re not yet planning any action.
3. Overland exit routes are a major feature of planning
With the restriction of air space and varying availability for commercial flights, people considering leaving the region are evaluating road routes out of the UAE. However, these decisions are being weighed against important safety considerations. For example, some organizations are considering land-border crossings into Oman or Saudi Arabia.
4. Commercial flights remain central to planning, but charters are an option
For those still looking at air transport, many appear to be relying on commercial flights. With commercial flights being rescheduled at short notice, others are adding or considering private charters should commercial options become insufficient.
5. Temporary relocation is more common than permanent movement
Where companies or employees are opting to leave an impacted territory, they are more likely to choose temporary relocation over permanent reassignment. This is often reviewed against existing remote work policy, making adjustments where necessary for the current situation. Some organizations are offering short-term accommodation support, while others are facilitating temporary relocations to nearby or alternative locations, or supporting onward relocation or home return. This helps reduce risk and ensure business continuity while firms wait to see whether conditions stabilize.
6. Workforce composition matters
Decisions may be dependent on employment status, with a careful review of policy for local employees and assignees. These factors can influence the options available for remote work and relocation.
In all of these approaches, there’s a common theme: Responses are not purely company-directed but are also influenced by employees—specifically, who wants to leave and who feels able to remain. Some of our clients are supporting individuals who wish to remain, while also supporting individuals or larger populations who request to move based on their personal situation or nationality profile.
This is a careful balancing act between protecting employees, avoiding unnecessary operational disruption, and respecting employee choice.
As the situation evolves, mobility strategies may continue to shift in response to safety concerns, changes in travel routes, government guidance, and workforce needs. For organizations with employees in or traveling through the region, maintaining visibility over workforce location, immigration status, and documentation requirements will remain an important part of risk management and business continuity in the weeks ahead.
If disruption persists, some organizations may also begin to consider more structural adjustments to their regional workforce strategies. These could include longer-term relocation and talent parking arrangements, changes to regional staffing models, or expanded contingency planning for mobility routes and population deployment.
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