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NEI is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise headquartered in the U.S., with in-region offices and teams in Switzerland and Singapore. As a full-service global relocation and assignment management company, we partner with clients around the world to provide consultative guidance and tailored solutions. NEI services more than 200 clients, including many Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies, and delivers strategic insights, benchmarking, and trend analysis that help clients make informed, forward-looking mobility decisions.
Distinguishing Work from Anywhere and Remote Work
The survey defines two key concepts:
- Work from Anywhere (WFA): Employees can work from any global location, independent of office location.
- Remote Work: Employees work outside a traditional office but within predefined boundaries, often within the same city, state, and country.
This distinction is critical due to differing compliance, tax, and operational considerations.
Eligibility Factors
The primary determinant of WFA and Remote Work eligibility is Location (81%), followed by position/job duties (76%), job level (18%), performance reviews (18%), and tenure (6%).
Advantages of WFA and Remote Work
Challenges and Disadvantages
Program Management and Tracking
Intra-Country (Domestic) WFA Trends
Requirements
- 52% of organizations require an established corporate entity in a new state/province for WFA eligibility in 2025, compared to 35% in 2021. Most likely driven by 2025 being more about employee choice whereas in 2021 it was more likely pandemic driven.
Relocation Benefits
- 87% provide no relocation assistance, almost equal to 2021 where it was 93%.
Home Office Setup
- No setup assistance (57%), and provision of company-owned computers (47%) were most dominate, followed by relatively small percentages of companies providing office supplies, internet connection, home office allowances, and office furniture.
Required Travel to Home Office
- More than half (53%) provided no assistance for travel for required in-person meetings, while the remaining reimbursed for airfare/mileage (45%) and lodging (42%), meals (38%) and car rental (30%). There is a slight upward trend in all instances from 2021.
Salary Adjustments
- 64% do not adjust salaries for domestic WFA moves, up from 51% in 2021.
International (Cross-Border) WFA Trends
Requirements
Consideration for countries eligible for international WFA are more scrutinized:
- In 2025, 77% of companies allow WFA if the employee already has the right to work or reside in the country, up from 55% in 2021.
- 82% required an established corporate entity in the country in 2021, whereas 52% have such a requirement in 2025.
- The requirement for corporate tax cost neutrality remains consistent at 36% in 2021 and 35% in 2025.
- The number of companies that assess visa and immigration costs dropped from 36% to 23%.
Relocation Benefits
- 72% of companies provide no relocation assistance, down from 87% in 2021.
- Of those companies offering assistance, 19% provided tax consultation, up from 0% in 2021, immigration assistance almost doubled from 7% to 13%, and those offering assistance with household goods remained consistent (7% in 2021 and 6% in 2025.)
Home Office Setup
- Companies offering no assistance setting up an office for international WFA went from 33% in 2021 to 81% in 2025. The number of companies offering company-owned computers decreased from 42% in 2021 to 25% in 2025. None of the companies surveyed in 2025 provide office supplies, internet connection, home office allowances, or office furniture.
Required Travel to Home Office
- More than half (66%) provided no assistance for travel for required in-person meetings, while the remaining reimbursed for airfare/mileage (31%) and lodging (31%), meals (28%) and car rental (16%). There is a slight downward trend in all instances from 2021.
Salary Adjustments
- 55% of companies, down slightly from 58% in 2021, will adjust salaries up or down for international WFA moves, where 45% of companies do not adjust salary, a change from 17% in 2021.
Location Responsible for Payroll
- Employees remain on current country payroll for 52% of respondents in 2025, up from 25% in 2021.
Health Insurance, Pensions, and Personal Tax Coverage
- In 2021, 8% of respondents kept employees on home country plan, while 59% moved the employee to the new country’s plan. In 2025, the same number of respondents (27%) did both. Surprisingly, 20% of respondents did not provide any health insurance, up from 8% in 2021.
- Of the 74% of companies offering pension plans, 23% move the employee to the new country’s plan in 2025, compared to 58% in 2021.
- Fewer companies (80% in 2025) cover the cost of the employee’s personal tax requirements in the new country compared to 2021 (92%).
Holidays & Duty of Care
- In 2025, 50% of companies observe standard holidays in the new country, down from 67% in 2021; 40% observe standard holidays in the origin country, up from 17% in 2021; and 10% observe holidays of both countries, up from 0% in 2021.
- A slight increase (from 50% in 2021 to 52% in 2025) provide duty of care support similar to international assignees.
Remote Work for Local Employees
A new category for the 2025 survey, since the prevalence of remote work among local employees has seen a significant shift - driven by technological advancements and the lasting impact of pandemic-era adaptations. While fully remote positions have long been in place, hybrid models for local employees are increasingly becoming common, varying by tenure, position, and the number of days per week employees are allowed to work remotely.
- 25% allow full-time remote work, up to five days a week, 21% up to two days, and 17% up to three days
- 63% of organizations provide employees access to multiple unassigned workspaces when they are in office, 46% provide dedicated workspaces, and 4% provide space for a small group of employees to share while they are in the office.
- Future outlook:
- 58% plan to maintain current programs.
- 38% plan to minimize remote work programs by reducing the number of employees working remotely or reducing the number of days allowed per week.
- 4% plan to expand their program by allowing more employees to work remotely or increasing the number of days allowed per week.
- None of the respondents indicated they will go fully remote or are working toward eliminating remote work programs entirely.
Conclusion
NEI’s 2025 U.S. Domestic and International Work from Anywhere and Remote Work Survey reflects the maturation of remote work, with domestic WFA widely accepted while international WFA remains complex due to tax, compliance, and legal risks. Organizations balance flexibility with risk management, leading to stricter policies and increased reliance on tracking tools.
For more information, or for a complete copy of NEI’s 2025 U.S. Domestic and International Work from Anywhere and Remote Work Survey, please contact your NEI representative or visit neirelo.com.
The above article is provided for informational purposes only. Please consult your tax, legal, or accounting advisors before making any decisions or transactions.
NEI is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise headquartered in the U.S., with in-region offices and teams in Switzerland and Singapore. As a full-service global relocation and assignment management company, we partner with clients around the world to provide consultative guidance and tailored solutions. NEI services more than 200 clients, including many Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies, and delivers strategic insights, benchmarking, and trend analysis that help clients make informed, forward-looking mobility decisions.
Distinguishing Work from Anywhere and Remote Work
The survey defines two key concepts:
- Work from Anywhere (WFA): Employees can work from any global location, independent of office location.
- Remote Work: Employees work outside a traditional office but within predefined boundaries, often within the same city, state, and country.
This distinction is critical due to differing compliance, tax, and operational considerations.
Eligibility Factors
The primary determinant of WFA and Remote Work eligibility is Location (81%), followed by position/job duties (76%), job level (18%), performance reviews (18%), and tenure (6%).
Advantages of WFA and Remote Work
Challenges and Disadvantages
Program Management and Tracking
Intra-Country (Domestic) WFA Trends
Requirements
- 52% of organizations require an established corporate entity in a new state/province for WFA eligibility in 2025, compared to 35% in 2021. Most likely driven by 2025 being more about employee choice whereas in 2021 it was more likely pandemic driven.
Relocation Benefits
- 87% provide no relocation assistance, almost equal to 2021 where it was 93%.
Home Office Setup
- No setup assistance (57%), and provision of company-owned computers (47%) were most dominate, followed by relatively small percentages of companies providing office supplies, internet connection, home office allowances, and office furniture.
Required Travel to Home Office
- More than half (53%) provided no assistance for travel for required in-person meetings, while the remaining reimbursed for airfare/mileage (45%) and lodging (42%), meals (38%) and car rental (30%). There is a slight upward trend in all instances from 2021.
Salary Adjustments
- 64% do not adjust salaries for domestic WFA moves, up from 51% in 2021.
International (Cross-Border) WFA Trends
Requirements
Consideration for countries eligible for international WFA are more scrutinized:
- In 2025, 77% of companies allow WFA if the employee already has the right to work or reside in the country, up from 55% in 2021.
- 82% required an established corporate entity in the country in 2021, whereas 52% have such a requirement in 2025.
- The requirement for corporate tax cost neutrality remains consistent at 36% in 2021 and 35% in 2025.
- The number of companies that assess visa and immigration costs dropped from 36% to 23%.
Relocation Benefits
- 72% of companies provide no relocation assistance, down from 87% in 2021.
- Of those companies offering assistance, 19% provided tax consultation, up from 0% in 2021, immigration assistance almost doubled from 7% to 13%, and those offering assistance with household goods remained consistent (7% in 2021 and 6% in 2025.)
Home Office Setup
- Companies offering no assistance setting up an office for international WFA went from 33% in 2021 to 81% in 2025. The number of companies offering company-owned computers decreased from 42% in 2021 to 25% in 2025. None of the companies surveyed in 2025 provide office supplies, internet connection, home office allowances, or office furniture.
Required Travel to Home Office
- More than half (66%) provided no assistance for travel for required in-person meetings, while the remaining reimbursed for airfare/mileage (31%) and lodging (31%), meals (28%) and car rental (16%). There is a slight downward trend in all instances from 2021.
Salary Adjustments
- 55% of companies, down slightly from 58% in 2021, will adjust salaries up or down for international WFA moves, where 45% of companies do not adjust salary, a change from 17% in 2021.
Location Responsible for Payroll
- Employees remain on current country payroll for 52% of respondents in 2025, up from 25% in 2021.
Health Insurance, Pensions, and Personal Tax Coverage
- In 2021, 8% of respondents kept employees on home country plan, while 59% moved the employee to the new country’s plan. In 2025, the same number of respondents (27%) did both. Surprisingly, 20% of respondents did not provide any health insurance, up from 8% in 2021.
- Of the 74% of companies offering pension plans, 23% move the employee to the new country’s plan in 2025, compared to 58% in 2021.
- Fewer companies (80% in 2025) cover the cost of the employee’s personal tax requirements in the new country compared to 2021 (92%).
Holidays & Duty of Care
- In 2025, 50% of companies observe standard holidays in the new country, down from 67% in 2021; 40% observe standard holidays in the origin country, up from 17% in 2021; and 10% observe holidays of both countries, up from 0% in 2021.
- A slight increase (from 50% in 2021 to 52% in 2025) provide duty of care support similar to international assignees.
Remote Work for Local Employees
A new category for the 2025 survey, since the prevalence of remote work among local employees has seen a significant shift - driven by technological advancements and the lasting impact of pandemic-era adaptations. While fully remote positions have long been in place, hybrid models for local employees are increasingly becoming common, varying by tenure, position, and the number of days per week employees are allowed to work remotely.
- 25% allow full-time remote work, up to five days a week, 21% up to two days, and 17% up to three days
- 63% of organizations provide employees access to multiple unassigned workspaces when they are in office, 46% provide dedicated workspaces, and 4% provide space for a small group of employees to share while they are in the office.
- Future outlook:
- 58% plan to maintain current programs.
- 38% plan to minimize remote work programs by reducing the number of employees working remotely or reducing the number of days allowed per week.
- 4% plan to expand their program by allowing more employees to work remotely or increasing the number of days allowed per week.
- None of the respondents indicated they will go fully remote or are working toward eliminating remote work programs entirely.
Conclusion
NEI’s 2025 U.S. Domestic and International Work from Anywhere and Remote Work Survey reflects the maturation of remote work, with domestic WFA widely accepted while international WFA remains complex due to tax, compliance, and legal risks. Organizations balance flexibility with risk management, leading to stricter policies and increased reliance on tracking tools.
For more information, or for a complete copy of NEI’s 2025 U.S. Domestic and International Work from Anywhere and Remote Work Survey, please contact your NEI representative or visit neirelo.com.
The above article is provided for informational purposes only. Please consult your tax, legal, or accounting advisors before making any decisions or transactions.
