The EU Pay Transparency Directive, adopted in May 2023, marks a significant legislative step toward reducing the gender pay gap across the European Union.
Welcome to the latest issue of Mobility Minute, a newsletter created by WERC. Every week, this newsletter will land in your inbox to keep you up to date on news from and about the talent mobility industry.
Here’s a quick glimpse of what you’ll find in this week’s issue:
The EU Pay Transparency Directive and Its Ripple Effects on Expatriate Pay
2025 Vialto Survey Reveals Gaps in Data, Strategy, and Talent Alignment
Navigating International Schooling in LATAM and Puerto Rico
The EU Pay Transparency Directive and Its Ripple Effects on Expatriate Pay
Programs & Policies | By Nino Nelissen and Max Gorissen
The EU Pay Transparency Directive (2023/970), adopted in May 2023, marks a significant legislative step toward reducing the gender pay gap across the European Union. It sets out ambitious obligations for employers—from salary transparency during recruitment to detailed pay gap reporting and justification of disparities. While much of the attention so far has been on national HR and reward functions, the implications for global mobility could be just as significant.
2025 Vialto Survey Reveals Gaps in Data, Strategy, and Talent Alignment
Programs & Policies
The 2025 Vialto Global Mobility survey, Mobility Matters, captures insights from 233 organizations across 35 countries and nine industries. The report outlines key themes—program maturity, talent alignment, data, technology, and operating model changes—while benchmarking policies, delivery, and best practices, offering a global view of current mobility management and future trends.
Navigating International Schooling in LATAM and Puerto Rico
Programs & Policies | By Marisol Dátiz Stevens
Relocating families often face their biggest adjustment through the school search. From bilingual programs in Puerto Rico to international curricula across Latin America, understanding local options and challenges helps mobility professionals guide families toward smooth transitions and long-term success.
The 2025 IMD World Talent Ranking reveals a shift in executives’ relocation priorities, with financial security and benefits now outweighing quality of life and cultural fit amid inflation, geopolitical crises, and cost-of-living pressures. Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Iceland lead the ranking, while the U.S. and China stagnate, underscoring growing challenges in sustaining global talent competitiveness. — IMD
New data show the gender pay gap in the U.S. widened in 2024, with full-time working women earning just 81% of men’s median income—the lowest share since 2017—as men’s wages rose 3.7% and women’s remained flat. Advocates warn that the backslide, fueled partly by wage gains for less-educated men and women leaving the workforce, signals a troubling stall in progress toward pay equity. — Axios
The U.S. Department of State now requires nonimmigrant visa applicants to schedule interviews at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence, with designated locations specified for countries where routine visa operations are unavailable. Exceptions exist for certain diplomatic, humanitarian, or medical cases, and applicants applying outside their country may face longer wait times and nonrefundable fees. — Travel.State.Gov
Major U.S. companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and JPMorgan Chase, increased their H-1B visa sponsorships in 2025, particularly in technology, consulting, and financial services, reflecting ongoing demand for highly skilled foreign workers. While these figures show growth, experts note that many approvals are renewals, transfers, or cap-exempt petitions rather than entirely new hires, and the overall H-1B program remains capped, highlighting competition among employers to retain existing foreign talent amid political scrutiny and domestic workforce concerns. — Newsweek
Microsoft, Paramount, NBCUniversal, and other big companies are enforcing stricter return-to-office policies, requiring employees to work on-site multiple days per week, with some offering severance for those unwilling or unable to comply. These mandates reflect a broader trend among large U.S. employers to prioritize in-person collaboration, even as many smaller companies maintain flexible work arrangements and remote options remain common. — The Washington Post
