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Corporate Relocation Survey 2026
CORPORATE RELOCATION SURVEY 2026
ATLAS® IS IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL
Atlas® is pleased to bring you this 59th edition of our annual survey, the industry's first and longest-running study revealing trends and insights into corporate relocation policies and practices.
As we have done every year since 1968, we consider the demographic, geopolitical, and economic shifts affecting our industry. We analyze the findings and uncover the trends to understand the evolving challenges more clearly—and learn how we, as relocation professionals, can answer them.
SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS
Survey results come from responses by 549 decision-makers, with a responsibility for relocation, and employed by a company that has either relocated employees during the past two years or plans to relocate employees in 2026. Over 20 industries are represented, making regional, national, and international relocations.
Overview AND Insights
Corporate relocation showed resilience, with more than half of companies reporting increased employee moves and expectations for continued growth in 2026. Budgets for relocation also rose, reflecting organizations’ ongoing commitment to talent mobility despite broader economic uncertainty. While most companies expanded their programs, a smaller share experienced declines, highlighting varied employer experiences. Overall, relocation remained a key component of workforce strategy, supported by sustained investment.
Corporate relocation was influenced by a mix of external pressures and internal business priorities. Economic conditions, talent availability, housing volatility, and regulatory changes shaped mobility decisions, while international relocation levels remained largely stable despite H1-B visa policy shifts. At the same time, company growth, increased production, and organizational restructuring impacted moves from within. Together, these factors show that relocation activity was shaped by both market forces and strategic business needs.
More companies reported employees declining relocation, with family ties and housing concerns emerging as the leading reasons. Finding a place to live, moving, finding new schools, and securing employment for a spouse or partner can be stressful parts of relocating. In response, many employers expanded family-focused benefits, housing assistance, and mental health support to ease the transition. The findings highlight how personal well-being and employer support play a central role in workforce mobility.
Companies reported a year-over-year decrease in almost all types of formal relocation policies, introducing more flexibility and evaluating how well those policies supported talent goals. Many reported making exceptions to relocation policies, collecting employee feedback, and prioritizing recruiting and retention when refining their programs. Reimbursement structures and assistance offerings remained steady, with domestic moves, temporary assignments, and international relocations anchoring formal policies. Overall, relocation practices balanced consistency, cost management, and responsiveness to employee preferences.
Productivity, talent acquisition and retention, and workplace culture were the primary factors driving workplace strategy decisions. As return-to-office and hybrid models continued to evolve, organizations maintained their investment in technology, including AI, to better enable hybrid work environments and elevate the overall employee experience.
Artificial intelligence adoption expanded across organizations of all sizes, with most companies reporting increased use and planning further growth in 2026. AI tools were most commonly applied to budgeting, talent processes, and workforce oversight, while interest in next-generation AI agents (a system that autonomously performs tasks) was high. Around one-fourth of companies reported that they reduced their human workforce due to AI technology, while around three-fourths invested in training to build new capabilities. The findings suggest that AI is becoming an integrated part of relocation and workforce strategy, supported by a continued emphasis on human oversight and skills development.