Dwellworks at WERC APAC25: Shaping the Future of Asia Pacific Mobility

WERC (talenteverywhere.org) has hosted another successful global mobility summit in Singapore. Co-located again this year with GBTA’s APAC 2025 Conference (gbta.org), the WERC APAC 25 summit brought together over 300 global mobility leaders from across the Asia Pacific region for spirited discussions about the current state of global talent mobility and the opportunities ahead for this dynamic region of the world. 

On Dwellworks behalf, I was honoured to host a session at the conference, Shaping the Future of Mobility in Asia Pacific, joined by panellists Shivvani Aggarwal, Formula Group (India), Akhbar Hameed, Graebel (Singapore), Gordon Chui, Nomad Temporary Housing (Hong Kong), and Anna Kavelj, Elite Woodhams Relocation (Australia).  

With such a distinguished and experienced panel, it was no surprise that this was a very insightful and far-reaching discussion on a number of key topics affecting mobility in APAC at present – and included thoughts and opinions on how the industry may develop in the future.  

APAC Prepares for Another Unprecedented Era  

The last few years have been nothing but a whirlwind for the talent mobility industry – and this has been particularly true for Asia. Not only did we experience long-lasting and intense impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, but the region has also seen major upheaval and reshaping from the current global trade wars.  

It seems that every year when we meet, we have used the term ‘unprecedented’ to describe the year before. While this has been a recurring theme for many years, I remember specifically that at WERC APAC 24, many of us were saying that we just had to make it to the end of the year, commercially and politically, wrap up the few remaining global elections, and then things would finally calm down and re-establish stability in our global mobility patterns. 

That’s not quite what happened. In came 2025, and with a new administration in the US, the playbooks have again been tossed out and many of our carefully laid plans (and budgets) have been thrown into disarray. WERC CEO Anupam Singhal, in his closing comments at WERC APAC 25 described the current situation across our industry as akin to what the internet industry went through during the dot.com bust in the early 2000s. There is no arguing with the level of disruption and uncertainty, and yet business and mobility continue to find their way, however tentatively.  

Why Explore These Topics in Global Relocation Now?  

Anupam is right. The mobility industry as a whole has taken a hit over the last few years. Between lower volumes, greater corporate uncertainty, higher operating costs, inflationary spikes, new solutions disruptors, and supplier price pressure, the global state of our industry is indeed one of challenge and caution.  

And yet, while this all holds true from a global point of view, it is equally the case that the APAC region continues to be a driver of global growth. GDP growth in the region overall is estimated at about 4.0% for 2025 and even higher for fast moving economies like Cambodia and Indonesia. Compare these numbers to expected GDP growth in the US (just under 2%) and the EU (hovering at just above 1%), and it’s clear why all eyes continue to be on Asia.  

With this as background, the panel was enthusiastic in their look ahead and explored how providers in the APAC talent mobility ecosystem can support their clients’ agendas while positioning themselves to grow, thrive, and create value in our own dynamic economic backyard.  

Read on for a summary of what they had to say.  

Key Observations on APAC Talent Mobility Trends and Opportunities  

Hot Markets 

• All eyes are on India, with some panellists suggesting that 2025 was perhaps ‘the year of India’ and others even going so far as to call it ‘the decade’ 
• China is less central to discussions for inbound assignments, but continues to emerge as a major market (along with India) for generating outbound assignments and relocation opportunities to EMEA and Southeast Asia  
• Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand were referenced as hot inbound locations to continue watching  
• Hong Kong is making a measurable comeback, with several government-led initiatives to bring in new talent taking shape 
• Singapore activity remains stable and has gradually returned to manageable and sustainable volume after the spikes of 2022/2023 
• Australia is also a consistent destination for corporate mobility assignments. In this volatile global marketplace, companies value stability and security, and as Anna Kavelj at Elite Woodhams Relocation noted, Australia meets those criteria in particular 

New Service and Solutions Needs  

In terms of new services needed for a new era, the panel had a few fascinating insights to share: 

• Australia’s expanded Work Health and Safety Code of Practice law requires employers to provide a mentally healthy work environment. This requirement has generated the need for additional destination services and cultural training to ensure that newly arrived employees to the host destination are integrated successfully into the local company and country culture, and feel safe, and secure in their jobs. 
• White-glove and VIP services are being requested more frequently. This may be because core services have been so sharply reduced in the recent past and employers are now realizing they need to provide more benefits to attract their key relocation/recruitment talent to the region. Akhbar Hameed at Graebel and Gordon Chui at Nomad both confirmed they have seen an increase in requests for VIP services, along with a client understanding that these services will incur an increased cost. It was reassuring to hear that companies value additional customized care for the talent they have invested in and are also willing to pay for the services as required.  

Corporate Expansion and Investment  

• In addition to consistent demand from energy resources employers, Australia has seen an expansion of relocation activity from companies in IT services, from AI developers to infrastructure for data centres. Global pharmaceutical companies are also growing in the country. 
• India, a global mainstay for technology and business support services, is also expanding its manufacturing base, especially in the semiconductor business  
• Across Southeast Asia, companies continue to shift and distribute their manufacturing outside of China in order to protect their supply chains and to be well positioned for the impact of tariffs. It was interesting to note that much of the relocation of these manufacturing centres has been initiated by Chinese companies themselves, who are building up infrastructure outside of China.  

Pricing and ROI 

• The war for specialized talent is real in Asia Pacific as it is globally. The panel noted a growing understanding among clients about the need to pay for customized VIP benefits and services. Overall, however, employers continue to face cost control pressures for their relocation programs.  

Rental Markets and the Cost of Living  

The costs of assignments in Asia Pacific have increased significantly over the past few years and the region should not be considered a ‘low-cost alternative.’ 

• Sydney is now the second most expensive rental location in the region, second only to Hong Kong. With a growing population, demand for housing exceeds supply, and the cost of basic services, like utilities, is higher in Australia because the population overall is small and widely dispersed across the country.  
• Shivvani Aggarwal at Formula confirmed that rental housing costs across India are higher than many companies expect, especially for properties that appeal to expatriates. Budgets need to be reviewed accordingly.  

Tech Realities  

• Even though the APAC region overall is young and tech forward, there is no expectation that AI solutions will replace the need for human services in talent mobility to and within the Asia Pacific region. 
• The APAC market is still focused on meeting a variety of needs across a diverse client and customer base and an expansive, culturally and economically diverse geography. For the immediate future, AI is being talked about, carefully reviewed and planned for, but not yet actively implemented across our particular industry. Of course, inevitably, AI assistants and agents will become part of the global mobility experience in region, but the topic is still in the discovery stage.  
• It was noted that expanding the use of technology in the relocation process will not necessarily bring down the cost of assignments overall, which are subject to multiple broader macro-economic impacts.  

‘What Got Us Here, Won’t Get Us There’  

Asia Pacific is a dynamic economic region, used to disruption and change. The mood at the conference overall was generally positive, even in the face of the immediate challenges. As our colleagues at the global business travel conference heard, 41% of global corporate travel spend in 2024 was in APAC, a much higher share than in North America, Europe, or the Middle East. The general expectation is for that expansion to continue.  

Growth does not mean more of the same, however. The panel discussion was focused on shaping the future and on defining how suppliers can be engaged as strategic partners in the talent mobility system. Collectively, the experts on the panel acknowledged that “what got us here, won’t get us there.” The value of our collective expertise is not only to execute on logistics, but to bring our years of local experience, enriched by analytics and fact-based assessments and recommendations, to clients to understand the risks and opportunities associated with global mobility to this diverse and demanding region.  

Dwellworks at WERC APAC 25 

In addition to the panel discussion that we were delighted to organize and moderate, Dwellworks and Dwellworks Living were exhibitors at the WERC mobility summit and attendees at both WERC APAC 25 and GBTA APAC Conference 2025. Our team of regional experts included Stuart Giam, our Singapore-based Client Services Director, Dawn Brandenburg, Director of Sales, covering the Pacific Rim both in the US and in Asia and myself, Vice President, Account Management, APAC. In dozens of client and prospective client meetings at the WERC and GBTA conferences, we were able to discuss our award-winning expertise and uniquely scalable solutions in destination services, intercultural training, and temporary living/corporate housing for Asia Pacific and globally. In a forthcoming blog, we will share our observations from the complete WERC APAC 25 summit and the GBTA APAC Conference 2025.  

About Dwellworks

Dwellworks is the world’s leading provider of accommodation and acclimation support services for the mobile workforce and business travelers. We specialize in global destination services, corporate housing, and intercultural training, as well as property management and real estate services in key US markets.

Our clients trust us to deliver personalized high-quality service experiences, powered by innovative technology and supported by our extensive local presence in hundreds of locations worldwide. Through our brands Dwellworks, Dwellworks Living, and Station Cities, we offer a comprehensive range of service options, global reach, local expertise, and passion for the customer service experience.

Driven by a commitment to excellence, we continuously pursue innovation and operational efficiency and invest in meeting rigorous global compliance standards for data security, financial management, and sustainability. Whether supporting corporate travel or relocation, domestically or around the world, we work in partnership with our clients to ensure talented employees and their families transition smoothly and thrive in their new locations.

For more information, please visit our company brands at Dwellworks.com, DwellworksLiving.com, and StationCities.com.