Pro Link Global: Corporate Buzz

Promotion Spotlight | 1 DEC 2011

PLG is very proud to announce the following promotions with effect from 1 December 2011.

Beverly Gingell - Director, Finance
Katharine Salem - Director, Global Immigration Group
Lavinia Pascariu - Manager, Global Cases
Debra Stonebraker - Procurement Analyst
Cassandra Spalding - Coordinator, Marketing

Two other very important promotions that preceded this big day, are:
Cassandra "Ange" Jean Louis - Global Immigration Consultant
Natalie Rose - Global Immigration Consultant

Congratulations to everyone. Pro-link GLOBAL is very proud of you and the efforts you make on a daily basis.

Pro-Link GLOBAL Opens New Singapore Office

Singapore, Singapore - 8 Nov 2011: Pro-Link GLOBAL (PLG) has announced the opening of a new branch office in Singapore, as part of the company's continued geographic expansion to increase its presence in key growth markets in support of its global strategy.

The new Pro-Link GLOBAL Singapore Pte Ltd offices are located in the very central Market Street area with quick access to the Immigration Department Ministry of Manpower offices being paramount. The team is headed up by seasoned immigration expert, Jacqueline Au, who has spent the last 10 years making Singapore Immigration her forte. She has worked for reputable relocation companies managing their Immigration departments, and served as KGNM liaison to Pro-Link GLOBAL in her previous role.

The Singapore office is part of a broad strategy of investment that PLG is making in Asia and follows the recent opening of new locations in Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin. This gives PLG a direct presence in more than seven Asian locations including China, Malaysia and Singapore.

The expanded presence in Singapore will enable PLG to increase its level of service to clients and partners across the Asia region and deliver more advanced and high-value solutions across many industries. PLG already serves a number of key clients in Asia spanning sectors including finance, legal, IT, telecommunications, electronics, and government.

PLG is also engaged in an active program of corporate citizenship across the world. Since 2009, PLG has deployed its most talented employees on projects in Singapore, Shanghai, Tianjin, Hungary, Bulgaria, Brazil, London, Spain and Poland with the aim of fostering training, development and job creation.

Pro-Link GLOBAL wins at EMMAS in Chicago, Sep 2011

"The EMMAs are the Oscars of the Global Mobility profession and winning an EMMA is the ultimate recognition of professional excellence. The FEM received over 200 nominations for our 2011 US EMMAs." (FEM)

Pro-Link GLOBAL, who was highly commended in two categories at the 2010 EMMAs, is a proud recipient of two runner up awards for the year of 2012. Andrea Elliott, Senior Counsel (Foreign), received runner up for Global Mobility Professional of the Year. In addition, Pro-Link GLOBAL received runner up for Tax/Legal Services Provider of The Year. Katharine Salem, Practice Manager was also nominated for Global Mobility's Rising Star.

Pro-Link GLOBAL will be featured in upcoming issues of Global Mobility Magazine and ExpatSafe Journal.

Katharine Salem (Practice, Manager) and Glenn Faulk (Manager, Knowledge Management) of Pro-Link GLOBAL will be featured in upcoming issues of Global Mobility Magazine and ExpatSafe Journal.

"Emerging Trends: "Best & Brightest" Schemes Impact Expat Recruitment and Immigration Compliance," will be featured in the October issue of Global Mobility Magazine. In this article, Glenn Faulk and Katharine Salem pull back the curtain on how countries, not companies, are sweetening the deal to lure these highly-specialized workers to enhance their country's economy while placing the onus of immigration compliance squarely on the host company, and what this means for HR and Global Mobility professionals.

"RUSSIA | Adapting its Immigration Laws to Integrate Skilled Migrants," has been featured on page 26, in the most recent issue of ExpatSafe Journal. In this article, Katharine Salem and Glenn Faulk provide a general overview of how Pro-Link GLOBAL is working with one of its U.S. clients to quickly mobilize several key overseas personnel under the recently-announced Highly-Qualified Professional (HQP) worker category, and the key areas that any company should note when considering sending overseas assignees under this new talent scheme.

Pro-Link GLOBAL at Worldwide ERC® Global Workforce Symposium in Denver | Booth #527

Pro-Link GLOBAL is excited to be attending the Worldwide ERC® Global Workforce Symposium in Denver, Colorado from October 12th to 14th and we would love to see you there!

Pro-Link will be exhibiting at booth number 527.

In attendance will be:

Ann Merritt - Director, Client Services

Lavinia Pascariu - Sr. Global Immigration Specialist

Deirdre Potter - Manager, Keiretsu Global Network

Please come and say hello, we are looking forward to seeing you!

Pro-Link Hosting Global Immigration 101 Webinar

Pro-Link GLOBAL will be hosting a webinar on the "Basics of Global Immigration," related to International Assignments.

We will cover the basics of Global Immigration and how it relates to the different phases for sending a corporate employee on an International Assignment. You may have noticed that there has been an increase in the need to ensure that corporate employees have the proper work authorization documentation prior to arriving into the host location for their assignment. With short-term assignments (less than 3 months), it is critical to obtain the necessary work authorization to prevent putting the corporate employer (or partner/client in the host location) at risk.

We will be presenting on this topic on Tuesday the 9th of August 2011 at 10:00 a.m. EDT. Seats are limited, please reserve now with our Client Services team at clientservices@pro-linkglobal.com.

If there are any other topics that you would be interested to see covered, we would welcome your suggestions.

Pro-Link GLOBAL announces the promotion of Maude Bullen-Smith to Manager, Global Cases

Maude Bullen-Smith has over five years global visa and immigration experience as a Senior Immigration Specialist, and joined Pro-Link Global in 2009.

Located in the London office of Pro-Link GLOBAL UK Ltd, she reports to Katharine Salem, Practice Manager. "Maude's extensive experience and comprehensive understanding of Pro-Link GLOBAL's projects is a tremendous addition to the Practice Team Management, and of enormous value to our clients" said Katharine Salem.

Maude has managed several large multinational companies global immigration program, and is supported by a strong team in EMEA. She speaks 6 foreign languages, including German, Spanish and French.

In 2005, she earned a Master of Arts ( Intercultural Communication and European Studies) from the University of Applied Sciences Fulda, Germany, and graduated in 2002 from the University of Cape Town, South Africa with a Bachelor of Arts (European and Mediterranean Studies).

HHRLN: U.S. and Global Immigration Trends An Overview for HR Executives on Immigration

Program:
In today's uncertain times, companies face challenges as they operate and compete on a global scale. These social and economic challenges impact companies hiring foreign nationals and transferring their global workforce.

Please join us in addressing timely immigration law updates and government trends. Our program will focus on practical "how-to" advice and strategy on crucial immigration issues.

This breakfast program is offered at no charge. Seating is limited to invited guests only.

Review of Work Visas and Application/Admission Procedures:

With stricter scrutiny from U.S. and global immigration and labor agencies, companies must carefully adhere to attestations made for work permit applications. We will address vital records, practical strategies and internal client needs and timelines.

Immigration policy:

With tighter government security and internal economic concerns, companies must carefully develop local and/or global immigration policy and determine appropriate visa/work permit needs. We will discuss policy concerns and practical needs, and compare policy to industry standards.

Compliance:

We will also assess local and/or global regulatory standards; and review government trends on compliance.

Location:

The Houstonian Hotel
111 North Post Oak Lane
Houston, TX 77024
United States of America

Pro-Link GLOBAL Corporate Global Immigration Services Continues to Recruit and Develop Top Talent

Bradenton, FL (PRWEB) December 18, 2010

Pro-Link GLOBAL, Inc., a boutique global corporate immigration firm (which recently won Highly Commended in two Expatriate Mobility Management Award categories - for best legal services provider and for Global Mobility Professional of the year) is adding yet more industry leading lights to the team. Their latest success story is the recruitment of Katharine Salem, a qualified paralegal with a professional doctorate in law and over seven years of combined U.S. and global immigration experience. Katharine will be based in Texas, USA, and joins Pro-Link as Practice Manager.

Prior to joining Pro-Link GLOBAL, Katharine held the position of Global Case Manager at a leading U.S. immigration law firm. She joined that firm in February 2007 and was responsible for much of the start up of the global immigration department and co-counsel relationships. Katharine went on to manage the global team, participating in HR conferences, client presentations and business development in addition to working directly with the corporate clients and global co-counsel partners. She spearheaded the firm's global development, creating partnerships with co-counsel in several countries and developing the expertise of the global team.

At Pro-Link GLOBAL, which is the only visa and immigration services firm where all employees are Six Sigma Certified, Katharine will lead our global immigration practice team in providing top level global immigration services to our clients, including work permits, entry visas, residence permits, renewals, registrations, assistance with exit procedures, and complex consultations to any country in the world where services are permitted by law.

Pro-Link GLOBAL's phenomenal growth in recent years (400% growth in the last four years) has led to great opportunities within the firm. Beata Firosz and Latchi Delcheva, who have earned their stripes as global immigration specialists over the last few years, have now both been promoted to Manager, Global Cases. Latchi and Beata will directly manage two teams of consultants within the Practice. Additionally, Christen Gause has been appointed Manager, Business Immigration and now leads a team of consultants specifically dedicated to business immigration services, such as business visas, Apostilles, legalizations, vital records and so on.

Pro-Link GLOBAL's virtual structure means that our teams are made up of global and business immigration specialists spread across the globe, spanning multiple time zones and cultures (over 80% of the Pro-Link team is multilingual; between them, they speak 17 languages fluently). The challenge of managing multi-cultural and geographically diverse teams is something which Pro-Link GLOBAL's new managers are uniquely suited for and are relishing.

Pro-Link GLOBAL is proud to be a leading niche provider of high touch concierge visa services. Andrea Elliott, Pro-Link's founder and Senior Counsel (Foreign), said, "I am so proud of what we have achieved at Pro-Link GLOBAL. Our newly appointed managers have demonstrated their commitment and skill and deserve the recognition they are receiving. Katharine's extensive global immigration experience and her legal and management expertise is obviously going to be of great benefit to the Pro-Link GLOBAL team. I can't wait to introduce her to our clients - I know they will rate her as highly as I do."

It Could Be the EMMY's. It is the EMMA's. Ladies and Gentlemen of the

Pro-Link GLOBAL has been shortlisted for the Expatriate Management and Mobility Awards (EMMAs), sponsored by The Forum for Expatriate Management (FEM). These awards recognize industry leaders, business successes and rising stars in global mobility. Pro-Link GLOBAL is being considered for Best Legal / Tax Services Provider of the Year, along with E&Y, PriceWaterHouseCoopers, KPMG and HA&W. The winners will be determined by a panel of judges representing different areas of the global mobility industry around the world. FEM will be awarding the EMMAs at a ceremony in New York this October and in a second ceremony in London this November.

Pro-Link GLOBAL is proud and honoured to be nominated in the category. We are listed alongside big names - E&Y, PriceWaterHouseCoopers, KPMG and HA&W. Firms like these have a reputation for professionalism, accuracy, attention to detail, as well as lobbying power, influence and connections. They aren't usually so well known for being flexible, people minded or big-hearted.

Pro-Link GLOBAL is striving to achieve that harmony; we set our professional standards very high, and at the same are also committed to offering something more to our clients, both internal and external. From our mission statement, it is evident that we have more than just our own existence at heart. What makes us unique in a "Jet Blue Airlines way" is that Pro-Link is a virtual company. All our employees work virtually, from home offices, which means that we have employees all over the world, and in all sorts of cities and countries. Yes, this model presents challenges; however we find that, particularly in the world of global mobility, the kinds of challenges virtual working presents actually stretch us and develop our ability to communicate across borders and time zones with our clients.

Being "virtual" also means that our staff have flexible working times, we all have home offices set up, so we can meet client demands for late night or early morning conference calls with ease, and we can also meet our personal commitments more easily. We've recently published an article on virtual working, available in the Resources section of this website.

We genuinely feel that we lead the rest of the pack when it comes to innovation.

In addition to our "virtual" working style, all our employees are granted a "philanthropy" day every quarter, to donate time and resources to their local community. Pro-Link also donates generous financial resources to the local community.

A key differentiator is how we partner. We work with our "suppliers" in a different way to our competitors. Our co-counsels and local vendors are part of our Keiretsu Global Network. Keiretsu is a Japanese term used to describe a grouping or family of affiliated companies that form a tight-knit alliance to achieve each other's mutual success. We truly offer a global service with local connections, because our local partners are trusted partners; not just suppliers.

In terms of cost management, of course working virtually has plenty of advantages. The money we save on not having brick-and-mortar offices goes back to our clients directly. When our clients hire us, they pay for our services and our time and not for our fancy offices or canteens.

What has being nominated as a finalist meant to us? We have learned that we aren't perfect, but we are flexible and nimble; a benefit that our clients in the global mobility and relocation fields value.

Most of all we are extremely grateful to our clients, our partner offices, and our colleagues for giving us opportunities to develop, every day.

Fingers crossed as the envelope is handed over on Monday 4th October 2010 at The Hudson Theater in NewYork, New York.

Immigration Services Firm Pro-Link GLOBAL Appoints Sophy King Director, Knowledge Management

An eminent lawyer James Boswell once wrote in the late 1700's, "He who has provoked the lash of wit, cannot complain that he smarts from it." Pro-Link GLOBAL provides immigration services and support for relocation companies and US immigration lawyers, has heeded that advice, "got smarts" and brings a pre-eminent author herself, Sophy King, on board.

Sophy has an international background herself and has lived in many of the countries she offers guidance on. After graduating with a Masters Degree in Oriental Studies (Chinese) from Cambridge University in 2000, Sophy then spent two years on assignment in Japan. She has lived in Moscow, Russia; Vienna, Austria and Qingdao, China. A multi talented linguist, Sophy speaks Mandarin, Japanese, German, Spanish, French and Russian she is uniquely gifted to help Pro-Link GLOBAL's mission to provide support for relocation companies and US immigration lawyers who do not offer global immigration services themselves.

Sophy joins Pro-Link GLOBAL from a major global immigration services company and has worked in the global immigration field for the last seven years. Sophy specializes in the EMEA region, though her extensive experience also covers the Asia Pacific and Americas regions.

As noted by Andrea Elliott, Senior Global Immigration Lawyer with Pro-Link GLOBAL, "It is a rare event, that an accomplished linguist and immigration services expert, like Sophy King, comes along. Pro-Link GLOBAL, is honored to have her country expertise and wealth of client implementation knowledge on our team."

Sophy has distinguished herself within the industry; she has published several articles on global immigration issues and is a frequent speaker on immigration trends and hot topics. Sophy will continue authoring and publishing articles and publishing industry updates via the electronic news media delivered to our clients titled "Global BRIEF" and the Blog established as a "go to" resource for those in the know at http://prolinkglobal.wordpress.com

At Pro-Link GLOBAL, which is the only visa and immigration services firm, where all employees are Six Sigma Certified, Sophy will use her wealth of immigration expertise for the benefit of our staff and clients to help provide support for US immigration lawyers. Her role is also to provide customized consultations to our clients on complex topics all the while ensuring that our firms' broad global immigration services knowledge is refined and clearly documented in line with ISO Standards. Pro-Link GLOBAL is proud to be a leading niche provider of
high touch concierge visa services

Going for Gold -- Pro- Link GLOBAL, Inc Adds Global Mobility Specialist

Bradenton, FL (PRWEB) October 19, 2009 -- Pro-Link GLOBAL, Inc., a boutique Global Corporate Immigration firm, is pleased to announce that two employees recently completed their Global Mobility Specialist (GMS)^TMcertification.

Christen Gause and Ann Merritt both received their GMS^TM designation following completion of the three required training modules preceding the ERC Global Workforce Symposium in Chicago last week. The training covered applied expatriate policy development, strategies and tactics for global workforce mobility and the intercultural challenge of doing business globally.

GMS^TM recognizes the recipient has completed the instruction regarding the ever-evolving field of global mobility and related services. Pro-Link GLOBAL recognizes that in order to provide top notch service to our customers, our employees need understand issues and constraints that exist in the mobility process, allowing them to become partners in solving problems, meeting challenges and delivering excellent service.

GMS^TM has become a globally recognized designation among HR practitioners in the private and public sectors, among mobility service providers, and in the international real estate, tax and immigration field.

As noted by The Worldwide ERC, "When you invest in the GMS^TM credential, you become part of a global network of over 2,400 GMS^TMdesignees across 45 countries."

Christen Gause is a Business Immigration Specialist and manages all document procurement services such as translations, legalizations and Apostilles as well as business visa processes. She also researches and qualifies prospective Keiretsu Global Network Members (KGNMs) in host locations.

As Client Services Manager, Ann Merritt is responsible for ensuring that Pro-Link GLOBAL's service level expectations are being met or exceeded both internally and externally. Ann also works closely with our qualified KGNMs.