Effects of rapid globalization and the growth of emerging markets such as China, India, Brazil and Russia have resulted in an increasing number of companies sending their employees abroad to manage corporate activities (Van der Velde, Bossink & Jansen, 2005). International assignments, which involve the transfer of employees internationally within a multinational enterprise, are generally premised on the expectation that the international assignee will return to the home country on completion of the assignment (Collings, Doherty, Luethy & Osborn, 2011). Experiences of the repatriation process are often negative, predominantly relating to stagnating careers within the organisation upon re-entry into the home country.