The Global Mobility Specialist certification signifies that those who hold it have mastered a body of knowledge and are committed to ongoing education to ensure that they remain informed about new trends, best practices, and evolution in the global talent mobility industry. For this reason, it is important that designees engage in continuing education (CE) activities and certify that they have done so. WERC’s GMS®/GMS-T® Recertification requirements are designed to help designees demonstrate that they have continued to grow their expertise.
Therefore, to retain the GMS®/GMS-T® certification, you must engage in 30 hours of CE each 3-year recertification cycle to update your understanding of trends, best practices, and standards in global workforce mobility.
Two Steps to Renewing Your GMS®/GMS-T®
Renewing your GMS®/GMS-T® essentially involves two steps:
- Complete 30 CE credits specific to international mobility management/global workforce mobility within your 3-year recertification period and not later than your renewal/expiration date.
- Remit the GMS®/GMS-T® Recertification Application and renewal fee prior to the end of your 3-year recertification period in order to renew for a new 3-year cycle.
What Counts Toward GMS®/GMS-T® CE Credits?
CE credits may be earned via two options:
- WERC’s offerings: Global conferences, MasterSeries events, global conference session recordings, global webinars, and/or online global courses.
- External organizations: Global conferences, global webinars, and other global educational opportunities that satisfy the approval criteria.
Approval Criteria for CE Opportunities
The content must be relevant to global mobility issues and on an intermediate or advanced level. That is, the education must be at a level expected for a person with at least two years of global mobility experience. Typically, if the content of the event relates to some aspect of the GMS®/GMS-T® training and adds to the person's expertise within the mobility field, CE credit is appropriate.
Length of Delivery
You can earn one CE credit for every 50 minutes of learning (excluding breaks, time to change session, etc.). All credits are granted in whole increments, with no partial credits given. For example, if a program is 1 hour and 15 minutes long, you will earn one CE credit. If you are attending a large conference that includes concurrent/breakout sessions, a session must run at least 50 minutes to be counted for 1 CE credit.
Method of Delivery
Events approved for GMS®/GMS-T® CE credit must have clearly stated objectives designed to augment the knowledge and skills of those who work in the global mobility field. Examples include: formal classroom instruction, a panelist venue, a round-table format, or a webinar.
Examples of Course Objectives
A program approved for GMS®/GMS-T® CE credits must have appropriate education objectives that are clearly stated. Some examples of such learning objectives include:
- Explain why the balance sheet is the most common approach used for temporary long-term international assignments.
- Recognize the challenges associated with arranging visas and work permits for spouses or partners.
- Define strategies that uncover the critical support needs of families proposed for international assignment.
- Predict the impact of a global team's cultural make-up on team interactions and how values and norms act as influencers.
- Identify strategies to mitigate the risk of generating stealth expatriates.
- Describe how new security initiatives affect the international household goods shipping process.
- Define the responsibilities of HR managers in implementing proper travel and safety precautions for employees living abroad.
Note that global mobility is a rapidly changing field—the possible topics for education are endless; the above are provided merely as examples.
WERC CE Opportunities
WERC has a rich menu of CE credits from which you can choose.
- WERC Conferences:
- Global Workforce Symposium (GWS) (October) - CE credits vary
- APAC Meetings - CE credits vary
- LATAM Meeting - CE credits vary
- Other WERC Meetings - CE credits vary
Please check WERC's website for a list of upcoming events. CE credits awarded vary by meeting and range from 3 to 15.
Please check WERC's website for a list of upcoming webinars.
Additional Courses:
Please check WERC's website for other potential courses that may be available for GMS®/GMS-T® CE credit.
Education Offered by External Organizations
WERC recognizes that GMS®/GMS-T® designees have a great deal of valuable education available through a variety of sources. To ensure that you have every opportunity to fulfill the CE recertification requirements, as mentioned previously, WERC will accept CE hours from other organizations so long as they meet the approval criteria guidelines that ensure that the education is relevant to the practice of global workforce mobility.
Pre-approved Education from External Organizations
Please note that an organization wishing to advertise a course as a GMS®/GMS-T® CE opportunity may request pre-approval for a course/conference for GMS® credit. To do so, the organization must complete the Application for Approving Outside Courses, which can be obtained here.
If you complete an educational opportunity that has been pre-approved, you must provide the 5-digit reference ID when uploading the credit(s) in your account.
Submitting GMS®/GMS-T® CE Credits
The GMS® designation is valid for 3 years. Your renewal date will be July 31st. To renew your GMS®/GMS-T® for each 3-year cycle, you must earn 30 CE credits every 3 years.
You may renew your GMS®/GMS-T® designation as early as four months prior to your renewal date upon completing the 30 CE credits. For example, if your renewal date is July 31, you may renew as early as April 1st.
Educational Opportunities and Credit
Educational opportunities provide one CE credit for every hour of learning (not counting registration time, breaks, meals, exams, networking, etc.). All credits are granted in whole hour increments. If you are attending a large conference that includes concurrent/breakout sessions, each breakout session must run at least 50 minutes to be counted for CE credit and must have clearly stated objectives.
Maintaining Documentation
You must maintain back-up documentation (including confirmation letters, certificates of completion, and/or payment verification), as we may require proof of attendance or participation in an educational opportunity. If we contact you for required documentation, you must provide it to WERC within two weeks.
GMS®/GMS-T® Credit Hour Carryover
The CE requirements are designed to help GMS®/GMS-T® designees demonstrate that they are maintaining a current and up-to-date understanding of the field of global mobility. For this reason, if you earn more than 30 CE credits within a 3-year recertification period, you may not carry over the extra credits to the next recertification period.
What if My GMS®/GMS-T® Expires?
If your GMS®/GMS-T® designation expires, you will no longer be eligible to display the GMS®/GMS-T® after your name in professional correspondence, in your social media profiles, or in any public medium.
If you decide to reinstate your GMS®/GMS-T® at some point in the future, you may do so by passing an online GMS®/GMS-T® Reinstatement Examination. Note that there is a fee to take the exam, so we encourage you to keep your GMS®/GMS-T® current. Your recertification cycle will then start again at that time.
Staying in Touch with WERC
It is your responsibility to inform WERC of changes to your contact information (i.e., address, company, name, email, etc.) as they occur. Please update your changes to your "My Profile."
For instructions to update your contact information, please visit WERC's Help Center.
WERC’s Professional Development department is available Monday through Friday to assist with any questions candidates may have about the GMS®/GMS-T® training program and any questions a designee may have about his or her certification.
- Phone: +1 703 842 3400 Option 3
- Email: GMS@worldwideerc.org
- Address: 2001 K Street, NW, #300 Washington, DC 20006