Global Mobility Laws: The Challenge Of The Metaverse

While the metaverse is full of potential for a global, mobile workforce, employers and employees will need to take special care to comply with different immigration, employment and social security requirements around the world.

Since the pandemic, remote and hybrid working models have become the new normal. While many employers are still figuring out how many days their employees should be allowed to work from abroad in order to attract and retain talent, the advent of the metaverse raises further questions still. Immigration, social security, employment and tax laws all tend to focus on a person's physical presence in a particular place. Employers with employees who work internationally face various compliance issues. Often, however, solutions can be found by applying private international law and international agreements such as social security or tax treaties. In EU member states, EU regulations determine which country's social security and employment laws apply