Relocation Assistance Guidelines and Procedures

• Related Documents: Relocation Assistance Policy, Travel and Other Business Expenses Policy, Travel and Other Expenses Guidelines
  
• Unit or Role Responsible: Human Resources 
• Owner: Vice-President, Administration and Operations; Provost and Vice-President, Academic
• Approver: President
• Date Issued: 2026

I.    Purpose

The purpose of the Relocation Assistance Guidelines and Procedures is to support the consistent and transparent application of the Relocation Assistance Policy and its related activities.

II.    Scope and Application

1. The Guidelines and Procedures apply to:
   1. Employees who have received relocation assistance as part of their offer of employment with the University.
   2. Hiring Departments and Leaders responsible for administering and approving relocation requests and expenses in accordance with this Policy.
2. It covers all relocation assistance provided under the Policy and includes definitions, eligible and ineligible relocation expenses, reimbursement procedures, exception requests, cost recovery and repayment obligations and processes.

III.    Definitions

For the purpose of these Guidelines and Procedures, all of the definitions provided under the Policy apply.

IV.    Guidelines

1. Eligible Relocation Expenses
   All relocation expenses must adhere to the University’s Travel and Other Business Expenses Policy and Travel and Other Expenses Guidelines, which outlines the requirements for Employee reimbursements. The relocation expenses of the Employee’s Dependents are considered expenses of the Employee. 
   
   The following relocation expenses are eligible for reimbursement under the Policy:
   
   
   1. Transportation expenses by one of the following:
      1. Private automobile (one vehicle only) at the current reimbursement rate as per the Travel and Other Business Expenses Policy, inclusive of gasoline, oils and repairs on route.
      2. Economy commercial airfare
      3. Standard economy rail tickets
   2. Reasonable and actual travel accommodation costs for any of the following scenarios:
      1. Up to three nights during a scouting trip to look for housing. 
      2. While on route for the final move.
      3. Up to seven nights post arrival, if local accommodation is not yet available.
   3. Per diem amounts for daily meal expenses while travelling, for the Employee and each eligible Dependent, at the standard University maximum daily per diem rates as described on the Financial Services - Faculty and Staff Reimbursement web page.
   4. Reasonable costs of packing, unpacking, transporting and in-transit insurance of household and personal effects of the Employee and their eligible Dependents, from the old residence to the new residence.
   5. Reasonable costs for storage of household and personal effects of the Employee and their eligible Dependents for up to one month post relocation.
   6. Expenses associated with the relocation of domestic pets. 
   7. Transportation of one personal vehicle.
   8. Expenses incurred by a foreign national Employee and their Dependents to secure temporary work or study authorization in Canada, as well as for permanent residence applications, including:
      1. Government processing fees for work permits, study permits and permanent residence applications. 
      2. ​Legal fees towards securing work permits, study permits and permanent residence applications. 
      3. Medical examination by an IRCC-authorized panel physician, if required.
      4. Police certificates accepted by IRCC, if required.
      5. Language tests approved by IRCC.
2. Ineligible Relocation Expenses
   Any expenses not listed under Eligible Relocation Expenses are ineligible for reimbursement under this Policy. The Hiring Department, at their discretion, may consider expenses not listed for eligibility on a case by case basis. Ineligible expenses include but are not limited to:
   1. Travel related expenses for visits beyond the scouting and final relocation move.
   2. Reimbursement for airfare or ground transportation purchased using personal travel rewards or points.
   3. Per diem amounts for daily meal expenses upon arrival.
   4. Alcohol.
   5. Moves to/from locations other than the primary residence.
   6. Costs associated with transporting a second vehicle, boats or unusually heavy equipment, to the destination.
   7. Expenses associated with the sale and/or purchase of a house, including real-estate commission and legal fees/disbursements.
   8. Expenses associated with upgrades to the new residence.
   9. Expenses associated with breaking a lease (car, house or apartment) in the city/country that you are relocating from, including cleaning or repairs of a rented home to meet landlord’s standards.
   10. Newly purchased furniture, household items or purchased luggage.
   11. Mail services and forwarding, bank fees and foreign transaction fees.
   12. Disconnection or connection of any utilities, services, equipment fixtures or appliances.
   13. Vehicle and driver registration, driver records, car-safety inspection, emissions test, car repairs, parking and traffic fees or vehicle rentals not part of your relocation package.
3. Taxes
   Employees who incur relocation expenses not covered by this Policy may be permitted to claim the excess as a deduction from income tax, subject to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) regulations. Employees are encouraged to obtain information about the income tax considerations relating to moving expenses, tax treaties with other countries and other such matters from the CRA or from a tax consultant.

V.    Procedures

1. Employee Relocation Expense Reimbursements
   Employees requesting reimbursement of relocation expenses under the Policy must follow the instructions provided on the Financial Services website under Submitting relocation expenses.
2. Hiring Department Cost Recovery
   All relocation expenses must be processed against the Hiring Department’s cost center first. Once posted to the general ledger, the Hiring Department may request a budget transfer up to the first $5,000 of eligible expenses from the central relocation funds. The Hiring Department submits requests via AskHR.
3. Exception Requests
   Candidates or Employees seeking an exception to the Policy must submit their request to the Hiring Department Leader. For any exceptions, the Hiring Department shall require the express and prior approval of either:
   1. the Provost and Vice-President, Academic for faculty hires, or 
   2. the Vice-President, Administration and Operations for Administrative Staff hires.
4. Confirmation Letter Requests
   Employees who require a letter from the University confirming details of their relocation assistance should submit a General Inquiry request through AskHR.
5. Repayment Agreement for Resigning Employees
   An Employee who has received relocation assistance and voluntarily resigns from the University within 24 months of their start date is required to repay a prorated amount of those expenses. The repayment amount will be calculated based on the portion of the 24 month period that the Employee has not yet served.
   
   The Hiring Department must immediately notify HR when a resigning Employee has received relocation assistance.