Relocation process for faculty and senior management

Here are the essential steps to apply for reimbursement relocation expenses related to a new hire’s move to Vancouver or the Okanagan.

This guide includes all the steps an eligible faculty or senior manager needs to take when seeking reimbursement for relocation expenses.

Step 1: Discuss the terms of relocation

Your Hiring Department will negotiate the terms of relocation funding with you, using the Central Relocation Fund Contribution Table and policies.

Step 2: Finalize and confirm the relocation terms

The Hiring Department will confirm the terms of relocation funding by including it in the Offer Letter.

Step 3: Contact the designated moving companies to obtain quote(s)

With the confirmation of the terms, it is now time to gather the information to send to the moving company (or companies, you may want to obtain quotes from more than one of UBC’s designated moving companies).

Action: If you choose to work with QMM the Hiring Department and New Hire will need to complete a Contact and Information Sheet. The Hiring Department will send you this document with their section completed.

Please fill out the Information Sheet provided to you by your Hiring Department. You do not need to send this back to your Hiring Department.

Once you have completed the UBC Contact and Information Sheet, send the document to the Moving Company’s Relocation Coordinator. 

If you choose to get a quote from one of the CAUBO vendors – which includes AMJ Campbell and Armstrong – you will need to contact their relocation coordinator for any required documents that may need to be completed.

It is important to note that you must use one of the  moving companies designated by UBC or CAUBO in order to be successfully reimbursed from the Central Relocation Fund if you choose to use a moving company to help you transport your household goods.

If you choose to coordinate the move yourself, without the help of a moving company, UBC can reimburse certain expenses through the Central Relocation Fund. Please discuss this arrangement with the Hiring Department.

Step 4: Moving companies connect with New Hire to schedule a survey and provide quotes

A relocation coordinator from one of the Moving Companies will connect directly with you as the New Hire, if you need some tips on preparing for the move, review Moving Tips for more information.

Action: Please work with the Moving Company’s Relocation Coordinator to complete the survey.

A Relocation Coordinator will contact you to schedule a survey. They will send a local surveyor to do the estimate or perform a video survey remotely.

Please discuss with the surveyor if you are moving any of your household items under different arrangements (e.g. self-moving clothes, books or other items), Or if there are any high-value items, and if some of your household items are stored in another facility.

It is recommended that you allow the movers to handle the packing for you. Responsibility for damage to goods in a carton that you have packed is difficult to establish if there is no visible damage to the outside of the carton. Unless the carton shows obvious structural damage, the moving company won’t include these items in the Valuation of a claim for damaged items.

You may need to work with the Relocation Coordinator on several scenarios (adding or removing items) for your move and you may obtain several revised estimate quotes from the moving companies.

Please note you may require disassembly and assembly of some of your household items. In these cases, the moving company may contract a third party to perform these tasks. Please be aware that the cost of assembly/disassembly is not eligible for reimbursement from the Central Relocation Fund.

Step 5: Select the moving company and authorize the estimated quote

After the survey(s) is complete you can now select your preferred moving company. At this point, the Moving Company will now send an estimated quote to your Hiring Department.

Action: Once you have the final quotes from the moving companies, you may now select the moving company that best meets your desired schedule and budget. Please collaborate with your Department Administrator/Hiring Department to make the final decision.

If the moving company hasn’t copied your department on the preferred quote, please forward it to your Department Administrator/Hiring Department.

Continue working with the moving company’s relocation coordinator to ensure that everything is ready for the move.

Step 6: Complete the move and the final invoice

The moving company performs the relocation and sends a final invoice to UBC's Financial Operations for payment. 

Step 7: Claim other relocation expenses

For other relocation expenses, the New Hire will need to submit original invoices and receipts to your Hiring Department for payment or reimbursement of your eligible expenses. 

Please note that some expenses (such as immigration, taxation or financial services) are considered taxable benefits and will be included on your T4 statement.

Action: If there are additional expenses incurred during the relocation process, outside of the move itself, you will need to pay up front for any third-party service providers (e.g. accountants, airlines, hotels, private health-care insurance providers).

For information about planning and booking UBC-related travel (air, lodging, and vehicle rental), quickly, conveniently, and cost-effectively, please visit UBC Finance's Travel information.

You will then be reimbursed for these eligible expenses from the department’s budget. You will submit expense reports through Workday with original receipts and invoices. Please charge these expenses to the spend category: Employee Relocation. Please contact the Department Administrator from your Hiring Department for instructions on how to submit this claim.

If your Hiring Department pays up front for any relocation expenses that result in costs exceeding your total negotiated relocation allowance (including either the limit available from the Central Relocation Fund and/or any limit negotiated from the department’s own budget at the time the job offer was made), you are responsible for reimbursing your Hiring Department for the excess amount. 

Please discuss this issue with your Hiring Department.

Final notes for eligible faculty and senior managers

policies

Important forms and policies

Forms
- UBC Contact and Information Sheet for Relocation
- Relocation Reimbursement Claim Form
- QMM Shipping Method (or use as a general guide)
Policies policies
- Central Relocation Fund Contribution Table
- Policy HR6 – Relocation
- Policy FM8 - Business Expenses

Frequently Asked Questions

Look at our Frequently Asked Questions section for more of a selection of the most common relocation questions and answers.

Damaged or missing goods?

Moving companies do their best to ensure that moves and relocations go smoothly; however, with all the complexities associated with moving, there are times when items may go missing or get damaged in transit. Learn more about the Claims process for damaged or missing goods.

Original receipts

The Hiring Department should include original invoices and receipts in their reimbursement claims. If original invoices and receipts have already been used for earlier reimbursement to you, then they may submit back-up copies.

Leaving UBC 24 months after relocation

Please be advised that if you voluntarily leave UBC before 24 months, you will be responsible for reimbursing the University for the Central Relocation Funds paid on a pro-rated basis as per the relocation policy. The Hiring Department is responsible for calculating and collecting the reimbursement on behalf of the university.

Process checklists

If you would like to refer to a checklist as a summary of the process, please download the appropriate Relocation Process Checklist (PDF).

Note: The checklist is for QMM moves but may be used as a resource for other moves.

Workday resources

If you need help with processes related to Workday, visit the Integrated Service Centre.