Greater geographic mobility is essential for Sri Lankans seeking to compete on the global stage. However, this tends to be complicated by bureaucratic processes.
Sarrah Sammoon, Founder and CEO of Magellan Champlain, explains to Echelon how the firm helps high-net-worth individuals (HNWI), multinationals, and diaspora leaders navigate this landscape. Magellan Champlain seeks to redefine citizenship and mobility, focusing on inclusion and long-term impact.
What are the trends and factors shaping global mobility, and why was Magellan Champlain established?
Global mobility is being reshaped by new forces, such as geopolitical shifts, climate migration, digital nomadism, and the demand for greater access and flexibility. While talent and capital move easily across borders, immigration systems remain fragmented and difficult to navigate.
Magellan Champlain was established to address this gap. Founded in Sri Lanka in 1994 as an outbound advisory firm, it expanded into a full-service global mobility and immigration provider. In 2009, it became the first in Sri Lanka to offer licensed inbound immigration and relocation services, helping attract investors, expats, and corporate talent to the country.
Today, we operate across more than 25 jurisdictions, offering strategic, resultsdriven consultation to individuals, families, and businesses navigating complex global mobility needs.
What does the firm specialise in, and what has the journey looked like?
We specialise in global mobility strategy, immigration advisory, second citizenship and residency solutions, and corporate relocation compliance. We operate through three main verticals with MCIM (Investment Migration) offering tailored programmes for HNWI and families seeking second citizenships or alternative residencies, MC Global, providing comprehensive mobility solutions for Fortune 500 companies and regional multinationals managing assignees, talent deployment, and visa compliance, and MC Sri Lanka, delivering inbound services such as investor visa assistance, digital nomad relocation, and full destination support for foreign professionals, companies, and diaspora returnees.
From being Sri Lanka’s first formal visa advisory to winning global recognition, including placing second at the prestigious EMMA Awards in Singapore in 2016, we have led the way in demonstrating that a boutique firm from South Asia can compete at international standards. First place went to Dell, a global icon, showing how Magellan Champlain possesses all the qualities to compete with international giants.
What role can emerging market like Sri Lanka in shaping ethical and legal global mobility frameworks?
Sri Lanka, as both a talent-exporting country and an emerging destination for investors and professionals, is well-positioned to lead if it builds a digitised, policy-driven, and investor-friendly mobility ecosystem. We’ve actively advocated for reforming Sri Lanka’s immigration space, calling for greater transparency, higher regulatory standards, and global compliance benchmarks.
In 2025, the firm’s founder became the first Sri Lankan certified as an Investment Migration Practitioner by the Investment Migration Council of Switzerland, reinforcing our leadership in ethics and antimoney laundering. By raising the bar for both inbound and outbound advisory, Magellan Champlain aims to help Sri Lanka become a credible platform for global mobility, investment, and talent movement.
How does Magellan Champlain help HNWIs and diaspora leaders futureproof their citizenship and legacy strategies?
Magellan Champlain helps high-net-worth individuals and globally mobile families create long-term mobility plans that align with their wealth goals, family structures, and lifestyle needs. We personalise guidance on programmes such as Portugal’s Golden Visa and HQA, Malta’s residence and citizenship pathways, the US EB-5 and Intra-Company Transfers, the UK Innovator Visa, Canada’s Start-Up Visa, and Australia’s National Innovation Visa.
We also support former Sri Lankan citizens, those with Sri Lankan ancestry, and diaspora leaders in reclaiming citizenship through dual citizenship, naturalisation, and reintegration. This includes assistance with verifying lineage, navigating bureaucracy and securing documentation. For foreign professionals and investors, we offer advisory services on the Sri Lanka Investor Visa and relocation nomads for digital support, entrepreneurs, and assignees. We are also working to revive retiree relocation following the cancellation of the Dream Home programme. Magellan Champlain operates Global Mobility Desks for multinational and regional companies, providing immigration, relocation, and compliance support in close coordination with in-house HR and legal teams.
How are Fortune 500s and MNCs rethinking cross-border talent mobility, and how does the firm support them?
Corporate mobility is about risk mitigation, compliance, and business continuity. Post-pandemic, firms are facing greater scrutiny, stricter immigration controls, and increasing expectations from employees for flexible, legally supported work arrangements.
Magellan Champlain supports multinational corporations through its Global Mobility Desk offering, acting as
an embedded partner to HR and Legal teams through services such as strategic visa planning and workforce deployment, immigration and compliance management across APAC and beyond. We also handle onboarding and relocation for assignees and their families, along with regulatory risk assessments tied to business expansions.
What unique perspective does Magellan Champlain bring to redefining citizenship for a borderless generation?
To us, global mobility is treated as a strategic, human-centred decision, not a checklist. What sets us apart is our combination of global legal expertise and regional insight. Our team includes certified mobility specialists, immigration lawyers, and cross-border advisors with global experience. We work with Fortune 500s, HNW families, investors, and diaspora leaders navigating complex immigration systems and shifting policies while challenging passport privilege.
It is crucial to advocate for more equitable mobility access, especially for individuals from emerging markets and underrepresented regions. We help clients and HR leaders understand that mobility is about reputation, readiness, and long-term success.