HUB International has announced the expansion of its Global Benefits practice, repositioning it as a solutions offering for multinational employers rather than a traditional benefits placement function.
The move reflects a broader shift in how large brokers are approaching the international employee benefits market, as multinational employers push back against fragmented arrangements that generate duplicated costs, compliance exposure and inconsistent employee experience across geographies.
HUB's expanded practice combines centralized strategy with local execution, covering global health and welfare benefits, compensation and total rewards, actuarial and pension solutions, global mobility, emergency assistance, M&A consulting and in-country solutions. These are coordinated through HUB GlobalView, a proprietary digital platform providing centralized visibility into benefits data, reporting and governance across all countries of operation.
Denis Guay, president of HUB Global Benefits, said the expansion reflects the belief that multinational employers have historically received a lower standard of advisory service for their international workforces than for their domestic programs.
"Multinational employers deserve the same strategic rigor and long-term partnership for their global workforce that they expect from their domestic benefits advisor," he said. "We are focused on helping clients manage their global workforce with clarity and confidence."
HUB operates in every Canadian province and territory except Nunavut, with its Canadian arm comprising six regional retail entities alongside HUB Financial, Cansure wholesale and Totten Insurance Group 0 one of more than 24 HUB subsidiaries registered in the country.
The firm has also completed 42 acquisitions in Canada, including more than 13 Canadian employee benefits and pension brokerages. That footprint means the Global Benefits practice expansion is a direct extension of a deeply embedded Canadian distribution network.
The domestic pressures facing that network are acute. HUB's own 2026 benefits outlook flagged rising drug costs and mental health claims as the top pressures for Canadian plan sponsors. Canadian health benefits costs were forecast to increase 7.4% in 2025, with GLP-1 drugs alone adding approximately 1.2 percentage points to the expected cost trend.
The 2026 group insurance forecast anticipates benefit costs rising between 8% and 10% for the year, with 82% of employers citing cost as their biggest concern.
Canada's provincial benefits landscape also creates a compliance burden that is routinely underestimated by international employers entering the market.
The gap between what Canadian law requires and what Canadian employees expect is wider than most international companies realize. Each province has its own rules governing vacation entitlement, public holiday pay, paid sick leave and workplace safety standards, while Quebec operates a distinct framework for parental and safety benefits.
HUB's repositioning raises the competitive bar at the top of the market. As one of the most active consolidators in the Canadian broker channel, HUB's move to offer a more integrated, data-driven service to multinational clients is both a retention tool for existing Canadian accounts and a new basis for competing in the international employer segment.
Meanwhile, the inclusion of M&A consulting within the expanded practice is also significant in the Canadian context.
Cross-border transactions involving Canadian entities create immediate benefits integration challenges, from harmonizing provincial health and welfare plans to managing pension liabilities under federal and provincial regulatory frameworks.
HUB's revenue reached US$4.8 billion by 2024, and the firm was valued at US$29 billion following a minority stake investment by Toronto-based Altas Partners and other global investors in May 2025, a capitalization that suggests the resources to sustain the investment in global advisory infrastructure this practice requires.
