The magazine for expats

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia simplifies Iqama renewal for expats

Renewing your iqama (residence permit) will now be easier. The General Directorate of Passports of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has introduced new regulations for expatriates.

New Zealand

Accelerated visa procedure for in-demand jobs in New Zealand

Faced with ongoing labor shortages, New Zealand is simplifying the process for obtaining a residence permit. Published in April, the updated list of critical skills highlights many opportunities for foreign talents, particularly in healthcare, telecommunications, and engineering.

Everyday life

Retiring overseas: The real risks behind visas, taxes, and investments

Foreign retirees represent a valuable demographic for many countries. They bring steady financial resources, stimulate local consumption, invest in real estate, and sometimes contribute to the local economy through entrepreneurship or volunteer work. Recognizing these benefits, many governments actively compete to attract retirees, offering special visa programs, tax incentives, and other benefits designed to make relocation easier and more appealing.

Expat news

Luxembourg

Which sectors are recruiting in Luxembourg?

On March 31, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg updated its list of occupations facing severe shortages. The authorities have identified 22 sectors where Luxembourg employers are struggling to recruit.

Spain

Spain scraps Golden Visa: Effects on the real estate market

Announced in April 2024 and confirmed by several statements from the executive branch, Spain's Golden Visa is no longer being issued as of April 3, 2025. Only applications submitted before this date will continue to be processed.

USA

Impact of US gender policy on international travelers: What you need to know

Following President Trump's return to office and his issuance of decrees that undermine the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, numerous countries have issued travel warnings.

See all

Content from our partners

Features

Everyday life

Expat life: From honeymoon to integration

Euphoria, doubt, frustration, adjustment, motivation, hope — relocating overseas stirs a wide range of emotions, often contradictory. Leaving behind your country, your relationships, and your familiar surroundings marks a major life change. How can you navigate these emotional stages in the best possible way?

Work

Challenging gender roles in international careers

Living abroad can sharpen the visibility of gender stereotypes, especially in professional settings. Women are often seen as following their partners overseas, expected to fill their days within expat social circles. Men face their own clichés: they are typically cast as ambitious professionals, sent abroad for a strategic career move, often into senior roles. Why do these outdated views about gender and international careers still persist?

Schools & studies

How countries include students with disabilities in school

Including students with disabilities is a significant challenge for education systems everywhere. What conditions help these students feel welcome? How can teaching adapt to better support them? Different countries take very different approaches depending on their beliefs, resources, and cultures. Here's a quick look at how it varies around the world.

Work

Is it OK to call in sick? How cultures handle time off for illness

Sick leave isn't just a policy—it's a cultural signal. While it may seem like a standard clause in an employment contract, sick leave practices reveal much about local workplace norms. In some countries, taking time off due to illness is discouraged or seen as a sign of weakness. In others, employees are trusted to manage their health, with no need to provide a medical certificate for the first few days of absence. So, how do you navigate these differing expectations when working abroad?

Everyday life

How to stay active in your new country

Living abroad introduces you to many new experiences: a new university, a new workplace, and new friendships. How do you navigate these changes? How do you thrive in your new life overseas? Here are some essential tips for maintaining an active lifestyle while adapting to your new surroundings.

Formalities

How to avoid being stateless

Statelessness, while not widely recognized, is often mistakenly viewed as an issue affecting only undocumented individuals who flee to another country. However, various circumstances can lead to statelessness. What measures do governments take to prevent such situations and safeguard affected populations?

See all

Expat interviews

Everyday life

Author Melanie Cheng discusses the impact of a bicultural upbringing on identity

Join us as we explore the journey of Melanie Cheng, a writer profoundly influenced by her upbringing in Hong Kong and Australia. Her unique bicultural background has deeply shaped her perspective and voice as a storyteller. Today, Melanie shares insights into how navigating two distinct cultures has enriched her writing, offering a nuanced exploration of identity, belonging, and the complex interplay of language and tradition in her work.

Everyday life

Barbara Boyle: A journey from advertising in the US to the Italian countryside

Meet Barbara Boyle, a former Creative Director and writer who has worked with global brands and lived in major cities worldwide. Now retired in a 300-year-old farmhouse in Piemonte, Italy, Barbara shares her journey from the fast-paced world of advertising to a serene life amidst vineyards and orchards, and discusses her latest writings on her life in Italy.

Everyday life

Interview with Jen Barnett: Insights on living abroad and cultural integration

Meet Jen Barnett, co-founder of Expatsi and a seasoned entrepreneur with over 32 years in marketing. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Jen now lives in Mérida, Yucatán, where she helps others find their perfect home abroad through the innovative Expatsi Test. In this interview, Jen shares her experiences and insights on living overseas, adjusting to new cultures, and finding joy in the expat lifestyle.

See all

Insights from professionals

Everyday life

Is relocating overseas a good idea during an early midlife crisis?

Moving to a new country won't solve your problems, but should you do it anyway? Well, it depends. It depends on you and your mindset. It is easy to imagine that relocating overseas will transform us into better versions of ourselves.

Work

6 ways to successfully integrate into the workplace as an expat

The first day at a new job is always daunting. Stress, exhaustion, loneliness and nervous excitement are all common emotions but add on top of that, culture shock, language barriers and trying to settle your family into their new life abroad, it can all get overwhelming.

Everyday life

Tips from an expert: Taking care of your mental health as an expat amid the pandemic

Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a source of discomfort for expatriates, not only because of the distance from their loved ones but also due to lockdowns and health restrictions. Emanuela Brusadelli, a Professor of Clinical Psychology and the Deputy Director of the Professional and Clinical Psychology Programs at Wollongong University School of Psychology in Australia, tells us more.

See all

Expat stories

USA

Entrepreneurship in the USA: The E2 visa amid the Covid-pandemic

As the year 2021 comes to an end, we're hoping for this very stressful period for expatriates all over the world to be over. Expats living in the USA on an E2 visa have been faced with a particularly complicated situation. In addition to the pandemic's impact on their businesses, they will also have administrative difficulties obtaining visas or even their renewal.

Everyday life

Life as an expat in South Africa

From October 1, 2021, South Africa moved to Alert Level 1 after multiple Covid-19 peaks, and life is slowly getting back to normal. Hannah, an expat from the UK, was lucky enough to relocate to Cape Town in September following her husband's intra-company transfer. She shares her views about expat life in the country she now calls home.

Everyday life

Opinion: Does being an expat mean I'll always be the outsider?

Does being an expat mean always being the outsider? Not quite at home in your host country and a little bit of a stranger to your home country. Stephanie discusses how she navigates this identity as a Brit living in Paris.

Moving

Please, don't ask me these expat-related questions again

Expatriation started as a necessity when I was looking to progress with my academic studies of a Master's degree in England. However, it was earlier in my life, when I began travelling for leisure, that I figured out moving countries is a lifestyle I would like to revel in. Since 2007, I have lived and worked in five countries in Europe, Africa, and East Asia, and I am currently preparing for my next expatriation project. I may find it easier to board a plane and start all over again than deciding what to have for dinner, but the journey is not anxiety and sorrow-free. So, if you are interested in how a life away from everything you take for granted is, please don't ask me (or any other like-minded expat for that matter) any of the following questions — here's why.

Moving

Moving countries: Why I am more with less

I have always been very thoughtful about the things I own, and how I organise them in my space — whether it's the tiny studio in South Korea, the shared-flat in Ghana, or the two-floor house in Mauritius. I love change, and I see moving to a different country as an opportunity to reset my reality and rediscover myself; living abroad helps me look at things with fresh eyes and get rid of preconceptions. Packing is a big part of the whole moving process, and when you have to limit your belongings down to two suitcases, you reconsider the value of possessions. Here's how I learned to put my life on the scale and hit the 23 kg target.

See all

Expat of the month

Everyday life

Expat life in the UK between the Brexit and the pandemic

Angelica is originally from Verbania, Italy. It's been nearly ten years since she moved to the UK, hungry for independence and new experiences. She has also spent a year in Germany for her studies before going back to the UK and is currently in the process of obtaining British citizenship. She talks to us about living in London as an expat between Brexit and the Covid pandemic.

See all

Articles from our local editions

Mauritius

Mauritius weekly highlights: Trade talks with Algeria, oil recycling drive, and tourism concerns

Mauritius saw key developments this week. A proposed energy and tech trade deal with Algeria gained momentum. Moroil and Bioil launched a nationwide campaign to promote used cooking oil recycling. The trade deficit narrowed by 1.5% in February 2025, though both exports and imports declined. Tourism remains weak, with Q1 arrivals down 5.8% year-on-year.

Mauritius

How to enjoy Mauritian food without the extra kilos

Mauritians love their food — and they love when newcomers are curious enough to try it. With a cuisine shaped by many cultures, it's hard to resist diving in fork-first. Curries in every variety, dholl puri sold on the street, chili cakes eaten like snacks, and the famous Sino-Mauritian "mine bouillie" or "bol renversé" for lunch — it's all part of the experience. But during your first few months, the excitement of discovery can easily lead to weight gain and an unbalanced diet. So how can you enjoy Mauritius' food scene without sacrificing your health, especially if you're used to very different eating habits?

Mauritius

Labour Day in Mauritius: A chronicle of struggle, tradition, and reflection

Every 1st of May, Mauritius dons a singular mood. Labour Day, more than a mere public holiday, is a poignant echo of collective memory, a confluence of political fervour and familial joy. It's a day when the island pauses to honour the champions of the workers' movement, to rally behind ideals, or simply to lounge on sun-drenched shores. Amid fiery political meetings and breezy beach picnics, the celebration embodies the vibrant social tapestry of the nation.