Expat news
Everyday life
New Zealand is reopening its borders to international travellers but in five stages. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern presented the reopening plan on February 3. So who can now travel to New Zealand, and under what conditions? When will expats be allowed into the country?
Schools & studies
On March 10, Barcelona City Council is organizing a conference entirely dedicated to the choice of school for the children of expatriates, a meeting which will be attended by experts and professionals from the education sector.
Everyday life
Are Ukraine and Russia about to go to war? While countries like Britain have urged their citizens to leave these countries and U.S embassies have pulled their non-essential staff out of the country, expats currently in Russia and Ukraine are either choosing to fly home or staying put while waiting for further information. Russian and Ukrainian expats around the world are also holding their breaths.
Everyday life
Although the Omicron variant is still strongly present, particularly in Europe, and a "BA.2" sub-variant is spreading like wildfire, many countries are gradually shifting to a new normal by lifting their restrictions in an attempt to revive their economies. In Denmark and England, there are almost no restrictions, while in Quebec and France, many of them no longer apply. However, scientists doubt whether now is the right time to drop the mask obligation. What are these countries strategies to fight Covid in 2022?
Germany
Germany is facing labour shortages and is looking for greater immigration to avoid economic crisis, according to Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy. Germany wants to attract 400,000 skilled workers from abroad each year, and to attract skilled professionals, it is raising the national minimum wage to 12 euros per hour.
Australia
Since December 15, 2021, working-holidayers are back in Australia. Could this be the first step towards the total reopening of the borders? While some feared another postponement, the derogatory border reopening was set for December 1, although cases of the Omicron variant were detected. This marks the concrete end of the "Travel Ban", and is quite encouraging for people who are looking to travel and move to Australia in 2022.
Work
The Nigerian Federal Government has recently granted 12,000 expatriate quota licenses to foreigners seeking to establish professional activities in Nigeria.
Everyday life
Africa is currently on the move. Despite the pandemic, African economies are growing, as evidenced by Morocco's new economic plan. Faced with new global challenges such as global warming, clean energy, health, etc., countries are committing themselves, relying on international talents. So what's on the offer for expatriates in Africa?
Everyday life
The economy is still struggling, businesses are closing their doors everyday, new variants… It seems never-ending. In this tense context, it is difficult to hear the calls for freedom from the non-vaccinated. What can unvaccinated expatriates expect this year?
Everyday life
There is a huge presence of expats in the United Arab Emirates. Of a total headcount of 9.9 million Dubai inhabitants, only 1.15 million are Emiratis, according to the Global Media Insight 2021. Most expats in the UAE are from India (27%) and Pakistan (13%), but the country has a big British community as well.
Everyday life
Since March 2020, the Covid-19 has created havoc around the world. Researchers are now encouraging populations to shift to the new normal, including vaccination and booster jabs. Most countries, even those that had a "zero Covid" strategy, are abiding by these recommendations. But how does this affect the lives of expats and moving abroad plans?
Visas
In 2021, the expat population in Saudi Arabia is 13.49 million and is very diverse, with various ethnic and linguistic groups from Asia, Europe, and America. Yet, while trying to retain the highest talents, the country remains very selective when it comes to immigration.
Work
Canada is considered one of the best countries for expats to live abroad. It has a stable economy, politics combined with the quality of life. Canada has a high human development category (HDI), 16th out of 189 countries in 2019. However, the dream of many expats of moving to Canada can be challenged as the system for categorizing occupations, the National Occupational Classification (NOC), will change its occupation classification by Fall 2022.
Everyday life
The Covid-19 pandemic has taken another dramatic turn with the Omicron variant. South Africa, Zimbabwe, the United States and Russia are panic-stricken, and things are hardly any better in Europe. While Asia looks better on the surface, there are substantial disparities between countries. Most of them are pleading for full vaccination and the booster dose. But until this can be achieved, health restrictions are reintroduced and reinforced in some countries. So what will the end of the year look like?
Mauritius was not spared from the global economic crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Expat.com carried out a survey with expats living in Mauritius to understand how this has affected their stay here. Data shows that 77.03% of expats have been affected by this rise and as a result, 37.8% of expats have had to reconsider their future on the island and 14.3% have decided to move back to their home country.
A survey by Expat.com reveals that 73% of British expats have been affected by the rise in prices. This economic crisis has even caused 21% of British expats to review their plans with 4% deciding to leave their host country.
Cost of living
A survey by Expat.com reveals that 51% of American expats have been affected by the rise in prices over the past year. This crisis would have even led 10.5 % of the American respondents to leave their host country.
These are the results of a survey conducted by Expat.com during the months of September and October 2021. Over 8,000 participated in the survey, of which more than half were future expats from all over the world.
Other Types
Work
Labor shortages in some sectors are playing out alongside unemployment rates that, depending on the country, remain stubbornly high. Young people are particularly at risk of failing to find work in their field or anywhere else. So, how are young professionals thinking about moving abroad in this climate?
Argentina
As an expat who has made South America's Southern Cone my home, I explained last year why Latin America is the new frontier and how to get residency here. This year, I've been spending a lot of time in the new Land of Opportunity: Argentina. After taking a chainsaw to inflation, President Milei is now wielding the magic wand of citizenship by investment to foreign investors in Argentina.
Everyday life
Expat life is often seen as an exciting adventure: a new country, new opportunities, and a rich cultural experience. Moving abroad represents, for many, a major life project — one filled with hope and the promise of a fresh start. When you make that move as a couple, it can feel even more reassuring. You're not going it alone; you have each other, with the shared belief that this change will bring you closer and create lasting memories together. And it truly can. But living abroad also brings profound upheaval: the loss of familiar landmarks, constant cultural adjustment, distance from family and friends, and sometimes a complete professional reinvention. All of these factors can unsettle not only your individual sense of balance but also the foundation of your relationship.
Everyday life
In an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), stated that the current energy crisis is "worse than those of 1973, 1979, and 2022 combined." Compounded by the war in the Middle East, the crisis is pushing governments to fast-track their energy transition policies, from fuel taxes and vehicle use restrictions to incentives for remote work. Should expats brace for lasting disruptions to their daily lives? And how can they adapt to this new reality?
Costa Rica
It is the 4th-happiest country in the world. For the first time, Costa Rica has broken into the top 5 happiest countries on the planet, and it is the first Latin American nation to reach the upper ranks of the list. This strong showing mirrors Costa Rica's reputation among expats: the country consistently ranks among the best places to live abroad. So what makes Costa Rica so appealing? And how do you go about settling there as a foreigner?
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