Features

Have you been offered a job abroad? Do you feel the need to get out of your daily routine? Do you dream of going away? But are you really ready to leave everything behind and move abroad? Here are five questions you need to ask yourself to find out...

The United Nations Climate Summit took place this September in New-York and the summit itself was largely overshadowed by the presence of young climate activist, Greta Thunberg. The young Swedish woman advocates for more efforts to reduce climate change. She even refused to take the plane to the United States in an attempt to encourage people to cut down their flying and therefore, help reduce carbon emissions. What can expats do to follow in the steps of young Greta Thunberg?

Climate is often a decisive factor when it comes to choosing an expatriation destination. Who would not want to move to a sunny, tropical island? Circumstances, however, often mean that you are most likely to end up in a country with harsher weather conditions than that. Here are some tips for choosing your destination and preparing for your new life.

Whereas a retirement plan should be a concern for every adult who wishes to spend their golden years in relative comfort, expats have a lot more to organise when it comes to their pension. Precisely, if you have been living and working abroad for many years, you cannot rely on what your home country's national pension scheme has to offer. To make things clearer and your expat life easier, we have put together some insightful information about retirement planning when working outside your home country.

The United Kingdom is known to have one of the strictest immigration policies. This October, however, settling down in the UK will be made a little easier. Conditions to apply for the Tier 2 (General) visa, the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa as well as the Start-up visa will change to make them more accessible.

When a couple decides to settle abroad, very often there is the person who leaves for work and the one who follows. And while both partners have usually properly thought through their decision, the entourage is not always very open-minded regarding the role of the “trailing spouse”. What are the questions expat partners get asked all the time but cannot stand?

The changes are part of a bigger immigration reform in New Zealand. The requirements for the Talent Work Visa, one of the most sought after ways of settling in New Zealand are toughening up. The changes will come into effect on the 7th of October this year.

Ahead of the 'Welcome to Switzerland' forum, happening on October 1st, Expat.com talks to Pierre-Marie Durécu, Communications Officer of the France-Switzerland Chamber of Commerce. He tells us about the business climate, and will make you consider moving to this beautiful country.

Moving abroad is often motivated by the quest of new career prospects, attractive wages, a higher standard of living, as well as quality of life. However, not everyone chooses the same path; some prefer to donate their time and energy instead of having materialistic rewards. International volunteering is a great way not only to boost your resume but also to benefit from an extraordinary experience abroad by helping to improve the lives of different communities. Three international volunteers share their views with Expat.com.

Ahead of the Expat Show Shanghai which will be on from the 20th to the 22nd of September we have had a chat with Christophe Rouillon. He is the director of ESSCA Shanghai, the Chinese branch of a French business school.

Many expatriates neglect proper planning for the event of passing away in their new country of residence. Some do not at all contemplate, neither plan for such an event. Even if there are a lot more exciting things to plan for when deciding to settle abroad, expats would avoid unimaginable problems and misery for their next of kin, friends, or embassies and consuls that have to deal with their passing away in their host country if they planned for the worst case scenario when going abroad.

Ahead of the Expat Show Shanghai to be held from September 20 to 22, we offer a series of expatriate profiles living in this Chinese city. Meet Annick-Ange Logmo and Laura Miens. They're both foreign students at the ESSCA School Shanghai but their experiences are different...

The Friday the 13th superstition is thought to originate from the last supper of Jesus where 13 individuals were present. Today, the superstition is alive and kicking and the fear of Friday the 13th even has a scientific name- triskaidekaphobia. It has given rise to a famous and very successful franchise of movies and it is also known to cause significant loss to businesses in the United States as a lot of people refuse to travel to work. But this is not the only, or even the strangest superstition. What are other superstitions around the world you should absolutely know about?

Ahead of the Expat Show Shanghai which will be on from the 20th to the 22nd of september, Expat.com has met entrepreneur Mike. After four years of living and working in Shanghai, Mike decided he wanted to offer visitors a unique way to discover the city. In 2015, he created Culture Shock- a company offering bike tours to visitors but most importantly, a complete immersion in the day-to-day life of this vibrant city.

The changes will only be operated as from the 26th of September. From this date on, visas E1 and E2 granted to French entrepreneurs will have to be renewed every 15 months instead of every 60 months. What are the implications of this change? Two experts give us their insight.

Singapore regularly tops the list of the most expensive cities in the world. In 2023, it tied with Zurich in first place among the most expensive cities in the world, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The same year, a report by Mercer called Singapore the best city for expats in Asia. However, in recent years, Singapore has been experiencing a continuous exodus of expats. Even those who have called it home for a long time are starting to reconsider.

The tech world, already shaken in 2022-2023, is still in turmoil. As AI continues to develop, other sectors will come under the scrutiny of multinational corporations. What does this mean for aspiring expats? Should this be seen as a risk for international recruitment?

To stand out on the international job market and further strengthen the position of the European Union, the European Commission announced the creation of a European diploma. What does this mean for potential international students in Europe?