Features
Everyday life
Moving abroad is a real challenge. Unfortunately, not everyone is conscious of this! People who have never travelled or lived abroad usually have a lot of misconceptions about expat life. So here are some of the most common remarks you should expect from people abroad or your friends and family in your home country.
Everyday life
Moving abroad isn't an easy step, whether you are alone or with your family. It's much more than a travel plan; it's actually a long term plan. But even though you're well prepared, there are some things you've usually been taking for granted that will strike you once you're an expat.
Banks and finance
Today, international money transfers are a common thing. While some expats regularly transfer money to their families abroad to support them, others are trying to materialise their dreams. But regardless of your reasons for transferring money abroad, here are some key points to consider.
Everyday life
The UAE recently introduced a points-based rewards system to encourage its residents to eat healthy and keep fit. These points can be used to redeem a range of public services. But in many countries, healthy eating is an essential part of the lifestyle. Let's have a look at some of them.
Work
According to the International Labour Office (ILO), since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, nearly 305 million full-time employees worldwide have lost their jobs. Even though things have started to improve, there is now an urgent need for professionals to upgrade their skills to adapt to the needs of the global labour market.
Everyday life
In the COVID-19 era, many countries such as Canada, New Zealand and South Korea are placing their bets on immigration for economic recovery. Can immigration be the answer to the current economic downturn?
Everyday life
#alsjeblieftnederland is a new campaign launched by a group of expatriates in the Netherlands. In just a few days, the hashtag has gone viral within the expat communities. Expats are calling out to the government and the European Union to lift travel restrictions for family members from third countries.
Visas
The United Arab Emirates is looking to become a hub for creativity in the coming years and is letting no stone unturned. Dubai, the most popular Emirate, recently launched a cultural visa which is valid for ten years!
Everyday life
The figures are alarming! Mexico currently has a death toll of over 204,000 and more than 2.2 million COVID-19 cases. Still, the country has never closed its borders since the start of the crisis and keeps on welcoming expats from around the world. What's so special about Mexico amid the global chaos?
Everyday life
This surprising announcement came as a relief for a lot of working women in New Zealand. Thanks to a new law, those who have had a miscarriage will be entitled to paid bereavement leave. This is another way for the country to support and empower women. But what about bereavement and parental leaves elsewhere in the world?
Everyday life
Safety is a key issue to consider if you're contemplating a move abroad, whether as an expat or as a remote worker. Here are some tips from our guest blogger Jerry Nelson to help you choose your next destination.
Everyday life
We're currently in the Holy Week until Easter celebrations this Sunday. This holiday is celebrated in many countries around the world, but with different traditions. The COVID-19 crisis is affecting celebrations for the second year in a row, but this is what Easter looks like in normal times.
Everyday life
For the 4th year in a row, Finland has been named the world's happiest country. This comes as no surprise since the country has excellent systems at all levels, be it health, social, education, governance, etc. But what does happiness mean for expats around the world?
Health system
In many countries, mass vaccination has already started. While many still have negative thoughts, others are left in limbo. Expats who are not eligible for vaccination in their host country might have to go back home. This is what we know up to now.
Everyday life
Living abroad offers enriching experiences of growth, broadened perspective, enhanced cultural understanding. Yet its transition-rich, change-driven, cross-cultural nature can place considerable demands, leaving us stressed, disconnected, our identity in flux.
Work
Findings from a report published last week by the Boston Consulting Group and The Network are quite interesting. Today, less people are looking to move abroad for work compared to 2014. Still, there is hope.
Banks and finance
As expats, we often tend to ignore the fact that the national budget of the country we live in does have an impact on our lives too. In fact, many decisions and new measures can affect our daily life in various ways.
Banks and finance
As an expat in Argentina, it is essential for you to be aware of the exchange rate of the American dollar to Argentine pesos. Here is what Jerry Nelson, our guest blogger, has to say about it.
Other Types
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If you've been searching for a stable, profitable, and strategically located country to grow your business or diversify your investment portfolio, Panama should be at the very top of your list. Panama is not just a country with a famous canal. It is one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America, a regional financial hub, and a proven gateway for companies looking to expand across North and South America. With a dollarized economy, a territorial tax system, world-class logistics infrastructure, and investor-friendly immigration policies, Panama offers a unique combination of advantages that few countries in the world can match.
Everyday life
Moving abroad is often associated with adventure, discovery, and new opportunities. While it can be a deeply enriching experience, there is often a less visible reality behind the excitement of starting a new life abroad: exhaustion. In my consultations, expats sometimes describe a fatigue that never seems to lift, unusual irritability, a sense of disconnection, or the feeling that they are no longer quite themselves. What I have also observed is that this distress is rarely confined to one person. In expat families, when one parent begins to struggle, the entire family often has to adapt. Partners may feel isolated or lose their sense of direction, while children can pick up on their parents' stress, worries, or emotional fatigue, even when these feelings are never openly discussed.
New Zealand
Since June 1, foreign workers seeking certain work visas in New Zealand have been subject to new English language requirements. The government says the changes are intended to improve migrant integration and help prevent workplace exploitation.
Sweden
Since June 1, Sweden has tightened its work permit regulations. The new rules introduce higher salary requirements, stricter conditions for seasonal workers, mandatory health insurance in some cases, and increased scrutiny of employers.
Belgium
Belgium's latest reforms, which took effect on June 1, bring greater flexibility to the labor market in an effort to support job creation. At the same time, the government has introduced stricter requirements for non-European students.
United Arab Emirates
Foreign residents in the United Arab Emirates should take note: under UAE regulations, residence visas are generally canceled if the holder remains outside the country for more than 180 consecutive days. In most cases, affected residents must apply for a new visa before returning. However, several categories of expatriates are exempt from this rule and can retain their residency status despite an extended stay abroad.
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