Features
Leisure
This April if you feel like building your confidence as an expat and achieving a new goal, five popular expat destinations invite you to explore new places and make new friends via the challenge of taking part in a Marathon. Whether you are determined to make it to the finish line or be the race spectator cheering for others, being outdoors in your favourite city and joining the enthusiastic crowds will give you a new perspective of your host city.
Everyday life
You and your partner are in a secure and loving relationship, which has to undergo a temporary physical separation due to set objectives for career growth or personal development. It is true that this sole expatriation, which can be anything from a few weeks to many months, can bring some uncertainties and unexpected difficulties in the relationship. However, we believe that true love doesn't know geographical boundaries, and expat life can be a valuable experience for both — the one who departs and the one who stays behind.
Work
Often portrayed as an impoverished and underdeveloped continent, Africa has a more significant wealth than you could ever imagine. Its openness to the global market, along with its economic dynamism and some of its politically and socially stable nations, Africa holds many business prospects for foreign investors and entrepreneurs. For those looking to set up their business abroad, here are the top five countries where to invest in Africa according to the African Investment Index 2018.
Work
Are you thinking to recruit global talent to help you set up your business abroad or establish your brand in a foreign market? International recruitment can help you achieve your business objectives and boost your company's performance on an international level. However, before you rush into sourcing global talent, why not weighing first the pros and cons of working with people from overseas? We have compiled a list of the advantages and disadvantages of hiring an expat to help you make a well-informed decision.
Everyday life
The world seems to have risen above the worst financial crisis in modern history, and we are benefiting from some of the highest living standards humanity has ever known. At the same time, we have access to unprecedented technological, scientific, and financial resources, which can give solutions to environmental, economic, geopolitical, and societal challenges. But how ready are governments, businesses, organisations, and people to recognise how interconnected we all are, collaborate and deal with problems at a global level?
Leisure
Besides keeping you mentally and physically fit, sport has a much broader influence on the advancement of human rights, and social and economic development. Tomorrow we are celebrating the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and we thought that it would be a good idea to introduce you to some of the most popular expat destinations and their national sports.
Everyday life
Expat life is professionally and personally rewarding, but it can also be emotionally overwhelming. Homesickness is a feeling of anxiety and distress, which can stop you from making the most of your experience abroad. It is important to understand that feeling lonely, confused, and unable to adjust to the new lifestyle and environment is normal. However, the symptoms of missing home, along with the security and the routine that come with it should not be ignored or suppressed because they will devalue your expat project. We give you nine tips to overcome homesickness and start enjoying a fulfilling life abroad.
Everyday life
It's not the first time that you hear about the importance of networking for your professional and social life. However, for your expat life, building meaningful relationships is necessary, if you wish to thrive in your host country. You might be going through a bureaucratic nightmare with your visa, jumping through hoops to make your long-distance relationship work, or spending long hours in the office — yet, don't let these be detrimental to your networking efforts. Depending on who you meet, your life abroad can be very different, as well as your views on your destination. Here is our guide on how to make the most of networking and what to stay away from.
Moving
Whether you become an expat because you crave change, build an international career, or follow your spouse, expatriation comes with certain, and sometimes somewhat unexpected challenges. To find out how likely you are to cherish your new life abroad or how much of a devout expat you are, see how many qualities and skills you can check off our list. But, don't despair if you are not acing the test because, as long as it does your heart good, you can learn some of these skills.
Everyday life
This year's World Happiness Report links together the happiness of two groups of citizens — the migrants and the local people — and assesses how the levels of happiness of each group interact and affect one another. In the past 25 years, international migration has raised by 91 million people. Reportedly, migrants are more productive at work, earn higher income, and feel safer in the host country. But which countries lay the groundwork for a happy life for migrants and locals alike?
Moving
Your expatriation project is soon coming to an end. During your expat life, you acquired new skills; experiences changed you; you made new friends, and have possibly established new priorities. Now, it's time to pack again — but this time to go back home. We recognise that repatriation can be as challenging as starting afresh in a new country. Thus, we have composed a step-by-step guide to successful repatriation.
Everyday life
Your employer has just placed you on an international assignment, and you wish to know what living standards to expect in your new city. Mercer, the largest human resources consulting group, ranks the quality of living for 2018 in 231 cities based on different categories — from the political and social environment, economic conditions, healthcare, and education, to public services, housing, natural environment, recreation, and availability of goods. Expat.com presents the five most competitive cities in the world when it comes to good quality of life and attraction of global talent and foreign investment.
Everyday life
The human population is growing at a fast rate, resource demand is increasing, polluted water is wasted, and climate change aggravates droughts and floods. This year's World Water Day is about finding nature-based solutions to overcome the current water challenges. Reforestation, restoration of wetlands, and sustainable management of freshwater and wastewater can rebalance the water cycle and improve billions of immediately affected people's well-being worldwide.
Leisure
The benefits of forests for Earth and all of us who are on it are plentiful — they absorb carbon and reduce the effects of climate change, cool the air, scale down noise pollution, filter water, prevent flooding, and are home to a vibrant biodiversity. This year, if your expat project is unfolding in any of the countries below, you are very lucky because they have some fantastic forests to celebrate the International Day of Forests in.
Health system
To make the most of your expat project, it is very important to stay healthy in your host country. Depending on where you are settling, there are different health risks to consider and preventive measures to take. For example, in Ghana, you should beware of malaria and in the UK of colds and the seasonal flu. However, we have composed a universal guide to good personal health. So stop procrastinating your new healthy routine and enjoy your expatriation while you are in the best of health.
Cost of living
In the past five years, the global cost of living has dropped from 85.5% to 74% — great news expats and expats-to-be, isn't it? How ever, before we cause a stir, we would like to point out that even though during 2017 the world witnessed the fastest economic growth since 2011, the cost of living is fluctuating depending on various indicators; and it's often quite unpredictable. This article looks into the ten most expensive cities for 2018, stemming from the Worldwide Cost of Living report, which has studied 133 cities and the prices of 160 products and services. Money, they say, don't bring happiness. What if, in some cities, they do?
Leisure
Travel and leisure are an unquestionable part of the expat life. In Europe, the close proximity of different cities offer an amazing opportunity to go and explore your new home and neighbouring cities and all that they have to offer. So if you're moving to Europe, Expat.com offers you some insight into the most beautiful Instagrammed cities, according to a survey conducted by Hertz.
Formalities
European countries such as Spain, Portugal, and Malta are popular among pensioners, though many are unable to afford to retire there. Greece, however, offers a similar quality of life at a lower cost.
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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