Features
Work
Travelling and living as an expat is a passion for all genders, although women might not feel as safe as men for the massive violence cases all around the globe. But, on the other hand, that reality is changing. According to Harvard Business Review 2019, the number of women travelling alone has increased by more than 230%.
Children
Are you an expat or planning to move to one of the following countries while considering to start a family in a non-traditional way? Adoption is another way to create a loving family by welcoming a child that couldn't be raised by its birth parents. However, many are disheartened due to the lengthy and expensive adoption process. 天美麻豆 has made a list of the countries that encourage international adoption and support applicants in every step, making the process smoother and less costly.
Everyday life
Thursday, February 24, 2022, will be a memorable day for Ukraine and the rest of the world. Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa and Dnipro are attacked by the Russian military forces. The Russian president decided to ignore the warnings of the UN Security Council (convened to resolve the crisis between Ukraine and Russia) and announced the beginning of a military operation while the Ukrainian president called for peace. The rest of Europe condemn an unfair war started by Russia. Locals and expatriates in Ukraine are plunged into uncertainty and fear. One week has gone by, and the population prays for peace. Here are some testimonies from members of the 天美麻豆 community.
Work
Too old to travel? Too late for a new adventure? Why would it be? Too late to settle down? Never! This is a message for all the aspiring expats doubting if age is a limit to their possibilities to move and pursue their career overseas. The real answer is: it will be a limit only if you want it to be.
Tax
Remote working and digital nomadism have been on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic. More and more people are starting a new life abroad without necessarily being aware of the tax rules and requirements in their expat country. Taxes are far from being their primary concerns. And yet, tax residency is a crucial factor, considering that there are tax treaties between your expat country and your home country, and depending on your personal situation. How can expats be in line with tax rules?
Everyday life
Love is one of the strongest feelings in the world. It is a game where heroes show that they are stronger than time, distance and adversity. This occurs every day, even if we don't know it, but now it happened on a large scale as a consequence of the pandemic. The closed borders and the difficulties to see our loved ones made this situation almost unbearable for many, but the protagonists in this story, nothing less than heroes, work hard to overcome the difficulties and are here with their valuable testimonies.
Everyday life
An ultimate weapon to constrain countries, embargoes affect all spheres of the economy. While most negotiations are done between central economic and political authorities, little consideration is given to the population, including expatriates. Yet, they are direct victims of these measures that often result in a lack of resources, shortage of raw materials, medical emergencies, insecurity, etc.
Everyday life
"Expatriate", "immigrant", "migrant". These words are intriguing for foreigners who live abroad for various reasons: crises – migratory, economic, political – adding more tensions. How do we define an expat and an immigrant? What about those who have moved abroad indefinitely? And why is this topic debated with such passion?
Everyday life
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted expats lives around the globe, and it still has implications on the plans of people who are planning to move abroad. If travel conditions and visa processes were not very fun, it can currently cause a lot of distress and even make some give up on their plans. Still, there are things to consider before moving abroad during the pandemic.
Work
Cross border workers are people who live in a country and work in another, and they might as well be expats. When you live near a border, you might have to travel and work in another country for various reasons (better career opportunities, more attractive working environment and wages, etc.). In Europe, hundreds of thousands of people cross borders every day to work in France, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy or Spain. While it is a well-established system, it wasn't spared by the Covid pandemic.
Everyday life
January 20, 2021-January 20, 2022. Since Joe Biden swore in as the new President of the United States, he has faced a lot of challenges, both nationally and internationally. Trump protested against the results and had his supporters' back. After the invasion of the Capitol, Joe Biden promised to reunite Americans. Today, Biden has engaged to unravel Trump policies, bring the population together, revive the economy, among others. While his ambitions are high, the opposition is strong too. Add to that a never-ending pandemic, inflation, etc. What should expats expect from Biden for 2022?
Everyday life
For decades, societies have conveyed the image of women as trailing spouses, but things are changing worldwide. More and more women are travelling and moving abroad alone, as a couple, as a family. Indeed, women no longer have to hide their ambitions in a patriarchal world. Today, more and more men are encouraging their spouses to follow their dreams and careers, sacrificing theirs. Who are these men, and how do they get along with their new role as trailing spouses?
Banks and finance
A change in the exchange rate can instantly change an expat's life, especially if they earn in one currency but spend in another. Exchange rates are directly linked to expats' budgets. Currency convertibility works in a similar way to stocks and shares. The more attractive the currency is, the more it is in demand, and the greater the value will be. Likewise, the opposite is also true, which leads to the currency being devalued.
Everyday life
Higher food costs and the energy bill crisis drove inflation in the UK to 5.4% in 2021 until December, up from 5.1% the month before, in another blow to struggling expats. Expatriates might be facing a hard choice between heating or eating.
Work
Getting a working visa is a big challenge, especially for expats from abroad interested in living in the north of the globe. During the pandemic, the visa process has increased its bureaucracy. Therefore, freelancing has been an opportunity for many expats to perform their dreams of moving to their hosts' countries and finding a way to make ends meet.
Everyday life
Fear has arisen just a few days before the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games. Covid has managed to filter through the "sanitary bubble". This means more tests, more control, and more restrictions for locals and expatriates. Borders remain closed, affecting international exchanges, whether commercial or educational. More and more foreigners seem keen to leave. Is mainland China about to experience an expat exodus too?
Everyday life
"Thank you Erasmus". Words of gratitude are raining on social media in millions of former participants in all languages. Founded in 1987, Erasmus is an international mobility program and marked its 35th anniversary on January 20th. On this occasion, here is an insight into the benefits of this program through expat testimonies.
Everyday life
In December 2021, Poland's parliament passed a media bill that aims to silence a news channel critical of the government in an unexpected move that will stoke media freedom concerns and reopen a diplomatic dispute with the US. With all that, how is it like to be an expat from Poland or one wishing to live there?
Other Types
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.
USA
Another blow for foreigners in the United States. On May 22, a memo from the US immigration services introduced a new rule aimed at limiting legal immigration. Apart from a few exceptions, Green Card applications will now have to be filed from the applicant's country of origin. What is the current situation?
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