Features
In September 2019, 天美麻豆 invited expatriates to participate in a survey which aimed at uncovering their expatriation habits. Do expats usually settle abroad permanently or temporarily? How often do expatriates cut their life abroad short?
Everyday life
Moving abroad is a massive change. Uprooting your life to a whole new country is, in itself, no easy feat. And this can become even harder when moving into a country with a completely different way of life, laws and regulations that are the opposite of what you've always known like when you move from a liberal to a more conservative country. So how do you deal with this?
Hong Kong
The fall is non-negligible. In its latest report, ECA International (Employment Condition Abroad) ranked Hong Kong as the 93rd most attractive city for expatriates. The city stood at the 50th place in the 2018-2019 edition of the ranking. Hong Kong is far behind other major Asian cities: Tokyo is 3rd. Singapore keeps its 1st place (2019-2020 figures).
How to measure the real impact of the current context - political crisis, coronavirus - on the attractiveness of Hong Kong? What effects on the attractiveness of Hong Kong to investors, professionals and other expatriates?
England
If you've been following the news, then chances are, you already know that after a long three years, the UK has finally decided to move forward with its divorce from the European Union. One of the main issues politicians promised to tackle with Brexit was immigration. Fearing the loss of jobs for native UK citizens, the government's introduced a new points-based immigration system that'll go into effect on the 1st of January 2021.
Thinking of immigrating to the UK after that date? Then here's what you need to know.
Moving
When we move to a new country, we hope desperately that everything will work out and that we'll stay for as much as we plan to and maybe more. But unfortunately, things don't always work out. Whether it's due to personal circumstances or the law, there comes a time when some expats may have to either move back to their home country or somewhere else. But when you're dealing with a difficult personal situation, how do you know if you should persevere just a bit longer, or it's actually time to move on? We discuss some important factors to base your decision on.
Formalities
Settling down in a new country is no easy feat. Getting your head round all the new laws surrounding residency and your rights as a resident but also, if you want to, staying in touch with your home country's political and economic life is a lot to take in. Usually, embassies and consulates are present to help you settle in. But what exactly are their use to an expatriate? And more importantly, can one settle in a country where there is no diplomatic representation?
Netherlands
Recently, ECA International released its list of top 20 most livable cities for European expats. Four out of the 20 top cities were found in the Netherlands with The Hague, Eindhoven and Amsterdam all being in the top 10. Quite obviously, this country is a highly attractive destination for those wishing to relocate. But why? In this article, we'll dissect the good (and the bad) of the Netherlands so you can decide for yourself if it's a good destination to move to.
Work
Paris is the number one city in the world for freelancing, according to Small Business Prices, a British business information site that has released, earlier in February, its ranking of the best cities to become a freelancer. When it comes to professional trends and working styles, one thing is certain: we have entered the age of the ‘digital nomad.' Around the world, professionals are abandoning office life in search of freedom and freelancing - armed with a passport and a laptop, their office might be a hammock in Thailand, a café in New York or a coworking space in Buenos Aires. But what if you don't want to move from place to place? How possible is it to establish yourself as a freelancer in a new country? What about visas and taxes? This article is a great place to start if you're thinking about making the leap into international freelancing.
Everyday life
Whether you've been living abroad for a while or you have just arrived, if you have an expat circle of friends, then you have definitely met the following types of expats. And if there is a type you cannot quite assign to anyone, then it is probably you!
P.S: We did not need to carry a study to find this out, we have enough expats here in our 天美麻豆's team ;)
Everyday life
Numbeo has just released its list of the safest and the least safe cities in the world. Abu Dhabi, Doha, Taipei, Quebec city and Charjah in the UAE are the safest cities while Caracas, Port Moresby in New Guinea, Pietermaritzburg, Pretoria and Durban in South Africa are the least safe, Numbeo found.
But should the safety levels of a country stop you from living your expat dream? Realizing your dream expat destination is not as safe as you might have thought doesn't mean you can't still have an amazing time. It just means you have to be smarter about it.
Read on for some helpful tips on how to settle in and stay safe after you've moved.
Work
More and more professionals worldwide are now switching to digital nomadism which makes it possible to work anywhere in a flexible way. Becoming a digital nomad also means being on the run for new opportunities at all times, with fast internet as your main tool. A recent survey conducted by Small Business Prices gives an insight into current digital nomadism trends and the places you should move to, given their benefits for your career.
Accommodation
While rents in expensive cities like London, Amsterdam, or Munich seem to have stabilised at the end of 2019, there was a significant rise in many European cities that used to be relatively affordable. The HousingAnywhere International Rent Index gives an insight into the saturated property market in Europe and what you should expect in the coming months.
Children
Movinga, a company which specializes in moving families abroad, has just published the results of their study on how family-friendly 150 cities around the world are. They took into consideration a total of 16 factors including quality of life in the city and the country, the unemployment levels, the quality of air, healthcare, safety, parental leave... Here are the top 5 best countries for families.
China
The disease outbreak has taken the world by storm. It started in China and is making its way through the countries around. But over and above the psychosis, the situation is changing the lives of locals and expats alike all over China. We spoke to a few of them to get an insight of what it is like…
Work
Last week, the Marketing Week's Career and Salary Survey in the United States released data on the gender pay gap in the marketing sector. The gender pay gap can be found across sectors and countries… but does it affect expats?
Formalities
At midnight on the 31st of January, the United Kingdom officially left the European Union after a three-year tug-of-war within the British parliament itself. So, now that it is done, what does it mean for British expats living in the EU and EU expats living in the United Kingdom?
Health system
Today, Asia is living in fear of a rapid spread of coronavirus, with 9,808 confirmed cases and 213 deaths, but that's not all. Dengue is also affecting many countries around the world, including Africa and the Americas. In Paraguay, nearly 7,000 suspected cases of dengue have been reported in the past three weeks. In 2019 only, more than a thousand people out of 3 million infected Americans have been reported dead. While the situation is alarming, indeed, there are some basic precautions to follow if you have just moved or are planning to move to a high-risk country.
Formalities
So you have decided to retire abroad? Have you yet chosen the country where you would like to spend the rest of your life? Age UK website recently published its study about the best countries to live in for the elderly. It comes as no surprise that Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Australia top the list for factors like security, life expectancy, etc.
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?
Open a bank account that suits you
Discover the best international banks to manage your money securely.
"