Features
Formalities
Parliament has been suspended by Boris Johnson and whether Brexit is a deal or no deal remains to be seen. Keep an eye on the news to find out more about recent developments and what they could mean for the future of UK and EU relations.
Health system
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared their 10th Ebola outbreak in 40 years on August 2018. Since the beginning of the outbreak, over a thousand of confirmed cases of the disease and over 700 deaths have been reported, making it the second largest Ebola outbreak in history. And, on July 17 of 2019, the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in DRC a public health emergency of international concern.
Brazil
It has been more or less a month since the Amazon rainforest fires have started. While fires happen in the rainforest every year, it has been reported that there are more than 80, 000 fires which is 85% more than what was recorded last year. So, what do expats on ground have to say?
Work
Programa regressar or the return program has recently been put in place in Portugal to encourage skilled expats who have left the country to get back. Indeed, with the creation of the European Union and other agreement of this kind and the loosening of visa restrictions in bilateral agreements between many nations, people are able to travel to other countries whether for work or leisure purposes. International emigration translates to the movements of millions of people who move to other countries for any of a number of reasons. However, emigration can easily result in a ‘brain drain' as a country begins to lose its skilled workforce. What are other countries doing to counteract this phenomenon?
Everyday life
Making the decision to live abroad can be an exciting moment. When it comes time to announcing it to your loved ones, however, sadness or guilt can take over. So how do you say goodbye? This article gives you some tips for managing this situation.
Hong Kong
It has been six months since the unrest started in Hong Kong. Caused by disagreements over an extradition bill, confrontation between protesters and the police have been never-ending since February in the region. Does that mean expats could be considering leaving Hong Kong? It does not look like it just yet…
Everyday life
Gone are the days where the only way expats had to keep in touch with their relatives back home were letters that could take weeks and at times, months. Technology is revolutionising expatriation. In this piece, 天美麻豆 focuses on the mobile apps that you should not miss out on.
Everyday life
Vancouver is the world's friendliest city, according to Big 7 ranking. But this news has not been unanimously welcomed with the pride one would expect from Vancouverites. Here is the top 10 and here is what Vancouverites had to say about the ranking.
Canada
Quebec appears third in the ranking of the world's most secure cities in 2019 by CEO Magazine. Interesting fact: it is the only city in North America in the top 30 of this ranking. What makes it stand out?
Japan
Tokyo is the second best city for students according to the QS World Best Student Cities ranking 2019. Tokyo takes the second place for the second year in a row. Two years ago, that same city was stuck at the 7th position. How can one explain this sudden interest international students seem to show in Tokyo? What are they coming to Tokyo for?
Children
You can live for years in a foreign country and still never feel completely at home. And when you go back home, it is not a done deal either. Indeed, it is not always easy to find your bearings and feel like you belong in the country in which you grew up.. Does going abroad mean you will never stop struggling with your sense of belonging? 天美麻豆 tries to answer this question.
Work
There is no way around it. If you're uprooting your life to a whole other country, you are going to want to make sure your quality of life is better after your move. And chances are, one of the factors you will take into consideration is work-life balance. Will your new job, your new work culture allow you to spend enough quality time outside of work? Here are five cities where you will find work-life balance is taken to a whole other level. They are the best five cities for work-life balance according to Kisi, the world renowned security experts.
Children
Work, curiosity, quality of life (or all of these combined) are excellent reasons to move to a new country. But expatriating with a child brings some legit, culture-related points to the equation of the expat life. How does raising a child in an environment that is unfamiliar even to you as a parent impacts their upbringing and cultural identity? Read through to find out ways to help your child navigate through the culture of your host country, and make the most of being a Third Culture Kid.
France
The French Tech visa has just been reviewed. Since March this year, the program has allowed more companies to bring in skilled foreign labor.
England
The aim is to ensure continued top level research and innovation in the UK after a no-deal Brexit. Indeed, Britain's new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has announced plans to make it easier for scientists to seek residence visas in the UK after Brexit which is scheduled in October this year.
Thailand
The petition has reached around 4000 signatures of expatriates living in Thailand. The latter are seeking the abolishment of the TM 30 rule. That is, the requirement for them to inform immigration should they spend more than 24 hours in another province.
Everyday life
Settling down abroad is an exciting adventure. It is a journey to discover others, but also the self. There are so many things to decide on, starting with your host country. How do you make the right choice? What are the things to look out for? And when you're disabled, these become even more important. Settling abroad with a disability narrows down your choices. But how can you make it work? And what countries are making progress on issues related to accessibility and inclusiveness? We launched a discussion on this topic our forums last week and in view of the answers, 天美麻豆 takes stock of the challenges of moving abroad with a disability.
Moving
A scouting expat trip is a process of testing the waters before making a life-changing decision to move (or not) to a country. At first, it may sound unreasonable to spend all this money and time to visit a place where you are most likely relocating to anyway. But it's actually a wise choice and a thoughtful investment towards your expatriation project. In the long term, it can save you a whole lot of hustle. So, don't take someone else's word for your prospecting expat country; find out for yourself. Here's a primer on how to make the most of your scouting trip.
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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