Features
Everyday life
There are a lot of things one anticipates when moving abroad. Health problems, money issues, maybe even loss of a job. It is harder and less common, though, to anticipate break-ups and divorce. And divorce as expats definitely is no easy feat...
Work
Published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, Cornell University, and INSEAD, the 2019 Global Innovation Index takes a thorough look at the global economy. It takes into account qualitative and quantitative data mainly of an economic and political nature divided into seven categories: institutions, human capital, infrastructure, modern financial markets, modern labor market, research and development and creativity. For each category, the countries are rated with a score of 1 to 100. We have looked through the report and bring you the 10 best countries for innovation.
United Arab Emirates
Until now, only women could benefit from a work permit sponsored by a family member. Husbands could sponsor their wives for a work permit but not the other way round. But, things are changing. As of this month, women will also be able to sponsor their husbands, fathers and adult children for a work permit. This will allow more women to find and accept jobs in the UAE and will increase the pool of workers within the UAE.
Everyday life
Records of expat blues date as far back as the 8th century BC, in Homer's ancient Greek epic poem of Odyssey. Throughout his 20-year-long perilous journey, Odysseus was finding comfort in the hope that one day, he would kiss the soil of his homeland and see his family. Nowadays, expatriation is taking lighter forms — partly due to technology and ease of travelling. However, symptoms of perturbation and low spirits are characteristic among those suffering from homesickness.
Portugal
If you have always wanted to work or set up a business in Portugal, we have some good news for you! The government is introducing a new list of activities with high added value as of January 1st, 2020, allowing more non-habitual residents to enjoy tax incentives provided. The announcement was made by the Portuguese Finance Minister, Mário José Gomes de Freitas Centeno, with the aim of making the country even more attractive in the eyes of foreign professionals.
We sometimes tend to see expats in a more or less caricatural way. Earns a good living, enjoys an enviable quality of life. Or, on the other side, a more humanistic picture, a traveler in search of meaning. One who wants to discover and understand a new culture. We forget, however, that above it all, expats are still subject to the rules of their host countries and that they can indeed be deported.
Visas
Want some good news? Australia, which has a working holiday visa agreements with a plethora of countries, has just rolled back the age limit for applying for working holiday visas to 35 years. Indeed, most countries offering WHVs target young people aged 18 to 30 years old. This means that more people can benefit from this avenue of expatriation. But what even is a WHV?
Switzerland
Switzerland is not just banks and chocolate. The country also offers excellent quality of life and a plethora of other benefits for expatriates. So much so, that expats have chosen Switzerland as their favorite country in the HSBC Expat Explorer 2019. Here is what makes Switzerland a country of choice for expatriates...
Tax
A recently proposed change to the capital gains tax for Australians residing abroad has caused quite a bit of a stir in the munity: the proposed law could have imposed heavy tax bills on thousands of Australians living outside their home country and was retrospective (which meant it would affect those having property in the country as far back as 1985).
While the new law has lapsed and may not be implemented at all — it does raise an often confusing and complicated question: how, where and how much tax should an expat be paying?
Schools & studies
Following the release of the Teaching and Learning report of the OECD, which aims to provide insights into education systems as well as the conditions for teaching and learning in the OECD countries, we've decided to take a closer look at one of the avenues of moving abroad— teaching.
Cost of living
Western Europe is not exactly known as the cheapest destination for expats. However, European cities have lost a few places on the Mercer's ranking of most expensive cities. 天美麻豆 takes a closer look at the ranking.
A leap of a full seven places for Switzerland this year as it becomes the best country for expatriates according to the HSBC Expat Explorer Report for 2019. Second is Singapore followed by Canada, Spain and New Zealand. We have a look at the intricacies of the ranking.
The European Students' Union has released its policy paper and it is demanding for Erasmus to be made more accessible. 天美麻豆 also analyses the challenges faced by students interested in the Erasmus program ahead of Brexit.
Formalities
The unusual regulation regarding American visas is about to become a reality. Indeed, it seems that in the very near future, candidates for working visas in the United States (with the exception of diplomatic visas) will have to disclose the details of their Facebook profile and their social media networks as an integral part of their application. This measure, although it is not in force anywhere else yet, reminds us that obtaining a work or residence visa is not always an easy feat...
Canada
According to a recent survey by the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), owners of Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Québec are more likely to sell their enterprises than in any other Canadian regions. Indeed, almost one in four small business owners have stated that they plan to transfer their business between the years 2017 and 2022. In other areas of Canada, only one in five business owners state they might want to sell their enterprises.
Cost of living
Mercer's annual report on the cost of living in cities around the world came out on the 26th of June. Eight Asian cities are featured in the Top 10.
Everyday life
Having a child is, in itself, quite an upheaval! So, here are a few things to keep in mind if you're, in addition, living this adventure while far from home.
Vietnam
In a recent survey conducted by 天美麻豆 and global research agency, Kantar, Vietnam came fourth in the list of popular destinations for expat professionals. Abundant career opportunities, low cost of living and a comfortable lifestyle are what seem to attract travelers to the region. Some come on a holiday, some visit for longer and some stay for years. So, is Vietnam the new up-and-coming expat hub in Asia? That's what we are looking into in this article.
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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