Ester Rodrigues

Extensive reforms to Emirates' entry and residency scheme make it easier for expats to come to Dubai and other cities to make it a long-standing base for themselves. UAE schools and universities have observed a slight increase in new student enrolments for the upcoming academic year after the new visa announcements. So, what has been attracting student expats to move to the UAE? 

Nordic countries often targeted by professionals who are willing to move abroad. However, the immigration process is usually very challenging. Last June 1st, Finland has enabled a fast-track procedure that allows high skilled expats and entrepreneurs to enter the country as soon as they have been granted a residence permit, which expats used to receive upon entering the country. 

Although Spain is known by expats for being one of the most affordable countries in Europe, it has been facing rising property prices since last year. The rise, as experts say, is a consequence of higher demand and lower supply due to the lack of resources as raw materials for new builds. 

Italo Del Castillo is an expat from Peru, studying for a degree in business administration in Victoria, the capital of the province of British Columbia or British Columbia. With a love for sports, he shares his experience being a student again and what Canadian life looks like. 

On February 6, this year, the Majesty Queen Elizabeth became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. What does that mean for Britons who live abroad and expats who live in the UK? 

The Russian war in Ukraine has impacted drastically human rights, politics, economy, and more. In Russian lands, not everyone agrees with the current war situation, and many have suffered from sanctions consequences on trying to move abroad. 

Menstrual leave is a paid or unpaid absence due to a woman's inability to go to work because of painful menstruation. Some countries around the globe have already considered it, and recently Spain has approved a bill that grants paid medical leave for women who suffer from severe period pain, becoming the first European country to advance such legislation.

The Dutch government is currently undergoing the lengthy process of putting together a spring budget statement, labeled “voorjaarsnota”, which outlines the new cabinet's finances and budget plan. Reports suggest that various tax benefits—including the 30% ruling for expats in the Netherlands—could be scrapped under its changes as part of the government's plan to make up for additional energy and defense expenditure.

Work permits issued to foreigners increased by 25.3% last year following a recovery in the job market after the relaxation of restrictive Covid-19 measures in Kenya.

In the process of reopening its borders, New Zealand faces a shortage of labor. Although the country will permit international travelers only on July 31 and visas in October this year, it has announced major reforms to immigration settings, 'the green list', to "increase the available pool of labor, while also speeding up our tourism recovery", said the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier this month. 

The Covid-19 crisis has impacted businesses, economies, and students who were planning their studies abroad. Some countries have marked a decrease in the number of international students this year, and one of the key factors was related to the pandemic consequences, due to closing borders, inflation, cancellation of scholarships, and, currently, the war.

The United Kingdom, a dreamland for many international students, is introducing a new visa to bring talented graduates to the country. On the other hand, the new policy targets mostly expats from high-level universities in the north of the globe. 

Moving abroad is an exciting but also a long journey. Expats have to research carefully and prepare for their financial responsibilities abroad and, in some cases, for tax returns in their home countries, as happens with Americans and French expatriates. 

With the end of the pandemic in most parts of the world, many organizations have been requiring hybrid roles and a partial return to the office. But many employees do not want to say goodbye to the cherished freedom of remote working, and ideally, some would like to work from holiday destinations. 

Since May 1, British expats living in Spain for more than six months are facing chaos due to the invalidity of the UK driving licenses in the country after negotiations failed to reach a post-Brexit agreement. 

Bargain £10 flights to Australia are brought in for Brits this month, and that can increase tourism in the country, but also expats looking for a long-term experience in Oceania. According to key Australian Government findings from 2020, there are 7.6 million migrants living in Australia. This means that 29.8% of the population was born overseas.

Ireland is very international as it has 650,000 foreigners in a country of 5 million people. In general, expats going to Irish lands are looking for good quality of life and job opportunities and are attracted by its open culture to immigrants. That has been highlighted recently after the Covid-19 recovery as the country has expanded eligibility criteria for multiple-entry visas. 

Throughout history in different parts of the world, the belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another, has been part of the culture and search for power. Expats who have been victims of some sort of discrimination shared their feelings with us.

Amidst the war's consequences on the Russian economy, some expats had quietly left the country. Businesspeople, academics, and students who stayed rethink their stay after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and others take advantage of the country's labor shortage to stay as the war has barely impacted Moscow. 

World Bank Bilateral Remittances Matrix has continuously placed the UK as the fourth largest remittance sender in the world. The latter source lists India, Nigeria, and Pakistan as the main destinations of remittances from the UK. In addition, according to a report from the United Nations' education agency, migrant workers in the UK, many in low-paid jobs, are sending £8bn a year to support families in their home countries, a transfer known as a remittance. 

The US is one of the countries with more immigrants in the world. It is actually on the list of the top 10 Countries with the highest number of immigrants — 50.6 million. And Americans are also expats, according to the Association of American Residents Overseas, 8.7 million Americans (excluding military) live in 160-plus countries. Every migrant chooses to leave home for different reasons, but many do to contribute to their families and communities in their country of origin by sending money home, a transfer known as a remittance.

While Hong Kong is experiencing an exodus of foreign workers, Saudi Arabia started to reverse the trend after a year and a half as the economy recovers from the pandemic and oil prices rally. The private sector added more than 250,000 jobs for expats in the country, according to the kingdom's General Authority for Statistics. 

As fuel prices rise to record highs, governments look for solutions. Retail petrol and diesel prices marked record highs in many countries across the world, including Brazil and France, which are considering elevating subsidies or cutting taxes to protect consumers from the financial strain.

Asafe Kerven from Paraíba, Brazil, has a passion for football. He has already worked in several sporting events around the globe as a volunteer and today lives in the UK. Coming from a poor region, he shares a bit of his experience moving abroad and how expatriates with low income can succeed in their goals. 

If expats are thinking about moving to another country to get away from financial and administrative responsibilities, they have to be careful and have a thorough look at their home countries' red tape rules. There are many countries where expats have still to declare their income even if they're no longer a resident. 

Expats' profiles can vary -- there are the ones who do know and love to organize their moving abroad paperwork alone, and there are the expats who have never been through this process and need assistance for immigration. Although it might seem a perfect idea to have a hand, immigration agencies or agents can deceive expatriates and ruin their dream of moving abroad. 

In our globalized and interconnected world, the economy, which is just recovering from the pandemic impact, most countries are facing the consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The cost of living for expats and nationals has been increasing in many countries as the UK and US, with the escalation of inflation, while wages and benefits fail to keep up.

While most countries in the world are recovering from the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and have been easing anti-covid measures such as opening borders, eliminating masks and reopening schools, Hong Kong faces an outbreak of Covid-19, and expats find themselves in uncertainty. 

The war in Ukraine with Russia shelling in urban and rural areas all over the country has obliged nationals and expats to seek asylum for their security. But, the humanitarian crisis that has already been challenging for locals has put a spotlight on alleged discrimination. The concern: immigrants from Africa and other people of colour are facing hate at the borders. 

As the expat exodus from Hong Kong gathers pace, Singapore tightens its visa process. The government recently set up difficulties on visa rules for white-collar workers. It raised the minimum salary requirements and introduced a points system similar to what is used in the U.K. and Canada. Expat workers interested in moving to Singapore have to carefully go through its new working visa requirements before considering it as a destination. 

Arrived in autumn 2021, amidst the pandemic, Hanna Lindl, from Germany, shares her experience as a physics intern living in Madrid. Besides the blue sky, she tells what are the pros and cons of being an expatriate during the Covid-19 pandemic, gives some advice and more! 

The pandemic has impacted expats with international partners, as travel restrictions imposed long-distance relationships for many of them. Being apart led some couples to end their relationship or to strengthen by managing to see each other through digital tools and social media. Australia and New Zealand were some of the most strict countries in terms of Covid-19 travelling measures to control the disease. Now they are opening their borders between them and for expats overseas, and couples feel relief.

Germany's approach to contracts is known for being un-customer-friendly. It usually takes consumers three months to be able to cancel services, for example. But, the German Federal Parliament, Bundestag, has passed through a new law that seeks to reduce minimum contract terms and shorten notice periods to facilitate consumers' lives.

Expats living on the Southern Australia coast must be very scared. The New South Wales coast has been hit by dangerous weather with heavy rains and strong winds in the last week leading to severe floods on the Australian coast. The Bureau of Meteorology in Australia has expanded its warning zone for towns and communities, stretching Coffs Harbour south towards the Victorian border. The NSW State Emergency Service has warned of dangerous conditions and asked for evacuation at large parts of the coastline, including Sydney. 

Even in their own country, women already face a glass ceiling and several difficulties for getting opportunities in the labour market, especially in higher positions, due to gender stereotypes and sexism. According to the latest Women in Work Index by PwC, 70% of women in OCDE countries are part of the labour force, against 81% of men. Besides, women are less hired for full-time roles, with only a 76% presence, while men have 91%. 

International students who want financial independence abroad have to work during their studies. Moreover, some must work to pay for their studies since not all of them have financial support from their families. And even for those who do, their budget might not be enough for enjoying their host country at the most.

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%. 

Are Ukraine and Russia about to go to war? While countries like Britain have urged their citizens to leave these countries and U.S embassies have pulled their non-essential staff out of the country, expats currently in Russia and Ukraine are either choosing to fly home or staying put while waiting for further information. Russian and Ukrainian expats around the world are also holding their breaths.

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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

Germany is facing labour shortages and is looking for greater immigration to avoid economic crisis, according to Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy. Germany wants to attract 400,000 skilled workers from abroad each year, and to attract skilled professionals, it is raising the national minimum wage to 12 euros per hour.

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? 

Students and workers as expats are constantly searching for working visa information online, with experts and in social media groups to try to connect with others with common experiences. But, the working visa process that was already complicated during the pandemic has been worsened. 

The Nigerian Federal Government has recently granted 12,000 expatriate quota licenses to foreigners seeking to establish professional activities in Nigeria. 

The Middle East is an economically diverse region that includes countries with a common heritage, vastly different levels of per capita income, and a diverse economy. Historically, the residential property market in the region is on a steady course, but prices are expected to rise modestly over the next couple of years with the rising demand and recovery of the economy. 

Since January 2021, UK expats in Europe have been regarded as non-EU nationals for immigration procedures, which implies very important changes in order to obtain their residence permit. However, they still have the option of regularizing their situation as long as they meet the requirements of both countries. 

Due to a historic labour shortage, Ontario's immigration minister Monte McNaughton introduced the “Working for Workers Act” on October 25 last year. If it gets passed, it could mean big changes for expats interested in going to Ontario.

There is a huge presence of expats in the United Arab Emirates. Of a total headcount of 9.9 million Dubai inhabitants, only 1.15 million are Emiratis, according to the Global Media Insight 2021. Most expats in the UAE are from India (27%) and Pakistan (13%), but the country has a big British community as well.