Unemployed xpats

I don't consider myself a tourist. I live here full time in the Dominican Republic, do some volunteer work, don't have a "real" job of any kind and am retired.  But still part of the local community and not a tourist but an Expat.

Bob K

if you're a tourist, you're not an expat IMO.

mark stutley wrote:

Just a quick check, how many  are just tourists, this would include those doing volunteer  work basically  retired

Hello Mark, 
Sorry to disappoint, but I do not know of unemployed expats here where I live.
Employee expats go quickly back home or somewhere else when their contract expires.
No unemployed expat can resist going through unemployment here because of no money, plus their work permit is not renewed.

I have seen many employer expats who closed their business down and left for greener pastures.  Also dozens of them stayed and manage subsistence businesses (nothing great, nothing exceptional, nothing original).

As with everything, there may be exceptions but here in the island they are minuscule and I cannot remember any.

I have seen quite a bit of expats (I wish I could give a real number) who come here either as employees of overseas charity houses (mostly Peace Corps), or retirees who do (lots of) voluntary work but not all donate from from their savings and rather organize raffles, meals, etc. or raise money from individuals or businesses.
The former are in rotation and go back after 1 year, the latter (the retirees) own properties and stay. They raise money for different causes (poverty, children, diabetes, hurricane aftermath, etc.)

In 2010, I personally met three expats from this forum two of which who came here for big hotel jobs and left after 1 year.  The 3rd one tried something but had to leave a few months later.
Island life is totally different than what 95% of people living overseas know.  If one wants to really enjoy the Caribbean, his pocket must be deeper than average pocket.