What Is An Expatriate?
Have you heard the term “expat” or “expatriate” and not sure exactly what it means? Do you have friends or coworkers that refer to themselves as “expats” and you’re confused? I’m here to clear it up for you!
<— Watch my video on this topic here!
This blog will define what an expat is, explain the difference between an expat and an immigrant and show you ways you can become an expat yourself.
Expat Meaning
The dictionary provides 3 definitions for “expatriate”.
1) to banish a person from his or her home country.
Well, this seems drastic in current times.
2) to withdraw oneself from allegiance to one’s country
We’re getting closer, but being an expat isn’t always about writing off your home country in search of better health care plans or a lower cost of living.
3) to withdraw oneself from residence in one’s native country
BINGO!
This is probably the definition that defines most of us expats. We are choosing to take up residence in a foreign country for a certain amount of time - whether that’s for a few years or decades. We aren’t necessarily saying we’ll never go back to our home country but that we’re trying out another country for a while.
Expat vs. Immigrant
Now you may be wondering….are you considered an immigrant if you move overseas? And what is the difference between an expat and an immigrant.
An immigrant is a person that migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence. So looking at our definition above for an expat, they do look similar but typically an expat is in a new country for a specific amount of time. They are not usually planning to permanently reside in their new country.
Immigrant
To be an immigrant in another country you will need to seek citizenship. And to stay in a new country permanently, you must be on a citizenship track. This could even mean denouncing your home country passport in order to receive citizenship in your new country.
Expat
While expats are required to hold a visa of some type, they are not required to seek citizenship of the country they are temporarily residing in. The most popular types of visas expats hold are work visas or visitor visas.
There are many countries that will allow visitors (depending on your nationality) to stay in their country for 90, 180 or 365 days with only a visitor visa. If an expat really enjoys living in their new country, it is also entirely possible that an expat could decide to become an immigrant and seek citizenship where they’re residing. In this case, they will go from expat to immigrant.
How to Become an Expat
There are several ways to become an expat. The first is through your company. This is how I became an expat. My husband and I worked at the same company and he got a job in Luanda, Angola. I moved with him and started working a few months after our arrival.
Another popular way to move abroad is to find a teaching job, usually teaching English in a foreign country. I’ve had friends teach English and China and South Korea. It was a great way for them to live abroad for a few years, have some of your living expenses paid for and also make a salary.
It’s also possible to move to a country on your own (without support from a job or company). I haven’t met anyone personally, but I have some virtual friends that saved money for a few years and then took a “mini retirement” to live abroad for a few years. They picked countries that have a lower cost of living than the USA so their money goes further each month. For example, in Buenos Aires, you can rent an apartment for less than $500USD a month. This is significantly less than any of the major cities in the USA.
If you’re planning on becoming an expat (which I obviously highly recommend) be sure to check your government’s website for visa requirements for the countries you’re considering moving to. They will vary greatly.
Best Companies for Expat Jobs
If you’re wanting to become an expat, one of the best ways is through your company. Company expats typically have the opportunity to move around to several countries while building up their skillset.
Expats are not limited to one industry. You’ll find global expats in all industries, including energy, financial services, tech, legal, healthcare etc. So no matter what industry you’re in, you should be able to find a company that has expats.
In order to ensure there are expat opportunities, you’ll need to focus your job search on multinational organizations. These are medium to large sized companies that have offices across many countries. You should already know whether the company you’re interviewing at has offices in several countries from your pre-interview research. But don’t be afraid to ask about expat opportunities in your job interview.
And you should be willing to work in more remote locations such as South America, Asia and Africa. Not all expat jobs are in London or Singapore! In fact, employee expats from headquarters are needed more in remote locations where the local workforce isn’t fully trained up. Companies will bring in expats from headquarters to help with the workload and also work closely with and train the local population. If you are willing to move to less glamorous locations, you will have many more opportunities opened up to you. Most people in your company are willing to move to London but not Accra, Ghana. Be sure to seize the opportunities most people shy away from!
This article has given you a deeper dive in understanding what an expatriate is. Becoming and living as an expat in a foreign country is truly the experience of a lifetime.
If you’re wondering whether expat life is for you, (which you probably are if you’re reading this) then check out this blog where I talk about the reasons I think everyone should move abroad. Spoiler alert, you should definitely be an expat, even if only for a year! You will not regret it!
And if you already know you’re ready to become an expat, then be sure to download my free overseas packing checklist by subscribing to my newsletter.
