Features
Work
The labor market is undergoing rapid transformations, with increasing flexibility, the emergence of the 4-day week, international telecommuting, digital nomadism, artificial intelligence, and various approaches to working more, working less, and working better. These changes are driving the formation of new organizational structures and reimagining the way work is distributed. How do these transformations impact professional mobility? Do individuals tend to have the desire to work less when moving abroad?
Everyday life
Moving overseas often entails discovering a new culture and way of life, but it also involves encountering a new religious environment. The contrast may be even more striking if you are relocating miles away from your home country. Whether you are a believer or not, you might need an adjustment period to understand the functioning and significance of religion in everyday life in your expat country. Furthermore, finding a place to practice your own religion amidst this whirlwind of new experiences is crucial.
Work
Entrepreneurship is an exciting and risky endeavor anywhere. In a new country, it's even more so. The different legal, economic and cultural milieu and expats' status as non-nationals require us to consider additional factors. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid when launching your own business abroad.
Banks and finance
When planning a move abroad, you need to start working on your budget. Besides the necessary plane tickets, how much money do you need for the different steps of your move? Here's a list of the main expenses you should consider, so you can be well-prepared.
Everyday life
Often, expatriation is understood to be one big adventure about which one can tell many stories back home. However, the truth is that repatriation (returning home) is often more difficult than expected.
Cost of living
Inflation has been a significant worry in 2022 and the first half of 2023, impacting various countries, including Europe. However, there is a glimmer of hope as recent estimates indicate that inflation is now declining and reaching its lowest points in certain European nations.
Everyday life
All countries are patriarchal to some extent, so it's often more challenging for expat women to adapt to their new professional lives abroad. There exist NGOs that can support them, but in some countries, notably Canada, the state itself has also created programs to facilitate the professional integration of women expats and immigrants. They provide training, develop the women's confidence and help them build networks.
France
Did you know that there is a museum in Paris called the Immigration Museum, or Musée de l'Immigration? It underwent major renovations and was closed in 2020, and has just reopened. The museum aims to tell a story that connects everyone and portrays the various aspects of immigration throughout French history.
Telecommunications
The post-Covid normalization of remote work has unlocked the possibility of working from anywhere in the world – as long as you have your employer's permission, have the correct work visa, and are tax-compliant. So many expats would love to be relaxing by the beach and sipping a cocktail while completing a report on their laptop. The trick lies in having an excellent internet connection. Fortunately, there are multiple countries that both offer remote work/digital nomad visas and excellent internet connectivity.
Everyday life
If you're currently 65 years old and living in the United States, you have another 20 years ahead of you — at least according to the US Social Security Administration. But here's the deal: this newfound longevity comes with some interesting twists and turns. Unlike your grandparents, today's pre-retirees and retirees are facing a totally different retirement landscape.
Visas
Here's a visa that has caught people's attention. While it may not have gained the same popularity as the well-known digital nomad visa, the jobseeker visa is steadily gaining ground among governments around the world. But what are the governments' aims with the jobseeker visa? What are the benefits of this visa for foreign professionals?
Everyday life
Last week, some countries in Northern Europe experienced smoke originating from numerous wildfires in Canada, following its widespread coverage over provinces and extensive regions of the United States earlier in the week. Although the dense smoke gradually diminished over the northeast during the past few days, the fires continued to present a significant hazard.
Work
The remote working boom since the health crisis has rekindled the debate: should you be constantly available for work? How can foreign professionals set their boundaries, considering cultural differences? Let's take a closer look at countries where employees feel obliged to remain available outside working hours.
Everyday life
People often tend to think that all countries have the same rules in this area (or rather, they don't ask themselves the question). But when it comes to moving abroad, it's essential to find out about your host country's culture. Can you live as a couple in another country without being married? Which countries do not recognize live-in relationships?
Tax
Gulf countries have long been attractive to expats for levying zero taxes. But they are now trying to diversify their economy from the oil sector, and that requires getting revenues from taxes. All six GCC countries have slowly been implementing low taxes, starting with VAT, excise tax, real estate tax and corporate tax. They haven't introduced personal income tax, at least not yet.
Portugal
Portugal is currently one of the most attractive destinations for expats. Great aspects of expat life in this country include the existence of multiple types of visas, relatively low cost-of-living expenses and real estate prices, an attractive tax regime, and sunny Mediterranean weather. It should be no surprise that the Ministry of Labor has revealed that the number of expats in the country reached a stunning 650,000 in April, a 364% increase in 5 years.
Banks and finance
When choosing to leave your native country to move or work abroad, streamlining your professional commitments will rank highly on your housekeeping to-do list, in particular if you're a business owner. You may choose to do this by appointing an interim director or promoting your second in command to first in line. Alternatively, continuing in your role may be an option, albeit from a different location, and managing your company finances remotely, which can be facilitated if you have the right systems in place.
Schools & studies
Going abroad to study is not limited to young students. Various training programs and scholarships are also available for apprentices, job seekers, interns, high school students, and even young entrepreneurs. However, navigating through the numerous types of scholarships can be overwhelming. Which organization should you approach? What are the important factors to consider, and the risks?
Other Types
France
This quiet reform barely made a ripple in France's political debates, yet it slipped through largely unnoticed and will tighten the rules for those who combine work and retirement.
France
A decree published on April 25 in the Official Gazette updates the rules allowing foreign workers to apply for the European Card or register on the "list of jobseekers."
France
E-invoicing (and e-reporting) was previously voluntary. From September 1, 2026, it will become mandatory for businesses to issue and receive electronic invoices. So who exactly is affected?
United Arab Emirates
The UAE's Golden Visa program has been updated. The reform, focused on simplification, aims to further cement the United Arab Emirates' position as a top destination for foreign investors and entrepreneurs.
Formalities
A new fee for expats. Quietly slipped into the 2026 Finance Act, this measure has very real consequences for foreign drivers in their everyday lives. Starting May 12, exchanging a driver's license will no longer be free.
United Arab Emirates
The emirate of Dubai is rolling out a new strategy to keep attracting wealthy expats. A minimum investment is no longer required to qualify for a two-year residency visa.
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