Features
Work
Sometimes, after several years spent abroad, it's time for expats to return home. Even though it tends to be overlooked, planning your return is just as important as moving abroad. But how do you plan your career when returning to your home country? What should you look out for? Here are some tips.
Work
The phenomenon of “workforce nationalization” happens when expats are systematically replaced by locals in various jobs. The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council have come into the spotlight in recent years for implementing nationwide job nationalization measures.
Schools & studies
Distance learning and online courses have been booming since the pandemic. They were first thought of as an emergency solution, but online courses are increasingly becoming more efficient. But while distance learning has gained momentum, China is taking a hard line: online courses will no longer be recognized; only face-to-face courses will. This is a major concern for Chinese students enrolled in universities abroad. This is an important reminder for international students who are finding it hard to choose before moving abroad to study or distance learning.
Visas
In most countries, the only test that expats need to take for their work visa is a language test. Many countries, notably Australia, also ask their professional bodies to assess expats' previous qualifications and experience before agreeing to issue a work visa. Kuwait is taking a step ahead by making work visa applicants take two exams.
Work
Teachers must take many things into consideration when moving abroad. Are there enough vacancies in education abroad? Should they apply to public or private schools? How can they get their degree and teaching license recognized in another country? In 2023, it's more complicated than before to get employed as a foreign teacher in Gulf countries and in China. Meanwhile, many European countries are in dire need of expat teachers.
Work
How should you plan your career abroad? Whether you have a promise of employment or are leaving to search for your dream job, setting goals is essential to envision your project better. So what should you focus on, professionally and personally? And what should be done? Let's take a look at the issues and get some practical advice.
Work
Agriculture is a field in need of short-term workers in various countries. Multiple farming jobs, notably fruit picking, don't require previous experience. These jobs are a great choice for young people looking to make some money while discovering the world or even older adults who want to take a sabbatical year. Canada, New Zealand and Australia are all in great need of permanent and temporary agricultural workers.
Everyday life
Any expat will tell you that one of the most important stages of settling abroad is usually the process of learning and understanding a new language. The truth is that full integration in one's host country requires that one manages to communicate verbally in the country's national language. However, some of these languages may be more challenging than others, which means that it may take some time and extra effort being to able to communicate in the language fluently. Let's find out about some of the languages that are the most difficult for expats to learn.
Work
The pandemic has accentuated labor shortages in many countries. In addition to trying to attract new immigrants, countries are also encouraging their citizens who are abroad to return home. Some of them, which have historically suffered from a brain drain, have been doing that since before the pandemic. They created favorable policies, such as tax breaks and entrepreneurship loans, to encourage returnees to use their skills and experience gained abroad in their home country.
Work
The MOOC-provider Coursera recently published its Job Skills of 2023 report. The report says that digital skills, especially in data science, together with soft skills in management and storytelling, are the best career skills to have in 2023. This should not be surprising in a marketplace where hybrid work has become the norm.
New Zealand
After 5 years as Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern resigned on January 19. She has since been replaced by her Labour Party colleague Chris Hipkins. While Ardern has cited burnout as the main reason for her resignation, it does come in the wake of her plummeting popularity in New Zealand. Her immigration policy, focused on making the system more selective, changed between 2017-2020 and 2020-2022.
Schools & studies
The new year has brought back moving abroad plans. Many students are having their revenge on the pandemic. Borders are now wide open, and the troubles caused by COVID don't seem to be affecting plans to study abroad anymore. So, what are the best places to study in 2023? How to prepare for your trip in the current international context? Here are some tips.
USA
In March 2022, the US government passed an act that allows standalone investors to remain legally in the US while their investment visa is still being processed. This de facto makes the EB-5 Investor Visa the fastest route to obtaining permanent residency in the US. It takes much less time than common routes like the H1-B and L-1 work visas.
Work
Will 2023 be the year of digital nomads and expatriates? In any case, the craze for working abroad is not waning. Since the health crisis, more and more people are choosing to move to another country to build a career, gain new experience, discover life in another country, fulfill a dream, take up a challenge, or acquire new skills. In fact, numerous reasons and benefits make people dream of moving abroad. So, what are the countries to consider for building your career abroad? What should you consider when planning your move? Here are some practical tips.
Work
There are many reasons for starting a business abroad. They can be related to a personal challenge, a professional opportunity, a new career, new ambitions, or a new life project overseas. Paradoxically, the health crisis has motivated many new entrepreneurs to start their own businesses abroad. Professional achievement is now just as important as a personal accomplishment. People want to fulfill themselves through their work and no longer be controlled by it. This urge for freedom is coming back for most entrepreneurs. But is the current situation conducive to launching a business abroad? What should be considered before starting a business abroad in 2023? Which countries are the best for entrepreneurship?
Everyday life
Behind every plan to retire abroad lies a personal motivation, whether it's to fulfill a dream, meet a personal challenge, be closer to loved ones, explore the unknown, or find a new way of living. And paradoxically, the current context seems to be conducive to achieving these late-stage dreams. As if in defiance of the economic downturn, more and more retirees are choosing to retire abroad. How can such a project be envisaged in times of global crisis? What are the benefits of retiring abroad?
Work
As crises keep popping up one after the other, expats seem to be rethinking their relationship with work. While the famous work-life balance concept is becoming increasingly important in the life of expatriates, the inherent value of work is being reconsidered. As a result, it seems that a new era is looming in the global labor market.
Work
All eyes are on the African continent. According to the World Bank, most of its inhabitants will be aged under 25 by 2050. It's a young and ambitious population that favors more and more investments in its local environment. Besides, African countries are also increasingly seen as true partners abroad, and foreign entrepreneurs who choose Africa are ready to cooperate with locals to contribute to the region's dynamism. In fact, this is one of the conditions for obtaining a financial grant. Here is an overview of the main types of assistance available to foreign entrepreneurs in Africa.
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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