Features

Moving to a country with immigration quotas: What should you consider?
Visas
Moving to a country with immigration quotas: ...
Moving to a new country can be a thrilling and exciting experience, but it can also be challenging, especially when the country has immigration quotas in place. Immigration quotas are designed to regulate the flow of people entering a country, but they can also make the process of obtaining a visa and residency more complicated.
Changing careers overseas: This is how you do it!
Work
Changing careers overseas: This is how you ...
Many people choose to change careers when their current job no longer suits them or when they want to find purpose in their professional life. Some decide to take the leap when moving abroad, by choice, by necessity, or by chance, just following the opportunities that arise. Expats who have switched careers talks to us about their experience.
How do expats vote from abroad?
Formalities
How do expats vote from abroad?
Living abroad does not necessarily mean that one is no longer attached to their home country; quite the contrary. For instance, the Dutch living outside the Netherlands just voted for their first electoral college. Many expatriates worldwide are more than willing to voice out their choices, and governments are themselves well aware of the weight of their overseas constituencies in various elections. But how do expatriates vote from abroad? Electronic voting remains a crucial issue.
What expats should consider when moving to earthquake-prone countries
Everyday life
What expats should consider when moving to ...
The tragedy that recently struck Turkey and Syria is a stark reminder of how some locations lie within the planet's most active seismic and dangerous zones. While the odds of finding survivors are getting slimmer as the days go by, the task of reconstruction seems insurmountable at all levels. So what should you consider as an expat in an earthquake-prone country? Should you move there at all?
How and when can you be naturalized in your expat country?
Everyday life
How and when can you be naturalized in your ...
After multiple years in a country, expats might wish to acquire local citizenship. They might feel that this country is now as much of their home as their birth one. They might want to buy property more easily, vote or even run in local elections, and enjoy the privileges of the local passport. How long does it take to get naturalized in popular expat destinations, and what are the conditions to be met? In most countries, it takes 5 years of continuous residence to apply for citizenship.
How to redefine your career as a returning expat?
Work
How to redefine your career as a returning ...
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.
Job nationalization: How does it affect expats?
Work
Job nationalization: How does it affect ...
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.
Distance learning: What are the risks for international students?
Schools & studies
Distance learning: What are the risks for ...
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.
These countries assess candidates before issuing work visas
Visas
These countries assess candidates before ...
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.
Teaching abroad: What are your prospects in 2023?
Work
Teaching abroad: What are your prospects in ...
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.
How to have a thriving career abroad
Work
How to have a thriving career abroad
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.
Working abroad: Perks of gaining first-time experience in farming 
Work
Working abroad: Perks of gaining first-time ...
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.
These are the most difficult languages for expats to learn
Everyday life
These are the most difficult languages for ...
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.
These countries are encouraging their overseas talent to return
Work
These countries are encouraging their ...
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.
What are the most sought-after skills for expats in 2023?
Work
What are the most sought-after skills for ...
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. 
Will Jacinda Ardern's resignation impact immigration to New Zealand?
New Zealand
Will Jacinda Ardern's resignation impact ...
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.
Studying abroad in 2023: Here's what you should consider
Schools & studies
Studying abroad in 2023: Here's what you ...
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.
Why the EB-5 Investor Visa remains the fastest way to obtain a Green Card
USA
Why the EB-5 Investor Visa remains the ...
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. 

Other Types

Why China no longer attracts international students
China
Why China no longer attracts international ...
What if studying abroad was a passport to achieving a new level of freedom? In China, the idea is becoming more and more widespread. In the wake of the pandemic and, most importantly, with the consequences of the zero-covid policy, Chinese students are now keener on studying abroad. But the once-popular destinations for studying abroad have changed. As China reopened its borders in early January 2023, hoping for a return to normalcy, many Chinese students are hoping for a brighter future elsewhere. 
Canada's new focus on foreign entrepreneurs
Work
Canada's new focus on foreign entrepreneurs
Canada wants to attract more entrepreneurs. The "startup visa" was officially launched on April 1, 2013, in response to the 2012 Economic Action Plan. With this plan, Canada committed to supporting "world-class entrepreneurship, innovation, and research." The 2023-2025 Immigration Plan relaunches the business startup visa with a target of 3,500 new immigrant entrepreneurs.
Italy announces 82,705 work permits for expat workers
Italy
Italy announces 82,705 work permits for ...
The Italian government is looking to grant 82 705 work permits to expat workers this year. According to the latest Decree on Migration Flows (Decreto Flussi), published on January 26 in the Italian Official Gazette, this measure aims to address the shortages in various sectors. So what kinds of jobs can expat workers expect in Italy, and what would be the benefits of moving there?
Denmark opens doors to foreign talent
Denmark
Denmark opens doors to foreign talent
Denmark is heavily relying on immigration to counter the acute labor shortage in certain sectors. The Danish government has come up with a special scheme to attract qualified foreign talent and created a list of jobs that are under pressure. So what are the opportunities that are currently available in Denmark for prospective expats?
Immigration in Finland rose even during the pandemic
Finland
Immigration in Finland rose even during the ...
A recent study by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) found that, among 15 high-income countries, Finland was the only one that didn't have a lower immigration rate in 2020 when measured against predicted immigration in the absence of Covid. Data from the OECD suggests that freedom of movement within the European Economic Area (EEA) contributed to that.
The costs for hiring an international mover in 2023
International Van Lines
The costs for hiring an international mover ...
It's no secret that times have changed. The cost of fuel, goods, and services has increased, and the costs of hiring an international mover have gone up. The good news is there are ways to reduce the cost of your move, and knowing what to expect will help with planning and budgeting. So if you dream of moving abroad and want to know how much you'll need to plan for, read on.