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Where to next for confused expat professionals?
| Published: | 7 Jul at 6 PM |
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As the pandemic drags on worldwide, it’s easy to forget the reality of life as it was lived and hopefully will be lived again once the virus is conquered.
Expats all over the world are facing new dilemmas as regards staying put or repatriating to the home country, with many still trapped outside their present countries of residence and many more losing their jobs and having to decide on their next move. As the pandemic drags on, with the situation improving in many countries and totally out of control elsewhere, many decisions are being taken based on hope rather than reality.
In case the complacent haven’t noticed, there’s a worldwide expat exodus in progress in spite of lockdowns and unreliable means of long-distance transportation, and the home country isn’t the only choice. The effect on a number of countries’ real estate markets is becoming noticeable, with supply exceeding demand in most cases even although prices are falling in both the rental and sales sectors. For those relocating to a mostly unknown destination, it’s a leap in the dark as regards essentials such as healthcare standards and costs, transportation and accommodation options, real-world costs of living, job availability and much more.
Put simply, there’s now no time or opportunity to visit as a precursor to a permanent move. If you’re coming from a first-world country to a developing nation, the lack of amenities may cause issues, but there’s no real way to judge this in advance. For expat professionals who can afford to take things more slowly and have the means to self-support until a decision is taken, that’s the best road to travel. For the rest of the worldwide expat community, wherever they’re located, this situation in unique in living memory and going with the flow is perhaps the only way to keep your head above water.
Expats all over the world are facing new dilemmas as regards staying put or repatriating to the home country, with many still trapped outside their present countries of residence and many more losing their jobs and having to decide on their next move. As the pandemic drags on, with the situation improving in many countries and totally out of control elsewhere, many decisions are being taken based on hope rather than reality.
In case the complacent haven’t noticed, there’s a worldwide expat exodus in progress in spite of lockdowns and unreliable means of long-distance transportation, and the home country isn’t the only choice. The effect on a number of countries’ real estate markets is becoming noticeable, with supply exceeding demand in most cases even although prices are falling in both the rental and sales sectors. For those relocating to a mostly unknown destination, it’s a leap in the dark as regards essentials such as healthcare standards and costs, transportation and accommodation options, real-world costs of living, job availability and much more.
Put simply, there’s now no time or opportunity to visit as a precursor to a permanent move. If you’re coming from a first-world country to a developing nation, the lack of amenities may cause issues, but there’s no real way to judge this in advance. For expat professionals who can afford to take things more slowly and have the means to self-support until a decision is taken, that’s the best road to travel. For the rest of the worldwide expat community, wherever they’re located, this situation in unique in living memory and going with the flow is perhaps the only way to keep your head above water.
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