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October 2017 Expat News Archive
Archived Daily Expat News from the Expats Blog Newsdesk...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Property tax shock for British expat landlords in Spain
Brit holiday home landlords with properties in Europe are in for an unpleasant tax shock once Brexit finally kicks in. Many thousands of British would-be expats who’ve purchased holiday homes in preparation for retirement and are letting them out in the meanwhile are to be hit with increased property taxes once the UK leaves the EU....
31 Oct at 6 PM
Expat residents and Gibraltarians urged to vote on an abortion referendum
Expats and residents on Gibraltar are being asked to vote in a promised abortion referendum. The Gibraltar government are now asking residents and citizens of the Rock to vote on the abortion referendum pledged earlier this year, and are also planning to open the vote to those aged 16 and over. At the present time, abortion in Gibraltar...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Massive basement cannabis factory discovered in Mijas
Mijas police find massive cannabis plantation in luxury Costa del Sol villa’s basement. Mijas’s extensive British expat population were amazed when the news of a police raid on a huge indoor cannabis plantation broke. The impressive installation contained more than 500 flourishing cannabis plants, and was discovered in the basement of...
30 Oct at 6 PM
New study reveals Prague stores are cheating expat customers
A new study has revealed some 20 per cent of expats in Prague are regularly cheated by local grocery stores when buying foodstuffs. The study, undertaken by the Czech Journal of Behavioural and Experimental Economics, was published in the association’s journal, thus confirming the suspicions of a vast number of expatriates in the city....
30 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait co-op pharmacies to close and expats forced to authenticate qualifications
Kuwait’s new pharmacies law hasn’t been well-received by the sector, with all co-op outlets now closed in protest. According to chair of Kuwait’s Union for Consumer Cooperative Societies Meshaal al Sayyar, all the union’s pharmacies have now closed down in protest against the effects on their businesses of the new legislation. The...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expats in Germany rushing for German citizenship
A new study has revealed a massive increase in numbers of expat Brits receiving German citizenship since the Brexit referendum. As the Brexit debacle grinds on, the true cost to British expats and to the UK itself continues to be revealed in many European member states. Recent research has uncovered the sad fact that the numbers of...
29 Oct at 6 PM
Expat in Thailand wins major prize for his work in rescuing street dogs
Expat Michael Baines and his Sanctuary for 570 dogs, 20 of which have disabilities, have won the 2019 Walkin’ Pets Rescue of the Year award. Michael, a chef by profession and a dog rescuer by accident, arrived in Thailand in 2002 and began rescuing and caring for soi dogs some years later. For the first five years, he worked in the...
29 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Spain threatened by rise in illegal squatters targeting homes Expats in Spain threatened by rise in illegal squatters targeting homes
Expats in Spain are now being warned over an increase in squatters knowledgeable about their legal rights. The increase in illegal squatters is taking place in many areas popular with expat retirees, and is becoming a very real threat to their lifestyles and overall safety. It seems squatting in now becoming a well-organised racket led by...
29 Oct at 6 PM
IKEA in Portugal to lower its prices as expat demand slumps
Expats in Portugal to be treated to IKEA goodies at reduced prices. One thing’s for sure, whether you’re an expat living in Portugal or are still in the UK, you’ll either love or hate IKEA and its iconic designs. When the Scandinavian store first opened its doors in the UK, it was mobbed by homemakers whilst their husbands huddled in...
28 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Hong Kong face losing strong ties to the city
Expats in Hong Kong are privileged immigrants, many of whom have put down extended roots just as they did in their home countries. Some have worked in the city for decades and others are relatively new arrivals, but all consider Hong Kong as their home in a way that’s different from expats in other unfamiliar lands. All have the choice...
28 Oct at 6 PM
Western tourists and expats in Thailand to be replaced by Indians
Western visitors and expats are now shunning Thailand in favour of other nearby destinations. The previous effect of Western tourism in Thailand wasn’t just to bring short-term revenue into the country as many visitors decided to make the popular Southeast Asian destination their permanent home, either by retiring, starting a business,...
28 Oct at 6 PM
Bad Brexit news for British expats in Eindhoven
Whilst Europe watches the Brexit fiasco tottering towards some kind of conclusion benefiting no-one ,British expats in Eindhoven attended yet another British embassy meet-up. Held at Eindhoven’s Hub expat centre, both representatives from the British Embassy and the Netherlands Immigration and Naturalisation Service were present, ready...
25 Oct at 6 PM
British expat teacher running 2,200 kms for Vietnamese kids’ charities
One favourite sightseeing route for expats and backpackers in Vietnam is the 2,200 km journey between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, taking in all the many beauties of nature Vietnam has to offer. Motorbikes are the favoured means of transport but, for those who don’t want to risk it, there are trains, cars and planes standing ready to...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait debates increased medical insurance fees for expats
If expatriates still need convincing that, whatever the excuse given, the global-wide rush towards compulsory private health insurance isn’t all about the money, this should bring enlightenment! Two days ago, Kuwait’s Ministry of Health announced the collection of some KD25.2 million of charges for expat health insurance over the first...
25 Oct at 6 PM
China announces new digital ID platform for expatriate details
China’s new digital ID platform is expected to provide easy expat access to public services. The new digital identity verification site is expected to allow far easier access to China’s public services than exists at present. The system will hold names and passport details of every foreigner arriving in the vast country, sharing the...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Expats urged to guard against fraudulent text messages
In this internet age, texting is a big part of most peoples’ daily lives, whether they’re living in their country of birth or overseas as an expat. There’s no doubt that texts are an aid to businesses as well as for those keeping in touch with their friends and families at home and away. Unfortunately, not all texts messages are...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Where next for the world’s mega-banks and expat financiers post-Brexit?
Dublin wins out over European cities for luring London-based financial services firms. The question over which European city will gain the most financial services companies fleeing the UK to avoid Brexit’s consequences has now been answered. Out of some 332 financial services firms who’ve moved out of the UK, 115 have chosen the...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Expat professionals going green in South Korea
South Korea may not be the top of the list for aspiring expat professionals, but its green credentials are attracting those concerned about the state of the planet. It seems that climate change activists as well as those who just try their best to help save the earth from its most populous species may have a better chance of making a...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Oman gets tough on expats and tourists who dress inappropriately
Expats in Oman as well as short term visitors are being urged to dress according to local codes and customs. Oman’s expat community are now being urged to respect the local culture by following dress codes. The message is being sent by local council members as well as by Shura officials along with calls for far stricter enforcement of...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in BVI now at the back of the jobs queue
Expats, Belongers and BVIslanders’ basic immigration status prevents them from getting jobs. PM of the British Virgin Islands Andrew Fahie recently announced that the immigration status of BVIslanders and Belongers does not mean they will be prioritised as regards job offers. The comment came after the PM prohibited work permits for...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Healthcare for newly arrived expats in Bahrain
If you’re heading for relocation to Bahrain, here’s how to ensure you’ll get acceptable levels of healthcare. Basically, Bahrain provides free healthcare treatments for its citizens, and employers must now provide healthcare insurance for their foreign workers, meaning expats will be able to access healthcare at a subsidised cost....
22 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait cracks down on sponsored parental visas
In a move applied with immediate effect, expat professionals living and working in Kuwait will no longer be able to sponsor dependent residency visas for their parents. The shock decision is being applied with immediate effect, and will cause distress and anger amongst Kuwait’s resident expat community, although the new rules allow for...
22 Oct at 6 PM
British expats in Spain rush to register as Brexit rears its ugly head
Brits in Spain are rushing to register as Brexit looms. With just over a week to go before the threat of Brexit becomes a reality, the numbers of British expats registering with their local authorities has soared, but the numbers of Brits officially registered in Malaga province tanked from 76,931 in 2013 to just 47,193 in 2019. Since...
22 Oct at 6 PM
Wealthy Hong Kong expats looking to emigrate to Oz
In spite of reports suggesting expat bankers in Hong Kong are in it for the long-haul, realtors are seeing a rush to invest in Australian property. Both expat professionals and Hong Kong’s wealthy elite are now hedging their bets on the outcome of the seemingly endless weekend protests. Although it seems no-one actually wants to leave,...
21 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expats in Gibraltar and nearby Spanish towns protest against Brexit
Last weekend’s massive anti-Brexit protest by several thousand members of Gibraltar’s expat community made their opinions about Johnson’s new deal as clear as day. Taking place in the border town of La Linea de la Conception and attended by the mayors of Los Barrios, La Linea and San Roque, the march saw over 2,000 anti-Brexit...
21 Oct at 6 PM
Controversy continues over effect of compulsory health insurance for expats in Thailand
Heartbreak looms for elderly expats in Thailand via compulsory private health insurance. Whilst it seems the present requirement is to be mandatory for expats arriving on the O-A so-called retirement visa, and also on its annual extensions, there’s still a great deal of confusion about expat retirees whose retirement visas are of the...
21 Oct at 6 PM
Saudi Arabia’s relaxation of regulations has a sting in its tail for expats
Following Saudi Arabia’s easing up of some regulations affecting expats, it’s now cracking down on so-called public misbehaviour offences. ‘Give a little, take a little’ seems to be the new Saudi attitude towards foreign visitors and its expat community, with the introduction of new laws against public behaviour. Ten new rules are...
18 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expats in Bulgaria happy to ride out Brexit chaos and stay put
Expats in Bulgaria are deciding to stay put and ride out the Brexit storm.For most British expats living in Bulgaria, the country fulfils their requirements and they’re staying put – Brexit or no Brexit. Reasons include the fact that the cost of living is half that of the UK, and many simply don’t like what Britain has become since...
18 Oct at 6 PM
Expat volunteers can see the world whilst protecting its species and peoples
For the majority of would-be expats heading overseas to start a new life, it’s all about the money and prestige a successful relocation can bring. However, not every purchaser if an airline ticket to a foreign land has this motivation, as increasing numbers of talented volunteers are taking time off to use their skills to benefit...
18 Oct at 6 PM
New home care service for elderly parents of expats opens in Kent
Expats living and working overseas with elderly parents still in the UK can now access a dedicated homecare service for their loved ones. Award-winning care provider Seniors Helping Seniors has just launched its services in West Kent, offering help around the home, overall care and compassionate companionship for elderly parents whose...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait to cap residencies for expats according to their skills
Kuwait is planning to bring in residency caps for expatriates in a move which will slash numbers to just under half of the emirate’s overall population. Media reports reveal unskilled labourers will be hit by a six-year cap, semi-skilled workers will have an eight year cap imposed if they’re single and ten years if they have families...
17 Oct at 6 PM
What next for expat professionals in Hong Kong?
As the Hong Kong protests continue, what does the expat community think? Some half a million non-Chinese expats from a variety of world countries are living and working on the tiny Hong Kong archipelago, the majority of whom are well aware of the global consequences should China decide to put a stop to the increasingly violent...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Dissecting Thailand’s expat community as a whole
Being an expat in Thailand is somewhat of a challenge these days, but it’s not stopping a good number of foreign residents from sticking to their guns and staying put in the hope common sense will prevail. Expat communities in the major cities tend to be defined by character, with the separate groups sticking together in areas, thus making...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Brexit set to wreck jobbing musicians’ chances of career advancement
Brexit is due to make musicians’ lives far harder by restricting freedom of movement. One profession which requires frequent travelling between countries is about to find its members’ lives and their chances of advancement seriously curtailed by Brexit. Musicians travel the continent of Europe and even the world on a regular basis, no...
17 Oct at 6 PM
More EU member states guarantee Brit expats grace periods after Brexit
Brexit hasn’t only been a UK nightmare – many of the 27 remaining EU member states are still attempting to decide what’s best for them. A major concern for British citizens living as expats in EU member states has been the attempt to comply with time-dependent rules as regards legal residency post-Brexit. All 27 countries have been...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expat victims of Spain’s gota fria still waiting for insurance payments
British expats in Spain who’ve lost everything due to the devastating gota fria weather event are being assured they’ll get compensation some time in the future. The above is hardly reassuring to British expats who’ve lost homes, belongings, cars and treasured possessions, but it’s how Spanish bureaucracy works – slowly,...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Slump in expat arrivals hits Thai condo market
The soaring baht and a dearth of expat arrivals have hit hard on the country’s condominium market. Real estate agents across Thailand are hunkering down and hoping to survive what one developer is calling the most severe situation in the past 10 years. Prices have slumped during 2019, mainly due to the continued rise in the baht and a...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Dubai urged to make legal wills to avoid problems after they’ve passed
Long-stay expatriate professionals living and working in the UAE are being urged to make a formal will.If the worst happens and your husband dies whilst employed as an expat. ln the UAE, the lack of a formal last will and testament can cause stress and hardship to the deceased's family. Given the cultural differences between Western...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Will the NHS collapse under the strain of returning British expats?
What will happen to the NHS should British retirees in Europe return to the UK? The worst scenario for a huge number of British expats living in retirement in Europe is the chance of losing their rights to healthcare due to Brexit. Should this happen, their only alternative would be a reluctant repatriation to the UK, thus putting a...
16 Oct at 6 PM
What’s forcing expat professionals to leave Dubai?
Once every expat professional’s dream destination, Dubai is fading fast at more and more top talents up and leave. ‘Sunny, no taxes and a top quality of life’ was the mantra quoted by expatriates eager to find jobs in the fast-growing Middle Eastern tropical paradise. Salaries their rivals could only dream about kept the legend...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Expat professionals desperate to leave the UK can’t find suitable jobs
Brits desperate to move overseas are being held back by a lack of suitable jobs. A recent survey result has identified the reason why Britons desperate to move abroad to avoid the after-effects of Brexit cannot find jobs – it’s the fault of international employers. Whether or not this reason is entirely accurate, overseas companies...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Expat families heading for Amsterdam now have English language website for schools
Amsterdam primary schools have launched a new website to inform expats wishing to put their kids into the Dutch school system. One of the most pressing problems for expat families is schooling for youngsters, as accessible information in newcomers’ languages is often hard to find. Expats arriving in Amsterdam along with their families...
15 Oct at 6 PM
EC slams UK government for deliberately excluding the expat vote
A report from the British Electoral Commission has accused the UK government of excluding 1.7 million expats from voting in the European elections. The report considers the government’s action violated its responsibility as regards ensuring correct levels of democracy by failing to correct errors which saw many hundreds of thousands of...
15 Oct at 6 PM
Retired British cocaine smuggling couple beg Johnson for transfer to better jail
The British expat couple arrested last year for smuggling cocaine in suitcases with false bottoms are now appealing to the British PM to get them out of a rat-infested Lisbon jail. Roger Clarke and his wife Susan had been running their suitcase scam from their retirement home in Spain for several years when their modus operadum was...
14 Oct at 6 PM
UK media campaign hots up against mis-selling of annuities
Expat retirees pushed into buying poor-value annuities as part of their relocation strategy may now be able to get compensation due to a campaign by a UK tabloid newspaper. The good news came as the result of the Daily Mail’s Mail on Sunday ‘Justice for Annuity Victims’ campaign, with the media outlet also urging the UK’s financial...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Shanghai expatriates win Magnolia Awards including citizenship
Twelve prominent foreign professionals living and working in Shanghai are the latest expatriates to receive the coveted Magnolia Gold Award. Since the early days of Shanghai’s development into a thriving global city, it’s welcomed expats from across the world eager to help build its commercial and social infrastructure. Starting in...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Expat-run horse rescue centre in Spain now dried out but running short of feed
The expat-run Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre based in Rojales is now dry, but is facing a chronic shortage of feed for 140 horses, ponies and other rescued livestock .During the bibilical floods caused by the gota fria weather phenomenon, the centre escaped the worst of the waters although the struggle to deal with the torrential rainfall...
14 Oct at 6 PM
British NGOs and volunteers helping UK expats in Cyprus get post-Brexit residency
The 70,000 British expats living, working and retiring in Cyprus are now getting help with their residency concerns via volunteer groups and Brit NGOs. As the dread date looms, British expats in Cyprus could well be forgiven for allowing a degree of panic to set in as regards their residency status after the end of this month.The groups...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Expat pension schemes well prepared for Brexit chaos
Over 50 per cent of pension schemes are now considered safe from the after-effects of Brexit. A major concern for British expats living overseas has been the Brexit effect on their pension schemes, but the majority of schemes recently surveyed are well prepared for any fall-out. Just 20 per cent of the total numbers of providers believe...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Hong Kong female expat entrepreneurs discriminated against by investors
Although Hong Kong gives the best gender balance on investment panels, for female entrepreneurs it’s still a man’s world. Entreprenuers need funding more than anything else, but the females of the species tend to have a hard time in Hong Kong. According to a recent survey, too many female talents aren’t getting the financial help...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expats in Spain unhappy over new NIE requirements
British expats’ confusion over the new requirement for getting an NIE number is now turning to outrage. The recent modification of the rules for obtaining the essential NIE identification number is causing confusion and anger across UK expat communities in Spain. The NIE is a foreigner identification number issued to all expats wishing...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Expats urged to protect against new-build deposit loss
British expats living overseas and investing in a new-build UK property are being warned they may lose their deposits. Whether the purchase is for investment purposes or because the buyer is returning to the UK after living overseas, expats are at risk of losing their initial deposits if they’ve decided on a new-build property....
14 Oct at 6 PM
Gibraltar gets the worst news about its post-Brexit future
The nightmare Brexit scenario for expats and locals in Gibraltar has now been revealed. The horrendous details of Brexit’s effect on the Rock and its inhabitants have been revealed as part of the Government’s Brexit Advice Booklet. The release coincided with Gibraltar’s new Brexit Information Office and is being received with anger...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Thai government legalises dual pricing for expat treatment at public hospitals
Retired expats in Thailand are now to be charged double the rates paid by Thais and ASEAN nationals for treatment at public hospitals. Thailand’s ministry of health officials have now ordered administrators at the country’s public hospitals to charge non-Asean foreigners requiring diagnosis and treatment at least double the price...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Is Dubai’s economic slowdown a warning for its expat professionals?
Dubai is rushing to court investors as its economy tanks. Weakening trade, tourism and property sales are threatening the Gulf States’ most diverse economy, with its growth now regarded as ‘lacklustre’ by economic experts. Last year, real estate deals fell some 21 per cent, with tourism figures remaining at around 16 million since...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Expat retirees in Thailand hard hit by strong baht
As the Thai baht gets ever stronger against Western currencies, more and more expatriates are feeling the pinch. Thailand has been perennially popular with expat retirees from the Western hemisphere, but the inexplicable rise in the value of its baht currency is wrecking the carefully-calculated financial strategies of a good number of...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Is expat suicide becoming endemic in Thailand?
Thailand is seeing an inexplicable increase in expat suicides. For several decades, the chaos on Thailand’s roads and the resultant expat deaths made headlines in both the Thai and English language media. Nowadays, although road accidents are still worth a mention on and offline, a new, inexplicable cause of death for expat males seems...
3 Oct at 6 PM
US expats now facing passport revocation for tax debt
US expats who’ve had their passports revoked due to FATCA are now facing action as regards work permits and visas. Passport revocation can have serious implications for expats with business visas and work permits, with the impact of action by the US taxman far more serious than that for US taxpayers in the home country. According to...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Thomas Cook bankruptcy spells disaster for expat-owned businesses in Spain
The sudden collapse of Thomas Cook is now threatening British-owned businesses in Majorca with a similar fate. The popular holiday island’s beaches are now bereft of happy holidaymakers, with tourism-oriented British businesses suffering a devastating downturn in trade. The massive repatriation which took place after the firm’s...
2 Oct at 6 PM
Expatriate nuns face Malaysian visa block when volunteering
As immigration requirement toughen up in Southeast Asia, expatriate nuns volunteering in Malaysia are calling for special approval as regards visas. Two homes for the needy elderly in Kuala Lumpur and Penang are staffed by volunteer nuns receiving no salary or allowances and sourced mainly from the worldwide Catholic congregation. Many...
2 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Spain now threatened by forest fires after biblical floods
As if biblical floods and the loss of homes and possessions weren't enough, expats and locals in Spain’s Costal del Sol region are now under threat from a raging forest fire. The blaze broke out in the hills overlooking the popular region, with homes evacuated whilst helicopters, fire trucks and firefighters attempted to contain the...
2 Oct at 6 PM
French company to dump Brit expat employees without residency permits
A France-based major employer of expats is demanding all its British staff produce the French carte de sejour residency certification within six months of the UK’s leaving the EU. The order came after French lawmakers decided to allow British citizens a full year’s grace period in order to secure their futures in the country. The...
1 Oct at 6 PM
UAE plans 20,000 new Emirati jobs to replace expat talent
The UAE is planning to create 20,000 new jobs aimed exclusively at Emiratis. In a move which may result in the beginning of the end of jobs for expat professionals in the Gulf States, the UAE will create 20,000 private sector jobs for locals as well as subsidising their wages.No less than 160 private sector job categories will be...
1 Oct at 6 PM
Shanghai presents coveted Magnolia Awards to prominent expat professionals
Twelve prominent foreign professionals living and working in Shanghai are the latest expatriates to receive the coveted Magnolia Gold Award. Since the early days of Shanghai’s development into a thriving global city, it’s welcomed expats from across the world eager to help build its commercial and social infrastructure. Starting in...
1 Oct at 6 PM
Would-be Brit expats urged to check their destinations for frozen pensions
Would-be British expat retirees are being urged to check their favoured destination as to whether it’s subject to frozen UK pensions. As Brexit day approaches yet again, many Brits are finalising their plans to leave the UK to its own devices and settle down for a comfortable retirement elsewhere in the world. Many will be relying on...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Yet another mafia-related expat murder in Spain
Last Saturday evening, an expat dining with his girlfriend at a Torremolinos restaurant was gunned down and killed by an assassin. Hamza Ziani was shot four times in the chest and head, dying a few hours later in Malaga’s regional hospital. His killer was masked, and escaped with an accomplice in a stolen vehicle after a police chase on...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Expats arrested in Saudi for celebrating Halloween
Saudi intelligence officers have arrested 17 expats celebrating Halloween at a party in Riyadh. The 17 Filipino women were arrested last Friday after neighbours complained about the noise coming from a Halloween celebration in a Riyadh compound, but it’s not clear what charges will be brought against the accused. One clue might well be...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Spaniards join UK expats in concern over Brexit
As controversy over the prospect of a no-deal Brexit soars, Spanish businesses join with British expats in concern about its effects. Fears are mounting in the British expat community, the Spanish expat community in the UK and the Spanish business community about the likelihood of Britain crashing out of the European Union without a deal....
30 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait plans to sack all expats in public sector jobs
Kuwait is planning to replace all expatriates in the public sector with Kuwaiti nationals. According to a recent report in the Kuwait Times, the Kuwaiti government’s Civil Service Commission is aiming to staff all jobs in the admin, media, IT, PR, development and statistics sectors with Kuwaiti nationals. In addition, 95 per cent of all...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expat returnees priced out of UK housing market
Brit expats returning to the UK due to Brexit are being priced out of the UK real estate market. Although house prices are falling across the country, they’re still not low enough to be affordable for former British expats returning home due to Brexit uncertainty. Many who bought homes in their country of retirement will have found a...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Is the Rock still at risk from Brexit?
Is the Gibraltar dilemma really sorted? Most expat residents on Gibraltar and the Spanish workers who travel across the border daily may be feeling more secure since the news broke about a Brexit deal, but are they celebrating too soon? It’s good that the move is in the positive direction, thus easing fears of a Spanish takeover, but...
29 Oct at 6 PM
No deal Brexit to make Brits in France illegal immigrants
France’s EU minister is warning a no-deal Brexit will make UK expatriates in the country illegal immigrants overnight. French European Affairs minister Nathalie Loiseau is warning that, should a no-deal Brexit become an unpleasant reality, all British expats living, working or retiring in France will become illegal immigrants overnight....
29 Oct at 6 PM
New UAE visa reforms help ensure expat kids education
New visa reforms and promotion of youth employment are aimed at popularising the UAE as an education destination. The UAE’s efforts to position itself as an international hub for education should please long-term expatriate professionals hoping to keep their kids with them throughout their education. The new measures are intended to...
29 Oct at 6 PM
Expats desert Sihanoukville after Chinese takeover
Expats are leaving Sihanoukville in droves as the Chinese takeover continues with crime, pollution, cancelled leases and much more. Until recently, Sihanoukville was a charming beachside hub popular both with Western and Cambodian tourists as well as with expatriates arriving from the West or from neighbouring countries whose immigration...
26 Oct at 6 PM
UK state pension amount wins no prizes in survey
If you’ve ever wondered whether the UK’s state pension is more or less than in other world countries, here’s the answer. Whether you’re drawing your UK state pension as an expat retiree living overseas or are considering emigrating in a bid to make ends meet in a cheaper country, the results of a recent pensions survey won’t...
26 Oct at 6 PM
Flood-hit Spanish animal shelter makes desperate plea for funds
An Estepona-based cat sanctuary is desperate for funds to rebuild their shelter, destroyed by torrential floods caused by huge storms. The non-profit Gatos y Amigos cat rescue shelter was flooded and almost completely wrecked during the massive thunderstorms which hit Estepona last weekend. Nine cats were drowned and many others managed...
26 Oct at 6 PM
Chinese international expo to feature expat lifestyle documentary
The daily life of expats living and working in Guangdong is to be featured in a video. The Guangdong 21st Century Maritime Silk Road International Expo, as its name suggests, is intended to promote worldwide commercial cooperation as well as cultural exchange. Given China’s new-found popularity with expat entrepreneurs, professionals...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Emiratization call as expats now 91 per cent of workforce
At the recent Abu Dhabi GOV HR summit, the focus was on the total imbalance between nationals and expats in the workforce. Job losses and poor economic growth across the UAE are causing lawmakers concern about the progress of emiratization. Based on the findings via surveys carried out by various UAE agencies, experts pointed out that the...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Spain could get windfall on property purchase taxes
In Spain’s Murcia region, expats who took out mortgage loans over the last four years could be in for a tax refund. Following a Supreme Court ruling announced last week, some 30,000 buyers in total could be in for a tax refund. The judge’s decision reversed a former ruling that the ‘tax on judicial acts’ levied on property...
25 Oct at 6 PM
May offers reciprocal lifelong rights for both EU and UK expats
During a recent meeting, Theresa May finally came out on the plight of UK expats, offering a possible solution. During a September meeting with the EU Parliament’s Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, the PM offered EU citizens lifelong rights of residence in the UK, even if they’d left the country for years and wanted to return. In...
24 Oct at 6 PM
UK expats in France to join November 5 Last Mile campaign march
Some 500 British expats from France and other EU member states joined the recent London People’s Vote march. Remain in France Together members totalled 200, with 1,000 more members’ names printed on T-shirts and banners in support of the fight to reverse the Brexit referendum result. RIFT founder Kalba Meadows told the press the...
24 Oct at 6 PM
IRS now chasing passports of US expat tax debtors
US expat taxpayers who owe money to the IRS are now having their passports seized. As if being subject to the IRS’s toxic oversight isn’t bad enough, US expatriates who owe money to the US taxman are now having their passports seized. It’s not just a threat, it’s actually happening, as both the taxman and the State Department have...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Oman to be allowed to buy non-ITC properties
Oman’s Ministry of Housing is considering a proposal which would allow expats to buy homes outside its Integrated Tourism Complexes. According to a spokesperson for the ministry, a proposal is being debated which allows expatriates to own properties in other designated districts apart from Muscat’s Integrated Tourism Complexes (ITC)....
23 Oct at 6 PM
Spain gives up over post-Brexit Gibraltar
British expats in Gibraltar are relieved to hear Spain is giving up on its claim to the Rock. Last week, Spain reassured EU leaders it will no longer attempt to block a final Brexit deal, thus allowing Gibraltar to leave the EU along with the UK, although final details will need to be agreed at a later date. For decades, British expats’...
23 Oct at 6 PM
French anti-Brexit lawyer founds new pan-European movement
French lawyer Julien Fouchet has launched another pro-Europe group. French barrister Julien Fouchet has founded a pan-European movement aimed at encouraging EU citizens as well as expatriate Britons to support the ending of the Brexit threat to European unity. His Pan European Citizens Solidarity movement is calling on all EU citizens to...
23 Oct at 6 PM
New tax on second homes likely to hit returning Brit expats
Expats who return to the UK post-Brexit are likely to be hit with unexpected property taxes. PM Theresa May’s new surcharges in addition to stamp duty on buy-to-let and second homes may spell bad news for former UK expats who’ve returned to the UK due to Brexit uncertainty. The British government is expected to debate the plan’s...
22 Oct at 6 PM
Missing sick dog reunited with expat owner after community appeal
Timid Polly the Podenco went missing after escaping from her Costa del Sol home last Thursday during severe storms. Terrified by the thunder and lightning, she’d torn a hole in her expat owner’s fence, bolted and couldn’t be found. The five-year old rescue dog suffers from severe kidney disease and can only eat a special diet due to...
22 Oct at 6 PM
Omani locals rescue expats from wadi during flash floods
A group of local men living in the mountainous Tiwi region of Oman were on hand to rescue four expatriates whose cars were trapped in a wadi following heavy rain. The first sign something was wrong was spotted by Hamed al Hussaini when he saw a lone foreign woman climbing a tree to escape from her vehicle after it was trapped during the...
22 Oct at 6 PM
New UK Ambassador to Portugal digs in on expat Brexit advice
Chris Sainty, the UK’s new British Ambassador to Portugal, isn’t wasting any time before contacting members of the Brit community about Brexit. Ambassador Sainty only arrived in the country two weeks ago, but is already active as regards making contacts with the Portuguese government and members of the UK expat community. As his first...
19 Oct at 6 PM
Cadiz car thieves steal Ford and take European tour
A British expat living in Cadiz got the shock of his life when attempting to sell his Ford Mondeo. When Elliot Higgins, now living in Cadiz’s Chiclana de Frontera, decided to sell his car, he couldn’t have imagined the consequences! After advertising the Ford Mondeo online, he received a reply from a couple requesting a test drive to...
19 Oct at 6 PM
UAE expat wives now allowed one year post-divorce visa
UAE-based expatriate husbands subject to divorce proceedings can no longer use their sponsorship powers to threaten their wives. Expatriate wives sponsored by their husbands need no longer fear having to leave the country at short notice when divorce proceedings are under way. A new UAE law aims to protect divorcees, widows and their...
19 Oct at 6 PM
Expat voters with representatives could change the world
Over the last five decades, the number of expats living abroad has soared to 250 million, but almost all have no effective political representation back in the home country. Whilst it might seem illogical that citizens who’ve opted to spend many years overseas should have a say in the politics of the home country, the last few years...
19 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait lawmakers busy making more new expat rules
Expats in Kuwait seem to be both positive and negative targets for municipal lawmakers, with the emirate churning out new rules by the day. It’s good news for some expats and not so good for others as the Kuwait parliament tinkers with changing existing laws and inventing new ones. For example, the former age restriction applied to...
19 Oct at 6 PM
Dutch expat tax reprieve causes more confusion
Rather than being a solution to the Dutch government’s sudden changes to the 30 per cent expat tax relieve scheme, the recent changes are causing yet more confusion. Expat professionals attracted to the Netherlands by the government’s 30 per cent of salary tax free deal for eight years were horrified when lawmakers suddenly shortened...
19 Oct at 6 PM
No need for UK expat panic over French draft law
A media clarification about the French government’s intentions for UK expats after a no-deal Brexit explains the issue as it now stands. Recent press reports on British expats’ status in France should a no-deal Brexit happen have caused unnecessary concern to many UK citizens who’ve chosen to make the country their permanent...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Last South African QROPS removed from list by HMRC
The latest HMRC list has confirmed the removal of South Africa’s last QROPS. The list, published October 15, conforms the removal of the ABSA Group Pension Fund, with neither the group nor HMRC commenting on the removal to date. Normally, QROPS deletions take place for one of three reasons – either HMRC is investigating the scheme’s...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait plans further reduction in expat numbers
Kuwaiti lawmakers are planning to reduce expat employment in the public sector to just 10 per cent of the emirate’s entire workforce. A report limiting the numbers of expats working in Kuwait’s public sector to 10 per cent as well as restricting expat employment to just the educational and medical sectors is being submitted to the...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Disenfranchised Brit expats come closer to getting vote
A Welsh MP's private members’ bill aimed at ending the hated 15-year disenfranchisement rule has moved one small step closer to becoming law. The Overseas Electors Bill, brought forward by MP Glyn Davies and supported by famous nonagenarian British expat Harry Shindler, has been passed for a second reading by the British House of...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Southwestern France hit by devastating floods as storm batters Carcassone
Devastating floods in France’s southwestern corner have resulted in destruction and death. Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate, roads were washed away, hospitals were flooded and at least 13 people are known to have died after several months’ worth of rain fell in France’s Aude region during just a few hours overnight....
16 Oct at 6 PM
Dutch government backtracks on 30% expat tax relief ruling
As the Dutch government delays implementation of the widely unpopular 30% rule changes, lawyers for the expats affected declare the rule violates Dutch law. Faced with lobbying by major international Netherlands-based companies as well as expat professionals' grassroots protest groups, the Dutch government has announced the inception of...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Controversy surrounding Golden Visas causes calls for more control
Recent publicity surrounding the controversial subject of Golden Visas is resulting in calls for more control over their issuance. EU lawmakers are now calling for tighter controls over the so-called Golden Visa purchases of second passports and residential rights in exchange for cash. Major concerns about the second passport schemes are...
15 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expats in Portugal urged to register as residents
The recently arrived new British Ambassador to Portugal is urging British expats to register with the authorities before March 29. Ambassador Chris Sainty believes there may come a point when it’s crucial for British expatriates living in Portugal to have the correct registration papers before Brexit kicks in. His comment came during a...
15 Oct at 6 PM
Andalusia now hotspot for UK pre-retirement property purchases
Andalusian real estate firms whose clients are mainly pre-retirement Brits cite change of lifestyle as the main attraction. According to leading agencies in the area, around 80 percent of British property hunters are looking for a holiday home which can become their retirement dream at a later date. In addition, the majority are looking...
15 Oct at 6 PM
QROPS transfer tax revenues disappoint HMRC
UK expat pensioners might well be overjoyed to hear the controversial QROPs overseas transfer tax has been a bitter disappointment for the UK taxman. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs was expecting a welcome windfall when it introduced the unpopular transfer tax, paid by expat retirement savers on the transfer of their offshore...
12 Oct at 6 PM
New German laws aim at helping UK expat workers avoid post-Brexit problems
Germany is making plans to simplify the lives of resident British expats during the post-Brexit transition period. As the British government struggles to get its own way over Brexit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is working on a plan to make UK expats’ lives easier for at least a short while. Berlin is now drafting a new law which...
12 Oct at 6 PM
HSBC survey rates Thailand lower than in 2017 rankings
A recently published HSBC survey ranks Thailand six points lower than in last year’s listings. Once one of the most popular destinations for expat retirees, Thailand has slipped still further in the results of the latest Expat Explorer survey, losing six points from last year’s results and finishing 21st out of the 31 countries whose...
12 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Spain warned over deadly spider bites
A French expat living in Estepona is warning other expatriates about the possibility of deadly spider bites in the region. Aurelia Nesslany was hospitalised for more than a month after she was bitten by what appears to have been a venomous spider whilst she was playing cards with friends at Estepona’s Nautical Club. The arachnid bit her...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait begins crackdown on expat uni degrees and old cars
Kuwait’s manpower agency is to ban work permit issuance to expat university graduates arriving to take up jobs in the private sector unless they have good grade point averages (GPA). The ban is expected to help resolve the emirate’s demographic imbalance as well as benefiting its restructuring of the local labour market, with further...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Devastating flood kills British couple in Majorca
A massive storm and torrential rain have caused devastating floods in Majorca, killing at least eight people including a British couple. Rescuers are still searching for survivors of devastating floods which hit Majorca’s eastern region during a huge storm. At least eight people are believed to be dead, including two Britons who were...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Elderly, homeless expat in Spain helped by good-hearted Brits
A British expat couple living in Spain have rescued an elderly, homeless Briton who’s been wandering the streets for five years. David Langshaw and his partner Rebecca Pattinson first became aware of the homeless British OAP when he arrived in their Spanish village. After talking with him and getting to know him, they became aware of...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Costa del Sol Brit expat community warned as gang war escalates
Expats and tourists along the Costa del Sol have been warned to be alert after two bomb blasts shook a gated Benahavis estate and an industrial area. Expatriates and visitors awoke in horror as two explosions shook the popular resort town in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The first bomb went off outside a villa in a popular gated...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Algarve hospitals risky for expat heart attack patients
If you’re planning to retire to Portugal and have heart problems, it’s best to avoid the Algarve. Portugal is a favourite destination for expat retirees from the UK due to its reasonable cost of living, good weather and affordable property, with the Algarve already home to a sizeable expat community. Unfortunately, one statistic which...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Portugal Golden Visa programme nets four billion euros
Portugal’s Golden Visa programme has now benefitted the country by around four billion euros since its 2012 inception. The term ’Golden Visa’ tends to raise blood pressures in Portugal’s everyday expat communities and invariably attract negative comments, but they’re a great way for a country to fill its coffers with cash,...
9 Oct at 6 PM
Britons in Europe considering returning to the UK
Although it hasn’t had much in the way of press coverage, the decision to sell up and go home is being widely discussed within the British expat community across Europe. The discussions concern the fluctuating exchange rate, the uncertainty of the UK’s economy in the immediately post-Brexit future and the perceived value for money of...
9 Oct at 6 PM
Is Vision 2030 the end for expat professionals in Saudi
Is Vision 2030 the death knell for expatriate professionals in Saudi Arabia? Launched in 2016 by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Vision 2030 is intended to diversify the Kingdom’s economy away from its traditional dependency on oil revenues. For decades, the Gulf State has been a haven for expat professionals earning salaries and living...
9 Oct at 6 PM
Saudization sackings resulting in abandoned pets
Animal welfare workers in Saudi are being swamped with unwanted dogs and cats as locals and expats abandon their pets. Dog and cat dumping in the Kingdom is now at record levels, exacerbated by expats returning to their home countries and rising costs making keeping and feeding pets an impossibility. Other reasons include noise complaints...
8 Oct at 6 PM
Expat vets and nurses march in Dogs against Brexit Wooferendum
Last Sunday’s ‘Wooferendum’ protest throws a spotlight on the post-Brexit plight of EU-qualified expat vets in the UK. More than 50 per cent of qualified, experienced vets in the UK are expats, mostly from EU member states, and another 90 per cent of all those working in public health roles are under threat by Brexit. In addition,...
8 Oct at 6 PM
Meetup between Brit diplomats and expat campaign groups disappoints
Last week’s meeting in Madrid between leaders of UK expat anti-Brexit campaign groups and Britain’s Minister for Exiting the European Union Robin Walker seems to have been yet another unsuccessful attempt to clarify UK expatriate concerns. British expats living, retiring and working in Spain may well consider the sudden interest in...
8 Oct at 6 PM
Expat boy invents new international Wolfenoot holiday
A South African expat mom’s seven-year old son has invented a brand new international holiday. South African author Jax Goss, now living with her seven-year old son in New Zealand, has cause to be extremely proud of her dog-loving boy as he’s invented a new international holiday. Wolfenoot is a one-day festival especially for...
5 Oct at 6 PM
South Korea to toughen health insurance rules for expatriates
The South Korean government is to revise the rules by which expats and Korean citizens living overseas access its national health insurance system. According to the Korean government, the toughening up of its national health insurance regulations is the result of the exploitation of loopholes in the system by expats, allowing expensive...
5 Oct at 6 PM
UK expats to be charged stamp duty on British property purchases
As part of a move by the British government to ease the UK’s worsening housing crisis, UK expat buyers of property in Britain will now be charged stamp duty. The reason for the extension of the unpopular tax to expat property purchases is the belief that non-resident British buyers are using house purchase purely as an investment, a...
5 Oct at 6 PM
France steps in to safeguard UK expat rights
A French government bill introduced last Wednesday gives hope for UK expats’ residency rights. The bill seeks to clarify France’s position should there be a no-deal Brexit by giving the government the power to reduce its impact on French customs procedures and cross-channel trains as well as the essential reassurance necessary to put...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Brit pensioner and Thai wife steal cash and mattress from neighbour
A British expat retiree and his Thai wife have been arrested after being caught on camera stealing a mattress and cash. Sidney Michael Edwards and his wife Phensakao Nasok were arrested in a Pattaya rooming house last week after being caught on CCTV whilst stealing 126,000 baht (£3,000) and a mattress from an adjacent rented room. The...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Stricter Oz immigration policies causing skills shortages as fewer expats arrive
For many decades, Australia has been a top choice for expats, but the dream now seems to be fading. A recent statement by Australia’s immigration minister Peter Dutton revealed immigrant numbers in 2018 are now at a ten-year low, having dropped by a further 10 per cent over last year’s figures. According to those in the know, the...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Spanish police commissioner confirms Estepona is hub for international criminals
According to Spain’s commissioner of police, violent crimes including shootings are the norm in Estepona. Commissioner Fernando Calleja made his comments in the morning of the day when hundreds of expats, citizens and tourists fled in panic after hearing shots and witnessing a kidnapping from a beachside restaurant at 10.45 that night....
3 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Estepona flee for their lives as gun battle rages
Mass panic and a stampede along the promenade of terrified expats, locals and tourists in the popular beachside resort followed gunshots outside a restaurant. Estepona’s promenade and the popular restaurant location of Calle Real were taken over by a panic-stricken stampede as gunshots were heard coming from an eatery on the promenade....
3 Oct at 6 PM
Half UAE total wealth owned by just one per cent of residents
As the super-rich in the UAE get even wealthier, a report has revealed they control over half the emirates’ total wealth. It’s well-known that the UAE acts as a magnet for multi-millionaires, with a recent report admitting that just one per cent of the entire population owns 51 per cent of the combined wealth of the emirates. The...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Expat houseboat owners in Discovery Bay given three months notice
Enterprising expat professionals who’ve found a way to minimise their rental costs in Hong Kong are now being evicted. The marina in Hong Kong’s Discovery Bay is packed out with houseboats, many of which are owned by members of the city’s expat community. Around 180 families live on the water, saving money on Hong Kong’s sky-high...
2 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expats still rushing to get a pre-Brexit foothold in Spain
Spain’s property market is still rising, with July’s figures showing a 16 per cent increase in sales and purchases. Spain’s property sector slump is now well and truly over, with July seeing a 16 per cent increase in the number of homes bought and sold, as well as a 15 per cent increase in mortgage loans. It seems the doom and gloom...
2 Oct at 6 PM
Should UK expats believe government stance on pensions triple-lock
A major concern for retired British expats has been the possibility of the state pension triple lock being removed for those living in EU member states. Britons who’ve retired in Europe have already felt the effects of Brexit through the shrinking value if the pound sterling, with many now worried about the possibility of losing the...
2 Oct at 6 PM
MEPs urged to pressure EC on expat voting rights
A campaign in favour of expat voting rights backed by members of the European parliament is to be debated in Strasbourg later this week. British citizens who’ve lived overseas for more than 15 years have been deprived of their right to vote both in UK elections and referendums, a law which is being described by those affected as...
1 Oct at 6 PM
French study visas for expat students
France is one of the world’s most popular countries for international students. As many as 271,339 foreign students are now studying at French universities as well as enjoying their lives in France’s unique culture. Many have arrived from just across the English Channel, spurred by the thought of getting an internationally-accepted...
1 Oct at 6 PM
Expats urged to invest in mid-range UAE property
Is now the time for expats to invest in mid-range UAE property? As the swing in UAE property prices nears its lowest point since 2014, financial gurus are recommending mid-range property purchases below a bench mark of DH1.5 million as the way to go for expat investors. Purchasers planning a buy-to-let investment are expected to gross...
1 Oct at 6 PM
EU to investigate UK expats carte de sejour problems
As more and more UK expats in France experience problems with their carte de sejour applications, the EU has been asked to investigate. The European Commission’s MEP citizens’ rights task force has tabled a question in the EU parliament requesting information as to why so many UK expats in France are experiencing serious problems...
31 Oct at 6 PM
UK Autumn Budget raids on retirement savings predicted
Would-be expats looking to their personal pensions to find retirement overseas may lose out in the upcoming UK Autumn Budget. Raiding pensions is an habitual activity for British chancellors when the economy is slightly shaky, and it seems this year’s UK Autumn Budget isn’t likely to be an exception to the rule. An article in a...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Saudi gobsmacked at granting of citizenship to female robot
An attractive female star attending Saudi Arabia’s recent Future Investment Initiative programme was interviewed and questioned about her lifestyle and wishes for her future. The young lady said she wanted to help humanity and was subsequently granted Saudi Arabian citizenship, an unusual move by the Saudi authorities. Exactly how...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Qatar eases banking regulations for expats with expired visas
As the regional economic boycott enters its sixth month, Qatar’s central bank is loosening up on expat banking rules. According to the regulator, lenders must now allow expat workers whose visas have expired a full 90 days before their accounts are closed. Formerly, accounts were shut down immediately on visa expiry. The news was posted...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Should expat professionals abandon Qatar
Once one of the most popular destinations for expat professionals heading for the Gulf States, it’s now feared Qatar’s present situation may have taken the shine off the desirability of jobs in the country. Although many reports state Qatar’s rulers are dealing well with the diplomatic standoff involving most of their immediate...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Expat tax resident investors in Spain get worthwhile tax breaks
The Spanish taxman has granted useful tax advantages on investment and savings plans to expats who’ve chosen tax residency in the country. Tax advantages on savings and investments for tax resident expatriates in Spain also let them off the hook of Spain’s notorious negativity against non-compliant investments. UK expat tax residents...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expats dream lives ruined by nightmare neighbours
UK expats in Spain feature on UK TV documentary proving bad neighbours can turn heaven into hell. Nightmare Neighbours Abroad was screened in the UK, featuring three tales of woe in which the expats’ Spanish dreams turned into a daily nightmare due to problems with nasty neighbours. The expats claim their lives in the sun were totally...
27 Oct at 6 PM
Expat joy as China lifts ban on mould ripened Western cheese
Expats whose gastronomic pleasures were all but ruined due to China’s recent ban on mould-ripened cheeses are celebrating the lifting of the bizarre rule. The ban caused controversy across the cheese-producing world as well as distress to expat lovers of Roquefort, Camembert and other examples of the cheese-makers’ skill. The Chinese...
27 Oct at 6 PM
Marbella pensioner scammed by fake driving license seller and fined by police
An American pensioner living in Marbella has been fined by police for using a fake international driving license purchased in good faith from a prominent expat businessman. Andrea Barnett was fined a total of €500 by local police after she was found with a fake international driving license she’d bought from local expat businessman...
27 Oct at 6 PM
British ambassador to travel round France hearing British expats woes
In an attempt to gather information about British expats’ Brexit concerns, the British ambassador to France is to undertake a meetings tour around the country. According to the embassy’s website, ambassador Lord Ed Llewellyn is preparing to tour around France meeting with UK expats worried about their post-Brexit status in the...
26 Oct at 6 PM
Mystery fortune found in Mijas town hall coffers raises suspicion
Expats living in the Costa del Sol resort of Mijas have discovered the local council is sitting on funds of about €64 million but aren’t doing anything to spruce up the town. Mijas town hall is now the subject of demands from expats to deal with urgent local issues after it was revealed the authority is sitting on €64 million of...
26 Oct at 6 PM
Bremain in Spain calls for clarity on post Brexit provisions for UK expats
Following Alfonso Dastis’s pledge that UK expats resident in Spain will be able to stay no matter what the Brexit result brings, campaign groups are calling for reassurance as regards healthcare and other rights. Bremain in Spain’s chairperson Sue Wilson is claiming the right to remain without assurances on healthcare and other...
26 Oct at 6 PM
Trump tax bill just might include the end of citizen based taxation
In spite of recent news reports to the contrary, Republican lawmakers are believed to be considering measures linked with residency-based taxation for US expats. According to Republican leader of the House’s Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady in an interview for the Financial Times, lawmakers are carefully looking into the...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Famous Fuengirola expat owned oyster bar forced to close for roadworks
Former chef to the stars Larry O’Rourke’s oyster bar and restaurant is likely to be forced to close due to local government road works slated to take until December to complete. The famous Irish expat, formerly the private chef for Irish traditional dancer Michael Flatley, was devastated when he arrived at his premises to find a local...
25 Oct at 6 PM
US expat helicopter pilot granted exclusion from foreign earned income tax
In a sudden departure from the usual result of cases relating to foreign earned income exclusion, an American helicopter pilot living and working in Iraq has been allowed to claim the exclusion. The decision is considered to be notable not only for its taxpayer-friendly result, but also because the court failed to take into account...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Living sensibly and saving money in the UAE
For new arrivals in Dubai, it’s easy to get caught up in the endless overspending common to the emirate’s expat community. Given that expats who relocate to Dubai are awarded high salaries and relocation packages for their trouble, it’s not surprising that most see their new job as an opportunity to save a good deal of money for...
24 Oct at 6 PM
UAE locals accused of having expats arrested for fun
The strange case of the Western expat sentenced to three months in a Dubai jail for touching a man in a bar is now being recognised as a popular sport for Emirati locals. Scot Jamie Harron was arrested for ‘public indecency’ after he accidentally touched a local man on the hip whilst carrying his drinks through a crowded bar. Even...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Expats grieve with the Thai nation on Royal cremation day
This Thursday marks the cremation of Thailand’s much-loved King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who ruled the kingdom for 70 years. The beloved monarch died last October 13, leaving the Thai nation mourning his passing and celebrating his extraordinary life spent serving his country and its people in a manner unique in Southeast Asia. Many Thais...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Financial firms log a deluge of complaints from clients
Consumers are lodging millions of complaints with the UK's Financial Services Agency over poor and unsuitable financial services. Allowing a financial advisor to manage investments and savings can be seriously detrimental to the heath of your wealth, according to consumer watchdogs. IFAs, financial firms and banks have been hit with a...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Madagascar warned about plague outbreak
The international expat community in Madagascar are being warned of a rapidly spreading outbreak of plague. Government departments in Madagascar are warning all expats, residents and visitors to take care as the country’s health authorities rush to stem the rapid spread of the disease known historically as the Black Plague. The plague...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Jobless and homeless expat mom living on Dubai streets
A 45 year-old former HR manager is now living on the streets in Dubai, separated from her two children and facing prison. Romanian national Leiga Michael lived happily in Dubai with her two children for a number of years until she lost her job in 2015. She had a small apartment and was working as a successful HR manager until her life...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Spanish foreign minister pledges UK expats can stay post Brexit
Spanish foreign minister Alfonso Dastis has reassured British expats their post-Brexit lives will not be interrupted, even if the Brexit no-deal option is taken by the UK government. With the first official comment on the fate of some 300,000 Britons living, working and retiring in Spain, Dastis has done more than Theresa May or any other...
20 Oct at 6 PM
Fake news causes expat panic in Nanjing
Expats in Nanjing and along the East Coast are in a state of panic due to fake news on an internet chat room. An article on Expatlife’s WeChat page has caused expats living in Nanjing to panic in case the restrictions described were true. Rumourmongering targeting China’s expat communities is a fairly new phenomenon, but it’s always...
20 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwaiti MP urges exit visas for expats
As Kuwait’s government and lawmakers continue proposing and introducing measures hostile to foreigners working in the emirate, a law is being introduced requiring exit visas for all expats. Kuwaiti MP Waleed al Tabtabaei has proposed a measure imposing exit visas for all foreign workers intending to leave the emirate. The law, if...
20 Oct at 6 PM
State pensions not enough for comfortable expat retirement
New research reveals state pensions worldwide don’t provide enough for a comfortable retirement in any country. A study by the Swiss bank UBS has made it crystal clear that relying on a state pension anywhere in the world makes no sense, as all pay the minimum amount necessary to cover basic expenses. The bank’s research identified a...
19 Oct at 6 PM
Decline in disposable incomes causing expat concern
Relocation is often seen as the answer to stagnant wages and stalled career opportunities, but expat professionals nowadays are often struggling to make ends meet. For several decades, accepting relocation overseas was synonymous with a vast increase in salary, a luxury lifestyle and a boost in career prospects. Nowadays, worldwide...
19 Oct at 6 PM
How to make the most of your relocation
Relocating to a new job overseas can be a lonely experience at first, but there are many ways to find a comfortable place in an already established expat community. Most expats who relocate overseas for work will find themselves in the midst of a fairly large expat community, all of whom probably felt isolated as new arrivals. It’s far...
19 Oct at 6 PM
Baby Boomers still retiring overseas in droves
As the 21st century gets even more confusing, the Baby Boomer generation is heading off into the sunshine for a tropical retirement. Survey after survey is revealing the most important factor in the decision to emigrate is the wish to enjoy a lower cost of living in a warmer, more laid-back environment. The Baby Boomer generation still...
18 Oct at 6 PM
What the Trump tax reform bill may mean to US expats overseas
Although the mystery surrounding Trump’s latest attempt to cosset his supporter base won’t easily be revealed to tax-paying mere mortals, one thing’s for sure – the UK tax code won’t ever be the same again. US expats overseas aren’t exactly waiting with bated breath to hear whether or not residence-based taxation will replace...
18 Oct at 6 PM
British ambassador in UAE reminds UK expats about consular services
As a result of the recent increase in the numbers of British expats falling foul of UAE laws or finding themselves in dangerous or difficult situations, the British ambassador has released a guide to consular services in the emirates. Whilst a good number of UK expats scattered around various world destinations admit to having little...
18 Oct at 4 PM
Dental fees now included in expat healthcare charge increase
As the row over increased heathcare fees for expats rumbles on, expats’ least favourite female MP Safa al Hashem weighs in with her joy at hearing dental services are to be included. The recently-elected Kuwaiti MP’s other suggestions include taxes for expats walking on Kuwait roads, so it’s no surprise she is overjoyed about...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait Human Rights Society urges revocation of expat health service fees
Kuwait’s Society for Human Rights, (KHRS), is calling for the controversial new expat health service fee to be revoked due to patients quitting necessary medication. Kuwait’s human rights organisation is urging the government to reverse the new law forcing expats to pay for heathcare services, citing new reports that a large number of...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Raging wildfires in Portugal and northern Spain threaten expat lives and properties
Massive wildfires raging in northern Spain and Portugal may have been started by human intervention, according to investigators. Up to 40 people are believed to have died in the blazes, with dozens more injured and hundreds losing their homes. Over 140 separate fires are being fought in Portugal, with firefighters struggling against high...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Germany a favourite for long stay British expats
Over 100,000 UK expats are settled in Germany, with their numbers steadily increasing since 2011. A report by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has revealed a total of 107,000 Britons living in Germany, a 10 per cent increase over the last six years. The data was collected and analysed from an EU report of the latest numbers, and...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Bremain in Spain condemns government attitude towards Brexit negotiations
Major expat rights campaign group Bremain in Spain is less than impressed by the current progress of Brexit negotiations. Chairperson of Bremain in Spain Sue Wilson’s opinions on the fifth Brexit negotiation talks and related government action are less than positive, and with good reason. Last week’s lively general news scene meant...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Oman must now have private healthcare insurance
Oman is preparing to issue a new law requiring the purchase of healthcare insurance by nationals and expats working in its private sector. According to the Times of Oman, the announcement of the new law by the Omani minister of health indicated enforcement by early next year. Currently, just 10 per cent of expats working in the emirate...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Expats left with nothing after upscale Pattaya condo project goes bust
Over a hundred expat and Thai investors are still waiting for their money after the luxury Centara Grand Residence project was declared bankrupt. Basil Development Co’s advertorial for the high-rise condo development ensnared over 100 buyers by focusing on upscale living, resulting in all of them buying off-plan. Several months ago, all...
13 Oct at 6 PM
Expat dog rescue charity in Spain finds homes for abandoned pets
A group of female expats in Alhama de Granada are working hard to find new homes for abandoned dogs in their area. One shock for dog-loving expats is to find the citizens of their new country don’t exactly mirror the attachment Brits have for their furry family members. Caring for dogs as an important part of our lives is the norm in...
13 Oct at 6 PM
Expat buy to let investors losing out to the UK taxman
New tax rules on buy-to-let landlords have resulted in the UK becoming one of Europe’s most expensive countries for property tax. Due to mortgage and tax changes aimed at slowing house price inflation and levelling the British property market in favour of first-time buyers, expats investing in buy-to-let properties have been hard hit. A...
13 Oct at 6 PM
Expat contractors being targeting by UK taxman
British contractors living and working overseas are now under closer scrutiny by the UK’s HM Revenue and Customs department. UK expat contractors are now under scrutiny by the British taxman following the stepping up of its requests to foreign tax authorities for information. Data obtained through a Freedom of Information request from a...
12 Oct at 6 PM
Survey shows Oman is an expat favourite for its peace and security
The GCC nations in general may be best for high salaries and luxury living, but expats have voted Oman as the most peaceful of them all. The 2017 Expat Insider survey, complied by expat networking website InterNations, rated the small country as the most peaceful of all the GCC nations as well as one of the most stable. It’s also the...
12 Oct at 6 PM
EU expats in UK to get free NHS treatment whilst UK expats must pay
British expats living and working in EU member states post-Brexit could be faced with expensive healthcare bills whilst EU nationals still living in the UK will get free NHS treatment. In yet another blow to UK citizens now living within the European Union, it seems a no-deal Brexit would mean they would be forced to pay for healthcare...
12 Oct at 6 PM
Heartbroken UK dog owners in Spain lose their pets to deliberate poisoning
As many as 20 pet dogs have now died due to a toxic substance deliberately spread around two local parks. Spanish police are now probing two popular local parks on the Costa del Sol for clues as to who is responsible for the deliberate poisoning of a number of pet dogs. According to the Olive Press local English language newspaper, two...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Expats and tourists astonished by Thai beaches smoking ban
Expats and tourists alike were stunned by today’s announcement that smoking will be banned on 20 of Thailand’s main tourist beaches. It seems the ban was introduced after a report from the country’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources that employees had picked up tens of thousands of butts from one beach. The report claimed...
11 Oct at 6 PM
May says no protection for UK expats should Brexit talks fail
The British Prime Minister has finally admitted she has no idea what may happen to UK expats living in Europe should Brexit negotiations fail. In an admission which illustrates the total lack of preparedness of the British Brexit negotiating team, Therese May has stated she has no idea what the fate of British expats in EU countries will...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Expat professionals in Singapore facing increased resentment
In spite of a recent policy change favouring local workers, resentment against expat professionals in Singapore is at an all-time high. Singaporeans are claiming expat professionals are stealing jobs which should go to locals, in spite of August’s new Fair Consideration Framework, aimed at ensuring foreigners don’t get jobs which...
10 Oct at 6 PM
What to do and not do as a new expat in Dubai
Almost 70 per cent of Dubai’s population is made up of expats from across the world, with all making the same, often comic, mistakes when they first arrive. Relocating to an unfamiliar country is a succession of new experiences, most of which are based on a totally different culture and way of life. Dubai is the perfect example of...
10 Oct at 6 PM
Netherlands not exactly welcoming entrepreneurial expats
For years, the Netherlands has been known for its entrepreneurial culture, but would-be self-employed expats are experiencing real problems getting residency visas for their start-ups. Local entrepreneurs in the Netherlands are playing a huge part in growing the economy by providing new jobs as well as innovative ideas and generally...
10 Oct at 6 PM
British expats in Catalonia fear outcome of independence referendum
British expats living in the Spanish province of Catalonia are dismayed at the chaos and political tension following last week’s independence referendum. British expats living and working in Barcelona and the rest of the province are shocked and unhappy over the botched referendum and its ensuing violent response, with many considering...
9 Oct at 6 PM
EU expat rights and UK expat pensions confirmed by British Brexit secretary
Brexit minister David Davies has confirmed the post-Brexit rights of EU citizens in the UK and British expats’ pension rights are secure. In a briefing session with UK parliamentarians, Britain’s chief Brexit negotiator said the EU had agreed on the two principles, although he gave no details of the exact contents of the agreements....
9 Oct at 6 PM
UK expat dreams of France can turn into nightmares
France is a favourite destination for UK citizens mesmerised by the dream of great food, cheap wine and a romantic rural haven, but the Gallic lifestyle can cause problems. The majority of British expats who leave the UK for a new life in France settle in without much in the way of problems, but for a few the initial experience is much...
9 Oct at 6 PM
Majority of expats in UAE planning retirement back home
New research has shown the majority of expat professionals working in the UAE are planning to enjoy their retirement in their home countries rather than staying in the emirates. Contrary to the perceived wisdom that every single expat approaching retirement age in the UAE can’t wait to get back to the home country, a recent survey has...
6 Oct at 6 PM
Design and décor do’s and don’ts for a quick property sale
Selling your home is one of life’s most stressful experiences but, by making sure you’ve the most marketable chunk of real estate in the area, getting a higher than expected price makes it all worth while. For most of us, having our own home gives the chance to indulge our personal tastes by decorating and furnishing according to our...
6 Oct at 6 PM
Spousal programmes help trailing partners of expats relocating to Switzerland
Switzerland is a favourite for expat finance professionals for its pay scales and career-boosting opportunities, but unhappy spouses and families can lead to assignment failure. According to a recent survey, Switzerland does a less than successful job of making spouses and families of expat professionals feel at home and welcome. Work in...
6 Oct at 6 PM
What to do when a UK expats dies abroad
With retiring outside the home country becoming ever more popular, it’s common sense to be aware of protocols needing to be followed when a UK citizen dies abroad. Death isn’t considered a suitable topic of conversation for many, including elderly expats, but according to the old saying it’s as inevitable and unavoidable as income...
5 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwaiti lawyer demands court repeal expat heathcare cost increases
Kuwait’s Administrative Court is expected to give a ruling on the legality of the recent expat health charges increase by 25 October. Kuwaiti attorney Hishim al Refai recently filed a case for consideration by the Administrative Court against the swinging increases in expat healthcare charges, citing illegality and unconstitutional...
5 Oct at 6 PM
Good news for expats as Spanish property market stabilises
After a wild ride down, up and down again during the past decade, the Spanish property market is now stable. Over the past five years, the real estate market in Spain has undergone a remarkable transformation resulting in its becoming attractive to a far wider range of buyers. Whether purchases are made by newly arrived expats, Brits...
5 Oct at 6 PM
Israel based US expats clamour for citizen based taxation reform
Regardless of whether they voted for Trump or not, the majority of US expats resident in Israel are hoping and praying the upcoming tax reform bill will end their unfair tax burdens. American Israelis, including the ‘Accidental Americans’ who inherited US citizenship, are full on in the fight to repeal Citizenship-Based Taxation and...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Singapore beats Norway as best world destination for expats.
For the third year running, the city state of Singapore has taken the crown as the best expat destination on the planet. The 2017 HSBC Expat Explorer survey is one of the most reliable and respected of the annual ‘best place’ expatriate studies. Singapore’s top rating isn’t a surprise, as it’s been at the head of the pack for...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Expats invited to finance and run Omani private schools
The Oman government is to offer expats the chance to invest in the Sultanate’s private education facilities. Foreign investors may establish new private schools under certain conditions, according to an official representative of Oman’s Ministry of Education. Regulations and management requirements, the spokesman said, have been...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait expat healthcare costs rise sees patient numbers drop by 30 per cent
Following the introduction of increased charges for expats using Kuwait’s health services, Kuwaiti hospitals have seen expat patient demand fall by 30 per cent. The swinging increases in medical charges for expats attending Kuwait’s public hospitals were introduced at the beginning of this month, with some categories of expatriate...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Police violence in Catalonian referendum condemned by locals and expats alike
Expats living in Catalonia are as shocked and unhappy as are locals over the violent police reaction to the independence referendum. Last weekend’s turbulent events during the referendum for Catalonia’s independence weren’t exactly unexpected, but the shock caused by police violence is reverberating across both expat and local...
3 Oct at 6 PM
British expats in Marseilles warned after terror attack
Britons living in Marseilles have been warned to take care after a terror attack killed two women at the city’s main rail station. Witnesses of the attack saw a man wielding a knife attack and kill two young women outside Marseilles’ main railway station whilst shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’, the Arabic for ‘God is great’. According...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Expats warned to adjust their investments before Brexit kicks in
Despite the continuing uncertainty over Brexit’s final form, the financial fallout is sure to affect expats’ UK-based investments. Financial managers are urging expats to act now as regards protecting their property, savings and pension investments against Brexit’s expected financial fallout. Hedging your bets includes taking...
2 Oct at 6 PM
French hillside town erupts in fury over Brit cow bell complaints
Local farmers in the pretty hillside town of Biot aren’t best pleased with their British neighbours after they complained the cows’ bells were too loud. The charming small French town of Biot, set close by Lake Geneva, is home to a number of British second home owners and expats attracted by its setting and laid-back lifestyle. The...
2 Oct at 6 PM
Home Office under harsh criticism at European Commission for its unjust deportations
The increasing number of embarrassing reports of Home Office blunders potentially or actually resulting in the detention and deportation of legally resident EU citizens has resulted in an EU investigation. Actual enforced removals and detentions of EU citizens living and working in the UK have increased considerably since the June 2016...
2 Oct at 6 PM
UK banks discrimination against expat Britons is now illegal
UK expats living overseas will be happy to hear British banks’ discrimination against those wishing to retain or open accounts with high street banks is now against UK law. Over the past few years, British banks have been operating an almost total ban on non-resident, non-domiciled, UK expats wishing to open bank accounts in their home...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expats in Spain lose holiday villa in secret auction
A holiday villa in Spain was sold to a neighbour in a private auction after she had complained her house was damp. A British couple have just 30 days to give up the keys to their dream retirement holiday home after the local authority sold the property in a private auction without giving the owners notice of the pending sale. Adrian and...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Saudi allows real estate fund trading for expats
The Saudi Capital Market Authority Board has approved expat trading in the Saudi Bourse of Real Estate Investment Traded Funds. The go-ahead for the major change was given yesterday by the Authority Board, and covers ownership, management and operation of the publicly offered real estate investment funds. The units’ primary objective is...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Spain still at risk from fugitive fraudsters
In spite of endless warnings from Britain’s Financial Conduct Agency, local forums and the expat media, UK residents in Spain are still losing their savings and pensions to unscrupulous crooks. This week, one expat newspaper serving the Costa Blanca expat community posted news that Mark Acklom, named on the list of Britain’s most...
28 Oct at 6 PM
Is India the new China for expats
As China falls fast as regards popularity with expats, the recent HSBC survey suggests India may be the new number one for those looking for business opportunities amid exotic surroundings. It seems the expat world is changing even faster than the real world, with formerly popular destinations such as Hong Kong and mainland China tumbling...
28 Oct at 6 PM
Falling pound sees US expats buying into British homes
As sterling’s weakness continues, expats from the USA are increasingly setting up home in the UK. British property prices are falling, and the post-Brexit decline in the value of sterling is making homes in the UK even more affordable for those buying via foreign currency transfers. More than 200,000 Americans are already living and...
28 Oct at 6 PM
Expat bankers in Hong Kong mourn the old days
The ‘good old days’ of Hong Kong’s expat banking community are now long gone, with conspicuous consumption and extravagant lifestyles being replaced by discretion and lower spending. In the days before the 2008 financial crisis, Hong Kong was the dream relocation for a huge number of expat bankers, all gifted with packages covering...
27 Oct at 6 PM
Tips for UK expats heading to the USA
Whether you’re heading for the USA with a dream job in your pocket or simply planning to retire in the Florida sunshine, it’s best to find out what you’re letting yourself in for before you leave. America is still a powerful draw for Britons fed up with their country of birth, and it’s certainly a great place to grow your...
27 Oct at 6 PM
Expat life in China gets tougher
Life in China is now getting tougher for expats, with new visa rules, the rising cost of living and creeping prejudice against foreign workers. For the last decade or so, China has been seen as the perfect location for adventurous expats looking to live and work in an exotic environment. This golden era now looks to be ending, with the...
27 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Vietnam unlikely to rush to buy apartments
The Vietnamese government is preparing to issue a new law allowing expats to buy apartments but, according to real estate agents, the take-up may well be lower than expected. The government’s relaxation of the home ownership rule for expats is innovative, and was expected to result in a rush to buy, but property agents in Hoh Chi Minh...
26 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Asia about to feel the cold winds of Brexit
British expats in Asia may believe they’re safe from the devastating future effects of Brexit, but its tentacles are due to reach across the world as regards finance. The Asian powerhouse cities are thousands of miles from the British Isles, but UK expats’ finances will still be hit hard by Brexit. At present, the political stance in...
26 Oct at 6 PM
Long stay expats in France see many changes
UK expats who’ve lived in France for many years have seen both positive and negative changes in their lifestyles. One of France’s major attractions for expats is that changes take far longer than in other countries, although all accept change is inevitable. Fortunately, most changes which have taken place of the past several decades...
26 Oct at 6 PM
Taiwan becoming an Asian oasis for expats
Several recent global expat surveys have noted Taiwan is being rated highly for its provision of the good life in tranquil, verdant surroundings. The island of Taiwan is a relative newcomer to the expat world, having formerly been a well-kept secret, but its prominence in two annual expat surveys has catapulted it into being referred to...
25 Oct at 6 PM
UAE expat childrens education costs 1.5 million dirham or more
Parental costs of educating expat children through primary and international secondary levels and on to university is costing an average per child of 1,500,000 dirham (USD408,413). A recent study by an offshore insurance and investment company has revealed the heavy burden on UAE expat parents of educating their children to an...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Wealthy expats offered EU passports by Cypriot authorities
The European Parliament is furious with Cyprus for offering wealthy expats and their families fast-tracked European Union passports. The Cypriot government has just changed the requirements for their ‘citizenship by investment’ scheme, allowing wealthy expats to purchase EU passports and the right to remain for a sum of around 2.5...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Romania praise the country’s development
Massive changes in Romania during the last 15 years are much appreciated by the country’s expat community. According to long-stay expats in Romania, far-reaching developments have taken place in almost all sectors, and they’re looking forward to even more positive innovations over the next decade. Closer ties with Europe, the...
24 Oct at 6 PM
US expats hit by Merrill Lynch brokerage account closures
Following on tales of woe by USA expats on the subject of account closures by their home country banks, expat brokerage accounts at Merrill Lynch are now closed with very little notice. The famous USA wealth management firm has sent letters to a large number of their expat clients informing them that, from October 1, their brokerage...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Vietnam trebles its popularity with expats in just one year
According to a recent survey, Vietnam’s popularity as an expat-friendly destination has soared over the past year. In 2015, InterNation’s 64-country survey rated Vietnam in 35th place in its Working Abroad index. Amazingly, the 2016 result showed the Southeast Asian country in 12th place, a huge jump in just one year. In addition, all...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Offshore QROPS providers warn Brit expats over Brexit effects
Hundreds of thousands of British retirees living overseas may be at risk of changes to their QROPS after Britain leaves the EU. At the present time, the British government has revealed no strategies which would affect retirees who’ve transferred their pensions to a QROPS, but experts are warning changes might well take place. Those most...
21 Oct at 6 PM
Is property purchase a good idea for expats in China
Although apartments in China’s main cities are becoming more expensive, some expats are taking a chance on capital gains by purchasing now. The Chinese government has recently eased laws governing expat property purchase, encouraging more long-stay expats to take the plunge and buy a home. Although owning an apartment gives a feeling of...
21 Oct at 6 PM
French parliament Brexit meeting told Brit expats face cataclysmic changes
A special meeting dedicated to the effects of Brexit on British expats in France heard the UK’s divorce from the EU would have cataclysmic effects on expat rights. Members of France’s National Assembly were told Thursday that Brexit was on track to wreck the lives of tens of thousands of Britons living in the country. EU law...
21 Oct at 4 PM
Harlequin Property insolvent after scamming expats out of millions
Harlequin Property SVG, infamous amongst expats for its Caribbean and Thailand property scams, is now insolvent and has appointed a professional trustee. The company is based on St Vincent and the Grenadines, a Caribbean offshore location for many companies with doubtful legitimacy, and is the offshoot of another company with the same...
20 Oct at 6 PM
Inexpensive European cities give expat quality of life
Everything in life, including food and shelter, needs to be paid for, but expats on a budget can still get quality of life in a number of European cities. Every expat knows the ‘best things in life are free’, but the reasonable cost of living in your chosen destination isn’t as important as a friendly community. Given that, it’s...
20 Oct at 6 PM
USA still expat land of opportunity in spite of survey results
A recent survey placed the USA at a poor 30 out of 45 countries considered global destinations for expats, spurring a chorus of complaints from entrepreneurs who still consider the US is tops for business. The HSBC survey is considered as one of the most reliable guides to expat relocation, but expatriates living and working in Boston and...
20 Oct at 6 PM
Research states US expats in UK could hold deciding vote in US election
A scholarly paper recently issued by a US institute based at Oxford University revealed US expat voters in Britain could hold the key to the result of the US presidential election. The research paper, entitled ‘America’s Overseas Voters: how they could decide the US presidency in 2016’, stresses the power of overseas voters in the...
19 Oct at 6 PM
Will Polish plumbers be replaced by Brit expat retirees after Brexit
A hard-hitting article in a Scottish newspaper is suggesting tax-paying, hard-working Polish plumbers may have to be replaced by retired Britons reluctantly returning from a life in the Spanish sun. The newspaper’s report on a Westminster debate concerning the many petitions for a second referendum wasn’t meant to be hilarious, but...
19 Oct at 6 PM
Disillusioned Brits rush to become expats in Irish Republic
Spurred by the ubcertainty following the Brexit result, a huge number of disillusioned Britons are seeking to become expats working overseas. Ever since the result of the Brexit referendum was announced, online international recruitment sites have been deluged by huge numbers of British workers seeking a new life abroad. A recent analysis...
19 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait expats face 165 per cent compulsory heath cover increase
From 2017, expats living and working in Kuwait’s private sector will have to pay 165 per cent more for their compulsory heath insurance. The recent announcement of new independent healthcare provisions for expats included news that the cost of coverage would increase, but gave no details of the exact figure to be charged. At present,...
18 Oct at 6 PM
Expat returnees from Europe taking the road to the isles
The anticipated expat doom and gloom of Brexit is already seeing a trickle of Brit returnees boosting trade for estate agents offering homes on the Scottish islands. As uncertainty continues to dog British expats living in EU member states, one national estate agency is experiencing a rush of enquiries from overseas about Scottish island...
18 Oct at 6 PM
Bahrain mulls ban on expat kids cricket matches
A recent shock/horror announcement on a Bahrain news website has suggested expats an their kids will be banned from playing cricket on waste grounds. Bahrain’s Northern Municipal Council voted on Monday to disallow cricket in its constituencies, according to local media. The council accused fans of the popular game as well as its players...
18 Oct at 6 PM
BBCs Thailand video slammed by expats and tourists
The BBC’s tourism video on changes in Thailand since the King’s death last Thursday is being rejected and ridiculed by expats and tourists in the country. Uploaded onto Facebook last Saturday and slammed by netizens as misleading and inaccurate, it was viewed over 2.3 million times before being withdrawn. Aimed mainly at tourists...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Bad news for expats as Singapore labour market shrinks
Human resources consultants in Singapore are warning tighter labour market and slowing economy may reduce demand for expat professionals. Although the market for top jobs is expected to stay strong, expats looking for middle managerial or more junior positions are likely to be disappointed. Singaporean employers are now opening up such...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in Thailand mourn the death of King Bhumibol
The death last Thursday of the Thai King has plunged the nation into mourning, with many expats suffering along with their Thai friends and colleagues. Some expats are in pain because they admired and appreciated everything the King was to his subjects and his love for them, and others are unhappy as they see their Thai friends and...
17 Oct at 6 PM
British expats across UAE still cashing in on weak sterling
After the pound sterling fell to a 31-year low last week, British expats working in the UAE rushed to remit currency to the UK. Remittance volumes from the UAE to UK banks have soared by 135 per cent over the same week in September as expats took advantage of the fall in sterling. The cashing in is likely to continue as major banks are...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Post Brexit Brits clamour for Irish passports and citizenship
Thousands of British citizens are rushing to mitigate Brexit’s effects on their lives by applying for Irish passports and citizenship. During the three months following the announcement that Britain had voted to leave the European Union, a massive 37,000 Brits living in both the UK and Northern Ireland are taking the emigration route to...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Saudi fresh market off limits to expat shoppers
Saudi officials operating in the Jeddah municipality have banned all local traders from selling their produce to expats. A municipal overseer with responsibility for the city’s Central Vegetable Market has made himself extremely unpopular with both expats and market traders by introducing a ban on selling to foreigners. The official...
14 Oct at 6 PM
UK expats in Spain given hope by Spanish acting PM
After a meeting with Theresa May, the Spanish acting prime minister told British expats to keep calm and wait for results. Mariano Rajoy yesterday attended a working lunch with Theresa May in which the plight of Spaniards living in the UK and British expats in Spain was discussed. Although no press conference was held after the meeting, a...
13 Oct at 6 PM
High Court legal challenge to Brexit starts today
British expats all over the EU will be watching the proceeds of the first legal challenge to Theresa May’s arbitrary triggering of Article 50 next March. The lawsuit is based on the widespread belief that a parliamentary debate and vote is needed before May can push the button to start EU divorce proceedings. Many UK citizens as well as...
13 Oct at 6 PM
India wins out over the USA and China in expat survey
According to a recent survey, expats living and working in India are happier than their counterparts in the USA and China. The respected HSBC survey awarded the sub-continent 26 points against 30 for the USA and 34 for China, with the results based on three parameters, family, experiences and economics. In the economics sector, India...
13 Oct at 6 PM
Best loved lifestyle websites and apps for expats in Dubai
If asked to choose between Dubai’s job opportunities and rewarding levels of salary and the location’s amazing nightlife and endless amenities, most expats would hit on the lifestyle. Admittedly, work in Dubai can be fascinating and even fun, but the endless choice of hot new venues, restaurants and clubs are the real attraction for...
12 Oct at 6 PM
UK government finally announces details of expat lifetime right to vote
The British government has now seen fit to finally scrap the rule disenfranchising all UK expats who’ve lived abroad for more than 15 years. One of the most controversial issues highlighted by the Brexit referendum was the 15-year voting rule which disallowed hundreds of thousands of British expats in Europe from having a say in their...
12 Oct at 6 PM
Tax implications for UK expats relocating back home
Whether the decision to return to the UK is based on fears of Brexit effects, family reasons or simply because you’re missing the home country, it’s wise to check your tax position before you make the move. For expats moving back to the UK from EU member states it’s fairly straightforward providing you’ve maintained your...
12 Oct at 6 PM
Singapore lower fee international schools attracting expat children
For expats living and working in Asia, finding affordable international English curriculum schools for their children is one of the toughest tasks of relocation. Singapore is an ever-popular expat relocation destination but, for those bringing their families with them, it’s also one of the most expensive as regards international...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Best European countries for expat self-employment
Having the courage to quit your job and become and self-employed in your county of birth is scary enough, but for many the thought of doing it as an expat can be terrifying. Working for oneself in an unfamiliar foreign location may seem like an impossible dream, but for those with entrepreneurial spirits it can become reality, especially...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expats in UAE unfazed by falling pound
British expats living and working in the UAE are unconcerned about the drop in value of sterling, provided their families are with them. Amidst disturbing rumours forecasting a ‘hard Brexit’ and last week’s sudden ‘flash crash’ of sterling, UAE-based Britons are saying they have little cause to worry, especially if their...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Nitaqat Saudization to hit older expat doctors, academic and investors
New Saudi Arabia laws relating to older expat professionals in certain specialities are likely to affect foreign workers in critical positions. The recently approved Mawzoon (balanced) Nitaqat system is due to become law in early December, and is slated to end specialist expatriate dominance in critical jobs. It’s aimed at bringing down...
10 Oct at 6 PM
UK Home Office admits most EU expats unable to be deported
The British Home Office has calculated five out of every six EU citizens now living in the UK would not be able to be deported. It seems over 80 per cent of EU nationals in the UK will be entitled to rights of residency by the time the Brexit negotiations are finished and the UK officially quits the EU. The report by the Home Office...
10 Oct at 6 PM
Sterling crash crushes retirement dreams for thousands of British expats
The dramatic decline in the value of sterling is causing misery for a huge number of British expats living in EU member states and other world countries. British retirees in Spain, France and Italy are not only facing an uncertain future as regards their rights to stay in their chosen countries, they’re also seeing their spending power...
10 Oct at 6 PM
Juncker being sued by British expat group over no negotiation order
The European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is being sued in the European Court of Justice over his banning of any pre-Article 50 negotiations. A legal challenge has been mounted by the Fair Deal for Expats group on the basis that Junckers’ so-called ‘presidential order’ has no basis in EU law and must be considered an...
7 Oct at 6 PM
Does living overseas make one an expat or an immigrant
Foreigners who’ve chosen to live, retire or work overseas usually refer to themselves as expats, but should they be classified as immigrants? The word ‘expat’ is most often seen in reference to nationals of particular countries working in other countries, but few of the wide range of individuals who live outside their home countries...
7 Oct at 6 PM
British government finally overturns 15 year expat voting exclusion
Three million British expats who’ve lived overseas for more than 15 years are about to be given the right to a lifetime vote. In the Conservative Party’s 2015 election manifesto, these disenfranchised expats were promised by David Cameron that the rule would finally be scrapped. The run-up to the Brexit referendum saw an unsuccessful...
7 Oct at 6 PM
Harry Shindler welcomes UK government scrapping of 15 year expat voting ban
Expat campaigner Harry Shindler MBE has applauded the UK government’s now published ‘votes for life’ proposals. 95-year old Harry has been campaigning for 16 years against the controversial UK government ruling which disenfranchised hundreds of thousands of expats who’d lived overseas for 15 years or more. The World War 11 veteran...
6 Oct at 6 PM
Germany forcing elderly and infirm into care homes overseas
Ailing pensioners in Germany are being dumped in Asian and Eastern European care homes and retirement villages in a push to cut spendin on spiralling heathcare costs. A shocking report in an international newspaper highlights the plight of elderly and infirm German pensioners unable to afford high-cost private health insurance. The...
6 Oct at 6 PM
Brexit already affecting Brit expats in France
Four months after the devastating Brexit announcement, British expats in France are beginning to feel its effects. A majority of Britishers living in France are either retirees on pensions or owners of small businesses serving mainly the local expat community. The initial shock of sterling’s fall following the referendum result hit...
6 Oct at 6 PM
Beijing losing popularity as more expats leave than are arriving
China’s increasing cost of living, dwindling expat pay packets and smog are all reasons why more expats are leaving than are arriving. Once a favourite with more adventurous expats, China and its mega-cities are now seeing a fall in the number of expats due to pollution and rising living costs. The total number of expats located in...
5 Oct at 6 PM
Spanish demand for expats to pay for heathcare sparks retaliation
Yesterday’s announcement by a Spanish minister that the UK should be forced to pay for expats’ post-Brexit heathcare is about to spark a bitter political wrangle between the two countries. Madrid’s statement made it clear that Theresa May’s tough Brexit would result in hardship for expats at present residing in Spain. Of the...
5 Oct at 6 PM
Cambodian heathcare infrastructure may stymie retirement visa success
Cambodia is now in the process of creating its first dedicated retirement visa for expat pensioners, but its lack of first-world heathcare may result in a diminished takeup of the new initiative. Cambodia is attracting increasing amounts of interest from expat retirees, many of whom are considering transferring from neighbouring Thailand....
5 Oct at 6 PM
UAE expats warned over 25 year savings plans
Expats in the UAE are being warned yet again about the inadvisability of taking on 25 year savings plans. The expat life is, by definition, a transient one, with the majority of expat professionals moving between assignments and rarely staying in one place for more than five years or so. Sadly, a good proportion find themselves locked...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Expats and parents horrified at morbid Madeleine McCann tour
A so-called Luz Challenge tour visiting sites connecting with the disappearance of Maddy McCann is enraging local expats and causing pain to the still-missing little girl’s parents. Expats in the Portuguese resort where Madeleine McCann was kidnapped are up in arms over a morbid tourist attraction involving the apartment where she was...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Prominent British businessmen funding legal action against Brexit
A group of wealthy British businessmen are donating in support of an upcoming legal challenge to force a parliamentary vote before Brexit is triggered next March. The high court case is due to be heard this month, and is hoped to prevent Theresa May from triggering Article 50 without first opening the issue to a parliamentary debate. A...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Spanish government insists UK pays expats post-Brexit medical bills
In its first post-Brexit announcement concerning pensioners living in Spain, the country’s foreign minister told listeners at an Alicante event that the UK should pay its’ expats’ medical bills. Spanish foreign minister Jose Manual Garcia-Margallo is quoted as saying one of the country’s post-Brexit goals is to force Britain to...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Survey reveals UAE still tops for career progression and lifestyle
Whilst negative reports and survey results continue to hit the rest of the Gulf States, the UAE is still attracting expat professionals for its stability, safety, salaries and quality of life. As a whole, the Gulf State region’s results in the recent HSBC expat survey left a lot to be desired, and more recent media attention has been...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Projected UK pension transfer changes may leave expats open to fraud
A UK government measure at present under consideration is likely to leave thousands of expat retirees vulnerable to pension fraud. The UK is considering easing existing consumer protection laws relating to pension transfers by both onshore and offshore residents. Government claims that changing the law as regards regulations will make it...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Thailand expat crackdown gathers momentum
Expats living in Thailand are becoming concerned about escalating attempts by the country’s authorities to garner personal information outside the existing immigration requirements. The latest in several new requirements by Thai authorities involves yet another form giving information about expats’ private lives, this time distributed...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Windfalls waiting for thousands of missing Standard Life expat customers
Tens of thousands of former Standard Life customers have been missing out on a share of the huge cash pile distributed by the company when it went public eight years ago. The former mutual insurance and pensions company has tracked down the vast majority of the 2.5 million customers who were entitled to a part of its massive multimillion...
31 Oct at 6 PM
US warns Western expats working in the Middle East over jihadist threat
US embassies based in capital cities across the Middle East have issued a terrorism attack warning to US expats and Western teachers after an extremist group posted threats on its website. All British and American schools in the region are now under enhanced security, and embassies are working with UAE officials to improve protection for...
30 Oct at 6 PM
QROPS aces in the tax hole for permanent expat residents
QROPS are still a good choice for expats living permanently overseas as they give significant tax advantages in addition to conforming to the new pension rules. Overseas workers and expats who’ve reached retirement will benefit tax-wise from a QROPS, provided they have left the UK on a permanent basis. According to the Treasury, the new...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Hong Kong expats support protestors by running umbrella shaped marathon
Although Hong Kong’s expat community is divided over the ongoing student protests in the heart of the city, two of its number today took part in an umbrella-shaped 102 km marathon in support of democracy. The pair, both experienced ultramarathon runners, were expecting to take around 15 hours to cover their planned course, shaped on a...
29 Oct at 6 PM
US Justice Department cracks down on Swiss banking privacy
Swiss banks are being hounded by the US Justice Department to reveal all details of USA citizens’ secret accounts. Prosecutions as well as FATCA are being used to force traditionally private Swiss banks to give up the full details of money in accounts held by expats attempting to avoid paying tax in their home country. Switzerland was...
29 Oct at 6 PM
Confusion hits expat female dependents in Saudi over teaching jobs
The reversal of an official Saudi announcement allowing dependent expat female teachers to work in private schools without sponsorship transfers has confused and disappointed those affected. Expat dependents whose husbands held their sponsorship papers were overjoyed last Friday at the apparent relaxation of the requirement to transfer...
28 Oct at 6 PM
Is investing in the Chinese property market the way to go
China’s increasing popularity for an overseas career move gives rise to the question of investing in its property market for expats fortunate enough to have secured long-term employment Rumours that real estate in China is heading for a US-style meltdown are giving would-be expat property investors cause for concern but, as with almost...
28 Oct at 6 PM
US expat woes increase thanks to FATCA
A recent survey undertaken with a sample of US expats living in popular destinations revealed that almost three-quarters of respondents had considered voluntarily renouncing their citizenship to avoid the onerous FATCA requirements. The complications of endless form-filling, the threat of being barred from opening local bank accounts and...
27 Oct at 6 PM
Experts warn life expectancy is useless in financial planning
According to financial experts, estimates of life expectancy are of no use in cashflow modelling as the calculations might result in the loss of all capital before retirement. In an address given at the annual conference of the Institute of Financial Planning, Steve Groves warned his audience that statistics on life expectancy proved that...
27 Oct at 6 PM
Survey shows Asian hubs offer more bang for the expat buck
The recently-published annual HSBC Expat survey has revealed that Asian locations offer the most affordable costs of living due to their cheaper accommodation, utility charges and groceries. The well-regarded survey, based on expats’ ability to afford essential services and goods as well as on average disposable incomes, saw Switzerland...
24 Oct at 6 PM
How to avoid the fees and frustrations of conventional currency exchange
One of the most trying aspects of living overseas is currency transfer between your home country or offshore bank account and your account in your host country. Whether you’re retiring overseas, working for a company which pays salaries from the UK, freelancing, or just touring around the places you’ve always wanted to see before you...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Foreign Office urges research before choosing an overseas retirement destination
The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is urging retirees heading for life overseas to look carefully and plan ahead before they leap. Millions of UK nationals are now aiming to relocate or retire abroad, with the tempting prospect of warmer weather and a better lifestyle the main reason for the decision. However, it seems that...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in New Zealand falling foul of cold calling and overseas investment scams
Following on from reports of vastly increased numbers of financial scams in Europe, the Gulf States and Asia, today’s warning to citizens and expats by the Kiwi Financial Markets Authority (FMA) comes as no big surprise. Expats across the world are now being ripped off via an unprecedented number of financial fraudsters lurking in expat...
23 Oct at 6 PM
UAE recognition of overseas medical degrees results in more health professionals
The UAE’s new unified professional qualification requirement scheme came into force earlier this month, and has resulted in a larger pool of qualified medical professionals in Emirati hospitals. The new requirements now recognise international medical degrees from a number of countries worldwide, and are attracting experienced expat...
22 Oct at 6 PM
Survey results shock reveals pension fraudsters targeting retirement savers
The results of a recent survey prove that increasing numbers of pension liberation crooks are operating onshore and offshore, defrauding retirees confused about the new pension rules. The research, undertaken by financial firm Fidelity, revealed that 66 per cent of retirement savers are still uncertain about their rights under the new...
22 Oct at 6 PM
Mega rich give fortunes to support young entrepreneurs and the underprivileged
A recent study has revealed that wealthy philanthropists nowadays are focusing on helping new self-sustaining projects, job creation and the poverty-stricken. Around 13 per cent of the world’s wealth is held by just 0.003 of its population – the mega-rich millionaires and billionaires who monstly made their fortunes in the heady second...
21 Oct at 6 PM
Expats turn their backs on international medical insurance due to soaring costs
A recent survey revealed that 25 per cent of UK expats no longer believe that costly international medical insurance is a necessity. Factoring in the ever-increasing expense of international health insurance is a headache for all but the wealthiest of expats, wherever in the world they’ve decided to make their new homes. Overseas private...
21 Oct at 6 PM
UK Foreign Office warns expats over increasing terrorist threats
As conflicts erupt in European as well as the Middle East and Asia, the UK Foreign Office has stepped up its travel warnings to both tourists and expats. France is the number one target for the latest British authority warnings to UK residents as well as visitors to the popular tourism and expat hub. A triple warning has been issued, with...
20 Oct at 6 PM
Continuing FATCA chaos impacts long term US expats in Canada
Problems with retaining bank accounts and complying with complicated regulations are hitting hard on all US expats, but those who emigrated to Canada many years ago are experiencing the worst effects. Last February, the Canadian government finally signed on to co-operation with FATCA ruling as regards the disclosure of privately held...
20 Oct at 6 PM
Con man operating Marbella coloured diamond scam jailed for four years
A gang of fraudsters who targeted UK pensioners living along Spain’s Costa del Sol in a coloured diamond scams are now all behind bars. The gang of six, masterminded by Liverpudlian Adam Simmonds, operated a boiler room–style scam in the retirement hotspot of Marbella, hitting on unwary pensioners with offers of ‘rare’ coloured...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Survey results urge expats to be informed about financial matters
An expat survey conducted amongst new arrivals by the Bank of Canada emphasises that, wherever you decide to settle, getting money matters straight is essential. Although the survey focuses on Canada, its conclusions hold true in all expat destinations worldwide. New arrivals face similar financial challenges wherever they decide to live,...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Female expat in Spain accused of property fraud still on the run
Whilst most expat attention nowadays is focused on how to avoid financial fraud, a British expat is on the run in Spain after being accused of a long-term rental property scam. Many expats don’t realise that life in paradise can swiftly turn to life in hell, often with the assistance of seemingly trustworthy business people from their...
16 Oct at 6 PM
UK taxman changes to QROPS rules may benefit expat retirement savers
Whilst the ever-changing new UK rules regarding British pensions are confusing almost every saver and investor both on and offshore, HMRC’s recent QROPS announcement seems to bring good news for expat retirement savers. Basically, the controversial Budget reforms are now to be applied to QROPS holders as well as to those with...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Christchurch rebuild halves emigration from New Zealand South Island
Ever since the rebuild of earthquake-devastated Christchurch began, Kiwi expats have been returning to help, with nationals who’d planned to migrate also joining in the reconstruction of their much-loved city. Migration from New Zealand’s South Island has almost halved during the past two years, with locals joining with incomers from...
15 Oct at 6 PM
New QROPS opportunities for Brit expats in USA
Over the past two years, the use by US residents with UK pensions of Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pensions Schemes (QROPS) has been complicated by the IRS’s objections to the scheme. For several years after the introduction of QROPS in 2006, UK pension funds were unable to be transferred to similar US schemes, even although HRMC had...
15 Oct at 6 PM
Irish con man in Spain outed by sharp eyed expat pensioner
An Irish conman who preyed on wealthy widows and pensioners has been outed on the Costa del Sol by a sharp-eyed 71-year old who’d met up with him via an online dating site. 60-year old Sean Whelan’s seductive online and offline charms had already cost a Florida woman her life savings of around £70,000 after they’d met on another...
15 Oct at 11 AM
Foreign countries ramp up incentives to attract expat retirees
Senior citizens in first world countries such as the UK and USA are being offered a variety of retirement incentives such as tax breaks and easy visa options by an increasing number of states worldwide. The value of would-be expat pensioners to second and third world economies seems at last to be obvious to a good number of far-flung yet...
15 Oct at 10 AM
Europe set to take over from Middle East as expat bonus hub
Although the Gulf States have traditionally attracted the majority of expat professionals due to generous bonuses, Europe is set to take over the rewards crown. Today’s expanding Western-based bonus culture is the result of a recovery from the devastating effects on international companies of the 2008 financial crash. The tightening of...
15 Oct at 10 AM
Are protests affecting the Hong Kong expat community
Expats in Hong Kong are now living through an unprecedented level of protests against China’s Communist rulers, but how is the seemingly unresolvable drama affecting the expat community? Started, as are many similar events worldwide, by local students and now spread to hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong citizens who value their...
15 Oct at 10 AM
UK FCA sets up website to help investors identify financial scams
As part of yet another warning against financial scammers, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has set up their Scamsmart website in order to help unwary investors identify cold-calling fraudsters . The website was developed using monies recovered from the criminal element operating within the financial advice sector, and concentrates...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Portugal the ideal destination for expat retirees
The search for the perfect overseas retirement haven is crucial to many retirees’ plans for the future, and involves finding a dream home in a sunny, friendly environment such as Portugal’s romantic Algarve region. Known for several decades by literally thousands of UK expats as a great place to live, a recent survey has identified the...
14 Oct at 6 PM
IRS warns compliant foreign banks over tax scammers
Yet another FATCA-related risk for US expats worldwide has been identified via an IRS warning over scammers posing as the regulator in order to obtain access to expat bank accounts. The IRS fraud alert was sent to banks in all countries which signed up with the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act after numerous reports of attempts to...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Australia still beats the competition for best UK expat destination
As Northern Europe’s chilling winter months draw nearer and the results of seasonal surveys of the perfect expat destination hit forums and advice websites, potential migrants could be forgiven for an excess of confusion over which destination is best. The NatWest Quality of Life Survey, one of the better indications of migration...
14 Oct at 6 PM
UAE expats desert local banks for home country bank security
A recent survey indicates that expats living and working in the UAE are shunning the emirates’ banks in favour of the security offered by their home country financial institutions. Almost 50 per cent of those surveyed admitted that their wages and savings were paid into accounts held in home country banks. The reason given by 48 per...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Soaring cost of living in Singapore impacting expat salary increases
In spite of the high salaries paid to expats living and working in the popular city-state of Singapore, rampant inflation is smashing down on even the most generous pay rises. The results of a survey by Standard Life indicate that the vast majority of expats believe their salaries are unable to catch up with the city’s soaring cost of...
14 Oct at 6 PM
British banks closing accounts held by expats with no UK address
The recent move by British banks to close down long-standing current accounts owned by UK expats is causing major problems in overseas retirement destinations. A number of British banks, including Santander and Lloyds, have recently closed down the current bank accounts of expats living overseas, giving them little time to rearrange their...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Spanish expat haven popularity under threat from Portuguese tax deal
In a bid to attract expats away from neighbouring Spain, Portugal is offering a new tax exemption scheme eliminating double taxation of any income from overseas. The new tax deal means that all income from overseas sources, including pension payments, will not now be subject to double taxation for at least 10 years. The scheme will apply...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Lloyds Bank blanks out expat savers with interest cut and transfer bans
Lloyds Bank has issued yet another blow to its loyal expat savers by cutting its interest rate and banning transfers to a better savings deal. Previously, long-term UK expat savers with easy-access savings accounts at Lloyds Bank were able to switch online to a better deal as regards interest rates. Loyal customers have now received...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Saudi construction companies to replace professional expat staff with locals
Expat engineers on contract to Saudi construction companies with important projects now fear the loss of their jobs due to the controversial Nitiqat programme. Saudi companies are only required to fill seven percent of their vacancies with local workers in order not to disrupt the progress of major construction projects. However, many...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Which country gives the best returns for expat property investors
The international real estate sector has traditionally been a favourite with expat property investors, but it’s anyone’s guess which locations will perform best over the long term. Over the past year, the UK housing market has seen soaring gains, with many expat investors eager to cash in on buy-to-let opportunities before they are...
31 Oct at 6 PM
New guide reveals the best deals for expat property investment
Expats with retirement savings or nest-eggs are constantly searching for the highest returns in their investments, but estimates provided by developers can be unreliable and contradictory. Property investment is in the genes of most expats due to the history of homes bought for little and sold for much more in their home countries in the...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Asia tops the world in 2013 survey for best expat destinations
Five Asian destinations swept the board to take top ratings for quality of expat life in the 2013 Expat Explorer survey. The results of the 2013 version of HSBC International’s well-known Expat Explorer survey celebrated no less than five Asian destinations as tops for expat quality of life, integration and ease of setting up. Thailand...
30 Oct at 6 PM
UAE Central Bank new mortgage lending regulations for nationals and expats
In an attempt to increase security and stability within the Dubai property market, the UAE’s central bank has issued new lending regulations for both Emiratis and expats. For UAE nationals wishing to purchase their first home, a maximum of 80 per cent of the property’s valuation up to $1.36 million will be lent, with a lending ceiling...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Beating currency movements can boost expat pension power
Retiring overseas on a pension from the home country can be a daunting business due to the effect of currency fluctuations on a fixed monthly amount. Most pensions need to be paid into bank accounts in retirees’ new countries of residence, leaving the recipients open to the vagaries of currency fluctuations as well as excessive...
29 Oct at 6 PM
Investing for growth needs care overseas
As soon as expats move overseas and are no longer tax-resident in their countries of origin, the usual rules as regards investing for growth change radically. For Britons, any UK pension is no longer tax-efficient, UK bank accounts are no longer the best way to transfer money internationally or withdraw money from an overseas ATM, and the...
29 Oct at 6 PM
Proprosed new UK law may make contesting expat wills easier
Family members left out of an expat’s last will and testament might soon find it easier to contest its bequests if a bill now before parliament is voted into law. The bill has now passed its third reading in the House of Lords, and will be opened for debate in the House of Commons. If it’s passed into statute and becomes law,...
28 Oct at 6 PM
Cameron urged to rethink UK government frozen pension policy
International expat campaigners against the infamous ‘frozen pensions’ policy affecting many thousands of British expat retirees have been urgently requested to supply a report to government. The urgency of the report was stressed due to the upcoming crucial parliamentary debate on the issue, with the request made following a meeting...
28 Oct at 6 PM
Expats urged to carry printouts of their Saudi reentry visas
Overseas airlines based in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, are advising the Kingdom’s travel agents to tell their clients to carry a re-entry visa printout when they travel aboard. The advice followed a number of complaints by expat workers returning to Saudi Arabia who had been refused boarding by airline staff due to their re-entry...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Suspension of two more property funds may hit expats worldwide
Following the suspension of the Brandeaux range of property funds in late July and October’s news that the Mansion Student Accommodation fund is also suspended, expats with investments in the sector are bracing for the worst. Questions are now being asked as to whether the property sector is an appropriate investment, especially for...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Defiant women activists in Saudi fight for the right to drive
Saudi Arabian women are gearing up to overturn the ruling banning them from driving, with protests planned and female activists already behind the wheel. In a move which, if successful, will free both Saudi women and their expat counterparts to drive legally in the kingdom, the activists are calling on social networks for a Saturday...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Spanish town hall officials fight against demolition of two remaining villas
In a surprising development following the demolition of two of four expat-owner villas in Cantoria, the remaining villas are now part of an administrative war between the local and regional authorities. The two villas were also under the same demolition order which felled the home of John and Jan Brooks last week. Cantonia Town Hall has...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Abu Dhabi seeks expats for community police jobs
Abu Dhabi’s 500-strong team of community police is about to be augmented by expatriates helping to keep the neighbourhood peaceful and crime-free. According to local media, police authorities in the emirate’s capital are planning to recruit a greater number of expats to serve in their community police teams. Head of the community...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Italian authorities seize expat villas built on farming land
Following the news yesterday that yet another Spanish villa owned by expats had been demolished, today’s headlines reveal that expat villas in Italy have been confiscated for similar reasons. Brendan and Jane Crossan’s villa on the Ligurian Riveira was seized by the local authority following a five year battle by the couple to save...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Expats working in Bangkok to face swinging rent increases
Rental agents based in Bangkok are warning that rentals in the city’s most popular expat areas are expected to rise sharply due to a shortage of suitable properties. Expat-standard residential property rents in the centre of Bangkok have remained stable for several decades, but are about to rise due to spiralling demand for two and...
22 Oct at 6 PM
UK tax authorities to crackdown on pension fund registration
Pension liberation scammers are facing another onslaught in the campaign to stamp out their activities. Beginning this week, HM Revenue and Customs will crack down on pension fund registration in an attempt to deter fraudsters from marketing illegal pension liberation schemes. The action is in response to the high number of fraudulent...
22 Oct at 6 PM
FCA warns UCIS holds too many risks for most investor
The UK’s Financial Conduct Agency (FCA) is warning retirement savers that unregulated collective investment schemes (UCIS) are considered too risky for the vast majority of investors. The FCA is backing up its warning by conducting an investigation into the marketing of UCIS in order to weigh up the scheme’s pros and cons. At the same...
21 Oct at 6 PM
Spanish planning authorities still demolishing expat homes
In spite of negative publicity and protests, Spanish planning authorities in Andalusia are continuing to demolish expat-owned villas built by rogue developers. The latest villa to be torn down belonged to British couple John and Jan Brooks, who purchased it off-plan from a local developer in 2005. They used their retirement savings and...
21 Oct at 6 PM
Saudi private employers select the best as deadline approaches
With the Saudi Arabian government deadline on sponsorship transfers fast approaching, many private companies are deciding to keep the best of their part-time expat workers and let the rest go. Human Resources officers in a number of private Saudi companies have told local media that they are being selective about which expat employees...
18 Oct at 6 PM
Threats to Caymans tax haven cause social unrest in paradise
A favourite destination for expats from across the world, the Cayman Islands’ reputation as a modern paradise is being threatened by the erosion of its tax-free status. Warm, azure seas, perfect white-sand beaches, a friendly, international offshore community and most importantly, a tax haven, the Cayman Islands chain is traditionally...
18 Oct at 6 PM
Immigration to New Zealand is changing the face of the nation
Whilst many other world countries are bemoaning the brain-drain effect of migration, New Zealand is celebrating the fact that, for every resident who leaves permanently or dies, more migrants are arriving, thus keeping its population stable. The changing face of a nation as a result of immigration may not be regarded as a positive...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Promise of cheap Greek property may have sting in tail
Property investment agents in the UK and all over the European states whose economies are in freefall along with their house prices are pushing cheap properties with pre-financial crash enthusiasm. Greece is a good example of romantic sales pitches for its ‘sun, sea, land and imperishable charm’, as stated by a real estate investment...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Motoring lessons overseas learned the hard way by expats
One of the reasons often quoted by expats when asked why they left their home countries is the expense, difficulty and traffic snarl-ups involved in driving in large cities. However, the lure of the open road in far-flung, less than first world countries such as Thailand has its distinct and possibly fatal downsides, as many expats have...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Canadian expat in Thailand claims embassy has left him to die
A Canadian engineer living in Thailand’s Phuket Town is claiming on YouTube that his embassy and Thai officials are refusing assitance and leaving him to die. Tim Rooney, resident in Thailand for some 13 years, was involved in an altercation with a German expat during an attempt in 2011 to sell his computer via an online site. The...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Should expat children be sent to overseas boarding schools
Most children of expats working abroad are sent to local international schools, but boarding schools in overseas location may have their advantages. Wherever in the world you’re living, expat life gives you a unique chance of becoming a true global citizen, but deciding on the best education system for your children can be a strain....
15 Oct at 6 PM
New Zealand fast tracks immigration visas for foreign irrigation specialists
Visa for irrigation professionals are now being fast-tracked by New Zealand’s Immigration Department, following a severe storm last month which wrecked irrigators in South Island’s rural areas. The deadly nor’wester hit hard across South Island’s farming region, causing millions of NZ$’s-worth of damage including rendering...
15 Oct at 6 PM
Longterm Canadian resident expat hits brick wall over citizenship
A British Columbia expat who has lived in the province for 48 years has gone public over his difficulties in obtaining Canadian citizenship and a passport. Former bank manager Gerd Nitzek, now retired, was born in Germany and now wants to travel as part of his retirement plans, but is still not able to get his wish to become a Canadian...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Financial advisory companies in Thailand turn to full SEC regulation
Continuing reports of investment mis-selling in many expat world destinations is forcing not only action by government regulators but also by financial advisory firms themselves in seeking legal registration with local financial authorities. Recent media reports have identified countries as far apart as Hong Kong, the UAE, Spain, the UK...
14 Oct at 6 PM
Abu Dhabi residence law leads to 20 per cent rent increases
The decree passed by the Abu Dhabi government that all public employees must live within the emirate has caused a huge hike in rents within the region. The decree was aimed at stopping the two-hour daily commute from nearby Dubai by expat employees and wealthy Emiratis, all domiciled in Dubai due its more relaxed lifestyle. According to...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Debate over expat citizenship provokes controversy in UAE
The recent call for expats in the UAE to be allowed to apply for citizenship has sparked a controversy amongst Emiratis over the potential effect on national identity. Foreign residents in the United Arab Emirates outnumber the indigenous population by around five to one, and the recent moves by the group of countries to decrease the...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Saudi female Shura members call for driving ban to be scrapped
Women members of the influential Shura Council are calling on King Abdullah to allow women to drive, thus challenging a long-held tradition fully supported by the clerical establishment. Shura Council members are appointed by the ruler, and constitute the closest body to a parliament in the kingdom. The council cannot make laws, but its...
10 Oct at 6 PM
Brit corporate expats now networking on horseback
A new take on business networking by British expats has spread to 12 world countries via very expensive ponies, kit and exclusive polo clubs. Exclusivity in the expat business world has taken on a new format due to British Polo Day, the brainchild of a premium brand promotion specialist. Ed Olver, CEO of the relatively new company, saw his...
10 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expats may get free NHS treatment based on NI contributions
The prejudicial rules that British nationals living overseas can only get treatment on the NHS if a medical emergency occurs during a visit home may soon be overturned. The present ruling states that expat Britons living abroad for more than three months in any one year are not entitled to free NHS healthcare unless in an emergency...
9 Oct at 6 PM
Official report shows Saudi foreign workers tax increases inflation
Saudi Arabia’s controversial foreign workers’ tax levied on companies with high numbers of workers from overseas has, as predicted, increased the country’s inflation figure. Introduced last November, the tax of US$640 a year must be paid on each foreign worker above a certain limit as compared with the number of Saudis employed. Its...
9 Oct at 6 PM
Dubai luxury home prices still below their 2008 peak
Although sale prices and demand for luxury homes in Dubai are now on an upward spiral, values are still falling far short of their peak in 2008. A recently-released residential property review of this year’s second quarter notes that luxury villas and high-end apartments showed a strong increase of 21.4 per cent over the previous...
8 Oct at 6 PM
Kuwait to introduce medical tests aimed at banning homosexuals and transsexuals
Conflicting reports today have stated that Kuwait is planning to develop a medical centre at its airport to detect either gays or transsexuals and ban them from entering any GCC counties. Homosexuality is a criminal offence in all the Gulf Cooperation Countries, (GCC) with today’s report suggesting that a medical test to detect...
8 Oct at 6 PM
Offshore financial institutions inflict more misery on expat savers
Cynical offshore building societies and banks, once seen by expat savers as a safe haven with fair returns, are now leaving their customers high and dry. Expat savers, especially those living outside the EU, have already seen their currency exchange rates fall and bank charges increase, and are now seeing their offshore savings rates drop...
7 Oct at 6 PM
UK pension industry disgraced by OFT report on unfair charges
The UK’s Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has released a hard-hitting report on the UK pensions industry, blaming it for ripping off investors through high charges. Although the report focuses on British private pension investors, expats who are still paying into pension schemes and those holding offshore insurance-wrapped savings schemes...
7 Oct at 6 PM
Expat property purchase patterns changed by residency visa offers
Since Spain introduced its offer of a residency visa for non-EU citizens dependent on a property purchase of over €500,000, real estate professionals have seen a change in expat buying habits. Buyers from the UK still make up a good proportion of property purchases in France, accounting for 20 per cent of real estate deals. Brittany,...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Canada and UK advise expats in the Philippines to avoid protests
The Canadian and British Foreign Offices are warning all nationals living in the Philippines to stay well clear of rallies and protests and obey alcohol and firearms bans. The deteriorating situation in Mindanao along with the upcoming Barangay elections on 28 October has resulted in warnings to both tourists and residents expats from the...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Expat second home owners in Spain granted reprieve
Second home owners in Spain who let out their properties to tourists are to be exempted from the controversial 2012 Balearics Touristic Act, which requires a license before letting is allowed. This being Spain, the act itself along with recent changes to the Tenancy Act has caused confusion amongst many expat second home owners who let out...
3 Oct at 6 PM
UAE pay gap between Western and Asian expats is shrinking fast
A new study has revealed that the gap between the higher salaries traditionally paid to Western expats and the pay scale of similarly qualified Asian expats is shrinking fast. The survey, by Cost of Living Middle East, notes that long-standing rumours that expat professionals in the emirate are paid by skin colour rather than professional...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Bass River Brit family still fighting to stay in Canada
The Platnauer family, formerly from the UK, are still working with friends, supporters and local politicians in a last-ditch attempt to prevent their deportation back to Britain. Sean, his wife Becky and their daughter Angelica emigrated to Canada over four years ago, and quickly became popular figures in their local community. Angelica is...
2 Oct at 6 PM
Dubai expats told to dress respectfully when visiting malls
Advice cards on what to wear when shopping in Dubai’s malls are being handed out to expats and tourists considered by security guards to be dressed inappropriately. The latest crackdown on visitors and expats who may be unaware of the UAE’s strict dress code is taking place at the Dubai Marina Mall, where security guards are busy...
2 Oct at 6 PM
British expats shun UK investments and prefer local opportunities
Britons living overseas are fighting shy of investment opportunities in th8ier country of origin, preferring to invest their money in their countries of residence. Domestic stock markets in a number of popular expat destinations are being favoured over and above the FTSE by almost a third of British investors living overseas, according to...
2 Oct at 6 PM
Determining necessities in expat healthcare cover
For prospective expats whose home countries provide state-supplied healthcare, it’s tricky to determine the level of medical insurance necessary in the new country. Those moving overseas on a fixed contract which includes health insurance as one of its benefits are fortunate, as their new employer will be aware of local medical costs....
2 Oct at 6 PM
Saudi Arabia to replace expat heathcare staff with Emiratis
As the oil-rich kingdom powers ahead with its Saudization programme, expat healthcare workers in administrative positions in its heathcare services may be replaced by locals. Private sector hospitals, medical centres and polyclinics in Saudi Arabia have traditionally employed expat labour in their administrative sectors, but Saudization...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Expat currency exchange lottery causes major losses
A recent survey has revealed that poorly-timed currency exchange transactions are costing expats a small fortune due to fluctuating exchange rates and high bank charges. The survey, carried out by ExpatForum.com through Barclays International, involved 10,000 expats, of whom 84 per cent had lost between £500 and £1,000 due to badly-timed...
31 Oct at 6 PM
Finnish study suggests expatriate children find adapting difficult
An academic dissertation by a researcher from Tulku University has revealed that expat children are finding it difficult to adjust to the country as they receive no help from Finnish schools. Researcher Anu Warinowski’s dissertation will be published by the university in December, with its conclusions causing concern amongst formerly...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Survey picks the three friendliest expat havens on earth
Moving to foreign lands has its attractions, but also has its challenges, with migrants unable or unwilling to face them leaving their home countries at their peril. A recent survey based on the four traditional challenges for would-be expats – finding like-minded friends, enjoying the cuisine, accepting the customs and understanding...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Cyprus bailout may hit British expats with tax increases
Cash-strapped Cyprus is negotiating an EU bailout package to finance its debts, with austerity measures likely to focus on tax hikes rather then cuts in spending. The island is a popular destination for British expats, many of whom are retirees on UK pensions or investments and many more as small business owners, attracted by Cyprus’s...
30 Oct at 6 PM
UK students now economic expats in search for cheaper degrees
An expat brain drain of Britain’s brightest and best looks on the cards as many thousands of students look abroad for their university in order to find an affordable degree course. As a result of last year’s massive increase in UK university fees, Britain is now the fourth most expensive country in which to gain a degree, with...
30 Oct at 6 PM
Expat US voters could swing presidential poll either way
With current polls suggesting the US Presidential election is too close to call, Americans living in European countries have become aware that their votes may well decide the victor in this crucial contest. Although the situation is very different than in the last election when US citizens rallied around Obama following Bush’s two years...
26 Oct at 6 PM
Hedge fund havens fight widening deficits with tax demand
Hedge fund havens from the Bahamas to the Cayman Islands are mooting a surprising cure for their ever-widening deficits – the initiation of higher taxes. In the Cayman Islands, at present the home of the Caribbean’s highest number of hedge find companies, Prime Minister McKeeva Bush is planning an evowed increase in registration fees...
26 Oct at 6 PM
International schools hike school fees for expat children
International expats are facing huge increases in their children’s international school fees due to a rise in demand from wealthy local parents. Over 80 per cent of places at sought-after international schools are being filled by the children of local wealthy families, resulting in soaring increases in fees. According to a recent survey...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Millions of Brits including expats have no wills
According to a recent survey, almost 66 per cent of Brits, including those living overseas, have not made a will. UK inheritance laws for those with estates to leave are complicated enough but, for expats living overseas, the laws involving inheritance tax are especially complex. The survey, by the IDA Unbiased Group, revealed that many...
25 Oct at 6 PM
Aberdeen based IFA to target expat oil workers overseas
Aberdeen-based independent financial advice firm A2+B Wealth is planning to target expat workers based overseas in the oil and gas industry. The joint venture between accountancy firm Anderson, Anderson and Brown and Dundee-based Verus Chartered Financial Planners will use the specialist Platform One, designed specifically for the...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Expat invention of bamboo tricycle may unclog Shanghai streets
A Shanghai-based British couple are hoping their innovative bamboo tricycle with persuade Chinese commuters to give up their gas-guzzling, polluting cars in favour of cheap running costs, a cool design and cleaner air. The clever contraption, developed by long-term Shanghai residents Chris and Florence Trees, is an electric-powered...
24 Oct at 6 PM
Switzerland to vote on scrapping wealthy expats tax breaks
Campaigners from Swiss trade unions and left-wing groups have collected a petition against the tax breaks containing 100,000 names, thus forcing the government to call a public vote. Should the vote succeed, foreign celebrities, sports stars and wealthy bankers will face losing the tax breaks which make Switzerland such an appealing...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Australian government changes visa pricing system
The Australian government has announced its new user-payment pricing system, admitting that the changes will make visas more expensive in areas of significant demand. Australia’s Acting Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Kate Lundy, announced the changes yesterday, noting that initial moves towards a ‘fairer’ user-pays...
23 Oct at 6 PM
Expats in China in go or stay quandary
A question which has been simmering under the surface for some while in the Chinese expat community has now surfaced – should expats stay or go? The dilemma was brought into the public domain by two well-known old China hands, one of whom had lived in China for 16 years and another who was the owner of a popular expat blog. Both wrote...
22 Oct at 6 PM
UK tax man ups take from high income foreign workers
Data analysed by law firm Pinsent Mason shows that Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs’ compliance investigation into high-earning foreigners working in the UK netted a 23 per cent increase in tax take since 2010. The total additional yield received as a result of compliance investigations in 2011-2012 was £117.2 million as against...
22 Oct at 6 PM
Expat mothers lose child custody battles in overseas courts
A disturbing picture is emerging concerning the chances of an expat mother gaining custody of her children through foreign courts after a relationship breakdown. The desperate situation of expat mothers whose marriages had failed was brought into the public domain recently by the Guardian when a Welsh mother abducted her own children...
19 Oct at 6 PM
HSBC survey ranks Canada best country for expat children
The recently published Expat Explorer Survey 2012 reports that Canada is by far the best expat destination in the world for raising a family. The land of the great outdoors came top in the survey’s Raising Children Abroad league tables, with no fewer than 5,300 expats voting for Canada’s excellent healthcare system, friendly locals...
19 Oct at 6 PM
British couple fear for their lives after Malaga floods
British expat couple Reg and June Squirrel are left fearing for their lives after a disastrous flood tore through their home in Villanueva del Rosario near Malaga. Following torrential rain, two nearby rivers overflowed their banks and sent torrents of water racing through the property. The couple, who barely escaped with their lives, are...
18 Oct at 6 PM
Dubai to consider pensions for expat workers
Dubai may bring in pensions for its foreign workers in order to dissuade them from sending money home or to financial centres outside the emirate. Estimates suggest that the majority of Dubai’s two million expat workers send at least 40 per cent of their earnings to trusted financial centers in their home countries or offshore. The...
18 Oct at 6 PM
Report concludes financial stability most important for expats
A global study of expats’ needs has concluded that financial stability is one of the most essential factors in expat confidence. The TD Global Investor Confidence study polled over 2,000 UK and expat investors across the world, finding that 61 per cent of respondents stressed having no money worries as the most important factor in their...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Job shortages spur Spaniards to emigrate
Since the beginning of the year, almost half a million residents have left Spain, with over ten per cent of those moving overseas shown to be Spanish citizens. A report from the government’s National Statistics Institute (INE) released on Monday also showed that the rate of emigration had increased by 21.6 per cent over last year’s...
17 Oct at 6 PM
Singapore tops expats lists again for salaries and lifestyle
Yet another survey has seen Singapore beat the competition as the best place to live and work as regards salaries, disposable income and lifestyle. The Singapore experience was put down to highly competitive salary structures, accumulation of wealth sponsored by the government and plenty of disposable income for luxuries after basic...
16 Oct at 6 PM
South African slates tit for tat over visa rules
A South African would-be visitor to the UK has fired off a written shot to David Cameron, complaining about the difficulty in getting a visa to visit his UK family. Most British expats living outside the EU find time to moan about unfair visa regulations in their chosen country without considering that many non-EU nationals attempting to...
16 Oct at 6 PM
Spanish expats face uncertain financial futures as austerity mounts
Spain is home to the largest contingent of UK expats anywhere in the world, but the dream of cheap living in the sunshine is fading fast, even for those who aren’t threatened with losing their homes due to the property scandal. As Spain’s problems worsen, unemployment soars and the likelihood of a bailout lurks, property prices are...
16 Oct at 3 PM
UK newspaper starts campaign slating Spanish property scandal
The Telegraph’s expats’ page is to host a campaign in support of the huge number of British and other expats who have suffered under the Spanish planning scandal. Urban corruption and the confused state of property law in Spain have hit expats hard, with many forced to watch their dream homes being demolished. Telegraph Expat has been...
16 Oct at 3 PM
New Zealand expat incomes still at 2011 levels
A New Zealand government survey reports that all incomes, including those of expat workers, failed to increase between June 2011 and June 2012. The New Zealand Income Survey, released last week by Statistics New Zealand, showed no real increase in income for all sources for all residents. Between the two quarters, there was an...
13 Oct at 6 PM
Expat dilemma about childrens schools about to be solved
A perennial panic button for expat workers moving abroad with their families may be removed over the next several years. The provision of international schools for the children of expats as well as those of the high society element in local society is, it has to be admitted, big business. Global education companies provide an English...
13 Oct at 6 PM
Middle East expat workers earn top salaries
A recent survey claims that Western expats based in the Arab Gulf states receive a higher salary than equivalent Arab or Asian workers in similar jobs. The survey undertaken for Gulf Business, a Middle Eastern expat magazine, has revealed that Western expats take home much larger pay packets than expats from other Middle Eastern and Asian...
11 Oct at 6 PM
Germany tipped to be next for property price slump
With rising prices expected to slow dramatically towards the end of the year, Germany is facing the possibility of a disastrous house price slump. The house market in Germany is teetering on the edge of going into reverse, with the release over the next few days of the Europace house price index report detailing the last quarter expected...
11 Oct at 6 PM
New Zealand survey suggests Auckland will dominate population growth
Subnational population projections by Statistics New Zealand have revealed that 38 out of every 100 people in the country will be living in Auckland by 2031. Already the commercial hub of New Zealand, Auckland is now its fastest growing city, with growth expected to accelerate during the next 20 years until it holds around two million of...
10 Oct at 6 PM
Retire to Britain the big question for ageing expats
Many UK expats living in Europe and further afield as asking themselves the big question – should we retire in Britain? Facing old age abroad with a declining pension pot due to the last four years of financial chaos is forcing many expats to reconsider their decision to retire abroad after their expat jobs finish. Others who retired...
10 Oct at 6 PM
Spanish tradesmen swallow their pride as recession bites harder
Recent reports from expats living in Spain suggest that, in spite of the country’s desperate situation, it’s not all bad news for foreign residents in the sunny southern regions. A favourite location for Brits in Spain has been the Costa del Sol region with its hot summers, mild winters and laid-back lifestyle. Even more laid-back, to...
9 Oct at 6 PM
Singapore tops survey for best expat lifestyle and work
A recent survey has named the city of Singapore as the best business and lifestyle destination for wealthy expats. The survey, commissioned by HSBC Bank, selected 30 countries based on factors such as earning power, luxury lifestyle and disposable income. Over 5,000 expats based in 100 world countries took part, with Singapore rated...
9 Oct at 6 PM
Luxury Beijing development offers villas complete with wives
In the world’s most extraordinary ‘buy one get one free’ offer, am exclusive development in Beijing is offering its luxury properties complete with wives and even dowries. The Ecological Bay project’s owners, possibly concerned by a drop in sales due to the world recession, have come up with a tempting BOGOF offer – buy a home...
8 Oct at 6 PM
Brit expat wins in World Porridge Making Championship
Generations of Scots are turning in their graves at the news that a Brit expat living in Germany has won first prize in the World Porridge-making Championships. Held in the Highlands town of Carrbridge, the Porridge-making Championship is in its 19th year and, to be fair, is open to international contestants as well as Scots who’ve been...
8 Oct at 6 PM
Exodus of Bermudan expats is threatening the island economy
An article in the Bermuda Sun is suggesting that the exodus from the island of expatriate workers is directly and indirectly harming the tourism industry’s revenue stream. Expatriate workers on Bermuda regularly received visits from family and friends, with close on 39,000 air arrivals in 2009 down to visits to resident expats. By 2012,...
5 Oct at 6 PM
Spain to encourage expat property investing in rural areas
In an attempt to kick-start the country’s struggling economy, the Spanish government has announced it will encourage sales of empty properties to buy-to-let investors. As well as its massive bank and government debts and its soaring unemployment and cost-of-living levels, Spain also has a property industry on its knees with house prices...
5 Oct at 6 PM
Venezuelan expats in Miami forced to vote in New Orleans
Due to the closure of the Venezuelan Consulate in Miami, thousands of Venezuelan expats keen to vote against Hugo Chavez are being forced to travel to New Orleans to vote. Members of the Venezuelan expat community in the USA are mostly hoping the reign of President Hugo Chavez will be over after the upcoming presidential elections, and are...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Canada to encourage unemployed British graduates to emigrate
Canada’s recent drive to attract young, bright graduates unable to find work in the UK is about to move into top gear with the slogan ‘Think Canada, not Australia’. According to a recent Telegraph Expat story, Canadian immigration minister Jason Kenney will arrive in the UK next week with the sole purpose of persuading Britain’s...
4 Oct at 6 PM
Abu Dhabi expat workers furious at new government rule
Expats working in the Abu Dhabi public sector and commuting from Dubai are up in arms about a new government ruling which may lose them their housing allowance. The recently-announced new regulation states that government-employed workers who live outside the emirate in neighbouring Dubai and commute to work will be stripped of their...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Love and death in the Land of False Smiles
Every so often another horrendous tale of lost life caused by love in Thailand hits the international media. The latest horror story features an unfortunate British expat who’d retired to Baan Phai in the sunny southeast of Thailand after connecting with a Thai woman on an internet dating site. Stephen Phillips, 59, a former Network...
3 Oct at 6 PM
Upscale expat life in Asia gets seriously expensive
Recently released research has shown the cost of the luxury life in Asia for wealthy expats rose considerably during 2011. The Julius Baer Lifestyle Index monitors the rise over each year in the cost of the trimmings of wealth over four leading Asian cities, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mumbai. The cost of the selected luxury items...
2 Oct at 11 AM
