Archive Page 4
August 2018
Arab News
Kuwait terminates more than 3,000 expat public sector employees - Arab News
"The contracts were terminated as part of the Kuwaitization push to replace expat employees with nationals in the government sector."
United Kingdom
'No deal' Brexit: Raab downplays expat pension fears - Citywire UK
"....Brexit secretary pins hopes on 'cooler heads prevailing' to ensure British expats maintain access to their pensions under a 'no deal' Brexit."
Wales, UK
Why expats warm to Wales - Finglobal
Brief article is aimed at South Africans and why they should consider Wales as an expat destination, with the information applicable to many other people interested in this western UK area (bordered by England to the east, with the Irish Sea to the north and west, and the Bristol Channel in the south).
:"...When you move to Wales, you need to be aware of cwtch – an intrinsically Welsh word that evokes a sense of home. Pronounced ‘kutch’, to rhyme with ‘butch’, it’s the Welsh word for a cuddle or a hug, but it means much more than that. Its second meaning is a cubbyhole, where something is stored safely. By blending the two meanings, you get a sense of what the word means. Words like cwtch distinguish the national identity of the Welsh and it is a word often used by both Welsh speakers and English-speaking Welsh people to indicate that they are Welsh."
Caribbean
"Why NOT to move to the Caribbean"
Article makes a quick, common-sense survey of why Caribbean Island living would not suit some people. This is a simple overview that doesn't look on regional issues of crime higher in one place but lower in another, cost of living, etc, but instead concentrates on your own suitability for the Caribbean environment.
9 Definitive Reasons Why You Should NOT Move to the Caribbean - Huffington Post
(Another common-sense item not mentioned in this artilce is something someone told me from their own experience when I mentioned I had an interest in living in the Caribbean, and she told me basically: "you can't get anything done, the heat and the lifestyle makes effort seem unnecessary, especially for someone not used to the climate. Whole days pass with nothing accomplished but laying in a hammock or eating and seabathing. It is very detrimental to one's drive..."
Belize
"...Imagine my surprise when within my first week in Belize, I spent more than 12 hours without lights, air conditioning, a phone, water, and Internet. Living in a developing country is a lot less expensive than the U.S., but you have to be flexible and understand that things don’t work exactly as they do in the U.S. Sometimes there are scheduled and unscheduled blackouts. Sometimes Internet service will go out. Prepare for the unexpected by stocking your cupboards with candles, an extra jug of water, and dry goods you can eat without a microwave or stove. Don’t be afraid to go analog..."
Expat Lending
Marsden Building Society sees 80% rise in expat residential enquiries - UK Property Reporter
Dubai
Money
The basics: What's the cost of living? How does the banking work there with the rest of the world? What's the exhange rate? - and more:
Avoid these 6 common expat finance mistakes - Born2invest
Millionaire Expat: How To Build Wealth Living Overseas - Amazon
Jordan
Almost 5,000 Expat Workers Deported From Jordan in 2018 - albawaba.com
"The deportation of workers came as a result of over 56,000 labour inspection visits aimed at ascertaining the extent to which employers commit to the Labour Law...."
Scotland
One way to be legally able to stay in Scotland? Marry a UK Citizen!
US Citizen married in Scotland - amandawalkins
New Zealand
New Zealand has banned foreigners from buying homes in the country - Yahoo Finance
Expats in Spain
Related: British expats in EU launch Brexit legal dispute - The Local FR
Related: The Reader: We must give British expats a meaningful say in their future - Evening Standard
8.7 million American Expats
More Americans are fleeing to cheap faraway places - NY Post
"...A whopping 8.7 million Americans are living in other countries, based on US State Department figures. And that number is only rising. The appeal? An increasing number of places with strong infrastructure, good technology and — a major selling point — a much lower cost of living than in the United States."
Iran
Iran's Official Currency Is the Rial, But Its Real Currency Is the Dollar - Real Clear Markets
Oman
Oman introduces new rules to protect expat workers - Arabian Business
Saudi Arabia
Why expatriate workers are leaving Saudi Arabia in droves -The Economic Times
...the biggest Arab economy is losing some of its allure to expats who once flocked to a country awash with petrodollars. The number of foreign workers declined by 6 percent to 10.2 million in the first three months of 2018 compared with a year ago, taking the cumulative drop over the five past quarters to about 700,000...
"
Corfu
Uncollected garbage and infrastructure decay on the popular expat Greek island in the Ionian Sea
Plea for Corfu: British Expat invites Tsipras to visit the “Jewel” island - KP Greece
Roundup: USA Cities
Priced out of the market? Cities where the middle class can no longer afford a home - USA Today
Texas Cities Dominate List of U.S. ‘Boomtowns’ - breitbart.com
Survey: Washington DC, Detroit, New York Among The Worst-Run Cities In U.S. - cbslocal.com
US cities Americans are abandoning - USA Today
The Price
Revealed: The world's most (and least) expensive cities - Yahoo
"...designed to show the cost of living for expatriates, takes into account housing as well as a 200-strong “international basket of goods and services” including transportation, food, clothing and entertainment. The report found that housing market instability and fluctuating inflation and currencies were impacting the cost of doing business in the various cities around the world."
Australia - Singapore
Singapore Top Destination for Australian Expats: Atlas Wealth Management Report - Yahoo Finance
"...80% of Australian expats in Singapore recommend the country as a destination to fellow Australians
55% of Australian expats have more disposable income than when they lived in Australia
40% of Australian expats previously looking to buy property in Australia have been deterred by the changes in the tax rules"
More Singapore
Singapore
Paid Vacations
Which countries give the most paid vacations? - Protothema
"Americans get a raw deal "
GILTI Tax Law for Americans
U.S. expats face hammering from new tax rules - Daily Herald
"The two taxes U.S. expatriates who own businesses abroad are most concerned about: a one-time repatriation levy of as much as 17.5 percent on old foreign profits and an annual levy called Gilti -- or global intangible low-tax income -- on foreign profits going forward."
More on the gilti tax law
Wall Street Caught in Crosshairs of ‘Unforgiving’ Foreign Tax - Bloomberg
U.S. tax cuts prompt rethink by some 'inverted' companies - Reuters
Expat Challenges
4 Challenges Every Expat Faces When Taking a New Job Overseas - Inc Com
Article addresses challenged such as: giving up a cherished job (and a major source of income) - adjusting to a radically different culture and language - finding suitable educational choices for children.
Egypt
Egyptian forum dreams up ways to attract expat money - Al Monitor
Unemployment Benefits
Which countries provide the highest unemployment benefits? - Prothema
Expat Money
Paris
An expat's guide to Paris - Los Angeles Times
"...The city was everywhere, except where we happened to be. Until the day when, out for breakfast, we bit into tartines instead of croissants. And the day we put on shoes for a walk instead of sneakers. Paris was burning away its mist of strangeness, and we were starting — just beginning — to understand."
AMAZON: The Expert Expat: Your Guide to Successful Relocation Abroad