Expatriate
An expatriate is a person who resides outside their native country.
The term often refers to a professional, skilled worker, or student from an affluent country. However, it may also refer to retirees, artists and other individuals who have chosen to live outside their native country.
The International Organization for Migration of the United Nations defines the term as 'a person who voluntarily renounces his or her nationality'. Historically, it also referred to exiles.
The UAE is the country with the highest percentage of expatriates in the world after the Vatican City, with expatriates in the United Arab Emirates representing 88% of the population.
Etymology
The word expatriate comes from the Latin words wikt:ex#Latin and wikt:patria#Latin, from wikt:terra patria#Latin,.Semantics
Dictionary definitions for the current meaning of the word include:These definitions contrast with those of other words with the same meaning, such as:
The varying use of these terms for different groups of foreigners can be seen as implying nuances about wealth, intended length of stay, perceived motives for moving, nationality, and even race. This has caused controversy, with some commentators asserting that the traditional use of the word "expat" has had racist connotations.
An older usage of the word expatriate referred to an exile. Alternatively, when used as a verbal noun, expatriation can mean the act of someone renouncing allegiance to their native country, as in the preamble to the United States Expatriation Act of 1868 which states: 'the right of expatriation is a natural and inherent right of all people, indispensable to the enjoyment of the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'.
Some neologisms have been coined, including:
- dispatriate, an expatriate who intentionally distances themselves from their nation of origin;
- flexpatriate, an employee who often travels internationally for business ;
- inpatriate, an employee sent from a foreign subsidiary to work in the country where a company has its headquarters;
- rex-pat, a repeat expatriate, often someone who has chosen to return to a foreign country after completing a work assignment;
- sexpat, an expatriate with the goal of short or long term sexual relationships.
In Canada someone who resides in a different province on a temporary basis while continuing to hold their home province's residency is colloquially called an "interprovincial expat" as opposed to an "interprovincial migrant" who changes their residency and usually is intending to move permanently. For example, British Columbia and Alberta allow each other's residents to attend post secondary in the other province while retaining their home province's residency.
History
Types of expat community
In the 19th century, travel became easier by way of steamship or train. People could more readily choose to live for several years in a foreign country, or be sent there by employers. The table below aims to show significant examples of expatriate communities which have developed since that time:| Group | Period | Country of origin | Destination | Host country | Notes |
| Australians and New Zealanders in London | 1960s-now | Australia/New Zealand | London | United Kingdom | |
| Beat Generation | 1950s | United States | Tangier | Morocco | |
| Beat Generation | 1960s | United States | Paris | France | See Beat Hotel. |
| British retirees | 1970s–now | United Kingdom | Costa del Sol | Spain | Arguably immigrants if permanent. |
| British retirees | current | United Kingdom | Dordogne | France | Arguably immigrants if permanent. |
| British Raj | 1721–1949 | United Kingdom | India | Often referred to as "Anglo-Indians". | |
| Celebrities and artists | 1800s–now | various | Lake Geneva | Switzerland | |
| Digital nomads | 1990s–now | various | various | ||
| Filmmakers | 1910s–now | Europe | Los Angeles | United States | "Hollywood" |
| Jet set | 1950s–1970s | various | various | ||
| Lost Generation | 1920s–30s | United States | Paris | France | See A Moveable Feast. |
| Modernist artists & writers | 1870s–1930s | various | French Riviera | France | |
| Oligarchs | 1990s–current | Russia | London | United Kingdom | |
| Salarymen | current | Japan | various | See Japanese diaspora | |
| Shanghai French Concession | 1849–1943 | France | Shanghai | China | |
| Shanghai International Settlement | 1863–1945 | United Kingdom | Shanghai | China | Preceded by British Concession |
| Shanghai International Settlement | 1863–1945 | United States | Shanghai | China | Preceded by American Concession |
| Tax exiles | 1860s–now | various | Monte Carlo | Monaco | |
| Third culture kids | current | various | various | Includes 'military brats' and 'diplobrats'. |
During the 1930s, Nazi Germany revoked the citizenship of many opponents, such as Albert Einstein, Oskar Maria Graf, Willy Brandt and Thomas Mann, often expatriating entire families.
Students who study in another country are not referred to as expatriates.
Worldwide distribution of expats
The number of expatriates in the world is difficult to determine, since there is no governmental census. Market research company Finaccord estimated the number to be 66.2 million in 2017.In 2013, the United Nations estimated that 232 million people, or 3.2% of the world population, lived outside their home country.
As of 2019, according to the United Nations, the number of international migrants globally reached an estimated 272 million, or 3.5% of the world population.
Business expatriates
Some multinational corporations send employees to foreign countries to work in branch offices or subsidiaries. Expatriate employees allow a parent company to more closely control its foreign subsidiaries. They can also improve global coordination.A 2007 study found the key drivers for expatriates to pursue international careers were: breadth of responsibilities, nature of the international environment, high levels of autonomy of international posts, and cultural differences.
However, expatriate professionals and independent expatriate hires are often more expensive than local employees. Expatriate salaries are usually augmented with allowances to compensate for a higher cost of living or hardships associated with a foreign posting. Other expenses may need to be paid, such as health care, housing, or fees at an international school. There is also the cost of moving a family and their belongings. Another problem can be government restrictions in the foreign country.
Spouses may have trouble adjusting due to culture shock, loss of their usual social network, interruptions to their own career, and helping children cope with a new school. These are chief reasons given for foreign assignments ending early. However, a spouse can also act as a source of support for an expatriate professional. Families with children help to bridge the language and culture aspect of the host and home country, while the spouse plays a critical role in balancing the families integration into the culture. Some corporations have begun to include spouses earlier when making decisions about a foreign posting, and offer coaching or adjustment training before a family departs. Research suggests that tailoring pre-departure cross-cultural training and its specific relevance positively influence the fulfilment of expectations in expatriates' adjustment. According to the 2012 Global Relocation Trends Survey Report, 88 per cent of spouses resist a proposed move. The most common reasons for refusing an assignment are family concerns and the spouse's career.
Expatriate failure is a term which has been coined for an employee returning prematurely to their home country, or resigning. About 7% of expatriates return early, but this figure does not include those who perform poorly while on assignment or resign entirely from a company. When asked the cost of a premature expatriate's return, a survey of 57 multinational companies reported an average cost of about US$225,000.
Reasons and motivations for expatriation
People move abroad for many different reasons. An understanding of what makes people move is the first step in the expatriation process. People could be ‘pushed’ away as a reaction to specific socio-economic or political conditions in the home country, or ‘pulled’ towards a destination country because of better work opportunities/conditions. The ‘pull’ can also include personal preferences, such as climate, a better quality of life, or the fact that family/friends are living there.For some people, moving abroad is a conscious, thoroughly planned decision, while for others it could be a ‘spur of the moment’, spontaneous decision. This decision, of course, is influenced by the individual's geographic, socioeconomic and political environment; as well as their personal circumstances. The motivation for moving abroad also gets adjusted with the different life changes the person experiences – for example, if they get married, have children, etc. Also, different personalities have diverse reactions to the challenges of adjusting to a host-country culture; and these reactions affect their motivations to continue living abroad.
In this era of international competition, it is important for companies, as well as for countries, to understand what is that motivates people to move to another country to work. Understanding expatriates' motivations for international mobility allows organisations to tailor work packages to match expatriates' expectations in order to attract and/or retain skilled workers from abroad.