Hong Kong “increasingly isolated”, experts warn Financial experts warned in early November that HKSAR is becoming ‘increasingly isolated’ as a result of the city state’s draconian policies. We have regularly reported on this issue throughout the latter stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. There is now what news hub Al Jazeera and the Financial Times report … Read more
If you intend to move abroad, it’s essential to do adequate research – for example, you may need to learn about visas or how to navigate the local healthcare system. With so much to think about, it’s easy to become overwhelmed or forget something important, and you may decide to enrol on an online (or … Read more
Becoming an expat is a brave choice. It takes courage to move to a country that isn’t your own and make a life there – but it also takes courage to move back home again. This isn’t an admission of defeat. It may simply be that circumstances have moved beyond your control. As an expat, … Read more
Mental health support for Westerners in Taipei The Taipei Times has reported recently on an organisation, Haxstrong, that offers mental health assistance and other forms of help to Westerners in Taiwan. The group started as an informal collection of Western and Taiwanese residents rallying around their friend Gregg Haxton, who had been seriously injured in … Read more
British citizens leaving Spain ‘in droves’ The UK national press has given substantial coverage to the issue of British expats’ ‘exodus’ from Spain this month. Spanish estate agencies and others report a mass departure of Brits, many of whom are retirees. Changing regulations following Brexit, including in relation to healthcare, driving licenses and residency, are … Read more
Hong Kong expats criticise draconian Covid-19 regulations Singapore has abandoned its zero Covid-19 policy and is now describing the virus as endemic and something that has to be lived with. Combined with its excellent vaccination rate (80% of the population are now vaccinated), this is standing the city-state in good stead in comparison to economic … Read more
Expats return to the UK – to get divorced A change in the rules has led to expats returning to the UK to obtain a divorce, the Financial Times reported this month. Law firm Expatriate Law says that the post-transition period of Brexit has made this more alluring (if one can say this about the … Read more
Recent research suggests that as many as 50% of American expats have experienced mental health difficulties, and with Covid-19 added into the mix, the number might be even higher from 2020 onwards. Mental health during the pandemic The study, The Mental Health Status of Expatriate Versus US Domestic Workers, was commissioned by Chestnut Global … Read more
Stranded Australians may be allowed back into the country Over 44,000 expats are waiting to return to Australia, with 5,000 of them classified as vulnerable. However, Scott Morrison has now acknowledged their frustration and says that the authorities are looking at an 80% vaccination rate as a threshold for letting stranded expats back into the … Read more
Abu Dhabi is a world leader in Covid-19 response The Deep Knowledge Group in London has recently published a survey researching global responses to the Covid-19 pandemic: ‘Ranking of the Safest Cities during the Covid-19 Pandemic for the Second Quarter of 2021.’ Abu Dhabi came top, followed by Singapore, Seoul, Tel Aviv and Dubai. Toronto, … Read more