Biggest Benefit to Being Expat

[dundrillin]

Speaking from the viewpoint of a retiree I feel the biggest benefit is to experience a new and exciting chapter in my life. The weather also is a huge plus. The cost of living also helps but I suppose the government will catch on eventually and bump up the taxes. Healthcare I find here is excellent and greatly appreciate the fact that I can go to a hospital and see a specialist very quickly at a very reasonable cost ( I know others may not agree but this has been my experience so far) I fear the GP in the U.K. Has become a gatekeeper to restrict our attendance at the hospital,sometimes with dire consequences. The characters one comes across here also are a source of interest and sometimes "wonderment". It is interesting to compare them with the chancers,lunatics and rogues (inside or outside parliament)in the West. On the downside - maintenance fees for houses in estates can be high. Life's essentials such as Branson Pickle and Mango chutney are expensive and imported cars are very bad value. But the benefits far outweigh the downside. I intend sticking around.

[404cameljockey]

The biggest benefit in being an expat ( I despise that term) is that I can leave.

Expat is a term that a lot of other immigrants feel is caucasians giving themselves airs. Indians I know snigger at it or find it annoying. TBH I feel 'what's in a name'; Indians, Pakistanis, anyone can call themselves expats if they want. We're all still just immigrants living outside their country of origin.

I hope this is on topic? Maybe not....

[404cameljockey]

Speaking from the viewpoint of a retiree I feel the biggest benefit is to experience a new and exciting chapter in my life. The weather also is a huge plus. The cost of living also helps but I suppose the government will catch on eventually and bump up the taxes. Healthcare I find here is excellent and greatly appreciate the fact that I can go to a hospital and see a specialist very quickly at a very reasonable cost ( I know others may not agree but this has been my experience so far) I fear the GP in the U.K. Has become a gatekeeper to restrict our attendance at the hospital,sometimes with dire consequences. The characters one comes across here also are a source of interest and sometimes "wonderment". It is interesting to compare them with the chancers,lunatics and rogues (inside or outside parliament)in the West. On the downside - maintenance fees for houses in estates can be high. Life's essentials such as Branson Pickle and Mango chutney are expensive and imported cars are very bad value. But the benefits far outweigh the downside. I intend sticking around.

Well said. The main benefit I found in Dubai apart from missing my UK's Seasonal Depressive Disorder and taxation was a nicer environment for my daughter to grow up in, meeting many nationalities, seeing other ways of life, safer (by far) than a London/Kent suburb. At 14 years old she hated it for 6 months and then thanked me from her heart for the move once she settled in. Years later she's finished Uni and is working there. My son followed from the UK later and is making his way in the business world there after a bad start in the UK. These things are worth more than gold to me.

[oakdale160]

In a place like HH, for long term foreigners the terms Ex-pat and Immigrant may be interchangeable. But in cities where most foreigners are there for work, the terms are quite different. The typical ex-pat is there on a company contract, recruited and brought out by them, often with a BIG benefits package, usually, fora set period of a few years, The Immigrant (May originally been an ex-pat) is a long time resident with a personal yr by yr contract and no plans to return home anytime soon.

[404cameljockey]

In a place like HH, for long term foreigners the terms Ex-pat and Immigrant may be interchangeable. But in cities where most foreigners are there for work, the terms are quite different. The typical ex-pat is there on a company contract, recruited and brought out by them, often with a BIG benefits package, usually, fora set period of a few years, The Immigrant (May originally been an ex-pat) is a long time resident with a personal yr by yr contract and no plans to return home anytime soon.

With respect oakdale I think these terms are not set in stone. Personally I think that caucasians tend to use the term expat to disassociate themselves from darker skinned 'immigrants'. Anyway, I suppose it's off topic but it seems I'm usually off-topic.

I'm not sure these HUGE packages exist any more for most professions.
Certainly in the UAE the days of company car, large housing allowance and free schooling, etc. are long gone for most people. Even the British head of Dubai Police security training had to downsize, move one or two kids back to UK, etc.
One good thing is that private medical cover is mostly standard for even low-earning 'expats' in private industry. Is that the case here, I'm not aware?

[aragon]

When I first started working overseas back in the 70s, Caucasians were referred to as expats and basically all others were TCNs (Third Country Nationals), but now it is more common to refer to Western Expats and Eastern Expats.

There is no doubt that to a greater extent the very generous expat packages of old have gone by the wayside. I have in the course of my career worked in most countries in the Middle East (still here by the way) and also China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, USA and Europe and without a doubt things have got steadily worse; though I agree that "worse" is a subjective view, when you are still earning a tax free salary, the company is paying your rent and providing free private medical etc. However, there is definitely a shift away from the "excesses'" of old, to a much starker, leaner future (including the evil income tax) and I for one am happy that I am approaching the end of my expat career and not just starting it.

[oakdale160]

you are right the old packages were very generous. I had a British friend in HK, he and his wife were not happy there but the company paid for his 2 sons go to a very expensive Public SChool in the UK so they stayed until both sons were through school.

[RCer]

The US effectively killed the Expat contracts for us. They put it in the tax law that any non-salary benefit like; rent assistance, schooling, travel, etc were considered as taxable income.

So, people started doing it on the side. Then the companies discovered they could lure you in with the offer of benefits, but withold them after a short time in country and there was no legal recourse for the workers.

[404cameljockey]

I think you can live without a lot of stuff, but medical insurance is a must for expats. Agreed?

[StevePIraq]

When I first started working overseas back in the 70s, Caucasians were referred to as expats and basically all others were TCNs (Third Country Nationals), but now it is more common to refer to Western Expats and Eastern Expats.

There is no doubt that to a greater extent the very generous expat packages of old have gone by the wayside. I have in the course of my career worked in most countries in the Middle East (still here by the way) and also China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, USA and Europe and without a doubt things have got steadily worse; though I agree that "worse" is a subjective view, when you are still earning a tax free salary, the company is paying your rent and providing free private medical etc. However, there is definitely a shift away from the "excesses'" of old, to a much starker, leaner future (including the evil income tax) and I for one am happy that I am approaching the end of my expat career and not just starting it.

US government contracts still refer to them as TCN's

[aragon]

US government contracts still refer to them as TCN's

Wow, in the heartland of PC, I'm really surprised by that!!

404cj: Re. medical insurance, absolutely agree, a must.

Edit: Sorry had an internet malfunction before I could finish. Over the last 4 years I have required treatment for issues that whilst not life threatening, were certainly potentially life changing and this was taken care of with company provided private medical insurance. Whilst I haven't kept track of the exact cost of the treatment I have had, it is certainly in excess of Pds. 70K and whilst there have obviously been deductibles on the insurance, it has taken care of the vast majority of that. I dread to think what would have happened had I been back in Blighty, relying on the overworked/overstressed NHS!!

[handdrummer]

The biggest benefit in being an expat ( I despise that term) is that I can leave.

Expat is a term that a lot of other immigrants feel is caucasians giving themselves airs. Indians I know snigger at it or find it annoying. TBH I feel 'what's in a name'; Indians, Pakistanis, anyone can call themselves expats if they want. We're all still just immigrants living outside their country of origin.

I hope this is on topic? Maybe not....

Expat signifies that one is no longer a patriot of one's home country and that's why I despise the term. I live her for one reason only; I can't afford to support my Thai wife and I at home. In fact the government says that I don't receive enough money to support a foreign born wife. I don't know why a foreign born wife would cost more than a domestic born wife? At any rate being called a "farang" doesn't bother me.

[handdrummer]

I think you can live without a lot of stuff, but medical insurance is a must for expats. Agreed?

I don't agree. In my case medical insurance, even if I could get it, would be much more than I spend on medical care. If I need to go to the dr. I go the govt. hospital which is certainly affordable. I've had one surgery here, that was screwed-up and wouldn't have another so I don't need medical insurance. If I were under 60 yrs. of age I might consider it.

[RCer]

The biggest benefit in being an expat ( I despise that term) is that I can leave.

Expat is a term that a lot of other immigrants feel is caucasians giving themselves airs. Indians I know snigger at it or find it annoying. TBH I feel 'what's in a name'; Indians, Pakistanis, anyone can call themselves expats if they want. We're all still just immigrants living outside their country of origin.

I hope this is on topic? Maybe not....

Expat signifies that one is no longer a patriot of one's home country and that's why I despise the term. I live her for one reason only; I can't afford to support my Thai wife and I at home. In fact the government says that I don't receive enough money to support a foreign born wife. I don't know why a foreign born wife would cost more than a domestic born wife? At any rate being called a "farang" doesn't bother me.

That's one possible definition of the term Expat. I tend to think in terms of the primary definition. I choose to live outside my native country.

I actually take exception to the second definition because I am retired military.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expatriate

[404cameljockey]

I think you can live without a lot of stuff, but medical insurance is a must for expats. Agreed?

I don't agree. In my case medical insurance, even if I could get it, would be much more than I spend on medical care. If I need to go to the dr. I go the govt. hospital which is certainly affordable. I've had one surgery here, that was screwed-up and wouldn't have another so I don't need medical insurance. If I were under 60 yrs. of age I might consider it.

That's interesting. If you can get treatment in your home country free then that's fine (unless it's an emergency?). Of course you have to pay flights and the cost of living there for at least a couple of months I guess. Otherwise if you need say unexpected surgery for a leg embolism with complications it can cost maybe half a million Baht at a very good Bangkok hospital (I know someone who had it a few months ago). Isn't it worth a couple of thousand US Dollars for inpatient cover? Just asking opinions.

As far as botched surgery is concerned I had a butcher in the UK mangle a simple minor on my back before, happens everywhere. But isn't Thailand considered a good place for medical tourism now?