New adventures, better work/life balance and career opportunities driving people to live abroad
Despite an initial bedding in process, expats are there to stay and loving life, reveals new research from AXA PPP International.
Those looking to improve life satisfaction should consider moving abroad it seems, with over half of expatriates (56 percent) saying they have no intention of going home. Just two percent of expats are there for the short term and actually have a date set to return home. On average, 60 percent said the move lived up to all of their expectations, with 38 percent saying it had lived up to some of their expectations.
Typically, the drivers for moving abroad for expats included the search of a new adventure (56 percent), a better work/life balance (40 percent) and better weather (37 percent). Other motivations referenced included better career opportunities (17 percent), better healthcare (16 percent) or having always wanting to live in that area of the world (32 percent).
However, despite the high life satisfaction, adjusting to life in a new country was not easy for all. While 76 percent found settling in an easy or enjoyable process, 22 percent admitted they found it difficult to settle, build a social life or get to grips with local laws. Of those that found it easy or enjoyable, 13 percent had attributed it to the preparations made beforehand.
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Zimbabwe: 35 Foreign Firms Submit Indigenisation Plans
At least 35 foreign-owned companies have submitted plans on how they intend to localise their shareholding in terms of the indigenisation law, the Zimbabwe Investment Authority has said. Under the new indigenisation framework, which came into effect in January this year, foreign-owned companies are required to submit their proposals through ZIA. ZIA chief executive Mr Richard Mbaiwa said last week the authority has handled only 35 applications.
“Since we were given the mandate to handle the applications, we received 35 proposals,” said Mr Mbaiwa. Government set March 31 as the deadline for submitting proposals on indigenisation compliance. All companies that fail to comply by March 31 will have their operational licenses cancelled following a directive issued by the Cabinet last week to line ministers to start enforcing the law.
Last week, Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Patrick Zhuwao said Cabinet unanimously passed a resolution directing that from April 1 2016 all line ministries should proceed to issue orders to licensing authorities to cancel licenses of non-compliant business within their respective sectors of the economy.
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Expat Espresso in South Africa
Excerpts from expat life
This expat interview comes from my friend, Clara Wiggins, here in South Africa. Clara has contributed some excellent articles to ExpatChild in the past and, as well as working and parenting, has also managed to find time to write a useful book, The Expat Partner’s Survival Guide.
WHERE DO YOU CURRENTLY LIVE AND HOW DID YOU COME TO BE THERE?
I currently live in Pretoria, South Africa. We have been here for five months and are here because of my husband’s job at the British High Commission. It is our third posting as a family – we have previously lived in Pakistan and St Lucia.
WHAT DOES ‘HOME’ MEAN TO YOU?
Having travelled on and off all my life, home is the one place that is a constant – in my case, this is the UK. Whenever we lived abroad when I was a child, we always knew that we would return to our home country. Although I love being an expat and exploring the rest of the world, I also love going “home” – the changing of the seasons, the telly, the fish and chips, the humour… there is always something about the cold, grey M25 on the first drive from the airport back to our house that makes me happy.
DO YOU HAVE A FEW WORDS OF ADVICE ON COPING WITH THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF A MOVE?
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How The Rise of Donald Trump Will Affect Africa
This is how the game has precipitated into a dirty no holds barred wrestling match between races.
It has been long since the world witnessed the rise of a politician who inspires as much controversy as Donald Trump. Who is “The Donald”, as he is commonly referred to? The Donald could be a molecule: two atoms of Hitler for every single atom of Lady Gaga’s attention seeking streak. Donald Trump’s character is a peculiar concoction of unadulterated hatred, unapologetic ignorance, blatant racism and a mouth best kept shut. However, no man is that one dimensional and true to the fact, Donald Trump also has respectable qualities he brings to the table. If he wins the Presidency, what might happen?
Africa could finally win the battle against a burgeoning terrorist threat.
The deadliest terrorist group in Africa and in the world – Boko Haram is an affiliate of ISIS. The latter is domiciled in the Middle East and if Trump’s promises are anything to go by, he will knock the hell out of them. Speaking on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”, Trump said, “I would knock out the source of their wealth, the primary sources of their wealth, which is oil. And in order to do that, you have to put boots on the ground. I would knock the hell out of them, but I’d put a ring around it and I’d take the oil for our country.”
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Better work/life balance driving people to live abroad
New adventures, better work/life balance and career opportunities driving people to live abroad
Despite an initial bedding in process, expats are there to stay and loving life, reveals new research from AXA PPP International.
Those looking to improve life satisfaction should consider moving abroad it seems, with over half of expatriates (56 percent) saying they have no intention of going home. Just two percent of expats are there for the short term and actually have a date set to return home. On average, 60 percent said the move lived up to all of their expectations, with 38 percent saying it had lived up to some of their expectations.
Typically, the drivers for moving abroad for expats included the search of a new adventure (56 percent), a better work/life balance (40 percent) and better weather (37 percent). Other motivations referenced included better career opportunities (17 percent), better healthcare (16 percent) or having always wanting to live in that area of the world (32 percent).
However, despite the high life satisfaction, adjusting to life in a new country was not easy for all. While 76 percent found settling in an easy or enjoyable process, 22 percent admitted they found it difficult to settle, build a social life or get to grips with local laws. Of those that found it easy or enjoyable, 13 percent had attributed it to the preparations made beforehand.
Source