Dearest readers, I usually stay out of hot topics of the day for obvious reasons. However, I did speak recently with someone who brought up this topic. One of the most famous Swedish quotes in history is "Do you not know, my son, with how very little wisdom the world is governed?". When I heard it from my history fanboy friend (he saw it in Medieval 2 haha), I thought ok that makes sense for the past, but certainly not for our current time... or at least I used to until a few years ago... One such reason why, in my opinion, is the fast and loose treatment of language and definitions. Back to this someone, he said that some of the fundamental problems we have been facing in the immigration department for decades now is because we are conflating immigrants and expats and we are directly or indirectly inviting an incorrect ratio of the two. I asked him what he meant, and he said Zara, you love to do research so you go explore that topic on your own. So, I did... with the help of ChatGPT. Come check this out- you may realize practically all talking heads on legacy and social media are wrong...
So, here it is straight from ChatGPT's... mouth? I asked for five differences between expats and immigrants in terms of how they live in their new country. Here is what I got.
Expats and immigrants often live in a country other than their own, but their experiences, motivations, and statuses can vary significantly. Here are five key differences between expats and immigrants:
### 1. **Motivation for Relocation**
- **Expats**: Typically move for professional reasons, such as work assignments, career opportunities, or business ventures. Their relocation is often temporary and driven by career advancement or corporate assignments.
- *Example*: A software engineer from India moving to the USA for a two-year project with their company.
- **Immigrants**: Usually move for more permanent reasons, seeking long-term residence or citizenship. Their motivations can include escaping conflict, seeking better economic opportunities, or reuniting with family.
- *Example*: A family from Syria relocating to Germany to escape war and build a new life.
### 2. **Length of Stay**
- **Expats**: Often plan to stay in the host country for a fixed period, typically tied to the length of their work contract or assignment. Many expats intend to return to their home country after their stint abroad.
- *Example*: A British teacher taking a three-year teaching post in Thailand before returning home.
- **Immigrants**: Generally plan to stay indefinitely, aiming to integrate into the host country’s society. Many immigrants seek to become permanent residents or citizens.
- *Example*: A family from Mexico moving to Canada with the intention of settling permanently and eventually becoming Canadian citizens.
### 3. **Socioeconomic Status**
- **Expats**: Often belong to a higher socioeconomic class, with many receiving support from their employers, such as housing allowances, relocation assistance, and higher salaries. They usually have white-collar or professional jobs.
- *Example*: An American executive moving to Japan with a lucrative package that includes housing and schooling for their children.
- **Immigrants**: Can come from varied economic backgrounds and might not have the same financial backing. They may start in lower-paying jobs and work their way up, often without the support structures expats have.
- *Example*: A Filipino nurse moving to the UK and starting work at a hospital, possibly without the financial incentives and support provided to expats.
### 4. **Cultural Integration**
- **Expats**: Tend to maintain their home country's cultural identity and may live in expatriate communities, minimizing their integration into the host country's culture. They might not learn the local language or customs deeply.
- *Example*: A group of French expats in Dubai who socialize mainly within their own community and send their children to a French international school.
- **Immigrants**: Often seek to integrate more deeply into their new country, learning the local language and customs, and participating in the broader society. They might be more involved in local communities and institutions.
- *Example*: An Indian family in Australia who actively participates in local festivals, learns English, and sends their children to public schools.
### 5. **Legal Status and Rights**
- **Expats**: Usually reside under temporary work visas or specific expat contracts that allow them to stay for a limited period. They often do not seek permanent residency or citizenship and may not have the same rights as locals.
- *Example*: A Canadian banker working in Hong Kong on a temporary work visa, with no intention of seeking permanent residency.
- **Immigrants**: Aim for long-term or permanent residency and eventually citizenship. They often start with temporary visas but seek to change their status to more permanent arrangements, granting them rights similar to citizens.
- *Example*: A Nigerian family in the USA initially on a student visa, transitioning to a work visa, and eventually obtaining a Green Card and citizenship.
### Summary
While both expats and immigrants live outside their home countries, expats often do so temporarily with a focus on professional goals and maintaining ties to their home culture. In contrast, immigrants typically seek permanent settlement and deeper integration into the host country’s society.
Overall, I find this very interesting. A perfect example of an expat, if you like basketball, is Nikola Jokic- the Joker! If you know, you know haha. He has properties and investments in USA, he works in USA, he is celebrated in USA, but he runs back home during the off-season and loves his home country first and foremost. Sombor, his home town, is now famous everywhere thanks to his Sombor Shuffle haha! Now, while people take shots at him for treating his work like work and rushing back home every chance he gets, they also need him. He plays, he wins, he loves the fans and they love him back, and most importantly... he makes more money for the US economy than what they pay him! A true, excellent example of an expat on every level.
On the other hand, we have excellent examples of immigrants who integrated as well. For those who love Two and a Half Men... Charlie Sheen anyone? Call me poorly informed or whatever, but I did not know about his heritage one bit until a few years ago. The man was born Carlos Irwin Estevez! Yet, I have always seen him as completely American and nothing else and I am sure I am not the only one!
Sooo, how do we end up in trouble by conflating the two in Canada- in our culture and in our circles of powers that be? First, it seems to me that every country blessed enough to be able to invite and integrate new people would want way more immigrants than expats- that much is for sure. You want the majority of people to want to stay in the country indefinitely, find themselves in the local culture, and build their wealth here. Expats are just as important but they are usually here on a mission and that is perfectly fine because they are invited to complete missions here- we selfishly need them and they selfishly need us. This is fine. They do not need to integrate because their background, skills, experiences and socioeconomic status make them citizens of the world- people who enjoy very good lives in their home country thanks to not just their work here, but also perhaps generational wealth they have back home. For some, a year or two of high paying work in their field is enough to set them up in their home country for a long time. Where the conflation happens, based on what I see from Chat GPT, is when immigrants begin to act like expats. Usually, the thing with immigrants is that they are not Nikola Jokic- they need the cultural integration, training, career prospects, a growing economy, affordable housing market, hope for the future- all of that in order to succeed! Expats, they do not need most or any of that- they are often fine with the highest bidder and they can move around if they want. So, when immigrants start to adopt the traits, attitudes and perspectives of expats, no one tells them they are not expats and that this sets them up for failure. Expats can afford to remain tightly connected with their country of origin, not fully integrate, easily travel back and forth and more. They can afford to associate mostly with their own background. They can also afford not to perfect the local language or embrace the local culture. Yet still, we love them because they always give more than what they take. Most immigrants cannot afford such behavior. They need the power of embracing the country they are in to be healthy, wealthy and successful for the long term. The problems begin for everyone when they are led to believe this is not the case.
Could clearing up this conflation and muddying of definitions help put more people on the path to success?
I leave you with this for now and wish you a great Friday night when it rolls around, and also and amazing weekend.
Mwah! :)
So, here it is straight from ChatGPT's... mouth? I asked for five differences between expats and immigrants in terms of how they live in their new country. Here is what I got.
Expats and immigrants often live in a country other than their own, but their experiences, motivations, and statuses can vary significantly. Here are five key differences between expats and immigrants:
### 1. **Motivation for Relocation**
- **Expats**: Typically move for professional reasons, such as work assignments, career opportunities, or business ventures. Their relocation is often temporary and driven by career advancement or corporate assignments.
- *Example*: A software engineer from India moving to the USA for a two-year project with their company.
- **Immigrants**: Usually move for more permanent reasons, seeking long-term residence or citizenship. Their motivations can include escaping conflict, seeking better economic opportunities, or reuniting with family.
- *Example*: A family from Syria relocating to Germany to escape war and build a new life.
### 2. **Length of Stay**
- **Expats**: Often plan to stay in the host country for a fixed period, typically tied to the length of their work contract or assignment. Many expats intend to return to their home country after their stint abroad.
- *Example*: A British teacher taking a three-year teaching post in Thailand before returning home.
- **Immigrants**: Generally plan to stay indefinitely, aiming to integrate into the host country’s society. Many immigrants seek to become permanent residents or citizens.
- *Example*: A family from Mexico moving to Canada with the intention of settling permanently and eventually becoming Canadian citizens.
### 3. **Socioeconomic Status**
- **Expats**: Often belong to a higher socioeconomic class, with many receiving support from their employers, such as housing allowances, relocation assistance, and higher salaries. They usually have white-collar or professional jobs.
- *Example*: An American executive moving to Japan with a lucrative package that includes housing and schooling for their children.
- **Immigrants**: Can come from varied economic backgrounds and might not have the same financial backing. They may start in lower-paying jobs and work their way up, often without the support structures expats have.
- *Example*: A Filipino nurse moving to the UK and starting work at a hospital, possibly without the financial incentives and support provided to expats.
### 4. **Cultural Integration**
- **Expats**: Tend to maintain their home country's cultural identity and may live in expatriate communities, minimizing their integration into the host country's culture. They might not learn the local language or customs deeply.
- *Example*: A group of French expats in Dubai who socialize mainly within their own community and send their children to a French international school.
- **Immigrants**: Often seek to integrate more deeply into their new country, learning the local language and customs, and participating in the broader society. They might be more involved in local communities and institutions.
- *Example*: An Indian family in Australia who actively participates in local festivals, learns English, and sends their children to public schools.
### 5. **Legal Status and Rights**
- **Expats**: Usually reside under temporary work visas or specific expat contracts that allow them to stay for a limited period. They often do not seek permanent residency or citizenship and may not have the same rights as locals.
- *Example*: A Canadian banker working in Hong Kong on a temporary work visa, with no intention of seeking permanent residency.
- **Immigrants**: Aim for long-term or permanent residency and eventually citizenship. They often start with temporary visas but seek to change their status to more permanent arrangements, granting them rights similar to citizens.
- *Example*: A Nigerian family in the USA initially on a student visa, transitioning to a work visa, and eventually obtaining a Green Card and citizenship.
### Summary
While both expats and immigrants live outside their home countries, expats often do so temporarily with a focus on professional goals and maintaining ties to their home culture. In contrast, immigrants typically seek permanent settlement and deeper integration into the host country’s society.
Overall, I find this very interesting. A perfect example of an expat, if you like basketball, is Nikola Jokic- the Joker! If you know, you know haha. He has properties and investments in USA, he works in USA, he is celebrated in USA, but he runs back home during the off-season and loves his home country first and foremost. Sombor, his home town, is now famous everywhere thanks to his Sombor Shuffle haha! Now, while people take shots at him for treating his work like work and rushing back home every chance he gets, they also need him. He plays, he wins, he loves the fans and they love him back, and most importantly... he makes more money for the US economy than what they pay him! A true, excellent example of an expat on every level.
On the other hand, we have excellent examples of immigrants who integrated as well. For those who love Two and a Half Men... Charlie Sheen anyone? Call me poorly informed or whatever, but I did not know about his heritage one bit until a few years ago. The man was born Carlos Irwin Estevez! Yet, I have always seen him as completely American and nothing else and I am sure I am not the only one!
Sooo, how do we end up in trouble by conflating the two in Canada- in our culture and in our circles of powers that be? First, it seems to me that every country blessed enough to be able to invite and integrate new people would want way more immigrants than expats- that much is for sure. You want the majority of people to want to stay in the country indefinitely, find themselves in the local culture, and build their wealth here. Expats are just as important but they are usually here on a mission and that is perfectly fine because they are invited to complete missions here- we selfishly need them and they selfishly need us. This is fine. They do not need to integrate because their background, skills, experiences and socioeconomic status make them citizens of the world- people who enjoy very good lives in their home country thanks to not just their work here, but also perhaps generational wealth they have back home. For some, a year or two of high paying work in their field is enough to set them up in their home country for a long time. Where the conflation happens, based on what I see from Chat GPT, is when immigrants begin to act like expats. Usually, the thing with immigrants is that they are not Nikola Jokic- they need the cultural integration, training, career prospects, a growing economy, affordable housing market, hope for the future- all of that in order to succeed! Expats, they do not need most or any of that- they are often fine with the highest bidder and they can move around if they want. So, when immigrants start to adopt the traits, attitudes and perspectives of expats, no one tells them they are not expats and that this sets them up for failure. Expats can afford to remain tightly connected with their country of origin, not fully integrate, easily travel back and forth and more. They can afford to associate mostly with their own background. They can also afford not to perfect the local language or embrace the local culture. Yet still, we love them because they always give more than what they take. Most immigrants cannot afford such behavior. They need the power of embracing the country they are in to be healthy, wealthy and successful for the long term. The problems begin for everyone when they are led to believe this is not the case.
Could clearing up this conflation and muddying of definitions help put more people on the path to success?
I leave you with this for now and wish you a great Friday night when it rolls around, and also and amazing weekend.
Mwah! :)
