BUH Blog

Expat Intelligence - For The Long Term

With increasing globalization, it’s becoming customary for large corporations to move executives to overseas assignments. Increasingly, the only path for rapid career growth is to be willing to relocate at short notice, to any part of the world. While expat benefits are provided, it still takes an effort to adjust to changes in culture, attitudes and living style. The better way out is to use expat intelligence.

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What is expat intelligence? Basically, it involves understanding as much as possible about living overseas, especially with regard to personal requirements. Travel advisory services can provide some information, but they are usually geared to short term visitors; information on hotels, tour attractions, or business facilities.

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In contrast, sites dealing with expat intelligence usually provide information on a variety of categories; housing, school facilities, entertainment, shopping for personal requirements, diet and supplements, insurance, taxes, and legal requirements like driving licenses and import of goods. Typically, they also have forums where you can ask other expats for advice relating to your problem or requirement.

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Sometimes, based on the information that’s available, you might decide to decline the assignment. Or you may decide to go across alone, rather than relocate the family and then find that there are too many insurmountable problems. Either way, forewarned is forearmed.