expat network

Moving To Portugal – What You Need To Know

Portugal Discovery Tours 2022

Enjoy a tailored tour with someone who knows the area inside out to help you decide the right location for you, who can assist you in planning your move and answer your questions.

A Guide For Expats To Finding A Job And Working In Portugal

Portugal offers a wonderful climate, welcoming culture and lifestyle and can be a great place to work for a time. There are a range of options depending on where you are in your career and what you are looking for. In this article we look at the issues around finding a job and working in…

The Top 10 Countries Brits Want To Spend Their Retirement In

New research has revealed the top 10 countries Brits want to spend their retirement in, with Spain placing first. Equity release specialists at Retirement Solutions analysed the average monthly Google search volume for different terms relating to retiring abroad. They wanted to determine the countries that Brits are most seeking to move to, upon retirement. Rank …

Strategic Financial Planning For Living In Portugal

Check your financial planning is on track to meet your needs and protect your family’s long-term financial security in Portugal this year. A key reason to review your wealth management is to check it’s all up to date. You need to establish whether any changes in tax rules, financial regulations, or your own personal circumstances…

How Expats Can Benefit From Self-Storage

People frequently encounter various difficulties when they relocate to a new nation for employment, education, or other reasons. Discovering a location to keep their possessions is one of the biggest obstacles. Storage presents specific difficulties for expats in particular. Making a long-term rental commitment may be challenging since you may not be certain how long…

young Brits looking for overseas property

Cost Of Living Crisis Prompts Increase In Young Brits Looking For Property Abroad

New data has shown a 31% increase in young British people (aged 18-24) looking for overseas property in Europe in the last three months of 2022 vs the same period in 2021, as the cost of living crisis in the UK, combined with growing unaffordability of UK housing appears to be prompting more young people…

Preparing Your LinkedIn Profile For An International Move

LinkedIn is one of the most important sources of new roles today. When moving abroad it is important to ensure your LinkedIn profile gives the right message. This infographic from Hansen & Company gives top tips on preparing your LinkedIn profile for an international move.

Studying Abroad? Follow These 7 Tips For An Easier Student Life

If you’re considering studying abroad, congratulations! It’s an amazing experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life. But before you pack your bags and catch a plane, there are a few things you should know to make your student life overseas a little easier. Follow these seven tips and you’ll be…

How To Involve Your Family Back Home When Expecting a Baby Abroad

Whether you’re a digital nomad that moves around frequently or a part of a couple that’s found their forever home, it can be stressful to be away from family when you’re expecting a baby abroad. However, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your family back home in the loop while abroad….

How To Celebrate Special Occasions For Loved Ones Back Home After You’ve Emigrated

As much as moving to a different country for work, study, relationships, and a score of other reasons can be exciting, one thing is for sure. Adjusting to being far away from loved ones is among the most expected yet difficult challenges any emigrant can face. And while it will probably take a while before you…

Accessing Healthcare When You Retire Abroad

Retiring abroad is a major decision and one of the key issues if we are to get the best out of life in retirement wherever we are is access to good quality healthcare. The accessibility of healthcare should be one of the key factors in the decision on where to retire. There can be a…

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.