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Cost Of An International Health Insurance Plan

Healthcare costs are rising everywhere in the world and no matter where you are living, healthcare is a priority. Some factors are unavoidable but there are ways to manage the cost of your healthcare. International Insurance set out what impacts the costs and what decisions you can make to control the cost. Written by Joe...

Australia Relaxes Working Holiday Visa Program Restrictions

Interstaff provide an update on the relaxation of the Working Holiday Visa, which enables young people to work while they travel in Australia and to extend their stay if they are eligible. Written by Sheila Woods of Interstaff 7th November, 2018 The Government has announced it will relax Working Holiday Visa program restrictions relating to age...

How Do I Land A Job In The Middle East?

I am looking for a job in the Middle East, ideally the UAE, and wondered if you might have some tips about how to go about this? I have experience in the finance, medical and engineering sectors. Rebecca Steele, from expat financial advisers AES International, based in Dubai, answered this. “Having been a job seeker...

Moving With Family

Any international move is complicated, but moving with family takes even more planning. The first challenge is to deliver the message to the family. This will require a detailed discussion; they are likely to have a large number of questions but it may not be easy to get them to ask them initially. Children of...

Older Expats Count Twice In Saudi Arabia

Any expat in Saudi Arabia who is 60 years of age or more will be counted as two expat staff in the Nitaqat Saudisation programme, Al-Madina Arabic newspaper has reported. Expats registered as investors or academicians (professors, associate professors, assistant professors, lecturers) or working as doctors will not be considered as two staff even though...

Moving Abroad Checklist

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.