Protection form mosquito bites is not being taken even by professionals in the travel risk business, a new survey has found. Less than a quarter of organisations have pre-travel health programmes in place. Data from medical and travel security risk services company International SOS shows that malaria represents an increasing proportion of offshore medical and...

When moving to a new expat posting, often the best-known expat school is the obvious choice for your child. Even when there are wider options, often these are restricted by where there are places, or where a company may have a fast-track debenture. By Fiona Hodgkins Perhaps the most complex and challenging school choice of...

Despite the benefits of raising a family abroad, parents and children alike take time to settle into their new life. However, the challenge can bring families closer together, according to new data. Almost half of expat parents say their children take longer than six months to feel at home in their new country, with...

Mental health is a growing issue for expat workers and their employers, as well as those relocating independently, according to a research study. To ensure expats have the support they need when relocating or working away from their home country, health benefits provider Aetna International is calling for businesses and individuals to take more pre-emptive...

New research by AXA’s international health insurance specialist has found that expats and their children are finding it difficult to be away from close friends and family. Two-fifths of expats and 32 per cent of their children cited that being away from their support network was one of the most difficult aspects of their transition...

An important part of settling in and felling at home is understanding the culture of your new home. This will take time to discover and learn, and it will possibly involve some ‘unlearning’ in the meantime. Adapting to your new environment is key, rather than expecting it to be like home and trying to change...

This step of your move mainly involves learning the practicalities and how to get things done with the minimum of fuss. At the same time you may develop a deeper insight into your new environment. You’ll be getting to know how things work and starting to settle into your new home and routine. Sharon Swift...

This step is crucial because, once you have done everything in this phase, you are compliant and will have more of a sense of belonging. These are the registrations, tasks and paperwork that you will have had as long as you can remember back home and perhaps even have taken for granted. Sharon Swift continues...

The prospect of moving to a new country can be exciting and daunting in equal measure. Australia has the benefit of being English speaking with a seemingly similar culture to the UK or USA, but the distance is a huge drawback. Will this hold you back from the opportunity of a lifetime? Sharon Swift shares...

Many people on the verge of retirement see a change of scenery abroad as the perfect life move, when relaxation and indulgence take over following long careers that may have spanned over 40 years. While retirement options differ from person to person, the general consensus is that ending your working commitments and retiring abroad is...

The UAE government has approved a new visa system designed to attract top foreign talents in fields such as medicine, science and research to the country, Bloomberg reports Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as saying. “The United Arab Emirates is the land of opportunities,” Sheikh Mohammed said after a cabinet meeting. Attracting...

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...