With the globalization of many companies, many employees are being relocated to other countries to manage their branches. These employees often move with their families and reside either temporarily or permanently in that particular location. On the other hand, in areas where there are less work opportunities, residents often go abroad. These individuals work and reside overseas within a specific period. They can go back to their families once their contract is due. Contracts can vary from every six months to annually or to every 2 years. This type of movement of people is referred to as international mobility.
International mobility is actually the movement of people all over the world. This usually involves moving and working in a foreign country. It may also involve migrating to a different country. Companies that are opening their branches abroad and sending their top employees or their top managers to run the business make this type of mobility possible.
International mobility continues to change over the years. With each passing year, more and more people are transferring from one country to another. People from one country often reside in one specific place in a country abroad thus creating a small community. These people are often referred to as expatriates or expats in short.
In the simplest definition, expatriates are people residing in a foreign country or a country that is not the legal residence of that particular individual. The expatriates are the product of the process known as expatriation. Expatriation is the moving out of locals and residing in a different country either temporarily or permanently. However, in a more serious legal sense, expatriation may also involve renouncing one’s citizenship. Nonetheless, it is more used to refer to the process of people moving and living overseas.
Expatriation takes place all over the globe. Almost every country has its own set of expatriates. These expatriates can be either staying there for good or only temporarily and will depend on the validity of their work contract. Even when these expatriates are living abroad, they still have legal responsibilities back in their home country. These legal responsibilities will include voting and taxation.
What are the countries that have the most number of expatriates?
One is the United States of America, Singapore, Switzerland, Italy, France, and even London, England. If you think about it, almost every country around the globe has a certain number of expatriates. These expatriates do not cause any problem as long as they abide by the law of the country they are currently residing in.
What is the difference between externalization and expatriation?
There is very little difference between the two because externalization is often defined as putting something or someone out of its original location. Therefore, it is safe to say that externalization is closely related to the process of expatriation.