Expat Focus

Managing your investments while you work overseas

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:30:48 GMT

Whether you are working overseas or have decided to retire to a warmer climate, planning your savings and investments in the most sensible and tax-efficient manner is not an easy task. Many factors need to be taken into consideration such as currencies, your risk profile and when you are likely to need the money. If you are working you are likely to want capital growth and may accept a higher degree of risk as you have the opportunity of replacing capital. However, if you have retired you will probably require income to supplement your pension and will certainly not want to take as much risk as the possibility of replacing capital is more unlikely... More (Telegraph)

RBS to target Middle East expats' wealth

Mon, 12 May 2008 11:15:28 GMT

Royal Bank of Scotland has launched its expatriate-orientated international personal banking division in Dubai, and aims to capture a 20 per cent market share from established players in the region. Julian Gouge, head of the international personal banking division for Middle East and Asia, says: "Our natural market share back in the UK is about 20 per cent, so we expect over time to reach our natural market share of our target market, which is the mass affluent expatriate community..." More (MEED)

Expat handed 80-year-old speeding ticket

Fri, 09 May 2008 10:38:13 GMT

An Australian expatriate living in Qatar has been handed a ticket for a speeding violation that took place in Saudi Arabia in 1928, despite having never been to the kingdom or even being born at the time of the alleged incident. The man, who declined to be named, said he was notified of the 150-Saudi riyal ($40) ticket by Qatar's Ministry of Interior via its 'Metrash' text message service... More (ArabianBusiness.com)

Credit crunch advice for UK expat house buyers

Thu, 08 May 2008 11:25:59 GMT

The credit crunch is now hitting home in a way which few would have forecast in the days after Northern Rock crisis first hit the headlines. As the wholesale money markets have continued to demand a premium rate for loans between banks, the source of much of the UK mortgage market’s funding, so lenders have been forced to react by withdrawing from the market or raising interest rates on their mortgage product range. For those expatriates who are coming to the end of a fixed rate mortgage, or those who are planning on returning to the UK and need to consider home finance, these appear to be worrying times... More (Easier)

A Survival Guide for Expats in Russia

Wed, 07 May 2008 10:00:00 GMT

Flabby guts, taxes, child care and broken pipes -- life's little difficulties don't change when you accept a job in Russia. But for expatriates living here, there are some unique considerations, such as visa issues, making friends in a new city, moving and situations that are simply lost in translation. The Russo-British Chamber of Commerce addressed all these aspects in its "Survival Guide for Expats in Russia 2008..." More (The Moscow Times)

A new book on expat life

Tue, 06 May 2008 08:19:55 GMT

Re-establishing an identity with every relocation can be huge challenge and it was reason enough for Robin Pascoe, an expatriate spouse for the past 15 years, to start writing about her trials. In an effort to make relocation less of a task for expats, Pascoe has written five books on global living... More (livemint)

He'd rather be nude: how an expat found peace and business success

Mon, 05 May 2008 12:51:49 GMT

Christian Fabre is the chief executive of a $300 million company based in the southern city of Chennai. The company, Fashions International, is one of India's most successful ragtraders, employing 72,000 people and sourcing product for big international fashion lines such as Kenzo, Lee Cooper, Nike and the French department store chain Galeries Lafayette. Operating out of stylish modern offices, it exports around five million garments a year worldwide. That's all fairly straightforward; India as a cheap product source for Western buyers. What isn't so simple is that Fabre is paid just $250 a month for his chief executive duties. Moreover, he spends much of his time in the nude... More (Sydney Morning Herald)

Expat staff numbers set to increase in Vietnam

Thu, 01 May 2008 14:30:49 GMT

The number of foreign employees gaining jobs in Vietnam via major recruitment website Vietnamworks.com surged 67 percent in this year’s first quarter over the final quarter of last year. According to a recent report released on the site, demand for foreign workers is predicted to continue to increase after the government lifted a 3 percent cap on the number of foreign employees at any organization in March this year... More (Thanh Nien Daily)

How To Sell Your House Quickly When Emigrating

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:55:37 GMT

While so many people are currently entering the UK, it's important to note that there are also several million people leaving the UK each year. One of the problems people face when emigrating is trying to sell their property quickly. This is particularly difficult in the quiet winter months when the market is quiet and is certainly not helped by the current property market being in a real slowdown at the moment with prices stagnating and even falling in a lot of places... More (Best Syndication)

Three currency options on HBOS expat internet account

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:41:21 GMT

A new internet and telephone banking account for British expatriates has been launched from Jersey by HBOS (Halifax Bank of Scotland Group). Branded "Halifax International" it offers savings in sterling, euros and dollars, instant access to lump sum savers and a headline rate of seven percent for regular savings in sterling... More (Telegraph)