UAE offers expats citizenship for the first time Despite the localisation trend in employment sectors in the UAE, for the first time, the region is planning to offer citizenship to expats. High-level white-collar professionals, such as doctors, will largely benefit, plus individuals with special talents, such as artists. There is no application procedure as such. … Read more
Six weeks after the end of the transition period, some of the effects of Brexit are beginning to become clear. Fishing remains in the spotlight, with older and smaller fishery operations complaining that they did not get the deal they were promised and that many will be forced to close. The music industry also has … Read more
Moving abroad can be a daunting task even if you are in good health, but it can be doubly difficult if you have a disability, such as a visual or hearing impairment. The latter can create a number of obstacles. For instance, you may struggle to make yourself understood by, or to understand, officials in … Read more
UAE: Emiratisation gains momentum We have reported before on the UAE’s issues with the amount of expat influence in the Emirates, and momentum against foreign control seems to be growing in the region. Mohammed Rashid Al Shaali, from the Federal National Council, stated this week that the level of expat investment is affecting the recent … Read more
Christmas Eve 2020 brought an unlikely present from Santa, briefly taking the form of Boris Johnson: an actual Brexit deal. Although some issues remained unresolved – for example, the rules around fishing could have been better ironed out – the deal was able to go through and, in due course, be ratified by Parliament. It … Read more
The most expensive cities for expats Paris and Zurich have joined Hong Kong to become the most expensive places for expats to live, according to a recent report from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). They say that the Worldwide Cost of Living Index has seen these European contenders nudge Singapore and Osaka from their previous … Read more
Disabled British citizens have raised concerns that Brexit may prevent them from moving to the EU. As the probability of a no-deal Brexit increases, so too does the likelihood that British citizens will be regarded as third-party nationals. They will therefore no longer be guaranteed the same freedom of movement as they have previously enjoyed. … Read more
Brexit has brought new meaning to the term ‘brinksmanship’ this month, with Boris Johnson flying out to Brussels for what has been described as a ‘turbot-charged’ summit dinner with Ursula von der Leyen (rather pointedly, the menu heavily featured fish). According to Downing Street in mid-December, “very large gaps remain between the two sides, and … Read more
There are several ways to move your belongings abroad, but most people do so either via sea freight or air freight. The former is perhaps the most common method, as well as the most cost-efficient. You can choose between two shipment options: full container load (FCL) or less than full container load (LCL). Which one … Read more
Secularisation is boosted in the UAE After a two-year review of the legal system, the UAE has undertaken a number of social reforms, including the decriminalisation of alcohol consumption and suicide. It is also now legal for unmarried couples to live together in the same household. In addition, if you got married outside the UAE … Read more