Expatriate | Meaning and Definition

What is an expatriate?

The expatriate is an employee who resides in another country for temporary work purposes. This work assignment can be either a long-term commitment or a short-term stint. The employees who handle and manage the company abroad are also termed expatriates. The term expatriate is also used for individuals who renounce citizenship in their own country to get citizenship in another. They prefer citizenship from another country primarily for professional requirements.

Who is an expat?

The ex-pat means the person who decides and chooses to live outside their native country, i.e., in a different country for a period that can be longer or shorter. It depends on the individual when he wants to stay in that particular country. The person can even wish to stay in that country for a lifetime by having citizenship from that country by giving the citizenship of their native countries.

Basis of selecting expats

There are certain factors that decide who can be expat. Here is the basis of selecting the expats:

  • Be competent and possess the ability to sustain in the different work on the basis of culture and the location
  • Have the desire to be an expat
  • Have an adaptable family
  • Have technical, managerial and professional skills

Additional allowances that expats can make

Here is the list of additional allowances that expats can make such as:

  • Relocation allowance paid to an employee 
  • Housing and education allowance
  • Automobile or travel allowances paid to an employee
  • Hardships allowances
  • Other miscellaneous allowances

What are the different ways in which HRs can help expatriate?

There are different ways in HRs can help expatriates. Some of the ways are:

  • HRs are the first person of contact for expatriates. So they should help them in every way possible from their side.
  •  HRs can guide them with training and make them aware of their prevalent culture.
  • HRs can also help them by building network for them in the organization.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

The word “expatriate” comes from the Latin expatriates, which means “to banish a person from their native country.” An expatriate is someone who has chosen to leave their home country to live in another country.

In expatriate job employees may be assigned to work in a foreign country by their company, or they may be sent to work in a foreign country by their government.

While both refers to the people who are not the original employees of a country. Immigrant is a broad term.

‘Expatriate’ originates from the Latin words ‘ex’ (‘outside of’) and ‘patria’ (one’s country). It was initially defined as anyone who left their country or was exiled from it.

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