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The 5 Tips for Moving Abroad as an Expat

Moving abroad as an expat is a new beginning, but it can also come with its set of challenges such as adjusting to a new life elsewhere, starting a new job, or seeking healthcare for yourself as well as your family.

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In today’s blog post, we will explore the five tips for moving abroad as an expat to ensure your fresh start is safe, productive, and healthy.

Why Moving Abroad is a Big Deal for Expats

Whether it’s due to a job offer abroad or just subjective reasons such as wanting a fresh start, moving abroad is not only the chance for a new beginning, but it also brings its own set of challenges.

The most notable of these challenges is to find the right health insurance plans, as the risk for illnesses and injuries always exists in one way, shape, or form. Depending on the country, certain medical bills could be expensive, requiring more payment than you would be comfortable with.

Other challenges include overall adjustment to a new culture, potential language barrier, and keeping track of your tax responsibilities.

Let’s say you are an expat moving to Singapore, one of your bigger concerns upon your relocation abroad would probably be finances such as car and housing affordability or taxes. For more information on financial rules for expats to live by, click the link below for more information.

https://www.pacificprime.sg/blog/3-financial-rules-for-expats-in-singapore-to-live-by/

The 5 Tips for Moving Abroad as an Expat

Now that you know why moving abroad is a big deal for expats, let’s now move on to the five key tips for moving abroad as an expat. You may know some tips to keep in mind such as adjusting to a new culture or learning the country’s language.

Below are some notable tips for expats in the event of moving abroad to ensure you can adjust to a new environment while simultaneously staying safe and healthy.

Decide if You’d Like to Move With or Without Your Job

Certain expats move abroad with their jobs in hand. On the other hand, however, some move abroad and seek job opportunities afterwards. Each approach has its fair share of benefits and drawbacks, and expats can decide differently.

If you move abroad with your job, you will be able to continue supporting your family but at the cost of potential adjustment difficulties. Meanwhile, moving abroad without a job allows personal growth with various opportunities but at the cost of application uncertainties.

Stay Organized with Timetables and Calendars

Once you’ve arrived, the next thing to keep in mind is to stay organized with calendars and timetables. Whether it’s a new job interview or a doctor’s appointment, using timetables and calendars help you stay organized while not making you feel too overwhelmed.

In the event of clashing meetings or appointments, you can also use a calendar to determine a good date to postpone said clashing meeting or appointment.

Figure Out Possible Housing Options

The next factor to keep in mind upon arrival is to figure out where you would like to live. Start by researching the property market to see which is the most common, affordable type of housing in your area.

Whether you’re looking to buy or rent, consider factors such as where you’re working, your child’s school, and the means of public transportation.

If you had just moved in and you’re a little short on cash, renting might be the better option. While you still have to dedicate part of your income to pay monthly rent, this also means you get to keep the remainder of your income in hopes of saving up to buy your own house in the future.

Adjust to a New Culture

In case English isn’t the default spoken language of the country you’re relocating to, do your best to learn the language. This will allow you to effectively communicate with locals and service providers as well as work colleagues.

Learning the local language will also help with daily interactions such as shopping, banking, or just seeking assistance from local citizens such as asking for directions.

Stay Updated On Latest News and Seek Health Insurance

Finally, the most important thing to keep in mind when moving abroad is to stay updated on the latest news. You can read the newspapers or watch the news to stay alert on political or health updates in the country.

And while we’re on the subject of health, since the risk of illnesses and injuries always exists for expats moving elsewhere, the most important thing to do while living abroad is to secure expat health insurance.

When looking for an appropriate health insurance, make sure to look beyond just your budget as the most inexpensive plan might not actually grant you the full coverage you need, especially if you’re living abroad as a family.

For instance, if you’re relocating as a couple while your spouse is pregnant with your child, you’ll want to secure a maternity insurance plan.

Whichever type of health insurance plan you opt for while abroad, though, make sure to communicate with your health insurance provider of choice for a detailed look at coverage areas, exclusions, limitations, and costs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while relocating to a different country is a huge development opportunity for expats, it’s not without its challenges. These could involve language barrier and adjustment, housing, career, and ensuring your health and safety.

By following our five notable tips, however, you can ensure your transition to a new environment will be fulfilling and safe. From learning the country’s local language to securing the right health insurance plan, relocating to a new country doesn’t always have to be a headache for any expat.

Known as a global health insurance broker, Pacific Prime has 20 years of matching both expats and locals to the right health insurance plan that matches both their budget and specific healthcare needs.

Whether you’re an expat living overseas or you’re a local citizen yourself, Pacific Prime and our team will be more than happy to help you.

And if you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Content Writer at Pacific Prime
Wish Sutthatothon (Nickname: Guy) is currently a content writer at Pacific Prime Thailand, an insurance broker that connects individuals and businesses with insurance providers worldwide. He creates and edits blog articles, guides, reports, webpages, and other types of digital content.

He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts, Media & Communication major (concentration: Creative Content) from Mahidol University International College (MUIC). During the compulsory major elective period in the summer of 2021 and voluntarily during the summer of 2022, he also interned as a video and photo editor at Mbrella Films.

He has experience working as an English Content Writer at a real estate buying/renting/selling platform in Thonglor. There, he crafted company blog posts on a multitude of topics. Topics include market trends, legal issues and disputes in property businesses, financial guides, expat guides, home insurance, home decoration and maintenance, and weekly real estate news quick-recaps. Occasionally, as part of the blog-writing process, he would also translate existing Thai blogs to English.

In his free time, Guy enjoys doing scriptwriting and storytelling for comic strips, watching movies, and listening to music (particularly film scores).
Wish Sutthatothon
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