Expat

An expatriate, commonly abbreviated as expat, is a person who lives outside their native country for an extended period. The term is widely used to describe professionals and their families who relocate for work, but it can also apply to students, retirees, or others who reside abroad temporarily or long-term. Expat is often contrasted with immigrant; the latter implies permanent settlement, while expats are typically linked to temporary assignments, contracts, or personal choices.

Most expatriates relocate through employer sponsorship or corporate assignments—posting to a foreign subsidiary, regional office, or project team. Others move to study, pursue retirement in a different country, or become self-funded or independent travelers. The phrase is less common for migrants who relocate to seek permanent residence, though overlaps exist.

Life as an expat involves dealing with visas and work permits, finding housing, accessing healthcare, and adjusting to new languages and cultural norms. Expats often rely on relocation packages, housing allowances, international schools, and local expatriate communities to ease the transition. The term is most frequently used in professional and business contexts; people who travel without a formal assignment are sometimes described as digital nomads rather than expats.

Common challenges include homesickness, social isolation, discrimination, and navigating different legal and bureaucratic systems. Readjustment upon return home, or repatriation, can also be difficult. Yet many expats gain language skills, professional networks, cross-cultural competence, and broader career opportunities.

Overall, expat describes a form of global mobility centered on living abroad for work, study, or retirement. It signals temporary or semi-permanent residence rather than a new citizenship, and residency rules vary widely by country.