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Original poster

Difference between a long term ex-pat and an immigrant

78 replies

journeyofinsanity · 28/02/2023 08:29

Just that really. Why do Brits abroad for 20 years call themselves expats rather than migrants/immigrants?

OP posts:
Letstaketotheskies · 28/02/2023 08:30

Visa status and intention to stay or not.
Some countries will let you live there and work as an ex-pat for years but you’ll never be granted right to remain or citizenship.

ScentOfAMemory · 28/02/2023 08:31

Because they tend to be white, middle class and in a villa in a Malaga. And they consider "immigrants" to be brown or Polish and either arriving on a boat at night or working in Costa (if they're lucky)

ScentOfAMemory · 28/02/2023 08:32

Letstaketotheskies · 28/02/2023 08:30

Visa status and intention to stay or not.
Some countries will let you live there and work as an ex-pat for years but you’ll never be granted right to remain or citizenship.

Well that's not true, is it? There is no legal definition of "ex pat" or "immigrant" for starters.

SallySailor · 28/02/2023 08:33

Well technically it refers to them being out of UK rather than in whatevercountry, sometimes more relevant when referring to the relationship with their home country. But yea mostly it just sounds more posh

Letstaketotheskies · 28/02/2023 08:37

I didn’t mean it was a legal definition, I leant that people associate the idea of ´expat’ with people who are not trying to integrate or cannot integrate with their host country and ´immigrants’ with people planning to remain in their new home country. I’m not saying that’s all their is to it or that those two options fit everyone from every background who has ever lived outside of their country of birth, but it’s definitely part of how I understand those two words.

Seasidemumma77 · 28/02/2023 08:38

ScentOfAMemory · 28/02/2023 08:31

Because they tend to be white, middle class and in a villa in a Malaga. And they consider "immigrants" to be brown or Polish and either arriving on a boat at night or working in Costa (if they're lucky)

This 100%

GordonGarden · 28/02/2023 08:39

If you go to someone else's country you're an ex-pat. If someone else comes to your country they're an immigrant. Plus what @ScentOfAMemory said.

RosaBonheur · 28/02/2023 08:40

Immigrants tend to be poorer people from developing countries who move to a more developed country on a permanent basis so they and their children can have better life opportunities.

Expats tend to be rich people from developed countries who move to a less developed or cheaper country on a temporary basis so they can have greater spending power (through paying less tax or enjoy lower cost of living). Tend to be places with nice weather.

I live abroad but don't fit into either of those boxes because the country I live in is very similar to the UK, I didn't move for any of those reasons and I don't know whether I will stay forever or not.

Xiaoxiong · 28/02/2023 08:41

I think it's about intention to permanently remain. I grew up as an expat in 2 countries, was an expat when I arrived in the UK the first time, when I came back the second time it was as an immigrant and became naturalised.

hellesbells · 28/02/2023 08:43

journeyofinsanity · 28/02/2023 08:29

Just that really. Why do Brits abroad for 20 years call themselves expats rather than migrants/immigrants?

All the British immigrants in my part of Spain refer to themselves as ex-pat despite being permanent residents most retire and none having any intention or desire to return to the UK

RosaBonheur · 28/02/2023 08:43

Letstaketotheskies · 28/02/2023 08:37

I didn’t mean it was a legal definition, I leant that people associate the idea of ´expat’ with people who are not trying to integrate or cannot integrate with their host country and ´immigrants’ with people planning to remain in their new home country. I’m not saying that’s all their is to it or that those two options fit everyone from every background who has ever lived outside of their country of birth, but it’s definitely part of how I understand those two words.

There are plenty of long term immigrants who don't integrate and temporary expats who do though.

SnowAndFrostOutside · 28/02/2023 08:45

I don't agree with the definition where immigrants tend to be poorer people developing countries who moved to a more developed country. In NZ, we call the british immigrants.

I think it's the intention to stay. As opposed to being just there for a job with the intention to return to their home countries for retirement.

Kucinghitam · 28/02/2023 08:45

GordonGarden · 28/02/2023 08:39

If you go to someone else's country you're an ex-pat. If someone else comes to your country they're an immigrant. Plus what @ScentOfAMemory said.

Nailed it Grin

DutchKatje · 28/02/2023 08:48

My foreign dh has worked for a uk company for 27 years and would call himself an economic immigrant. When we were posted overseas by same company (both working) we referred to ourselves as expats because the posting had a time limit.

I’m moving to an EU country next year (semi retiring) and will call myself an immigrant I suppose.

MrsMikeDrop · 28/02/2023 08:49

ScentOfAMemory · 28/02/2023 08:31

Because they tend to be white, middle class and in a villa in a Malaga. And they consider "immigrants" to be brown or Polish and either arriving on a boat at night or working in Costa (if they're lucky)

This.

CaptainMyCaptain · 28/02/2023 08:51

ScentOfAMemory · 28/02/2023 08:31

Because they tend to be white, middle class and in a villa in a Malaga. And they consider "immigrants" to be brown or Polish and either arriving on a boat at night or working in Costa (if they're lucky)

This.

countrygirl99 · 28/02/2023 08:52

I always think of an ex-pat as someone who's stationed abroad for an employer in their own country and who will return home once that assignment/contract ends. The contract will usually pay for visits home and possibly accommodation or for a UK boarding school for any children. When I worked in heavy engineering we had a few people working in the Middle East/Hong Kong/Singapore on that basis. Everyone else is a migrant be it temporary or permanent.

RosaBonheur · 28/02/2023 08:53

SnowAndFrostOutside · 28/02/2023 08:45

I don't agree with the definition where immigrants tend to be poorer people developing countries who moved to a more developed country. In NZ, we call the british immigrants.

I think it's the intention to stay. As opposed to being just there for a job with the intention to return to their home countries for retirement.

Not everyone knows whether they plan to stay or not though.

I think it comes down to the reason for moving. If you move for greater opportunities, you're an immigrant. If you move for greater spending power, you're an expat.

dreamingbohemian · 28/02/2023 08:54

ScentOfAMemory · 28/02/2023 08:31

Because they tend to be white, middle class and in a villa in a Malaga. And they consider "immigrants" to be brown or Polish and either arriving on a boat at night or working in Costa (if they're lucky)

It is absolutely this.

Pinotpleasure · 28/02/2023 08:59

I lived overseas for 24 years and returned permanently to the UK 3 years ago. We considered ourselves as expats because we were purely overseas because of my spouse’s employment (for the same employer throughout).

In that time we lived in Singapore (5* years) the USA (8 years) Singapore again (3 years) Switzerland (5 years) then back to the USA where we had a house and our young adult son was residing.

Along the way my son and I obtained US citizenship but when my husband relocated to Singapore (would have been made redundant from the NYC office in the 2008 recession otherwise) he had to give up his US Green Card. He never wanted to ‘grow old’ in the USA.

We decided that we missed our family members in the UK so much that we moved back here and it was a great decision for us and we’ve settled down happily.

Afaik an immigrant is someone who settles permanently in another country and an expatriate is someone who lives overseas (usually for work/long term volunteering) but plans to eventually return to their home/native country.

SweetSakura · 28/02/2023 09:02

ScentOfAMemory · 28/02/2023 08:31

Because they tend to be white, middle class and in a villa in a Malaga. And they consider "immigrants" to be brown or Polish and either arriving on a boat at night or working in Costa (if they're lucky)

Essentially this

MrsOrange · 28/02/2023 09:02

If you move for greater opportunities, you're an immigrant. If you move for greater spending power, you're an expat

This is probably the best description I've seen because affluent middle Englanders retired to hot countries might call themselves expats but equally professionals 'expatriated' by their employer would also be called expat. Very different circumstances but both ultimately about greater spending power.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 28/02/2023 09:10

Expat describes the people I know who have moved, temporarily, usually for work from one country to another. For example my good friend from NZ was an expat working in Dubai for a number of years before returning to NZ.
Immigrant describes my relatives that ‘emigrated’ from SA to Australia, with no intention to ever return home.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 28/02/2023 09:12

Should have added, different people will of course use either term in a derogatory manner as and when it suits them. That’s up to them but it doesn’t change the meaning of the words.

Buttalapasta · 28/02/2023 09:14

Well I'm a Brit abroad for more than 20 years and I call myself an immigrant! For me an expat is someone who isn't really integrated and is probably richer than I am! I know quite a few - very nice but don't speak the language and often have more than one home.