Community Blogs

Pretoria, South Africa

• Jan 25

If you are moving to South Africa, housing is going to be top of your list of things to do. The variety of housing in South Africa reflects the country’s wid...

Rachel Ndlovu

24

Ottawa, Canada

• Jan 25

Tax can be a complicated topic, but it’s important to understand – especially if you’re moving to a new country. You’ll need to learn about your tax responsi...

Nathan Hargrove

22

Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Jan 25

Foreigners can open Dutch business accounts with KVK registration. Compare ING (€9.90/mo), ABN AMRO (€11.50/mo), Finom (free plan), and Revolut Business (free plan). Fintech providers open accounts in hours; traditional banks take 1-3 weeks.

James Van Der Berg

24

Tokyo, Japan

• Jan 25

If you’re living and working in Japan, you’ll likely need to pay income tax. Calculating your tax (税金) burden can be complicated, especially since the Japane...

Sarah Tanaka

21

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

• Jan 25

Ship to UAE via sea freight (US$2-4/kg, 5-10 weeks) or air freight (US$4-8/kg, 1-3 days). Sea freight is 12-16x cheaper, ideal for household goods and furniture.

Aisha Rahman

29

Lisbon, Portugal

• Jan 24

Portugal Golden Visa requires €500,000 fund investment or €250,000 heritage preservation, offering five-year renewable residence permits with citizenship pathways.

Maria Santos

21

Canberra, Australia

• Jan 24

Australian banks require ID, TIN, visa info, and local address for accounts taking 2-5 days to open, necessary for salary, bills, and building credit history.

James O'Connor

26

Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Jan 24

Opening a Dutch bank account requires BSN, identification, and proof of residence, taking 2-5 business days with traditional banks or hours with mobile banks.

James Van Der Berg

24

Global, Global

• Jan 23

Global mobility challenges include compliance (biggest risk), cost containment (70% reducing costs), and family adjustment, with only 61% preparing full cost estimates for assignments.

The Expat Collective

21

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

• Jan 23

Luxembourg requires compulsory third-party car insurance (€500/year) with comprehensive at €1,500, offering generous no-claims bonuses up to 55% over thirteen years.

Thomas Weber

26

Moscow, Russia

• Jan 22

Russian banking includes 350 supervised banks with cash transactions dropping to 31% as digital payments via Visa, Mastercard, and Mir networks expand.

Natasha Volkov

22

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

• Jan 22

Motor and health insurance are compulsory in the UAE, with employers arranging coverage for staff and 62 insurance companies offering various protection options.

Aisha Rahman

30

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

• Jan 22

UAE work visas require employers to process entry permits, Labor Cards, and residency visas in 2-4 weeks, with options including Green Visas and Golden Visas.

Aisha Rahman

21

Amsterdam, Netherlands

• Jan 22

Professional English proficiency in the Netherlands increases salaries at international companies, with B1 intermediate level requiring 400 study hours and multiple course types available.

James Van Der Berg

28

Paris, France

• Jan 22

French state pension requires 42 years of work for full benefits (50% of average earnings), with retirement starting at age 62 and three-pillar pension structure.

Olivia Martin

25