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The impact of expatriation on daily life – results of survey n°3 Barometer Expat Communication 2023

The impact of expatriation on daily life in 2023

In 2023, international mobility meets the increasingly personal aspirations of expatriates to live a fulfilling family and cultural experience. Expat Communication analyzed the responses of expatriates to shed light on the different faces of expatriation around the world.

More than 3200 expatriates participated in the third survey of the 2023 Expat Communication Barometer. The theme: the impact of expatriation on daily life. of employees and their spouses This volume of responses enabled us to carry out numerous analyses and investigate the specific behavior of 6 categories of expatriates: expatriates who have been transferred by their company, expat spouses, expatriates leaving with a local contract, “adventurers” leaving without a pre-established work contract, retirees, and students.

The survey first looks at the morale of expatriates, then it analyzes the personal and family impact of international mobility: How has expatriates’ purchasing power evolved in the current context of inflation? How is their access to healthcare? And finally, the barometer team asked the expatriates for their personal assessment. Does expatriation lead to an imbalance in a couple’s mental workload? What impact does expatriation have on children? Is the experience by and large positive? Let’s take a look at an overview of our conclusions.

Expatriation brings a couple closer together.

As has been the case since the barometer began in 2014, expatriate couples are doing well. A third believe that expatriation has brought them a lot closer together (3% for whom expatriation has pushed them apart a lot), while a quarter say they have become rather closer and 12% rather distant.

Of note :

The gap in perception between men and women on the distribution of domestic tasks. Across the 15 tasks the barometer looks at, the difference in perception between men and women on the share of tasks accomplished by women was consistent: women feel they do more than men think. Perception gaps go up to 33 points for administrative tasks.
Geographical celibacy puts the couple in real danger. 88% of respondents in this group, representing 7% of the panel, believe that expatriation has not brought them closer to their spouse. On the contrary, 47% of geographical single spouses believe that expatriation has given rise to conflicts in their relationships.

2. The mental load of expatriates.

International mobility leads to an increase in mental load for the entire panel. According to the 3,232 people who responded to the survey, on a scale of -10 to +10, mental load increases on average by 2 due to mobility. This increase in stress applies to all respondent categories, including retirees (+1.5). Those primarily affected are employees expatriated by their company (+2.2), despite being those who are least responsible for household chores. Indeed, the mental load stems from both personal and professional tasks, and “corporate expatriates” experience a very sharp increase in their responsibilities and pressure in the office.

While a very large majority once again recommend expatriation, they nevertheless highlight its complexity and the price to pay.

3. The main benefits for expatriate children.

Over 90% of expatriate parents are convinced that expatriation is good, very good even, for their children. This experience brings significant benefits to their offspring: an open-mindedness to interact with other cultures (56%); adaptation skills (48%); an increased ability to learn foreign languages (45%), with a significant majority speaking 2 or more languages.

According to their parents, the younger expatriate children are at the time of expatriation, the better. Only 12% of parents believe that adolescence is the best time to leave their home country.

4. A large majority of expatriates hit by inflation.

Elements on a downturn in 2023, or which remain at extremely low levels, are administrative procedures (3.33/5), cost of living (3.15/5), taxation (3.37/5) and cost of healthcare (3.19/5). Important to note, what satisfies the most (internet access) and what satisfies the least (cost of living) are only 0.95 of a point apart.

84% of expatriates believe that inflation has eroded their purchasing power in 2023, with half of these noting a significant erosion.

5. Expatriate morale levels.

Facts or figures? Expatriate morale has reached its lowest level since April 2021, at 65 points, far from the increase of summer 2022 at 72 points. However, when asked to describe their current state of mind in one word,the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Without doubt, the euphoria of the “summer of the great comeback” after Covid is over. The life of expatriates has resumed its course complete big economic, geopolitical and climatic clouds, as well as the good aspects of expat life.

The board members of the Expat Communication 2023 Barometer.

Those who relay the Expat Communication Barometer.

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