What’s changed? The past 20 years of expat life

The global landscape for expatriates two or more decades ago was markedly different from today's world. Firstly, and most obviously, the 2000s were vastly less digitized, and characterized by regionally focused economic environments.  

Expatriates then, as now (75% of expats in 2021 reported an increase in income according to the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey), were tempted by lucrative expat packages, which included substantial benefits such as housing allowances, international schooling for children, and generous relocation and travel budgets.  

These packages were seen as compensation for the significant adjustments required, in a time when the global mobility landscape was less about lifestyle choice and more about career necessity and financial incentive. As we’ll see however, cost-consciousness has, to a large degree, made these packages somewhat less lucrative.  

These days expatriates are as likely to be Asian as they are Western. Moreover, emigration routes for expatriates have changed: As we’ll discuss in more detail later, India has emerged as one of the key suppliers of professional labor for the Gulf states, while the US is seeing an increasing trend of Americans moving to Latin America. While it would be too extreme to say generous expat packages for westerners are a thing of the past, it’s fair to say they’re less common than they once were.  

 Methods of communication are by a big margin the most radical change. Internet coverage and speeds were more limited. This previously limited access to online resources, social networks, and communication tools, making the expatriate experience more challenging.  

The reliance on traditional methods of communication meant that expatriates had to adapt to a new culture with less support from today’s ubiquitous online resources. But it wasn’t just a matter of being able to communicate instantly with friends and family. A range of online applications from banking to auctioning to restaurant reviews now make adapting to a new home more user friendly, and discovering new communities has never been more straightforward.  

There’s also one very direct way in which technology has changed expatriate lifestyle, and that’s the emergence of remote work. This is distinctively “of the 2010s”, with modern telecoms infrastructure opening unprecedented opportunities for professionals to live in one country while working for an employer in another, enabling a more flexible expatriate lifestyle: In a 2023 study, some 17 million Americans identified as “digital nomads”, for example. 

In summary, these technological strides have not only made the world smaller but also expanded the horizons for those seeking to build lives and careers abroad. 

We spoke earlier about the diversification of expatriates themselves, as well as new “routes”. For example, from India to the Gulf, or from the U.S. to Latin America.  

These are examples of changes to a traditional West-East emigration pattern that characterized what was meant by “expat” 20 years ago. The rise of emerging markets has both serviced international assignments, with countries like India and China being traditional destinations for expatriate talent. However, we’re seeing a reversal of this trend as human capital in these countries becomes more skilled and capable. To illustrate, of the 13 million Indians living overseas, over 60% are based in the Gulf and these are increasingly professionals rather than laborers. 

Things have changed for westerners too. In the 2000s western expats were primarily drawn to financial hubs and rapidly developing cities in Asia like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai, oil-rich countries in the Middle East such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia.   

While these remain, and likely will remain important destinations for westerners, many companies with operations or based in East Asia now increasingly prefer to promote local staff to positions that would have once been given to expats. This reflects both concerns over the costs of expat packages as well as increasingly highly skilled and trained local labor.  

In terms of expat formats, as agreed by their companies, we’ve noticed a trend towards shorter assignments and project-based work, partly due to advancements in technology that facilitate remote collaboration, reducing the need for long-term relocations.  

The integration of expatriates into new cultures has evolved significantly, with an increased emphasis on cultural sensitivity, language acquisition, and local engagement. While these are services all major mobility companies will offer, today's expatriates are more proactive in understanding and respecting the nuances of their host cultures, facilitated by a wealth of online resources and language learning apps that were not available two decades ago.  

This access to information has encouraged deeper immersion into local communities, fostering better communication and stronger connections with native residents. As a result, expatriates are not just living in but truly becoming a part of their new environments, enhancing their experiences abroad through enriched cultural exchanges and more meaningful participation in local life. 

Personal Stories: Then and Now 

The Role of Support Services 

The growing emphasis on support services is a response to the needs of the mobile workforce. These services were initially exclusively logistical, focusing on the physical aspects of relocation such as housing and schooling. However, as the expatriate landscape has diversified, so too have the services, expanding to include cultural training, language instruction, and even emotional support to help expats navigate the complexities of their new environments.  

Digital platforms such as Crown’s Customer Portal now offer a personalized, on-demand system covering everything from visa processing to finding local communities, mirroring the shift towards more comprehensive and accessible support. Alongside a dependable, skilled human element in the form of a “Move Manager”.  

Successful expatriation goes beyond mere physical relocation, requiring a holistic approach that addresses the social, cultural, and psychological aspects of moving and living abroad. Indeed, the concept of expatriate mental health is now reflected in a broad range of research, and is a baseline requirement to a successful expat experience.  

Emerging trends such as digital nomadism, shifts in geopolitical dynamics, and growing environmental concerns have already been noted buy the press at large. The rise of digital nomadism, fueled by advancements in technology and a growing acceptance of remote work, suggests a future where the concept of being an expatriate is more fluid and boundless, allowing individuals to blend travel, work, and living in a global mosaic.  

Geopolitical changes and environmental sustainability are also becoming critical factors, influencing where and how people choose to live and work abroad, as well as how international relocation companies ourselves conduct our business.  

While it’s arguable We expect to see an increasing diversification of the globally mobile, professional workforce, employees increasingly expecting remote, overseas work in certain areas as standard, and international relocations companies striving to deliver more flexible services to complement this heterogeneous marketplace.