Calling expats everywhere – make sure you have your say!

2 June 2011 For immediate release

Calling expats everywhere – make sure you have your say!

HSBC New Zealand has today announced its involvement in the 2011 Expat Explorer Survey for the first time. The survey is now in its fourth year and Expat Explorer is the largest global survey for expats, where expats worldwide can have their say about their experiences working and living overseas.

2010 saw more 4,100 expats participate from 100 countries across the globe and this year HSBC is calling for even more expats to take part to ensure that their current country of residence makes it into the 2011 survey and features in the league tables published in the Expat Explorer reports.

Lesley Pope, Head of Marketing & Group Communications, at HSBC New Zealand says: “New Zealand has a significant number of people living and working here that were born outside of the country. We would love to see New Zealand expats get involved and respond to the survey, therefore boosting the 2011 results to include even more countries than ever before.”

“Having launched the new online Expat Explorer tool earlier this year, we’re very excited at the prospect of being able to develop a resource that’s even more useful for expats by including some brand new data. That’s why we’re asking expats to not only complete the survey themselves, but also share it around their friends, relatives and colleagues to help us capture as many unique expat insights as possible,” continues Lesley.

The 2011 survey will continue to delve into the issues close to expats’ hearts and discover how their lifestyle, economic outlook and experience of raising a family abroad has changed following their move to a new country. Last year’s survey found a large proportion of expats feel that the economic situation of their adopted country has deteriorated, with those in the Eurozone experiencing the brunt of the economic impact, while those in emerging economies remained relatively unscathed.

Other key findings from the 2010 research included:

• Emerging economies remain on top for expat finances • Wealth gap continues to widen between the East and Mainland Europe with Russia home to wealthiest expats, followed by the Middle East • BRIC countries emerging as expat hotspots • Thailand, Canada and Bahrain were the top three locations for improved expat lifestyle HSBC launches Expat Explorer survey/2 • Expat children live a better life away from home with Belgium ranking as the best place to raise expat children

“Last year we were given further insight into how expats had adapted their lifestyles to the changing economic climate. Many expats thought their economy had declined over the previous year, with this trend being exaggerated for those in Europe – we’re keen to see the changes expats have experienced and how this trend has evolved and developed over the past year with further insights from expats around the globe,” points out Lesley.

“If you’re an expat and want to find out how your country ranks, how your fellow expats are coping or even where your next trip might take you, make sure your voice is heard and get involved today,” concludes Lesley.

If you’re an expat, please share your experience of life abroad by filling in the Expat Explorer 2011 survey at http://www1.gfk-wi.com/wix/p123914242.aspx?WT.mc_id=EPC331 .

Follow the updates and join the debate online: Tweet at: http://twitter.com/expatexplorer

Share your experiences: http://expatexplorer.blogspot.com/ Visit the tool: http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/

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