Why do we call some foreigners expats and others migrant workers?
In short: The term expatriate carries heavy baggage. While dictionary definitions focus on living abroad, popular usage often distinguishes between wealthy professionals and manual laborers. This linguistic divide reflects deep-seated assumptions about class, race, and motive, turning a simple description of residency into a loaded label that shapes global social hierarchies.
The word expatriate traces back to the Latin 'ex' and 'patria', meaning 'out of' and 'native country'. Historically, it was synonymous with exile, a status famously weaponized by Nazi Germany in the 1930s to strip citizenship from figures like Albert Einstein and Thomas Mann. However, the modern connotation of the 'expat'—as a privileged professional—is a mid-20th-century development, rooted in the overseas assignments of British civil servants.
Today, the term is frequently contrasted with 'immigrant' or 'migrant worker'. Academics often try to define an expatriate as someone living abroad who intends to return home, yet in practice, the label is rarely applied to builders or domestic workers. Critics argue this creates unnecessary social divisions, stigmatizing the word 'immigrant' while reserving 'expat' for those perceived as having higher status or wealth. This distinction is so prevalent that some researchers suggest the traditional usage carries inherent racist undertones.
The reality of expatriation is often less glamorous than the label suggests. International assignments are complex, expensive undertakings for corporations, with premature returns costing companies an average of US$225,000. Success is rarely guaranteed; family concerns are a primary hurdle, with 88% of spouses resisting proposed moves. Despite the allure of autonomy and career growth, the challenges of cultural adjustment and the loss of social networks remain significant barriers to long-term success for those living outside their native lands.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Expatriate
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