Differences between Migrants and Expatriates

First of all I want to clarify that this article is based on the publication “Defining the Expat: the case of high-skilled migrants in Brussels” by Brussels Studies, the e-journal for academic research on Brussels which provides a conceptualization of the expatriates (in abbreviated form expat) staying in Brussels, identifying their characterization and also the perception the citizens of this city have of this “high-skilled migrants”. At the same time it gives an understanding of the difference that exists between expats and migrants. This work was conducted by making 30 structured in-depth interviews with young professional expatriates from 25 different European countries and that’s why with a textual analysis of paper publications specially related with expatriated and the analysis of the interviewees’ point of view it goes beyond a theoretical understanding of the expat phenomenon, defining what an expat is and clarifying the expats’ sense of belonging to a community in an empirical way.

Before entering this topic I would like to say that this difference is commonly tricky and I think it is generated by the common use of both terms, in some cases used in an unclear way or even as if they were considered the same. The critical aspects to understand this difference are social status, education level and profession, reason why the definition of expatriate might require considerations that go beyond a person’s nationality or mobility schemes, and imply these critical aspects.

As stated by Gatti (2009):

Migration is characterized by low levels of qualification and socio-economic status, which evidently contrast with the expats’ situation. Expats are considered educated people who go to a country not because they are motivated by basic needs, but rather by professional reasons or because they seek an experience abroad. Migrants, on the other hand, are perceived as people who are obliged to leave their countries because of the tough life and work conditions in their homeland. (p.2)

The division between migrants and expatriates has also a spatial connotation, confirming that they do not locate themselves in a city randomly, but rather add their own territorialization mode to the existing social construction of urban space.

It results interesting how Gatti (2009) describes the following situation:

In the case of Brussels low-skilled migrants, especially but not only those from North-Africa, concentrate in specific neighborhoods. Often, long-established Expats and estate agencies recommend newcomers to avoid these areas (the classical advice one may receive when looking for an apartment in Brussels is on the order of: “do not go there, it is in a North Africa area”).

Consequently, migrants and expatriates do not seem to get in touch as they have different biographies, different links to their country of origin, and obviously a totally different perception of Belgium and their future there. (p.3)

On the basis of the interviewees’ descriptions gathered by the Gatti’s work, expatriates usually present the following characteristics:

• Job driven;

• In Brussels for a short period;

• Highly educated;

• Group in an international community and seem to be very sociable;

• Usually have minimum contacts with Belgians;

• Often do not speak French

The characteristics of minimum contact with Belgians and that they do not speak French is explained because they are conscious of their temporary staying in the city which generates low commitment for personal relations and learning of the spoken language. Although this is shown as common, there can be found expatriates who want to keep living in this city, becoming this temporary staying aspect a not necessarily differentiating aspect between migrants and expatriates.

Finally as a way of conclusion, we can say expatriates appear to be a special subgroup of migrants characterized by a high level of education and a relatively high professional status who move abroad for professional reasons or looking for a constructive experience but there is not necessarily a relation with improving quality of life, which for migrants is the main objective due to economic or political factors specially labor conditions in their home country.

As an example of Colombians expatriates we can list Mauricio Molina in South Korea, Angela Becerra in Spain, Clemencia Rodriguez, Orlando Luis Cabrera, Edgar Enrique Rentería in The United States, Robinson Orozco Castillo and Carolina Herrera in London and Ivan Córdoba and Juan Camilo Zúñiga Mosquera in Italy. Most of all expatriates are high-skilled soccer, baseball and basketball players, others are writers, musicians, and generally people with a considered level of studies.

The following videos are proposed since they show some situations experienced by migrants and expatriates from Mexico and the United States.

References:

Gatti, Emanuele. (2009). Defining the expat: the case of high-skilled migrants in brussels. Brussels Studies, (28). Retrieved March 6, 2010 from:

http://www.brusselsstudies.be/PDF/EN_115_BruS28EN.pdf

Wikipedia. (2008). Category:Colombian expatriates. Wikipedia. Retrieved March 7, 2010 from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Colombian_expatriates

AlJazeeraEnglish. (2008, Nov 11). Mexican migrants risk all to reach US [Video file]. Retrieved March 6, 2010 from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-Mx0nQw06Y&feature=channel

mexicorealestate123. (2009, Mar 9). ABC News Expatriates in Mexico [Video file]. Retrieved March 6, 2010 from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y3-IuL7C-k

AlJazeeraEnglish. (2008, Oct 30). American expatriates follow US elections - 30 Oct 08 [Video file]. Retrieved March 6, 2010 from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGqAzVEKMcs