expats
Citizens living overseas
Expats is the plural of expat, a clipped form of expatriate—someone living outside their native country.
The term usually implies a voluntary, often privileged relocation: a community of American expats in Paris, British expats retiring to Spain.
Unlike immigrant or refugee, expat suggests choice and often temporary residence, though many stay permanently.
One who left home
- foreignerNon-native person
- outsiderOne excluded from group
- non-nativeNot indigenous here
- alienNon-native being
newcomer · outlander · sojourner · resident · transplant · bicultural · hyphenated · in-between
Leaving homeland permanently
- immigrationRelocating abroad permanently
- relocationPermanent change of residence
- resettlementReestablishing in new place
- visaTravel authorization stamp
residency · overseas · abroad · destination · departure · settling · uprooting · moving
Scattered population sharing origins
- enclaveSurrounded distinct territory
- communityCollective of connected people
- networkInterconnected system
- clubOrganization with membership
forum · compatriots · internationals · meetup · association · hangout · compound · bubble
Without fixed residence
- itinerantMoving for work
- globetrotterFrequent international voyager
- jet-setterWealthy frequent traveler
- wanderlustCraving for distant places
adventure · travel · exploration · temporary · transient · peripatetic · mobile · rootless
Absorbing into a whole
- integrationCombining into a whole
- acculturationAdopting another group's customs
- adjustmentAlteration to improve fit
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
etiquette · immersion · adaptation · fluency
Made publicly visible
- secondmentTemporary work transfer
- assignmentAllocated work or duty
- diplomatOfficial foreign representative
- contractorHired construction professional
consultant · professional · entrepreneur · freelancer · package · benefits
émigré
One who left home
- foreignerNon-native person
- outsiderOne excluded from group
- non-nativeNot indigenous here
alien · newcomer · outlander · sojourner · resident · transplant · bicultural · hyphenated · in-between · belonging
emigration
Leaving homeland permanently
- immigrationRelocating abroad permanently
- relocationPermanent change of residence
- resettlementReestablishing in new place
visa · residency · overseas · abroad · destination · departure · settling · uprooting · moving · transplant
diaspora
Scattered population sharing origins
- enclaveSurrounded distinct territory
- communityCollective of connected people
- networkInterconnected system
club · forum · compatriots · internationals · meetup · association · hangout · compound · bubble · clique
nomadic
Without fixed residence
- itinerantMoving for work
- globetrotterFrequent international voyager
- jet-setterWealthy frequent traveler
wanderlust · adventure · travel · exploration · temporary · transient · peripatetic · mobile · rootless · cosmopolitan
assimilation
Absorbing into a whole
- integrationCombining into a whole
- acculturationAdopting another group's customs
- adjustmentAlteration to improve fit
customs · etiquette · immersion · adaptation · fluency
posted
Made publicly visible
- secondmentTemporary work transfer
- assignmentAllocated work or duty
- diplomatOfficial foreign representative
contractor · consultant · professional · entrepreneur · freelancer · package · benefits
- migrationmigration, immigrants, refugees, immigration, emigration
- peoplesAmericans, British, Chinese, French, Germans
- Expatriatesemigres, permanent residents, green card holders, foreign workers, work visa holders
- immigrationimmigrant, immigrants, visa, refugee, citizenship
- social groupsdemographic groups, community, clan, ethnic groups, age groups
- ArabiaSaudi Arabia, Mecca, Medina, Kaaba, Riyadh
expatslocals
Area's permanent inhabitants
natives · residents · citizens · nationals · indigenous people
expatsrefugees
People seeking safety elsewhere
asylum seekers · displaced persons · economic migrants · migrant workers · deportees
- expat communityRelocated citizens abroad together
- expat communitiesTransplanted nationals abroad
- expatriate communityNationals residing overseas together
- expat bubble
- expatriate lifeLiving in a foreign land
- expatriate workersPersonnel employed outside homeland
expatriate, expat, expatriates, expatriation, expatriated, expatriating