Share your experience with others in this expat life survey

Life as an expat can be a both rewarding and challenging. On the one hand, you get to broaden your horizons by experiencing different cultures and meeting new people. On the other, attempting to establish a life in a new and likely unfamiliar environment can throw up various issues. 

If you’re a spouse or partner of an international employee, or if you work in HR or recruitment for an international company, you can participate in Permits Foundation’s International Dual Careers Survey 2021. Your help and feedback could provide valuable information that will allow for improved support for other expat families and their access to employment opportunities around the world.

Take part in the International Dual Careers Survey and support other expats

Each year, the International Dual Careers Survey covers a number of different topics. This year’s survey features questions relating to the types of assignment currently on offer, the willingness of expat families to travel, concerns around health and safety, and the impact of the move on their mental health. The survey also looks at the assistance that companies provide and whether there is an increased duty of care pre-assignment.

Your participation and feedback plays a key role in Permits Foundation’s work, and will help them to understand how the experience of expats has changed in recent years as a result of the pandemic, and will allow the Foundation to build an effective case for international dual careers’ policies in countries around the world.

The International Dual Careers Survey will be available online until November 30. All survey responses will be treated confidentially, and no persons will be individually identifiable in the results collected.

Permits Foundation: Supporting expats around the world

This year marks 20 years since Permits Foundation started advocating in support of international dual careers. While you may not have heard of them before, if you’re a member of an expat family and you or your partner work outside of your home country, there is a good chance that the Foundation’s advocacy has had an influence on your expat experience.

Based in The Hague, Permits Foundation is a non-profit organisation that works to enable employment access for spouses and partners of highly-skilled international employees in countries all around the world. Approaching the issue at a government level, the Foundation engages with policymakers, providing evidence-based recommendations for improved legislation.

Permits Foundation is the only organisation carrying out advocacy solely and specifically on this issue. Since the Foundation was formed, over 30 countries have implemented legislation enabling partners of international employees to access work via their dependant status, including the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. The Foundation’s advocacy has contributed to work authorisation for family members of intra-corporate transferees and Blue Card holders EU-wide.