Leaving one day, without returning or telling yourself that you will come back, is one of those fantasies that become reality or that remain in the imagination. There are 3.5 million French people abroad (OECD and France Trésor, 2021) but not under the same status: expatriating means being on a mission for a company, which is different from adventurers with a local employment contract without social security or contributions for their retirement. If 34% of French people think about spending part of their career abroad, this figure reaches 41% among those under 24 (Ipsos for Lepetitjournal.comApril 2024). Especially in Ireland and the United Kingdom, which had 21% and 19% of young French expatriates respectively in 2015-2016 (OECD/FT).
“Happy is he who, like Ulysses, has had a beautiful journey”… 46% of respondents dream of a better quality of life, 27% of better pay and 21% of more professional opportunities, according to a study by the Expatriation Observatory published in 2020. Are your suitcases ready? “Belgium is not Togo, but you always have to be prepared, there is no such thing as a small expatriation”, warns Alix Carnot, associate director of Expat Communication, a support and change assistance service for expatriates.
China is less in the wind
The most attractive destinations are Portugal, followed by Spain and Romania according to the index. Kayak.fr – which revealed in 2022 the best countries where it is easiest to work while having fun during off-peak hours. Next come Mauritius, Japan, Malta, Costa Rica, Panama, the Czech Republic and Germany in 10th position. Alix Carnot’s analysis differs: European countries remain largely in the majority with Germany in the lead, ahead of the United States. Expatriation follows geopolitics. Recently, Mali and Ivory Coast have closed themselves off. Settling in Russia has almost disappeared, that towards China has decreased a lot, whereas it was the first destination ten years ago, ahead of Germany. “The lockdown was very violent during Covid”, underlines Alix Carnot.
A shift towards Hong Kong, then Singapore and finally Dubai which is holding the lead, like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. “The crises follow one another. There have recently been repatriations from Israel and Lebanon,” continues the expert. French influence is also diminishing in Africa, where it is the Russians, the Chinese and the Turks who are asserting their presence.
In general, “expatriation of French people has been decreasing for 20 years,” points out the associate director of Expat Communication. Fewer French technical skills are needed, English is spoken everywhere and a significant cost for the company (two to three times that of an employee in France according to mondassur.com): expatriation contracts only concern 8% of French people established abroad (Banque Transatlantique). For Expat Communication, the majority of the battalion are aged 35 to 55 – beyond that, management positions are quite rare. There are 2.7 expatriations per expatriate over a career, with an average of 3 to 5 years.
OSS 117 syndrome
First piece of advice for executives who want to go elsewhere: you will have to adapt: ”all management must be reviewed in an intercultural light”. Italian managers are known for their practice of micro-management. Study, immerse yourself. “The French are known for giving their opinion all the time. It’s rude in some cultures”, warns the expert. Avoid going out like OSS 117. “We are no longer in the 2000s. The speech ‘The strength of France is its history’ is no longer audible”, insists Alix Carnot. Another recommendation: know what the company expects. What is the role of the expatriate? As a chameleon, the technical expert adapts to the locals, while the ambassador and the director represent the brand and the international manages an international team with the best of each. Fourth tip: prepare as a family and consider the issue of the children’s school and the employment of your life partner (88% are women). There are only 20% of expatriates, often single.
Finally, beware of the depression depicted by Joachim Du Bellay in the 16th century – “When will I see again, alas, from my little village/Smoke the chimney, and in what season?” -, a successful return “to its Anjou sweetness” cannot be improvised. For Alix Carnot, the company’s strategy should be to “pollinate” on the way there, of course. And on the way back, capitalize on Ulysses’ achievements.
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