Here’s our weekly roundup of expat news reports issued in countries throughout the world this week. What’s been happening near you?
Austria
Expatriates in Austria have welcomed news that Heinz baked beans will be switching from the Austrian recipe to the much-loved UK version. Heinz have taken the decision after receiving feedback from a survey, which revealed expats believed the UK version to be superior. “We always listen to consumers, and our much loved UK recipe for Heinz Beanz is now being used by our production site in Germany,” said Nigel Dickie, the company’s director of corporate and government affairs.
Source: The Telegraph
China
Banks in China are likely to get more restrictive with expat banking packages according to reports in the region. “In the future, banks are likely to get even choosier in paying out expat wages, as local indigenous talent for even niche finance roles becomes more widely available, and living standards in cities such as Shanghai and Beijing continue to rise,” said Richie Holliday, managing director for Morgan McKinley in Hong Kong.
Source: efinancial careers
Denmark
Denmark’s Ministry of Integration has set up a new website aimed at helping expatriates to make friends in Denmark according to newspaper reports. The site has been established in response to claims that expatriates in the country find it hard to make new friends. Expatriates living in Denmark can the site and set up their own profile at http://letsmeetin.dk/.
Dubai
Dubai’s best-loved expatriate social club, the Dubai Country Club is to reopen just three years after it was closed in 2007. The new club will be situated in Dubailand, near the Arabian Ranches Development and will have a number of facilities including a 1,700 square-metre pool, beach, tennis courts, squash courts, a gym and an indoor sports hall. Expatriates interested in joining will have to move fast though: “So far, we’ve already had between 400-500 reservations, based on word of mouth alone,” said Philip Evans, general manager for the club.
Source: Khaleej Times
Kuwait
Expatriates in Kuwait have complained that they have been unable to save any money during their time in the State due to high living expenses and low expatriate salaries. “It’s like people are just earning money to pay it straight out here and never to send it outside to save for their future,” one expatriate commented.
Source: Dalji World
An Egyptian expatriate has been left stranded in Kuwait following accusations from his employer that he is absent without leave. Mohamad Ahmed Waguiah Mahran claims that he has been forced to remain in Kuwait for over 12 months as a result of the case for non-payment of salary and breech of employment law that he has filed against his ex-employer.
“For more than a year now, I have failed to provide basic things for my wife and two children,” he said. “I eat only once a day. My family and I survive by asking help from our friends both in Kuwait and Egypt. I asked my parents in Egypt to help my family there and for over a year now, they haven’t received anything from me.”
Source: iStock analysis
Hong Kong
Expatriates are to blame for rapidly rising property prices in Hong Kong according to Savills Hong Kong. Island South has seen the biggest increases, with an average of 4.6% rise in prices over the last quarter. This has been attributed to the availability of international schools and the area’s appeal with expat executives.
New Zealand
Expatriates who lived in the United Kingdom between 1980 and 1996 are banned from giving blood in New Zealand by the Ministry of Health, who fear transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), also known as “Mad Cow Disease”. The ban has been in place since 2000 but is now facing criticism from the New Zealand Blood Service who are currently facing a shortage in blood donations.
Source: The Telegraph
Spain
Coroners have ruled that British expatriate, Sally Feeley, died as a result of an accident. The 42 year-old who died after tripping over her handbag and falling on to glass last October, was victim of a freak accident according to the post-mortem examination that was carried out in Spain: ‘I record that Sally Ann Feeley died as a result of an accident.
‘She tripped and fell backwards on to a glass and received a severe stab injury. She died from a haemorrhage received from a laceration to the left armpit,’ Deputy Coroner, Michael Snell said.
Source: Daily Mail
