Introducing

1
IBS 1ST INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS WEEK
WORKING AS AN EXPAT
Karen R. Prowse General Manager CONNECT
INTERNATIONAL

• Paterswoldseweg 810
• 9728 BM Groningen
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Email connect_at_connect-int.org
• Internet www.connect-int.org

2
Working as an Expat

• 1. Intro to Connect International
• 2. Procedural challenges for foreigners
• Immigration work / residence permits
• Establish new home Settling in
• 3. Social/cultural issues
• Culture shock
• Cultural adaptation
• 4. Preparing for an international move
• Learning to BREATHE
• Cross-cultural training

3
ONNECT INTERNATIONAL
4
Connect Relocation Services
5
Our Clients
6
Connecting Worlds Services
7
Connect Business Services
8
Information Centre
9
Our Network
Honorary Board

• Mr. J.A. Jorritsma, CdK Fryslân
• Mr. M.J. Van den Berg, CdK Groningen
• Mr. S. Jansen, Director, N.V. NOM

Board of Directors

• James Coombs, Philips
• Theun Wijbenga, N.V. NOM
• Miranda Seip, ABN AMRO Bank
• Sieger Volkers, ATOS Origins
• Charles Ruffolo, RIBS Network
• Pat de Boer-Polise, Cap Gemini
• Tim Unsworth, Improve
• Karen Prowse, Connect International

Advisor to Board

• John Ebbink, EZ gem Groningen

10
Connect Accomplishments

• Successfully relocated hundreds of international
  employees and families
• Offered information and support to thousands more
• Organized hundreds of events and activities, both
• business and social, on practical, cultural,
  economic
• and educational matters
• Produced thousands of information guides on the
  NNL
• Maintained website to promote attractiveness
• of the NNL and provide practical information
• Published English-language Connections
• magazine for 12 years
• Offered dozens of practical courses
• and workshops

11
Working as an Expat

• 1. Intro to Connect International
• 2. Procedural challenges for foreigners
• Immigration work / residence permits
• Establish new home Settling in
• 3. Social/cultural issues
• Culture shock
• Cultural adaptation
• 4. Preparing for an international move
• Learning to BREATHE
• Cross-cultural training

12
Immigration Work Residence Permits

• Q Are they required?
• A Rules differ depending on nationality
• Distinction between EU/EER Non-EU/EER citizens
• Differences within EU/EER countries
• Differences between Non-EU countries

• Q Who decides?
• IND (Immigratie- en Natuuralisatie Dienst)
• CWI (Centrum voor Werk en Inkomen)

13
Immigration Work Residence permits

• Requirements for EU/EER citizens
• Valid passport
• Health insurance
• Sufficient means of support (work contract, bank
  statements)
• No work permit or residence permit required for
  citizens of EU/EER countries (exceptions Romania
  and Bulgaria)
• Must register with municipality (Legalized birth
  and marriage certificates required)
• May register for free with IND after 3 months
  (not required, except for Romanians and
  Bulgarians)

14
Immigration Work Residence permits

• Requirements for Non-EU/EER

• Labor Migrant
• Work as employee
• Must earn social minimum
• Requires work permit from CWI
• May require a temporary stay visa (MVV) from IND
• Requires residence permit from IND
• May need to take Civic Integration Exam

• Highly-Skilled Migrant
• Work as employee
• Annual gross income of 47.565 (or 34.881, if
  under 30 years old)
• Employer registers as user of this procedure
  assumes certain responsibilities
• May require MVV
• Combined work residence permit for employee
  partner
• Is exempt from Civic Integration Exam

15
Immigration Work Residence permits

• Requirements for Labor and Highly-Skilled
  Migrants
• Valid passports
• No criminal record
• Health insurance
• Undergo TB tests (variable)
• Required documents (minimum)
• Documents must be in Dutch, English, French or
  German.
• If not, they must be translated into one of
  these languages by a translator sworn by a Dutch
  Court.
• Legalized birth and marriage certificates,
• less than six months old
• Signed employment contract / transfer letter
• Employers declaration
• Passport photos

16
Immigration Work Residence permits

• Procedure Labor Migrants
• Apply for work permit from CWI
• (decision time 4-5 weeks)
• Apply for MVV (temporary stay visa) in NL
• (decision time 4 weeks)
• Collect MVV at Dutch consulate/embassy in home
  country
• Enter NL
• Submit application for Labor Migrant
• (decision time 6 months)
• Collect residence card at IND office when approved

17
Immigration Work Residence permits

• Work Permit (TWV) requirements
• Employers
• Advertise minimally 5 weeks (3 months for
  difficult positions) using various media in NL
  rest of EU
• Interview potential candidates from EU and be
  able to prove that they do not fulfill the
  requirements
• Report vacancy to UWV WERKbedrijf 5 weeks before
  submitting TWV request
• Supply information about job as well as special
  skills/education/experience of employee
• Employees
• Must earn minimum wage
• Be 18 45 years old
• Possess residence permit
• Have accommodation in NL

18
Immigration Work Residence permits

• Procedure Highly-Skilled Migrants
• Company registers with the IND in NL
• (2-4 weeks)
• Apply for MVV (temporary stay visa) in NL
• (decision time 2 weeks)
• Collect MVV at Dutch consulate/embassy in home
  country
• Enter NL
• Submit application for Highly-Skilled Migrant
• (decision time 2 weeks)
• Collect residence card at IND office when
  approved

19
Immigration Work Residence permits

• To summarize differences

• EU/EER Citizen
• No work permit or residence permit required
• Non EU/EER Citizen
• Labor Migrant
• Separate work permit and residence permits
  required
• More complicated process
• Longer approval time
• Highly-Skilled Migrant
• Combined work/residence permit
• More responsibilities assumed by employer
• Shorter approval time

20
Immigration Registration at Municipality

• Both EU/EER Non-EU/EER citizens must register
  at Municipality!
• Required documents
• Valid passport or EU/EER country ID card
• Proof of address (rental contract)
• Legalized birth and marriage certificates,
• less than 6 months old
• For Non-EU/EER citizens Residence permit,
  decision letter from IND, or sticker in passport
  placed by IND

21
Establish new home Settle in

• Accommodation find temporary soft- or
  fully-furnished rental houses / apartments
• Education register children at (international)
  primary and/or secondary schools
• Medical care register for health insurance,
  family doctor, dentist, specialists
• Financial issues open bank account, cc,
  investments, pension plans
• Insurances establish property, house contents,
  auto, third party, legal aid
• Utilities arrange gas, water, electricity,
  telephones, internet, cable TV

22
Establish new home settle in

• Information on local services rubbish
  collection, post, regional taxes
• Importing, buying, or registering a car
• Obtain Dutch drivers license new or exchange
• Information on Dutch income tax system
• Build up a new social life and network
  religious and/or cultural organizations, sport
  clubs, music schools, social groups, etc.

23
Working as an Expat

• 1. Intro to Connect International
• 2. Procedural challenges for foreigners
• Immigration work / residence permits
• Establish new home Settling in
• 3. Social/cultural issues
• Culture shock
• Cultural adaptation
• 4. Preparing for an international move
• Learning to BREATHE
• Cross-cultural training

24
Social/Cultural Issues What is Culture?

• American Heritage Dictionary
• "The totality of socially transmitted behavior
  patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all
  other products of human work and thought
  characteristic of a community or population.
• Edward Hall, American Anthropologist
• "Culture is a system for creating, sending,
  storing, and processing information. It is how
  we talk, behave, understand and act."

25
Social/Cultural Issues Culture Shock

• Being in a foreign country means walking
• a tightrope high above the ground without the
  net
• afforded a person by the country where he has
• his family, colleagues, and friends, and
• where he can easily say what he has to say
• in a language he has known from childhood.
• The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by
  Milan Kundera

26
Social/Cultural Issues Culture Shock

• "Culture shock can be defined as a sense of
  disorientation
• and the resulting anxiety and stress when we are
  transplanted from one culture to another.
• C. Gelderman-Curtis, Inside Information
• Familiar cues (general behavior, customs and
  norms, word usage, facial expressions and body
  language) are gone and insecurity is the result
• Normal reaction to adjusting to a culture other
  than the one they were raised in
• The culture shock curve involves feelings of
  excitement
• alternating with dread
• in a roller coaster of extreme
• ups and downs

27
Culture Shock Curve

• First step Leaving familiar environment
• Physical stresses of planning, organizing and
  executing move, and preparing for new environment
• Psychological stresses of saying good-bye
• to friends and family, leaving your job,
• dealing with unsettled children
• Time and energy spent researching new
  environment, taking language courses and cultural
  training lead to a detachment from familiar
  environment before moving

28
Culture Shock Curve

• Second step Honeymoon or tourist phase
• Period of time right after arrival in new culture
• Mood and energy are high
• Everything seems exciting,
• charming and positive

29
Culture Shock Curve

• Third step Culture Shock
• Mood and energy drop
• Physical ailments arise
• (colds, rashes, tiredness)
• Everything seems negative
• feelings of depression, confusion,
• isolation, and a sense of loss

30
Culture Shock Curve

• Final step Enjoyment of new life
• Swings in mood and energy levels stabilize
• Sense of disorientation and insecurity are gone
• See unique features to situation and able to view
  them realistically

31
Adapting to the new culture

• Four types of cultural adaptation (J.W. Berry)
• Assimilation Going Native
• Ongoing process of total absorption into new
  culture to become socially accepted
• Integration Feet in both worlds
• Maintaining a positive relationship between two
  cultures, not choosing between them
• Separation Keeping a distance
• Maintains no substantial relationship with new
  culture and keeps traditional way of life
• Marginalization Left out and alone
• Loses cultural and psychological contact with
  both cultures and loses identity

32
Working as an Expat

• 1. Intro to Connect International
• 2. Procedural challenges for foreigners
• Immigration work / residence permits
• Establish new home Settling in
• 3. Social/cultural issues
• Culture shock
• Cultural adaptation
• 4. Preparing for an international move
• Learning to BREATHE
• Cross-cultural training

33
Preparing for international move

• Learn to BREATHE
• B Brainstorm
• R Research
• E Expectations
• A Attitude
• T Treats
• H Humor
• E Exercise

Lets learn to BREATHE
34
Preparing for international move

• Maintain sense of identity and perspective, and
  set priorities in your life
• Develop core identity that remains consistent
• Make conscious realistic adaptation choices
• Be flexible and patient and ask for support when
  needed
• See both pluses and minuses of new culture
• Try new things and give yourself credit for ways
  that you have grown
• Acknowledge the time, energy, and effort spent
• Value the benefits of a multicultural life

35
Cross-cultural training

• Sources of cross-communication within "Corporate
  Culture"
• Non-verbal communication
• Dress code
• Appointments
• Acceptable small talk and slang
• Informal vs. formal
• Management style
• Business meeting procedures
• Decision-making style
• Negotiating style
• Setting goals and achievements
• Gender and ethnic differences
• Respect for authority and seniority

36
Cross-cultural training

• Ways of negotiating the cultural divide
• Polarize Separate the cultures, but don't judge
• Adapt Acknowledge and accept the positive
• Bridge Find common ground to build upon
• Build Create a totally new outlook

37
Repatriation Going home

• Repatriation requires just as much preparation as
  any other international move
• People expect to fit right in again, BUT
• Expats have changed considerably
• Old environment acquaintances stayed the same
• Local people seem provincial and uninterested in
  the rest of the world
• Repats no longer have special status

38
Repatriation Going home

• Many multinational companies lose employees upon
  repatriation
• At the workplace
• International experience may be undervalued
• Status and responsibility may have changed
• Career opportunities may have been missed
• Work may seem less stimulating
• Personal growth may slow

39
Benefits of nomadic life

• Expanded world view more open minded, flexible,
  and understanding
• Increased linguistic abilities
• Achieved cross-cultural skills
• Enjoyed new experiences
• More curious and adventuresome
• Created multiple social networks worldwide

40
Benefits of nomadic life

• Relocating to a new country is much more than a
  case of simply changing jobs.
• With proper preparation and management, the new
  expat can experience a smooth transition and a
  soft landing in their new environment.

41
Working as an Expat

• 1. Intro to Connect International
• 2. Procedural challenges for foreigners
• Immigration work / residence permits
• Establish new home Settling in
• 3. Social/cultural issues
• Culture shock
• Cultural adaptation
• 4. Preparing for an international move
• Learning to BREATHE
• Cross-cultural training

42
CONNECTING PEOPLE, BUSINESS, KNOWLEDGE

• Paterswoldseweg 810
• 9728 BM Groningen
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Email connect_at_connect-int.org
• Internet www.connect-int.org