SPOTAHOME

According to a study, carried out online through a website called InterNations across 12,000 expats, Taiwan, México and Costa Rica are the best places to go and work abroad. The quality of life and the health services in Taiwan are two of the most valuable aspects according to the participants in the study. Obviously, due to the pandemic, health care has become a determining factor for many workers who move abroad to work.

When the threat of Covid-19 became a reality and nearly everybody's lives changed in March last year, many companies had to face up to the challenge of managing the health care of their relocated workers. The situation wasn't great in any case, but the fact that every country adopted their own methods of dealing with it, made it even worse. Many organisations had to put even more effort into the expat programs, in order to ensure health coverage for their workers, and in some cases even facilitate their return to their own countries.

Once the most critical period of the pandemic had been overcome, at least at the time, it seems that these workers were brought back to work, albeit in a way which meant that new conditions arose. Conditions that, for the moment, are here to stay:

Private health insurance. If health insurance was important before, now it's even more difficult as the Moving abroad Cards, in which businesses include terms and conditions for their expat workers, do not include a private policy for health care.
Vaccines and proof of vaccination. Depending on each country, the vaccination processes may or may not include these workers, so their companies must push for their access to them, or even assist their return to their country of origin.
Travelling. As there are still restrictions in many airports and throughout other modes of transport, it is necessary to provide more resources and flexibility in regard to the travelling of workers.
Better communication. The complexity and unpredictability of coronavirus could easily make remote workers feel vulnerable and at risk. To manage that and to boost confidence in general, companies must increase the amount of communication that they have with their teams.
Rental contracts: In recent months, new rental contracts have been created which include the Covid clause, which means that should there be another state of alarm or change in situation, tenants can cancel their contracts without being penalised for it, Also, there have also been many changes in the housing market that must be taken into account.
New protocols. Finally, even in the cases where there is a well defined and organised expat program, the pandemic has highlighted the necessity to update action protocols in the event of unforeseen circumstances.