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Are you an expat, a migrant, an immigrant or a guest worker?
This topic came up at a social gathering at which people from over a dozen countries were present. An elderly Asian gentleman was talking to a relatively young lady from the UK, and when she said that she's been working here for a few years he commented "Ah, a guest worker." She got ruffled and said no, she intends to stay permanently. When the man came back good naturedly with "So you're an immigrant" feathers started to fly and a heated debate followed. So I'm posting this with a link on the topic to see if any of you care to comment.
http://www.antropologi.info/blog/anthropology/2011/expats-and-migrants
A guest worker is sent back home.
An expat goes back home.
An immigrant moves home.
Your elderly Asian gentleman lacks the wisdom that is supposed to come with age. Somebody with every right to live and work here and paying their taxes, a lot of them, is usually going to take offense at both labels and I can see why.
For me an expat I someone who is working in a country other than the one where they were born but with the intention of returning home in the future. The family will often accompany the expat.
Migrant and immigrant are, effectively, the same; migrant when they leave their home country and immigrant when they arrive in a new country with the intention of remaining there.
A guest worker is someone who moves temporarily from their home country to a new country for strictly economic reasons. The intention being to return home in the future and with their family usually remaining in the home country.
As an immigrant, It is baffling to me that someone would take an offense at being called an immigrant.
To my understanding, if you move to another country with an intention of staying for longer than a year or two, you are by definition an immigrant in your new country. Being an immigrant does not depend on whether you pay taxes, or even if you are legally there or not. This is why you have legal immigrants and illegal immigrants. Taking an offense at the term "immigrant" highlight one's prejudice towards foreigners and xenophobic tendencies.
Have to agree with SOPHIAD. Whats the big deal? Why would anyone take offense at being called an immigrant, a guest worker, and xpat, or whatever? People today take offense at EVERYTHING! Jeez.
I read this article recently, which seems timely. The opinions expressed are not my own, but I was reminded of it when I saw this topic!
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015...
Interesting!
When I was young, people you moved permanently to another country, typically somewhere in the southern hemisphere, were described as emigrants.
I read the Guardian article too, and I think it touched on the truth behind all this offense taking - the issue seems not to be so mcuh race or foreignness related, but linked to socioeconomic status. It's all a bit silly, but labels usually are.
