this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2025
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[–] theherk@lemmy.world 22 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

I went to Norway. Big recommend. That said, I refuse to call myself an expat or use the term expatriate. I am an immigrant. I think it is weird that white westerners get a special word and everybody else are filthy immigrants.

[–] hessenjunge@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 11 hours ago

To me expat always referred to people that only stay temporarily, mostly sent abroad by the company they work at. As opposed to a migrant that is meaning to stay permanently (and eventually gains citizenship).

TIL the definition differs regionally (see wiki) and mostly not as I thought it was.

[–] Rakonat@lemmy.world 8 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

It's semantics but the difference between expat and immigrants is an expat intends to return to their home country some day, where an immigrant does not.

it's racism

if a westerner works with plans to return they are called expat, if it's a non western, they are called migrants labour or foreign workers and are treated like shit.

[–] theherk@lemmy.world 4 points 13 hours ago

Yes, but connotatively it is just a marker of privilege. Especially here, since what we’re talking about is immigration, not temporary work.