EXPATRIATE ASSIGNMENT (EA) AND OVERSEAS EXPERIENCES (OE)

Expatriate assignment. Retrieved May 3, 2011. From: http://eslabloggers.blogspot.com/

Nowadays expatriate assignments have become a common practice for different kinds of multinational companies, especially when they have foreign operations or want to have different strategies to expand market share in a specific country.

EA main characteristics:

-          The initiative for the international experience comes primarily from a company which operates internationally with subsidiaries.

-          Goals: company projects.

-          For the individual the causes of success or failure of AE are attributed to the company and the remedies for failure are in the company´s hands.

Overseas experience. Retrieved May 3, 2011. From: http://www.careerdynamix.com/ServicesBrIndividuals/OverseasExperience/tabid/109/Default.aspx

OE main characteristics:

-          The initiative for the international experience comes from the individual.

-          Cultural experience as important as work, Geographical mobility, Curiosity- driven, Personal learning agendas, Individual is self-supporting, Weak company attachments.

-          OE is typically pursued out of a personal motivation to explore and learn.

DISCUSSION: Characterize one country and its main immigrants; describe the types of labor they perform and the living conditions of them.

Wellington, capital of New Zealand. Retrieved May 3, 2011. From: http://www.travelpod.com/ad/Capital_E-Wellington

New Zealand

 Recognized as one of the countries where immigrants have great opportunities, foreigners account for 16% of the population, mainly from East Asia and Oceania.

- Opportunities: New Zealand offers good job opportunities to immigrants, given the economic good of the country, with unemployment at just 3.5%. Need professionals in education and health.

 - Work-life balance: the great benefits for immigrants who arrive in New Zealand are that the work there is very flexible.

At present, New Zealand needs more helping hands in the fields of health care, computer technology, management and agriculture. Working in New Zealand is financially rewarding since it is one of the top countries in the world offering high employee salaries. This is the main reason why most people enjoy high quality living and can afford pricey items and commodities.

References:

- Jose Marc Castro, (August 2009). Cost of living in New Zealand. Retrieved May 3, 2011 from:  http://www.expatforum.com/articles/cost-of-living/cost-of-living-in-new-zealand.html

- Immigration in New Zealand. Retrieved May 3, 2011 from: http://www.immigration.govt.nz/

- Inkson, Kerr et al. 1999. Expatriate Assignments and Overseas Experience-contrasting models of international human resource development. Journal of world business. 34: 351-368.