UK expatriates resident overseas numbered around 1.16 million in 2013 while there were around 1.19 million foreign expatriates in the UK – a net difference of just 30,000. London, 29 January 2014 - According to a new research report published by Finaccord, the UK 'exports' nearly as many expatriates of its own as it 'imports' from other countries. Defining expatriates as individuals who establish their residence in the territory of another country for a temporary period that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months and a maximum of five years, Finaccord has calculated that there were around 1.19 million expatriates from other countries living in the UK in 2013 as opposed to around 1.16 million UK expatriates in other countries, a net difference of approximately 30,000. However, looking in detail at who these expatriates are shows that there are some significant variations between these 'exported' and 'imported' expatriates. 58.3% of UK expatriates residing abroad are classified as individual workers, 23.5% as retired expatriates, 4.6% as students and 4.0% as corporate transferees with the balance of other expatriates (defined as non-employed spouses and children) making up the residual 9.5%. In contrast, foreign expatriates living in the UK break down between individual workers at 46.4%, students at 38.4%, corporate transferees at 5.1%, retired expatriates at 3.1% and others (defined as before) at 7.1%. Thus, foreign students in the UK greatly outnumber UK students at educational institutions overseas, while retired expatriates from the UK living overseas constitute a much larger group than retired foreigners living as expatriates in the UK. "Global mobility has increased significantly over the past decade and expatriates constitute a large and diverse market", comments Tobias Schneider, a Consultant at Finaccord. "With regards to the UK, our research establishes a number of facts, some of which often risk getting lost amid politically-motivated debate about immigration. These include: that the UK is probably the most open country in the world in terms of flows both in and out; that the UK is the largest 'exporter' of expatriates in the EU and one of the largest in the world; and that other major western European countries – France, Germany, Italy and Spain – all 'import' a lot more expatriates than they 'export'." Across outbound countries investigated (i.e. expatriates countries of origin), expatriates from India represented the largest group of expatriate residents in the UK in 2013, followed by those from Poland and China. Note that non-expatriate immigrants in the UK numbered around 6.63 million in 2013 meaning that expatriates accounted for about 15.2% of the UK's total immigrant population in that year. Meanwhile, across inbound countries researched (i.e. destination countries) the largest group of UK expatriates resided in Australia in 2013, followed by those in Spain and the UAE.

1. PRESS RELEASE
Global Expatriates: Size, Segmentation and Forecast for the Worldwide Market
UK expatriates resident overseas numbered around 1.16 million in 2013 while there
were around 1.19 million foreign expatriates in the UK – a net difference of just 30,000
London, 29 January 2014 - According to a new research report published by Finaccord, the UK
'exports' nearly as many expatriates of its own as it 'imports' from other countries. Defining expatriates
as individuals who establish their residence in the territory of another country for a temporary period
that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months and a maximum of five years, Finaccord has
calculated that there were around 1.19 million expatriates from other countries living in the UK in
2013 as opposed to around 1.16 million UK expatriates in other countries, a net difference of
approximately 30,000.
However, looking in detail at who these expatriates are shows that there are some significant
variations between these 'exported' and 'imported' expatriates. 58.3% of UK expatriates residing
abroad are classified as individual workers, 23.5% as retired expatriates, 4.6% as students and
4.0% as corporate transferees with the balance of other expatriates (defined as non-employed
spouses and children) making up the residual 9.5%. In contrast, foreign expatriates living in the
UK break down between individual workers at 46.4%, students at 38.4%, corporate transferees
at 5.1%, retired expatriates at 3.1% and others (defined as before) at 7.1%.
Thus, foreign students in the UK greatly outnumber UK students at educational institutions
overseas, while retired expatriates from the UK living overseas constitute a much larger group
than retired foreigners living as expatriates in the UK.
"Global mobility has increased significantly over the past decade and expatriates constitute a large
and diverse market", comments Tobias Schneider, a Consultant at Finaccord. "With regards to the
UK, our research establishes a number of facts, some of which often risk getting lost amid politicallymotivated debate about immigration. These include: that the UK is probably the most open country in
the world in terms of flows both in and out; that the UK is the largest 'exporter' of expatriates in the EU
and one of the largest in the world; and that other major western European countries – France,
Germany, Italy and Spain – all 'import' a lot more expatriates than they 'export'."
Across outbound countries investigated (i.e. expatriates countries of origin), expatriates from
India represented the largest group of expatriate residents in the UK in 2013, followed by those
from Poland and China. Note that non-expatriate immigrants in the UK numbered around 6.63
million in 2013 meaning that expatriates accounted for about 15.2% of the UK's total immigrant
population in that year. Meanwhile, across inbound countries researched (i.e. destination
countries) the largest group of UK expatriates resided in Australia in 2013, followed by those in
Spain and the UAE.
"By 2017, Finaccord forecasts that foreign expatriates living in the UK will have reached around 1.30
million while UK expatriates abroad will number approximately 1.21 million, meaning that the net
difference will have widened to almost 90,000", concludes Tobias Schneider. "Nevertheless, much of
the growth in expatriates resident in the UK will be due to overseas students. Indeed, this strong
inflow of foreign students means that higher education in the UK receives more funding from
overseas than that of any country in the world apart from the US, which must surely be beneficial to
the UK economy."
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2. Media contact: Roberto Napolitano, +44 (0)20 3008 4406, rnapolitano@finaccord.com
Finaccord is a market research, publishing and consulting company specialising in financial services.
It provides its clients with insight into and information about major issues in financial services in the
UK, Europe and globally, with a particular focus on marketing and distribution topics such as affinity
marketing, bancassurance and strategic alliances.
Global Expatriates: Size, Segmentation and Forecast for the Worldwide Market is a report and
interactive ExpatriateBASE™ dataset that provides an overview of the size and segmentation of the
global expatriate population. Including data rounded up for the world as a whole, this is based
primarily on a detailed analysis for 30 inbound and 25 outbound countries, selected on the basis of
their economic importance and significance in the context of the expatriate market.
Sample graphic from the research, showing the total expatriate population in the UK and the UK
expatriate population residing abroad in 2013, respectively, segmented by purpose.
Note that Finaccord defines expatriates as individuals who establish their residence in the territory of
another country for a temporary period that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months and a
maximum of five years, having previously been resident in another country. Meanwhile, the total
immigrant population is defined as the total of all individuals resident in a country other than their
country of current residence regardless of the duration and purpose of their stay. However, note that
the definitions of immigrants as reported in statistics compiled by the UN (United Nations) can vary.
Graphic 1: foreign expatriates living in the UK and UK
expatriates living abroad, segmented by purpose, 2013
Individual workers
Corporate transferees
Retired
Students
Other
Million
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
Foreign expatriates living in the UK
Source: Finaccord ExpatriateBASE
UK expatriates living abroad