UKC

British expat living in Catalonia, Tom Bolger, has climbed his first 9a+ with an ascent of Chris Sharma's Gancho Perfecto at Margalef's Finestra sector. 

Well done Tom, excellent work. Looks like superb climbing on an amazing wall. 

UKC, how come you're referring to Tom as an expat? Are all the connotations around that word not enough to just not use it anymore, and refer to everyone as migrant workers or whatever? I appreciate the dictionary definition if the word, but it's clear the reality is that it's preserved for white northern Europeans working abroad. 

"Migrant worker Tom Bolger", 

Or "Tom Bolger". 

..........coming over here, taking our jobs, stealing our projects...........

Migrant Worker isn't the correct term though. Migrant worker implies that the primary reason for the move was to look for work, however it states that he moved to Catalonia in order to climb. Therefore, if you must stick a suffix on, 'Migrant Climber' would convey the message you are trying to convey better than 'Migrant Worker' which is misleading for the sake of political correctness. Or, if we take Expat to mean 'someone who has moved abroad for a jolly', that works pretty well

"Expat" FFS

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The problem with the term 'migrant worker' is that it is often presumptuous in that sense though. The Polish builder who did my floor will sooner be called a migrant worker than my Australian electrician for example because of where they're from. In the same way Brits abroad always seem to be labelled expats no matter what their business abroad is. 

Even in your example the term 'Migrant Worker' when applied correctly is more likely to apply to the Polish builder. He/she likely has picked the UK to move to because pay for builders here is much better here than in Poland, or at least it was when they moved. I can't imagine, although I don't actually know, that pay or demand for electricians is much higher here than in Australia. Therefore, something other than work has presumably prompted the Australian's move which I would argue means that they aren't really a Migrant Worker, just a migrant, or even Expat if they intend to return home in a few years.

The problem with that is that expat is not used to mean that. It's generally used to mean wealthy privileged white Europeans who move abroad for whatever reason (which generally includes some kind of work) . When others move abroad for whatever reason (which generally includes some kind of paid work), they are immigrants or migrant workers.

Expat is a grim relic from grim times. 

Well you think so.

Doesn't mean anything like that to me

Is there a reason why people don't just say 'immigrant? 

I moved to Germany and consider myself an immigrant. Expat rings of cider drinking, Brexit voting retirees on the Spanish coastline.

Are you by any chance a white European? 

I'm an emigre, or migrant, now living in France. I'm comfortable with both of those terms.

I also work from time to time in countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, mostly places where the standard of living among locals is typically far lower than that among immigrants from Europe or other western developed countries. Such immigrants are often called expats. They typically have a radically different quality of life from the vast majority of other immigrants to their country of residence, and unfortunately far too often they seem to have embarrassing attitudes not in keeping with being guests in another country.

An expat is surely just a Brit who has settled abroad? Can't see anything wrong with that. A migrant worker would usually tend to imply that they're just over for a while before coming back with dosh.

By anyone's definition you're accurately described as an expat.

Nah, it's nice to give a bit of context in an article for benefit of readers. I like to know a bit about who someone is; more interesting than just a name. 

Immigrant is generally taken to be someone trying to integrate into that society and economy probably with a route to citizenship. In my opinion there are many people living abroad for whom this is a misleading term and expat is much better fit. Some key examples would be; a diplomat, a posted worker for a UK company, an aid worker, a retiree drawing off a UK pension and returning to the UK for healthcare or paying for it privately rather than being part of the national system of their host country, a climbing/ski bum who doesn’t intend on staying beyond the end of the season, or someone working remotely for a UK company but who has chosen to do this abroad. You could argue that anyone on a fixed term work visa with no route to citizenship is better described as an expat than an immigrant but this is a more grey area, for many of them migrant worker would be the best fit. You presumably have a German employer and if you stay with in Germany could presumably become a German citizen in the long run, therefore immigrant would be an accurate term for you. 

Yeah sounds about right. I've had a job since arriving with a German company and will happily take a passport when I've been here long enough (something like 8 years).

They've indicated dual citizenship would be on the table for UK citizens who moved over pre-brexit so I'm hoping for this. 

Perhaps 'Work tourist' is an applicable term for the others you mentioned. 

Well he works in the North Sea offshore so is neither

Expat is for special people who don't like to be called migrants i.m.e.

Quite agree, the "expat" community around me are those who use English pubs, buy the Mail/ Telegraph whatever, follow the cricket and socialise with other Brits. I'm just a Brit that moved and lives as a German.

In true UKC style this thread has descended into bollocks so.....

Well done to Tom Bolger

Seems to be the other way round if this thread is anything to go by!