During an expatriate couple's stay abroad, it is common for the spouse to find themselves in a situation of financial dependence, which can cause concern and destabilize their usual balance.
We met Marta, an expatriate's spouse who has had to face up to this reality.
Adapting to a new environment
Marta followed her partner to a foreign country, leaving her career and landmarks behind. At first, she felt helpless and financially dependent on her partner. She was faced with the inability to open a bank account for the duration of the expatriation, and with the difficulty of finding a job that matched her qualifications, she had to rely financially on her spouse and become dependent on him. However, instead of wallowing in this situation, Marta decided to see it as an opportunity to reinvent herself.
Exploring local opportunities
Marta began to explore the career opportunities available to her in her new host country. She stressed the importance of support and networking in her journey towards financial independence. She joined support groups for expat spouses, where she could meet others with similar concerns and exchange advice. She sought out local training, workshops and online courses to learn new skills and familiarise herself with the local job market.
Developing transferable skills
By discovering her passions and identifying her transferable skills, Marta began to build a new career. She used her communication and organisational skills to find jobs in local companies, even if they were different from what she had done in the past. She was adaptable and flexible, and these connections enabled her to find interesting professional opportunities, get recommendations and develop her network.
A balance between professional and personal life
Marta also took care to find a balance between her professional and personal life. She devoted time to activities that she enjoyed, such as volunteering, taking up a sport or discovering the local culture. This has helped her feel fulfilled and kept her motivated in her quest for financial independence.
Measures to empower expatriate spouses economically
Through Marta's story, we were able to identify a number of measures that could help break the cycle of financial dependence for expatriate spouses. These measures include facilitating access to the local labour market, setting up appropriate training and retraining programmes, supporting entrepreneurship and making employers more aware of the skills and talents of expatriate spouses.
Marta's story shows that it is possible to break the cycle of financial dependency as an expatriate spouse. By exploring local opportunities, developing transferable skills and finding a balance between professional and personal life, Marta has managed to find her way to financial independence.
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