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Can we at HN at-least refer to the author as immigrant as opposed to expats? what's an expat anyways ? why does the western world to get to make these tiers whe

Can we at HN at-least refer to the author as immigrant as opposed to expats? what's an expat anyways ? why does the western world to get to make these tiers where they are expats but arabs, asians, africans etc are all immigrants ?

jacooper 4y ago
I think he is an expat, because he is writing from the perspective of the west. Also an expat left because he/she wanted to, not forced to.
- toyg 4y ago
  A lot of economic migrants from the global South are not technically forced to leave: you can live a life of subsistence almost everywhere nowadays. They just think they'll have a better future elsewhere, exactly like expats.
VerminOctopus1 4y ago
I don’t think you can expect the HN crown to be anything but western chauvinists. It’s who we are.
panza 4y ago
An expat is not an immigrant. It would be incorrect to call the author - who is an expat - an immigrant.
- vgchh 4y ago
  Resident Alien - I think that’s how USCIS calls people who do intend to stay but not immigrate
  - dragonwriter 4y ago
    > Resident Alien - I think that’s how USCIS calls people who do intend to stay but not immigrate Resident alien is a general term (not specific to the US) for someone who permanently resides in a country without citizenship; it is also an IRS tax term for someone who is either a permanent resident alien or who meets the “substantial presence test” so that they are treated as residents for tax purposes. A permanent resident alien is another term for someone with a green card, which is for people who intend to (often, already have) immigrated before they qualify for naturalization.
- Tarq0n 4y ago
  You're just stating a tautology, not providing an argument.
givemeethekeys 4y ago
An immigrant hopes to settle down in the host country, have / grow a family there, own property and even become a citizen. Of course, if the host nation does not have a citizenship program for foreigners, then everyone who isn't a citizen is an expat. An expat hopes, even plans to move back to where they came from. They're in their host nation for work reasons only because, at least according to the expat, where they're from is a "better" place than their host country.
- paxys 4y ago
  The author has lived there for 20 years, married there, has kids who go to local schools, yet calls himself an expat, and everyone here seems to accept that as an obvious truth. Meanwhile a million+ people coming to the USA on temporary work visas fully intending to go back to their home country (or illegally with no path to citizenship) are obviously immigrants. At some point people have to come to terms that this isn't about some technical definition of "immigrant" vs "expat" but a deeper prejudice.
  - givemeethekeys 4y ago
    China does not have a citizenship program. If you are not born Chinese, you will never be Chinese. Everyone who moves to China is an expat. What you call yourself, "immigrant" or "expat" is up to you. For example, plenty of Indians call themselves expats in the US. Other Indians call themselves immigrants. Personally, I'm a fan of the word "alien". God Bless America! :D
    - paxys 4y ago
      Millions of people live in the USA right now with no path to citizenship yet have never been called expats.
      - mc32 4y ago
        There is a distinction between people who follow immigration protocol and those who don't. I China, even following approved, official protocol, it becomes very difficult. The US on the other hand routinely grants American citizenship to foreigners. China makes it very difficult for foreigners immigrating legally and following protocol to become Chinese citizens.
adastra22 4y ago
> what's an expat anyways A white immigrant.
- samus 4y ago
  That probably depends on your definition of "white". Polish and other people from Eastern Europe are often viewed as immigrants.
  - adastra22 4y ago
    Yes, and these people are often considered non-white by racists. My point wasn’t about skin color though.
- JCharante 4y ago
  Funny you say that because I know many expats of color. If you actually pay attention you’ll see people from all over the world.
  - adastra22 4y ago
    I was being snide. But there’s a kernel of truth here: the term expat and immigrant describe the same people. But there is a racist and/or culturally chauvinistic implication in how they are used. Mexican person coming to the US? Immigrant. American moving to Vietnam? Expat.
specproc 4y ago
I live outside my home country, and have done for 15 years. I personally dislike "expat", as for me it conjures up an image of a particular sort of person. People can describe themselves however they like though.
shp0ngle 4y ago
Expats are from rich country to poor country, immigrants are from poor country to rich country.

jacooper 4y ago

I think he is an expat, because he is writing from the perspective of the west. Also an expat left because he/she wanted to, not forced to.

toyg 4y ago
A lot of economic migrants from the global South are not technically forced to leave: you can live a life of subsistence almost everywhere nowadays. They just think they'll have a better future elsewhere, exactly like expats.

VerminOctopus1 4y ago

I don’t think you can expect the HN crown to be anything but western chauvinists. It’s who we are.

panza 4y ago

An expat is not an immigrant. It would be incorrect to call the author - who is an expat - an immigrant.

vgchh 4y ago
Resident Alien - I think that’s how USCIS calls people who do intend to stay but not immigrate
- dragonwriter 4y ago
  > Resident Alien - I think that’s how USCIS calls people who do intend to stay but not immigrate Resident alien is a general term (not specific to the US) for someone who permanently resides in a country without citizenship; it is also an IRS tax term for someone who is either a permanent resident alien or who meets the “substantial presence test” so that they are treated as residents for tax purposes. A permanent resident alien is another term for someone with a green card, which is for people who intend to (often, already have) immigrated before they qualify for naturalization.
Tarq0n 4y ago
You're just stating a tautology, not providing an argument.

givemeethekeys 4y ago

An immigrant hopes to settle down in the host country, have / grow a family there, own property and even become a citizen. Of course, if the host nation does not have a citizenship program for foreigners, then everyone who isn't a citizen is an expat. An expat hopes, even plans to move back to where they came from. They're in their host nation for work reasons only because, at least according to the expat, where they're from is a "better" place than their host country.

paxys 4y ago
The author has lived there for 20 years, married there, has kids who go to local schools, yet calls himself an expat, and everyone here seems to accept that as an obvious truth. Meanwhile a million+ people coming to the USA on temporary work visas fully intending to go back to their home country (or illegally with no path to citizenship) are obviously immigrants. At some point people have to come to terms that this isn't about some technical definition of "immigrant" vs "expat" but a deeper prejudice.
- givemeethekeys 4y ago
  China does not have a citizenship program. If you are not born Chinese, you will never be Chinese. Everyone who moves to China is an expat. What you call yourself, "immigrant" or "expat" is up to you. For example, plenty of Indians call themselves expats in the US. Other Indians call themselves immigrants. Personally, I'm a fan of the word "alien". God Bless America! :D
  - paxys 4y ago
    Millions of people live in the USA right now with no path to citizenship yet have never been called expats.
    - mc32 4y ago
      There is a distinction between people who follow immigration protocol and those who don't. I China, even following approved, official protocol, it becomes very difficult. The US on the other hand routinely grants American citizenship to foreigners. China makes it very difficult for foreigners immigrating legally and following protocol to become Chinese citizens.

adastra22 4y ago

> what's an expat anyways A white immigrant.

samus 4y ago
That probably depends on your definition of "white". Polish and other people from Eastern Europe are often viewed as immigrants.
- adastra22 4y ago
  Yes, and these people are often considered non-white by racists. My point wasn’t about skin color though.
JCharante 4y ago
Funny you say that because I know many expats of color. If you actually pay attention you’ll see people from all over the world.
- adastra22 4y ago
  I was being snide. But there’s a kernel of truth here: the term expat and immigrant describe the same people. But there is a racist and/or culturally chauvinistic implication in how they are used. Mexican person coming to the US? Immigrant. American moving to Vietnam? Expat.

specproc 4y ago

I live outside my home country, and have done for 15 years. I personally dislike "expat", as for me it conjures up an image of a particular sort of person. People can describe themselves however they like though.

shp0ngle 4y ago

Expats are from rich country to poor country, immigrants are from poor country to rich country.