Especially if you are a secondee. Think twice. So much downside. I am regretting it constantly.
25 replies (most recent on top)
This complete nonsense, the company stopped paying for private schools in the US years ago. Every expat in Houston has their kids in Public school unless they are willing to pay for it themselves which is basically impossible unless you are one of those execs on a US payroll with the ridiculous salaries
Cooper school cost is $30,000 to $35,000 per student
https://www.johncooper.org/admission/tuition-and-financial-aid
Why does the company pay to send expat kids in Houston to Cooper? The woodlands schools are fine.
@499+1jmz8fpgp who said something about a hardship location? European expat in the US gets the same net pay as a local in the US and you think this is unfair?
Cost of living is at least twice as high as in Europe and that is not even counting additional spend like an annual home travel
@3zz+1jmz8fpgp sounds like European expats to the US should all be sent to Europe. How in the world is Houston a hardship location worth doubling your salary over? None of even the worst shithole locations on the expat circuit currently come close to offering that for US employees.
toxic cut throat politics are alive and well in upstream BUs overseas - and can be worse than HQ
Only current benefit to going Expat is escaping the toxic cut throat politics and PIP Roulette of Spring Campus.
Expat from Western Europe here in Houston. Bit stunned by the responses; as far as I know, EM pays your net home salary plus allowances. Because of the much higher taxes in my home country, this means i get more or less double my net home pay, which is about the same as a US colleague gets paid because of US salaries being higher and taxes lower.
That would mean a US employee in Europe would have about 3 times more to spend as a local employee. MInd you that the cost of living in Europe is much lower than the US
Expat glory days long gone. Many great memories and still reaping the rewards. Svcks after pandemic. Don't do it if they ask.
Anyone who's actually gone expat knows that it's about 3-4 months after you accept the assignment thst you find out what your actual paychecks are going to be. It's a black box for pay and benefits and your benefits can change mid assignment without warning.
Op, was any of this hidden from you before accepting the position? Guess the answer is no, therefore quit complaining, you accepted the position, grow a pair and get over the fact you can’t handle the location
@fd+1jmz8fpgp Things aren’t that different now, we just rent a room at LaQuinta
Honestly it depends on your personal situation. There are definitely cons to expat life but you have to see if your personal situations fits expating. A single person who was renting an apartment would probably not have as many problems as a person with a family and house. The same can be said with a family who is willing to expat vs married uncompanied. I know a person in Guyana racking up 40% with zero issues. I also see bouijee individuals moving to third world countries with unrealistic expectations. My apologies your living situation in Mozambique isn't the same as the Woodlands or the Heights. However, you will have the opportunity to see all your work friends just like you do in the Heights.
Has the expats benefits worsen since 35 years ago? Absolutely. Will your PDS suffer? Probably. However, are you truly expating to get ahead in PDS? Nah... You're expating for either the money, gain experience living internationally or to get away from campus.
To be fair, if you do own a home really consider your situation before expating. EM will not help you as much as you think, anymore.
Expat assignment set my daily back ~$100k with all the out of pocket expenses, loss on spousal income, loss in home country investment opportunity, loss in home equity, etc. now I’m back home but still stuck doing expat taxes with Deloitte for the next 7 years. Hard on my marriage, hard on my kids, definitely was not with it.
35 years ago I could bang my secretary on my office desk and drink whisk-y on the clock. Everything was first class back then. What's wrong with you?
@ex+1 Most tone deaf response ever. The point of the post is that the opportunities and expat pay are not what they used to be, and you reply with how great it was for you for 35 years. Yes, we are all here to celebrate you. You had an amazing run. Thank you hero.
Literally spent 15 plus years trying to get into upstream expat gigs only for my new manager to move the goal post every 2 years when I got a new one.
35 years ago ExxonMobil work expectations aren't the same as current ExxonMobil expectations.
Best for me was 28/28 (EM, Upstream, Engineer). Did that for 35 year across 32 countries world- wide before retirement. On days off I worked a second non-petroleum job which I transitioned into full time after EM retirement. Thanks EM…Great pay, great projects, great time off, nice retirement. What’s not to like.
Personally, I could see that an expat assignment was meant for those that have no life beyond EM., i,e, endless hours Also, it’s way too disruptive to the family and the pay is generally poor.. 28/28 is the way to go. Good luck.
All benefits are reduced, everywhere across the company. Expats is an easy target
They will only improve for expats when they can’t staff locations
Every year Expat benefits reduced. It is so bad that the Expat Benefits Policy has been renamed to the Expat Burdens Policy.
No selling house, no selling cars, reduced uplifts, school assistance reduced, etc etc.
Only reason to go expat now is simply to escape Campus politics.
such a helpful post with 0 context
“ rudimentary international business “
Nice one.
It continues to surprise me how many expats are not at all prepared to be doing business representing ExxonMobil outside of Canada or the US and are completely unaware of rudimentary international business and economic fundamentals.
Definitely a ticket to a low ranking and coming out of your own pocket for expenses.
Tmo got rid of any incentive to do expat work.