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A MUST READ for new Expats

About 200 million people, or 3 per cent of the world’s population, already live outside their home countries and relocation continues to rise, particularly this year as recession forces job-seekers to move to markets they might not have considered before.

“In the last few months there has been an upturn in moves to countries off the beaten track, such as Libya, Syria, Yemen, Mongolia and isolated areas in China and South America,” says Richard Tyrrell of global relocation company Going-there.

In crisis-hit Iceland, polls show that one-third of the population is considering emigration. And in London and New York, bankers are joking about a new ultimatum: “Dubai, Mumbai, Shanghai or goodbye.”

So, for all those who have recently relocated or expect to soon, here are some tips on how to do it. Some come from expats themselves and some from the professionals who get paid to help them settle.