The expat other half

British heavyweight paper the Sunday Times recently ran an interesting article looking at relationships where one partner’s overseas posting with positive career prospects may dampen the career aspirations of the other. According to an international HR consultancy, more overseas postings are being turned down because of a spouse’s career, with more women getting offered postings but unable to persuade their male partners into an overseas move, and as a result turning down the offer.

As the world becomes an ever smaller place, it is also pointed out that “expat packages are not as generous as they used to be”. With there being more options and more flexibility now than there used to be, people are given more opportunity to seriously consider all likely implications of an overseas move, including implications for quality of life. As an expat, have your had to factor a partner into your plans when initially taking the step overseas, or since then? Have you been led overseas in such a way? Have you ever had experience from both sides of the relationship? Let us know your experiences here