I’ve noticed that British and American migrants usually refer to themselves as expats while most other nationalites that I’ve spoken to refer to themselves and/or their fellow citizens as migrants when living and working in another country. It kind of bugs me; it’s as if there’s an unspoken assumption that an expat is better than a regular migrant who may have uprooted themselves from their native land due to economic necessity.

Disclaimer: I’m Irish and spent a couple of years as a migrant worker in other European countries during the mid-90s – mostly to get a better cultural understanding of what life is like for our fellow European citizens.

Expat and immigrants are usually completely different categories. Technically both are 'migrants' but it wouldn't be the best term.

If you work for a bank in Ireland and they ship you off to Germany (or wherever) for a 2-year stint, you're an ex-pat.

If you marry a woman from Germany, move there, and start your citizenship process and plan to live there, 'immigrant' is a good term.

In between, it's gray.

Thanks for the clarification on the usage of those terms. I grew up in the 80s where emigration and the plight of Irish emigrants were hot topics. Thankfully, the economic situation had improved by the time I reached adulthood so migration was a choice but it was still many years later before I came across the term, “expat”.

There's Irish people in the south of Europe who consider themselves expats and that they're part of the Irish expat community too.

My own interpretation is based on the underlying intent of someone moving countries. If you're not intent on pursuing citizenship and are there mainly for business or retirement, you're probably going to call yourself an expat. If you're intent on moving, building a life and becoming a citizen then you're an immigrant.

I've found I really don't get on very well with "expat" Brits¹, but "immigrant" ones are fine.

Partly, it's that the "expat" ones tend to be working in a bank for a year or two, and just talk about money, but I also think you're exactly right about the unspoken assumption. When I meet "expat" British people I feel like I'm one step away from a comment like, "oh, you actually like the pickled fish? I haven't dared to try it myself" or, "no, we don't really like the beaches -- too much nude sunbathing".

And this is in Denmark. Further away, this presumably translates to living in a compound, sending the children to a British private school and a social life revolving around the English Pub.

French and German friends have grumbled about emigrants like this from their countries, but I'm unlikely to meet them. Last year I was given a menu in "Nordic" in a restaurant in Greece, based on the brand of backpack I was carrying -- it turned out there was a Danish/Swedish/Norwegian "enclave" nearby.

¹ And Canadian, American, Australian, and to a smaller extent New Zealand or Irish -- they exist, but there are more British people here than all the others combined.

If you move somewhere with an intention of making a new life there in the place, then you're an immigrant. If you are temporarily relocated, usually for work you're an expat. If you follow a seasonal circuit for work, you're a migrant. If you wander without following a circuit, you're a nomad.

People who permanently relocate to a country for retirement or work regularly label themselves as 'ex-pats' if they are westerners.

I always took this to mean they identify more strongly with their home country, and don't want to be mistaken as someone who is willing to fully acclimatise to the local ways. They're keeping a way out just in case.

I don't know if there's a racial component but thinking about it more, people I've heard described as ex-pats are basically always white in a non-white country. I've never heard anyone use it to refer to Asian non-citizens working here in Australia for example, even if they technically meet the criteria.

I've heard Indian and non-white British people use the term, and I've heard these people use it here in Denmark.

I think the Indians use it through knowledge of British usage, and some British people use it in a slightly snobbish way wherever they are. "Oh, we're expats. We'll go back to England before Rupert starts school."