Difference between an expat and a immigrant (or permanet resident) in Poland

It is quite simple, though the two terms are often used interchangeably, and thus are easily confused. An expatriate, by definition is a highly-skilled professional who moves to another country for work purposes. Often with their family. So they do register (or at least should) in this country, and in this sense they are immigrants to this foreign country. Mostly this stay is limited to the duration of the contract (r.g. 2-3 years). Expat and immigrant is rather looking at different angle at the same thing. And, of course not all immigrants are expatriates.

It is always better to be an immigrant than an expat.

southern


why is that?
I always thought of an expat as someone that's looking for tax heaven for their money. Immigrant as someone that needs to move in order to feed the family.

There’s no difference, you’re still a foreigner, an outsider to the locals no matter what country you’re in.

I reckon I'm an immigrant by definition but an ex-pat emotionally. Very hard to let go of emotional ties to the oul' sod.
I lived for a while in Canada (intending to settle there for ever) and as soon as I got through official-dom in the airport I was officially a "landed immigrant". Noone seemed to care if I'd got into the country because I'd proved my worth or because I was a refugee -- the focus was on the future : what you could help to build (together with so many other immigrants over the years) in one's new country. I'm happy to contribute to the building of Poland's future.

Expat (short for expatriate) is someone that goes to another country specifically to work, with no intention to stay there permanently. That is what I am today.

Immigrant is someone that moves to another country with the intention to settle there for good. That is what I am going to be very soon.

An expatriate is anyone who leaves their home country to live in another country regardless of work.

It sounds like expatriate is one wandering and lost tourist, but expert in his field nonetheless :)

Anyway, i still fail to grasp the difference that makes that difference important.

Still feels like a language mean to discriminate, or to give privileges avoiding the stigma of being called an immigrant.

English is my third language, so I am apologizing for not understanding this discussion perhaps at all.

There is no difference save that immigrants plan on becoming a permanent residents of the country they've moved to. Expatriates needn't aspire to permanent residency. The thread above shows that the terms are invested with other connotations by snobby people.

Which of the concepts is more general originally in language without abuse of terms? Expatriate should be the one if I understood at least something?

Both of the terms are from Latin. "Expatriate" is, or was, synonymous with the word "exile", but I suspect it is a word people from the English speaking world now prefer because it has become associated with the so called "lost generation" of cool artists that lived in and around Paris between the two world wars.