Suzhou survey identifies expatriate profiles across the city

The major Chinese city of Suzhou is now increasingly popular with expats looking for positions in its multinationals and universities.

By 2012, a quarter of a million expatriates were living and working in China’s mega-cities, with the last several years’ massive increase in foreign interest possibly doubling that number. Early immigrants were mostly from Japan, South Korea and the USA, but nowadays UK and European nationals are joining the throng. Foreign communities now exist in all China’s huge cities, but little is known about individuals’ lives, motivations or profiles.

A recent survey carried out in Suzhou attempted to discover the profiles of foreign nationals in the economically vibrant city, now a hub for multinational corporations, international standard universities and foreign direct investment. The survey revealed three expat groups, with the first and most important considered to be those working with multinationals as they’re the most likely to have their families join them for a long-term stay. This group receives the highest salaries, even by international standards, and other benefits such as allowances for housing, education allowances and travel allowances all give motivations for a permanent stay.

Expatriate teaching staff at Suzhou’s many universities comprise the second group, mostly composed of PhD graduates from top Western universities and employed to teach the English language to Chinese students wishing to study abroad. Many are working for Xian-Jiaotong-Liverpool University, with their students often opting to continue their post-grad education at the UK’s Liverpool University as part of a drive to attract international students. Exchange programmes are popular and include French and other European universities.

Thirdly, expat traders and self-employed retailers are now active in the city, mainly providing stores and services for the growing expat community as well as the indigenous population. Korean expats are the most diverse as regards services offered, with real estate agencies, medical service groups, law firms, logistics companies, restaurants and car rental firms all doing well. One street is entirely given over to Japanese stores, restaurants and service providers, and shops selling European foodstuffs are scattered across the city. In the same manner as, traditionally, expat Chinese populations established Chinatowns outside the home country, it seems expatriates are now doing the same in Suzhou and other Chinese cities.