New laws forcing expat workers and their employers to contribute into China’s social welfare scheme are causing confusion among those expected to pay.
On October 15, legislation came into effect making it compulsory for foreign workers and the companies that employ them to pay a portion of their salary to the Chinese government.
But the hundreds of thousands of individuals affected by the tax-grab still don’t know when payments are due to be made and how the new scheme will be implemented. Typically, when a new Chinese law becomes effective implementation rules are issued shortly afterwards explaining how the new law will work.
However, these rules are not likely to be issued until the end of November and employers are in the dark as to what they will be liable for. The level of contributions is expected to average 11 per cent for employees and 37 per cent for employers. The money will go towards benefits such as pension provision, medical insurance and unemployment benefit.
There are further complications, as the payments aren’t calculated on a unified national basis but vary from region to region. For example, Beijing-based employers will pay 33 per cent while Shanghai-based ones will pay 37 per cent.
There are also local differences on which authorities are removing a salary cap on how much employers will have to contribute for high-earning staff.
Confusion also arises from conflicting reports as to when the payments will be backdated to and how long employers have to make these first contributions. It has been suggested by a quasi-government agency in Beijing (FESCO) that payments will be backdated to July and should be collected by the end of the year.
When you are working or living abroad, or have plans of relocating into another country, it is very important that you protect you and your family’s health and their wellness.
Expatriates make sure you are covered for International Medical Insurance, April Medibroker assists & advises clients living or working abroad to both choose & place the right international Health and Medical insurance products, to suit their needs & budget.
April Medibroker is here to help you - from the initial advice on what expatriate health insurance policy to buy, through to any assistance that you may need in the future. Our staff are only a phone call or email away. Whether you need changes to cover or payment, need help with a claim or have questions about your international medical insurance policy we will gladly help.
Monday, 24 October 2011
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Number of expatriates on the increase
More people head to China seeking out job opportunities as Western economies suffer hardship. An increasing number of foreigners are being attracted by China's prosperous economy and have come to work in the country.
Figures released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security showed that 231,700 foreigners were employed in China at the end of 2010, compared with 223,000 in 2009.
Foreigners are finding jobs in China on the back of its strong economy, which is performing vastly better than that of the United States or Europe, suggests a spokesperson for a leading Consulting firm in China.
"This year, China's average gross domestic product increase is about 8 to 10 percent. This has created more opportunities, especially within the financial services, pharmaceutics as well as the retail industry,".
"The country provides an abundance of bigger career platforms and opportunities. We have witnessed both international investment companies and local Chinese companies focusing on expansion plans within the past decade. Besides the strong need for international talent to grow their businesses in China, they also require top-tier candidates for their businesses in international markets."
The talent consultant added there was a rising trend for local Chinese companies capable and willing to offer international compensation packages and benefits that are targeted for expatriates working in China.
The spokesperson went on to point out that managing skilled people from other cultures posed a special challenge to companies because it is essential to be fair and culturally sensitive to both nationals and expatriates, especially given that talent management is the top priority for most chief executive officers today.
When you are working or living abroad, or have plans of relocating into another country, it is very important that you protect you and your family’s health and their wellness.
Expatriates make sure you are covered for International Medical Insurance, April Medibroker assists & advises clients living or working abroad to both choose & place the right international Health and Medical insurance products, to suit their needs & budget.
April Medibroker is here to help you - from the initial advice on what expatriate health insurance policy to buy, through to any assistance that you may need in the future. Our staff are only a phone call or email away. Whether you need changes to cover or payment, need help with a claim or have questions about your international medical insurance policy we will gladly help.
Figures released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security showed that 231,700 foreigners were employed in China at the end of 2010, compared with 223,000 in 2009.
Foreigners are finding jobs in China on the back of its strong economy, which is performing vastly better than that of the United States or Europe, suggests a spokesperson for a leading Consulting firm in China.
"This year, China's average gross domestic product increase is about 8 to 10 percent. This has created more opportunities, especially within the financial services, pharmaceutics as well as the retail industry,".
"The country provides an abundance of bigger career platforms and opportunities. We have witnessed both international investment companies and local Chinese companies focusing on expansion plans within the past decade. Besides the strong need for international talent to grow their businesses in China, they also require top-tier candidates for their businesses in international markets."
The talent consultant added there was a rising trend for local Chinese companies capable and willing to offer international compensation packages and benefits that are targeted for expatriates working in China.
The spokesperson went on to point out that managing skilled people from other cultures posed a special challenge to companies because it is essential to be fair and culturally sensitive to both nationals and expatriates, especially given that talent management is the top priority for most chief executive officers today.
When you are working or living abroad, or have plans of relocating into another country, it is very important that you protect you and your family’s health and their wellness.
Expatriates make sure you are covered for International Medical Insurance, April Medibroker assists & advises clients living or working abroad to both choose & place the right international Health and Medical insurance products, to suit their needs & budget.
April Medibroker is here to help you - from the initial advice on what expatriate health insurance policy to buy, through to any assistance that you may need in the future. Our staff are only a phone call or email away. Whether you need changes to cover or payment, need help with a claim or have questions about your international medical insurance policy we will gladly help.
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Thailand named as top expat destination
Thailand is the top destination for people looking to relocate overseas.
This is according to the preliminary results of the 2011 HSBC Expat Explorer survey, which questioned 3,385 expats from over 100 countries to find their thoughts.
The south-east Asian nation was ranked highly for its economic and lifestyle factors, which may make it an attractive option for individuals seeking a global health insurance policy, while Egypt and Saudi Arabia came second and third respectively.
A total of 31 countries around the world were included in the survey, ranging from developed nations such as the US and UK to emerging economies including Brazil and India.
It revealed that, despite global economic uncertainty in 2010, optimism remains high among expatriates, with many satisfied with the performance of their chosen destination.
There was also a rise in the number of people reporting an improvement in their financial situation since moving overseas, with 63 per cent saying they now have more disposable income since relocating, compared with 56 per cent last year.
Meanwhile, the number of people planning to remain in their current location dropped, with 64 per cent not intending to relocate to another country, compared with 87 per cent in 2010.
A spokesperson at HSBC Bank International said the final results of the survey will make for interesting reading, as it should reveal how expatriates have been affected by the major global events that have taken place over the last 21 months, from economic difficulties to political and social unrest.
"Our findings this year show Thailand as the top expat destination, being ranked as number one by our expats for ease of organising healthcare, finding accommodation and the work environment,".
"In last year's survey, it ranked highly as an option for retirees, so it is good to see it improving its economic appeal," they added.
When you are working or living abroad, or have plans of relocating into another country, it is very important that you protect you and your family’s health and their wellness.
Expatriates make sure you are covered for International Medical Insurance, April Medibroker assists & advises clients living or working abroad to both choose & place the right international Health and Medical insurance products, to suit their needs & budget.
April Medibroker is here to help you - from the initial advice on what expatriate health insurance policy to buy, through to any assistance that you may need in the future. Our staff are only a phone call or email away. Whether you need changes to cover or payment, need help with a claim or have questions about your international medical insurance policy we will gladly help.
This is according to the preliminary results of the 2011 HSBC Expat Explorer survey, which questioned 3,385 expats from over 100 countries to find their thoughts.
The south-east Asian nation was ranked highly for its economic and lifestyle factors, which may make it an attractive option for individuals seeking a global health insurance policy, while Egypt and Saudi Arabia came second and third respectively.
A total of 31 countries around the world were included in the survey, ranging from developed nations such as the US and UK to emerging economies including Brazil and India.
It revealed that, despite global economic uncertainty in 2010, optimism remains high among expatriates, with many satisfied with the performance of their chosen destination.
There was also a rise in the number of people reporting an improvement in their financial situation since moving overseas, with 63 per cent saying they now have more disposable income since relocating, compared with 56 per cent last year.
Meanwhile, the number of people planning to remain in their current location dropped, with 64 per cent not intending to relocate to another country, compared with 87 per cent in 2010.
A spokesperson at HSBC Bank International said the final results of the survey will make for interesting reading, as it should reveal how expatriates have been affected by the major global events that have taken place over the last 21 months, from economic difficulties to political and social unrest.
"Our findings this year show Thailand as the top expat destination, being ranked as number one by our expats for ease of organising healthcare, finding accommodation and the work environment,".
"In last year's survey, it ranked highly as an option for retirees, so it is good to see it improving its economic appeal," they added.
When you are working or living abroad, or have plans of relocating into another country, it is very important that you protect you and your family’s health and their wellness.
Expatriates make sure you are covered for International Medical Insurance, April Medibroker assists & advises clients living or working abroad to both choose & place the right international Health and Medical insurance products, to suit their needs & budget.
April Medibroker is here to help you - from the initial advice on what expatriate health insurance policy to buy, through to any assistance that you may need in the future. Our staff are only a phone call or email away. Whether you need changes to cover or payment, need help with a claim or have questions about your international medical insurance policy we will gladly help.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Malaria vaccine trial raises hope
Expatriates in malaria hotspots will be interested to read that researchers are to expand a clinical trial of a new malaria vaccine after promising results in a preliminary study in Burkina Faso.
The trial was designed to test safety, but researchers found that vaccinated children had high levels of protection. Described as a "most encouraging" result, a larger study involving 800 children is now to take place in Mali.
Described as a "most encouraging" result, a larger study involving 800 children is now to take place in Mali. The scientists involved say they are hopeful that the vaccine will ultimately be very cheap to produce.
Around a hundred different malaria vaccine candidates have been developed to date but the MSP3 vaccine tested in Burkina Faso is only the second one to show a substantial level of protection against the illness.
The randomised, double blind study involved 45 children. It set out to test the safety of the vaccine but this follow up study found that children who received it had an incidence of the disease three to four times lower than children who did not.
Initially the children were split into three groups, with two of them receiving the experimental malaria vaccine developed by Dr Pierre Druilhe at the Pasteur Institute in Paris.
"Those two groups had very similar types of immune response, elicited by the vaccine, and the protection is almost identical, so it reinforces the confidence despite the fact that we are still dealing with a small group," he said.
The vaccine is based on the fact that some adults in Africa acquire immunity because they are constantly exposed to the disease. Dr Druilhe and his team discovered a key protein, MSP3, which provokes the body into producing antibodies that kill the parasite. He said the protein is unique as it does not change much between different strains of the plasmodium parasite that causes malaria. This is believed to be a critical factor in developing an efficient vaccine.
He added: "We performed a large number of epidemiological studies that confirm that there was an association between that vaccine candidate and acquired protection, so when you immunise with this molecule you indeed induce protection."
Another scientist involved with the Burkina Faso study was Dr Louis Miller, the former head of the Malaria Vaccine Branch of the US National Institutes of Health. He said: "I was always in favour of this approach as it offered a chance in a field with few successes. I found the results of this preliminary study in Burkina Faso to be most encouraging."
When you are working or living abroad, or have plans of relocating into another country, it is very important that you protect you and your family’s health and their wellness.
Expatriates make sure you are covered for International Medical Insurance, April Medibroker assists & advises clients living or working abroad to both choose & place the right international Health and Medical insurance products, to suit their needs & budget.
April Medibroker is here to help you - from the initial advice on what expatriate health insurance policy to buy, through to any assistance that you may need in the future. Our staff are only a phone call or email away. Whether you need changes to cover or payment, need help with a claim or have questions about your international medical insurance policy we will gladly help.
The trial was designed to test safety, but researchers found that vaccinated children had high levels of protection. Described as a "most encouraging" result, a larger study involving 800 children is now to take place in Mali.
Described as a "most encouraging" result, a larger study involving 800 children is now to take place in Mali. The scientists involved say they are hopeful that the vaccine will ultimately be very cheap to produce.
Around a hundred different malaria vaccine candidates have been developed to date but the MSP3 vaccine tested in Burkina Faso is only the second one to show a substantial level of protection against the illness.
The randomised, double blind study involved 45 children. It set out to test the safety of the vaccine but this follow up study found that children who received it had an incidence of the disease three to four times lower than children who did not.
Initially the children were split into three groups, with two of them receiving the experimental malaria vaccine developed by Dr Pierre Druilhe at the Pasteur Institute in Paris.
"Those two groups had very similar types of immune response, elicited by the vaccine, and the protection is almost identical, so it reinforces the confidence despite the fact that we are still dealing with a small group," he said.
The vaccine is based on the fact that some adults in Africa acquire immunity because they are constantly exposed to the disease. Dr Druilhe and his team discovered a key protein, MSP3, which provokes the body into producing antibodies that kill the parasite. He said the protein is unique as it does not change much between different strains of the plasmodium parasite that causes malaria. This is believed to be a critical factor in developing an efficient vaccine.
He added: "We performed a large number of epidemiological studies that confirm that there was an association between that vaccine candidate and acquired protection, so when you immunise with this molecule you indeed induce protection."
Another scientist involved with the Burkina Faso study was Dr Louis Miller, the former head of the Malaria Vaccine Branch of the US National Institutes of Health. He said: "I was always in favour of this approach as it offered a chance in a field with few successes. I found the results of this preliminary study in Burkina Faso to be most encouraging."
When you are working or living abroad, or have plans of relocating into another country, it is very important that you protect you and your family’s health and their wellness.
Expatriates make sure you are covered for International Medical Insurance, April Medibroker assists & advises clients living or working abroad to both choose & place the right international Health and Medical insurance products, to suit their needs & budget.
April Medibroker is here to help you - from the initial advice on what expatriate health insurance policy to buy, through to any assistance that you may need in the future. Our staff are only a phone call or email away. Whether you need changes to cover or payment, need help with a claim or have questions about your international medical insurance policy we will gladly help.
Thursday, 22 September 2011
New medical tests for UAE expats
Thousands of expat workers are to be subjected to medical tests in their home countries before they are allowed to enter the UAE, it has been announced.
The new rules will apply to foreign workers from 10 countries, the UAE’s ministry of health said at a recent press conference. The ministry of Health in the U.A.E. (United Arab Emirates) is preparing to implement the new regulations in an effort to cut down the amount of communicable diseases brought into the country.
The U.A.E. is particularly vulnerable to this problem as almost 90% of it's residents are Expats, meaning the potential for diseases to be brought into the country is considerable.
Designed to stop newcomers from bringing dangerous diseases into the UAE, the scheme is expected to be rolled out from October 1, with Indonesia and Sri Lanka the first countries affected. Eight more countries – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nepal, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia – will be added later.
Expats will be screened mainly for contagious diseases, including tuberculosis, hepatitis B and HIV/Aids, at approved medical centres, with those who test positive refused entry. They will also be subjected to confirmatory re-tests once they are in the country.
Dr Sneh Khemka, medical director at Bupa International, said the changes seemed “sensible“. “The UAE has long been very stringent about disease control, as they have many workers coming in from other countries. These workers carry two risks: firstly, transmission, and secondly, a burden on the health system," he said.
He raised doubts however about the effectiveness of the system, as identifying latent cases of diseases such as TB "could be diagnostically challenging". He also said there was a risk that test results from the countries in question, "where there is often medical fraud...might not be 100 per cent reliable".
The changes are being implemented as part of the Gulf Co-operative Council's expatriate worker medical examination programme, which began in 1995.
When you are working or living abroad, or have plans of relocating into another country, it is very important that you protect you and your family’s health and their wellness.
Expatriates make sure you are covered for International Medical Insurance, April Medibroker assists & advises clients living or working abroad to both choose & place the right international Health and Medical insurance products, to suit their needs & budget.
April Medibroker is here to help you - from the initial advice on what expatriate health insurance policy to buy, through to any assistance that you may need in the future. Our staff are only a phone call or email away. Whether you need changes to cover or payment, need help with a claim or have questions about your international medical insurance policy we will gladly help.
The new rules will apply to foreign workers from 10 countries, the UAE’s ministry of health said at a recent press conference. The ministry of Health in the U.A.E. (United Arab Emirates) is preparing to implement the new regulations in an effort to cut down the amount of communicable diseases brought into the country.
The U.A.E. is particularly vulnerable to this problem as almost 90% of it's residents are Expats, meaning the potential for diseases to be brought into the country is considerable.
Designed to stop newcomers from bringing dangerous diseases into the UAE, the scheme is expected to be rolled out from October 1, with Indonesia and Sri Lanka the first countries affected. Eight more countries – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nepal, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia – will be added later.
Expats will be screened mainly for contagious diseases, including tuberculosis, hepatitis B and HIV/Aids, at approved medical centres, with those who test positive refused entry. They will also be subjected to confirmatory re-tests once they are in the country.
Dr Sneh Khemka, medical director at Bupa International, said the changes seemed “sensible“. “The UAE has long been very stringent about disease control, as they have many workers coming in from other countries. These workers carry two risks: firstly, transmission, and secondly, a burden on the health system," he said.
He raised doubts however about the effectiveness of the system, as identifying latent cases of diseases such as TB "could be diagnostically challenging". He also said there was a risk that test results from the countries in question, "where there is often medical fraud...might not be 100 per cent reliable".
The changes are being implemented as part of the Gulf Co-operative Council's expatriate worker medical examination programme, which began in 1995.
When you are working or living abroad, or have plans of relocating into another country, it is very important that you protect you and your family’s health and their wellness.
Expatriates make sure you are covered for International Medical Insurance, April Medibroker assists & advises clients living or working abroad to both choose & place the right international Health and Medical insurance products, to suit their needs & budget.
April Medibroker is here to help you - from the initial advice on what expatriate health insurance policy to buy, through to any assistance that you may need in the future. Our staff are only a phone call or email away. Whether you need changes to cover or payment, need help with a claim or have questions about your international medical insurance policy we will gladly help.
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Can you spare 15 Minutes for Daily Exercise?
You don't have to slog it out in a sweaty gym; here are some tips and advice for all ages and fitness levels, It's never too late to change your habits, and by establishing a healthy lifestyle now, you'll continue to reap the rewards in the future.
- Keeping Fit
There are many reasons why we can find it hard to start exercising - our everyday lives require less physical activity than in our grandparents' day, we rely on cars to get around and spend hours sitting in front of computers.
- The excuses
So, it's worth thinking about what you gain from regular exercise and making even a partial improvement to your fitness.
• Physical inactivity is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease - in other words, if you don't exercise you dramatically increase your risk of dying from a heart attack
• Conversely, exercise means a healthier heart because it reduces several cardiovascular risks, including high blood pressure
• Being physically active can bolster good mental health and help you to manage stress, anxiety and even depression
• Regular exercise as you age keeps you strong, mobile and less dependent on others
• Regular exercise can help you achieve and maintain an ideal weight, which can be important in managing many health conditions, or may just make you feel happier about your appearance
• All exercise helps strengthen bones and muscles to some degree, but weight-bearing exercise, such as running, is especially good in promoting bone density and protecting against osteoporosis, which affects men as well as women
• Different exercises help with all sorts of health niggles, such as digestion, poor posture and sleeplessness, and physical activity can be beneficial for a range of medical conditions, from diabetes to lower back pain
- Keep mobile
Statistics show activity levels decline steadily with age, and by their mid-50s few people take regular exercise.
Some of the health benefits you'll get are the same as younger people, but there are things that are of particular benefit as you get older:
• More energy - exercise makes you feel more energetic, while sitting around not doing much makes you feel sluggish and unable to do anything
• Improved sleep - your body and mind feel as though they've done something and are ready for rest at night
• Stable weight - regular exercise helps to keep you at a healthy weight
• Improved circulation and lower blood pressure
• Delayed ageing - keeping active strengthens your muscles, joints and bones as well as helping with mobility and balance, important as it helps to prevent falls, which are the leading cause of injury and death for the over-75s
APRIL Medibroker is an international medical, health and expat insurance broker offering a free quote and advice service across the Internet. Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country not shown on their passports (expatriates).
We are totally independent and offer impartial advice and guidance to ensure that you purchase the best plan for your needs. We offer more than twenty quality international medical insurance plans and we always looking for new plans to add to our portfolio so that we can always offer the very best to our clients.
For a free No Obligation Quote visit medibroker.com or call us on +44 (0) 191 296 6140
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
What is high blood pressure?
Hypertension exists where the pressure at which blood is pushing against blood vessel walls is consistently above average.
Blood pressure changes throughout the day. In particular, it increases during exercise and decreases during sleep.
Untreated high blood pressure can cause the heart to become abnormally large and less efficient (ventricular hypertrophy) causing heart failure and increased risk of heart attack.
Symptoms of high blood pressure
Although high blood pressure can cause headaches, dizziness and problems with vision, the majority of people suffer no symptoms at all. As a result many people with hypertension remain undiagnosed because they have no symptoms to motivate them to see a doctor or get their blood pressure checked.
However, despite the lack of symptoms hypertension can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, and many other medical problems.
Diagnosing high blood pressure
The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked. A doctor or other qualified health professional should check a patient's blood pressure at least once every two years.
It’s measured in millimetres of mercury (mm Hg) and is defined in an adult by the recording of two readings:
•Systolic pressure - represents the force of the blood as the heart contracts (beats) to pump it around the body. This is the higher of the two readings and records blood pressure at or above 140mm Hg.
•Diastolic pressure - the pressure while the heart is relaxed and filling with blood again in preparation for the next contraction or heart beat. This value is lower than the systolic pressure and records blood pressure at or above 90mm Hg.
What is considered to be an acceptable blood pressure and what is hypertension (and then what needs treatment) depends on several factors. A single high reading isn’t enough to warrant a diagnosis of hypertension as blood pressure can be raised in all of us now and then – even the sight of a doctor can be enough to put it up. So there must be at least three high readings to cause concern.
Causes of high blood pressure
In over 90 per cent of cases, the cause is unknown. In the remaining cases, high blood pressure is a symptom of a recognisable underlying problem such as a kidney abnormality, tumour of the adrenal gland or congenital defect of the aorta (in these cases when the root cause is corrected, blood pressure usually returns to norma).
This type of high blood pressure is called secondary hypertension.
If high blood pressure isn't treated and is combined with obesity, smoking, high blood cholesterol levels or diabetes, the risk of heart attack is several times higher.
Arteries also suffer the effects of high blood pressure, becoming scarred, hardened and less elastic. Though this hardening of the arteries often occurs with age, high blood pressure accelerates the process. The hardened or narrowed arteries are unable to supply the amount of blood the body's organs need, preventing them working effectively. Another risk is that a blood clot may lodge in an artery narrowed by atherosclerosis, blocking blood supply.
When high blood pressure is first diagnosed, tests may be done for an underlying cause (i.e. secondary hypertension) especially if the person is young or has very high blood pressure. If an underlying cause is found it should be treated.
Treatment of high blood pressure
There's no cure as such for essential hypertension, but following a healthy lifestyle can be enough to bring blood pressure down to a normal level. This is one reason why drug treatment may not be offered for healthy individuals with only mild hypertension (above 140/90 mmHg but below 160/100 mmHg).
Medication is used if lifestyle changes alone fail to lower blood pressure sufficiently. It's generally recommend that drug treatment is offered to those with:
•Blood pressure above 160/100 mmHg
•Isolated systolic hypertension of more than 160 mmHg
•Blood pressure of more than 140/90 mmHg (ie, mild hypertension) but who also have cardiovascular disease or significant risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or damage to the heart, kidney or eyes as a result of high blood pressure
Current UK guidelines also recommend that blood pressure levels need to be even lower for certain people and say treatment should aim to lower blood pressure to below 130/80 if a person has:
•A complication of diabetes, especially kidney problems
•Had a serious cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, TIA or stroke
•Has certain chronic kidney diseases
All medicines can have side effects and sometimes it’s necessary to try different drugs if initial treatments cause problems.
APRIL Medibroker is an international medical, health and expat insurance broker offering a free quote and advice service across the Internet. Our service is available to people of any nationality, anywhere, living or working in another country not shown on their passports (expatriates).
We are totally independent and offer impartial advice and guidance to ensure that you purchase the best plan for your needs. We offer more than twenty quality international medical insurance plans and we always looking for new plans to add to our portfolio so that we can always offer the very best to our clients.
For a free No Obligation Quote visit medibroker.com or call us on +44 (0) 191 296 6140.
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