Tag Archive for: Expat lifestyle

Inter Relocation SME Sponsorship: Delivering Value in Supporting Children’s Healthcare in Hungary

Inter Relocation SME Sponsorship has been transforming children’s healthcare in Hungary for over ten years.

In 2024, the company supported RBIF with medical equipment donations, reinforcing its dedication to pediatric care.

Supporting Children’s Healthcare in Hungary for Over a Decade

For more than ten years, Inter Relocation SME Sponsorship has been a key supporter of the Robert Burns International Foundation (RBIF), contributing to vital healthcare projects across Hungary. In 2024, the company reaffirmed its long-term commitment through the SME Sponsorship Scheme, which allows businesses to directly fund meaningful initiatives that improve pediatric healthcare.

One of this year’s significant contributions went to the Infant and Children’s Department at the Hódmezővásárhely-Makó Health Care Centre. Facilitated by RBIF, the donation provided advanced oxygen therapy equipment, essential for treating infants and young children suffering from respiratory conditions.

How Inter Relocation’s Contribution is Making a Difference

With 1.2 million HUF jointly donated by Inter Relocation and RBIF to the hospital, the new oxygen therapy equipment has already improved patient care, ensuring that young children receive the best treatment possible. These modern medical tools help stabilize newborns and infants suffering from respiratory distress, a common issue in pediatric healthcare.

“At Inter Relocation, we believe in making a tangible impact on the communities where we operate. Supporting RBIF’s healthcare projects allows us to directly improve the lives of children who need it most,” said Stuart McAlister, owner of Inter Relocation.

Stuart McAlister’s Leadership and Long-Term Involvement with RBIF

Beyond financial support, Stuart McAlister has previously played an active leadership role within the Robert Burns Supper Committee for over a decade. Having served as chairman for six years and as a committee member for eleven years, McAlister has helped drive key fundraising efforts via the annual Burns Supper, a major charity event supporting children’s hospitals across Hungary.

Inter Relocation SME Sponsorship 2024 – Infant and Children’s Department of the Hódmezővásárhely-Makó Health Care Centre

Inter Relocation SME Sponsorship: Stuart McAlister at the Hódmezővásárhely-Makó Health Care Centre with a sweat analyzer, aiding cystic fibrosis diagnosis and enhancing pediatric healthcare
Photo source: RBIF

Why the SME Sponsorship Scheme Matters

The RBIF SME Sponsorship Scheme allows small and medium-sized businesses to have their own dedicated fundraising projects, ensuring more direct involvement in charitable initiatives. Inter Relocation was one of the first companies to join this scheme, which has since sponsored multiple healthcare projects, including:

  • Miskolc Children’s Hospital, specializing in hand surgery.
  • Medical equipment donations for pediatric hospitals across Hungary.
  • Long-term partnerships with local healthcare providers to improve neonatal care.

By participating in this program, Inter Relocation has enhanced its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, ensuring that every donation leads to a measurable impact on Hungary’s healthcare system.

Inter Relocation’s Continued Dedication to Corporate Social Responsibility

As a leader in relocation services in Hungary, Inter Relocation continues to uphold its values by investing in community-driven initiatives. Supporting healthcare improvements aligns with the company’s mission of giving back to the regions where it operates.

By consistently backing the Robert Burns International Foundation, Inter Relocation has helped create sustainable, positive change in Hungary’s pediatric care system. The company remains committed to ongoing CSR efforts and plans to support more impactful projects in the future.

Final Thoughts

For over a decade, Inter Relocation SME Sponsorship has played a pivotal role in transforming children’s healthcare in Hungary. Through strategic charity partnerships, financial contributions, and leadership involvement, the company continues to make a powerful difference in young patients’ lives.

💙 Learn more about Inter Relocation SME Sponsorship’s charitable efforts:
👉 Inter Relocation’s Charity Page

Inter Relocation Charity Support at the Burns Supper – Supporting a Worthy Cause

The Budapest Burns Supper has been a highlight of the expat ball season for more than twenty years now. Saturday night saw another incredible effort to raise money for sick and under privileged children in Hungary.

As part of our long-standing commitment to social responsibility, Inter Relocation charity initiatives proudly include supporting the annual Burns Supper event. While we are not the organisers, we are honoured to be among its most loyal sponsors, helping to make a difference through this charitable tradition.

On Saturday 25th January, the Corinthia Hotel Budapest once again hosted a night of haggis, whisky, pipers, the work of Rabbie Burns, and of course, a huge fundraising effort. Over 300 guests packed into the elegant hotel ballroom, dressed in their Scottish finery.

The event loosely follows the format of a traditional Burns Supper, a tribute to the life and works of Scotland’s Bard, Robert Burns. Saturday night started out with Scottish songs performed by the choir of the Budapest British International School, after which the pipers and drummers, specially flown in from Scotland as always, announced that dinner would shortly be served.

Charity and Culture at the 23rd Budapest Burns Supper

Highlights of the evening included a very amusing toast to the lassies and the lassies’ reply, given by professional actors Shyvonne Ahmmad and Angus Taylor from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, and a rendition of Burns’ poem O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast in Hungarian by Hungarian Scottish Society and Robert Burns International Foundation founder, Zoltán Magyar.

SME Awards

For the second year in a row, the organisers of the Burns Supper focused on the growing Small and Medium Enterprise Sponsorship scheme. While smaller businesses cannot make the significant donations that multinational companies can, as a percentage of their revenue, their contributions are far larger.

The purpose of the SME sponsorship scheme is to allow smaller companies to have their own fund-raising projects, rather than their contributions going into a larger “pot”.

This time, the RBIF chose to honour two SMEs that have donated larger amounts to the foundation. Eszter Balázs, an insurance agent with Generali, donates a percentage of every sale she makes, an incredible commitment for a small business owner. Stuart McAlister represented his company, Inter Relocation, which has donated funds to help hospitals in Makó and Hódmezővásárhely buy key equipment over the last two years.

Both Eszter and Stuart were awarded traditional Scottish Quaichs, shared sipping cups that symbolise their organisations’ spirit of giving.

An amazing result

Preliminary figures suggest that the 23rd Budapest Burns Supper raised in excess of 11 million HUF. This is another incredible result and will significantly aid the Robert Burns International Foundation in reaching its charitable goals for 2020.

Photo credits: Pelle Zoltán Photography/ Robert Burns International Foundation

Expat portrait: Douglas Arnott, professional translator, Chairman of the RBIF

There are some people who quietly go about their business in the background, almost as an “éminence grise.” They work away and live their everyday lives while improving the fortunes of others.

Scottish-born Douglas Arnott, owner of  a professional translation office and a translator/interpreter himself by profession, is one such person. Besides his significant daily workload, he is the Chairman of the Robert Burns International Foundation.

Alongside the Burns Supper charity event, he regularly participates in other charity activities. He puts just as much heart and soul into helping as he does into his profession of translation.

We sat down for a chat about expat life, his career, and what motivates a professional like him in Hungary.

Today, you’re a father to three children, the owner of a significant translation agency, and the chairman of one of the largest charity foundations. Twenty years ago, is this where you thought you would be today?

20 years ago, I was still coming to the end of my degree in Edinburgh and hadn’t put much thought into what I wanted to do with it.

Having been trained in translation and interpreting, working abroad was clearly an option, even a likely option, but I don’t think I really believed I would still be here after almost 20 years.

You are renowned for your precision and high professional standards. Did you start your career here in Hungary?

After graduating, I spent another 4 weeks in Scotland before catching a flight out to Budapest, ostensibly to start a job here, which eventually came to nothing. Rather than head back home, I decided to set up shop by myself, establishing EDMF initially as a limited partnership (Bt.).

I used up the rest of my student loan to buy a PC, a printer, and a fax machine, and I waited for the phone to ring. So it was a slow start to the business. Translation is very much a service based on trust, and that trust has to be earned, which is difficult when people have no idea who you are.

Back in 1998, the online translation industry was nowhere near as developed as it is today, so initially EDMF was quite reliant on “local” business, but things soon picked up.

‘Cherchez la femme’ – as the saying goes. I believe an exceptional lady “enticed” you here to Hungary and has since become your wife.

Zsuzsa is well-versed in the profession too, and you run your translation agency together. How did you divide up the work with Zsuzsa?

That’s right, there was a reason for me jumping on the plane to Budapest back in 1998! I spent a year with EDMF and then almost six years working in-house at the translation department at KPMG Hungary before leaving in 2005 and devoting myself fully to EDMF again.

It was probably a couple of years after leaving KPMG and after our three kids arrived that Zsuzsa began to help out with the firm. I handle the professional side of the business; she coordinates the admin and back office, including marketing and social media.

Many people have said to us that they couldn’t imagine working side by side with their spouse. While it’s not always plain sailing, we have a system that works in the office, and more often than not, we’re able to leave our work minds behind when we head home.

How would you describe your everyday life?

Active! EDMF is growing, but we all have to be great at multi-tasking as everyone has not just one or two but many different tasks that need to be completed every day.

My time in the office is limited by when I have to drop the kids off at school in the morning and when they need picked up in the afternoon following whatever extracurricular activities are scheduled for that day, and there are a lot of them! This means the time spent in the office has to be as efficient as possible.

There are also periods of the year when the Robert Burns International Foundation takes up a lot of my time, giving me a few more balls to keep in the air. This is when I need to be particularly good with how I split my schedule, and Zsuzsa plays as much of a part in the RBIF from that point of view as I do.

EDMF, which you own, has today become one of the most professional translation agencies, operating for 19 years with clients in more than 20 countries and with 150 translators. How did you build up such a prospering business in Budapest?

We made a decision early on that quality would be what stood us apart on the market. This meant we concentrated on working with smaller teams of linguists, as opposed to the mass approach followed by many other companies in the industry.

Consequently, we were able to pay close attention to meeting our internal standards, and clients came to appreciate and value the consistent level of quality we provided. Over the years we have enjoyed steady growth that has enabled us to adapt and adjust to as we see fit, without having to take radical or risky decisions.

I think stability and reliability has been one of EDMF’s key factors of success over the last 19 years.

Do you consider yourself successful, what makes you happy?

What makes me happy – is sipping a glass of wine at home in the garden too simplistic an answer? It’s not that far from the truth though, what with our three kids, the company and the foundation, our lives are anything but slow and boring.

I grew up in Scotland’s biggest city, Glasgow, and loved it, but over the years I’ve come to value living outside the city. Etyek, from that point of view, is perfect. And the fact I can enjoy living there with everything we need as a family I guess means I can tick success off the list as well.

Besides your family and your business, you also participate in charity activities. These are clearly important to you. Do you want to give something back to the community, or does something else motivate you?

I grew up in an extended family full of doctors: a GP and a plastic surgeon for grandfathers, an uncle as a vet, and my sister and brother-in-law are both consultant physicians in the UK. While the medical genes passed me over, when I learned the Robert Burns International Foundation supported sick and underprivileged children in Hungary it just seemed like something I should be doing.

That was back in 2012, and now as Chairman of the RBIF I’m proud of what we have achieved over the last five years and indeed what we continue to do.

Last year we supported hospitals in Budapest and around the country as well as joining forces with the Caledonia Bar to help a nursery in a very poor village in northern Hungary. We have also launched a scheme helping SMEs get involved in supporting charitable causes with the help of the RBIF, with Inter Relocation the first company to sign up, on the initiative of Stuart McAlister.

As expats I think we can live quite a sheltered existence sometimes in Hungary, and it’s with projects like these where we can and certainly should do as much as possible to better the lives of those who have not been as fortunate as we are, especially when it comes to enjoying good health.

What are your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

Let me see, in twenty years’ time, preferably retired and on an exotic golf course somewhere.

More realistically, I’ll be happy if EDMF has continued to go from strength to strength. I took up wine-making as a hobby a few years ago and will soon be bottling my fourth ‘vintage’.

The problem with making wine is that when you mess up you need to wait a whole year before trying not to make the same mistake again. I should know, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. Slowly but surely though I feel happy for others to taste the end product. Not enough to contemplate a career change though, I’ll leave that to the professionals.

Stuart McAlister named Vice-President of the European Relocation Association

Stuart McAlister, owner and Managing Director of Inter Relocation has been named as the new Vice-President of the European Relocation Association.

He will hold this prestigious position for two years. Then he will have served the maximum six years that EuRA board members may serve. His time with the executive group of EuRA will end.

Inter Relocation Receives Commitment to Excellence Gold Award

Stuart will assist and work closely with EuRA’s new President, Andrew Scott and the rest of the EuRA board. He hopes to helps its management team further the causes of the world’s greatest representative organisation for Destination Service Providers.

Stuart was quoted as saying “I’m delighted to have been nominated as EuRA Vice-President for the next two years. The development in this amazing organisation that I have witnessed over the last four years has been phenomenal. I hope my time as Vice-President will allow me to further the goals of making EuRA a global representative for companies in the relocation industry.”

About Inter Relocation

Founded in March 2002, Inter Relocation is a provider of relocation destination services and immigration compliance in Budapest, Hungary.

Now the company covers 23 countries and is Central and Eastern Europe’s premier provider of services to expatriates.

The company also provides comprehensive relocation service – assignment planning, preview visits, home search, move management, immigration compliance, settling in, tenancy management, departure support.

A Q­uick and Dirty Guide to Renting an Apartment in Budapest – Part 2

In the first installment of this guide to renting an apartment in Budapest we looked at the process of actually finding the right property and ensuring that the legal and immigration aspects have been properly covered.

Failure may cause problems at the immigration office

Now we’ll look at the terms and conditions you need to ensure are included in your lease contract:

First of all the contract must state the right of all users of the property to live there. The contract must state “and family” or mention those family members by name as users of the property. Failure to do so may cause problems later at the immigration office.

Renting an apartment in Budapest: key contract clauses

There are then key contract clauses that you should ensure are included:

1. The security deposit should be refundable and would typically be an amount of one or two months’ rent.

2. In Hungary the tenant is not expected to return the property to the landlord in the condition it was given. The law allows that normal wear and tear during a lease is acceptable and not recoverable from the security deposit. The definition of what constitutes “normal wear and tear” is quite broad, however, and disputes can easily arise when it comes to handing back the property.

Guide ti renting an apartment in Budapest

3. It’s important to have a clause which states that should anything go wrong with the property it be fixed within seven calendar days. For critical losses of service such as power, water supply, heating, etc. to be addressed within 24 hours of notification by the tenant.

4. If the tenant has relocated to Budapest for work, it’s important to add in what’s called a diplomatic clause to the contract. This allows the tenant to break the terms of the lease at one month’s notice in the event that his or her position in Hungary is terminated and they can provide proof to that end. The pain of losing your job should not be compounded by having to pay rent on a property you no longer live in.

Housing law tends to favour the tenant

The Hungarian housing law (lakástörvény) actually tends to favour the tenant, and any contract clause that contradicts the law is considered invalid. The key of course in all such contracts is to reach an agreement that ultimately avoids the need for resolution via the courts.

Finally, before moving into your new home it’s vital to document the condition of the property to avoid any misunderstandings later. Most tenants accept some small fault or imperfection when they move into a property, and to avoid being charged to fix that fault at the end of the lease it’s important to write some kind of handover protocol, and ideally to have it witnessed when both landlord and tenant sign it.

Ideally you should also take photographs of every room and specifically of anything that isn’t perfect when you move in.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE HUNGARY GUIDE NOW

To learn more, please contact us on [email protected] or call +36 1 278 5680

A Q­uick and Dirty Guide to Renting an Apartment in Budapest – Part 1

For new arrivals in Budapest, finding an apartment at the right price with the right legal conditions can be a real challenge. Read our guide to renting an apartment in Budapest.

Finding a landlord who will respect the terms of the lease agreement you’ll sign further adds to this challenge.

There are plenty of real estate agents, management companies and even English-speaking owners advertising properties for an expatriate audience. There is also an increasing number of Facebook groups for Budapest where private owners and companies alike advertise their wares. Accessing the market is not an issue.

Using many different sources to find a new home can make the search process more complex. Conversely, shopping around or renting privately direct from an owner can help make the most of a tenants budget. There are pitfalls, however.

How to rent an apartment in Budapest: prices can suddenly rise

The internet can teach you a fair market price but note that most prices quoted online assume you’ll pay cash. If you ask for an invoice you might find that the original price suddenly rises by up to 40 percent. Similar increases may happen if you mention that your lease contract will be needed for your residence permit application.

Guide to renting an apartment in Budapest

Rental income is taxable in Hungary. So if your landlord wants a cash deal or is not too keen on letting you register yourself in his home, it’s safe to assume he has something to hide from the taxman. However, you don’t encounter these landlord-related issues, there are still some potential issues when it comes to the immigration stuff.

Read part two of this guide here.

Expert guide to renting an apartment in Budapest: prove or move

One example is that at the immigration office you may be asked to provide a land registry document (tulajdonilap). This is to prove that the person you’re renting from is indeed the owner, and that there aren’t multiple owners.

Any owner has the right to throw you out into the street because they didn’t sign up to you living there.

Another example is that the apartment has not yet been registered with the state database of properties, a legal requirement before a person can be registered at that address. This is typical for new build properties.

An easy way to test this is to ask the landlord to confirm if anyone has had an address card (lakcímkártya) issued for that apartment and, if so, to show you a copy.

In the next instalment we’ll look at the key contract clauses you should always make sure you have in your lease and what power you have if the landlord isn’t doing what was agreed.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE HUNGARY GUIDE NOW

To learn more, please contact us on [email protected] or call +36 1 278 5680.
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Spousal Job Search Support: Tailored Career Planning

Inter Relocation recently added spousal job search support, also known simply as spousal support, to its service mix.

That sounds very exciting, you might be thinking. But what does spousal job search support actually involve and why would anyone want to make use of this service?

Across the globe, more than 50% of couples are now dual-income so when one spouse is offered a position abroad, it is increasingly important that the other has the opportunity to continue their career too. That goal is more easily planned than delivered, particularly in a region such as Central and Eastern Europe.

This support programme provides working spouses with career support to help them prepare for a job search in the country they are moving to. Services include a job search plan, CV development, a social media profile, networking and interviewing coaching, and more.

Helping the spouse prepare for their job search leads to less stress for the family, increased income in all likelihood, and more satisfaction with the relocation overall. When the working spouse is able to find a rewarding career in the host country, there is less chance of the relocation failing.

A tailored spousal job search support for all career levels

This service is ideal for all spouses who plan to work in the destination country. An experienced Career Coach collaborates with the spouse to prepare them for the cultural nuances of conducting a job search in a foreign country. If employment is not an option due to Visa restrictions, the Career Coach recommends alternative career paths, education/training options, and volunteer options to ensure the spouse maintains his/her skills.

One example is Tripti. She completed her first international relocation when her husband was relocated by his company. Tripti worked in the legal and education fields prior to her relocation.

She was unable to continue in her career path in the host country, but by working closely with her Career Coach, she analyzed her strengths and interests and explored new career opportunities. This enabled her to completely reinvent her career.

The spousal job search support programme provided her with:

  • A thorough assessment of her experience, skills, and career interests
  • Research on online courses related to her target goal
  • Connections to like-minded people in the new area
  • Networking coaching on techniques and tips
  • Career continuation support to ensure her skills remained up-to-date
  • Volunteer opportunity identification based on her goal

The coaching and resources Tripti received enabled her to launch a new career in advocating for individuals with disabilities.

“I am glad I had spousal job search support throughout the transition,” says Tripti. “My coach was the catalyst who helped me find a new career path in a foreign country. Settling into the new area was easy for me thanks to the support I received. My coach encouraged me to think differently and be more open to new ideas.”

Programme Details

This service provides one-on-one career coaching for job seekers at all levels in their career. Interested in this service? Here’s what you will receive:

  • One-on-one Career Coach (matched specifically to an individual’s needs and based on the destination country)
  • CV/ Résumé and Cover Letter Development
  • Interview Review and Recording with Career Coach
  • Networking Assistance with Target Companies
  • Customised Job Search Research Support
  • Social Media Guidance
  • Proactive Strategy for Targeting Companies

To learn more, please contact us on [email protected] or call +36 1 278 5680.

Inter Relocation Sponsors Burns Supper for Children’s Hospitals

At the recent Budapest Burns Supper, Inter Relocation once again helped the Robert Burns International Foundation to raise a record sum to support sick and under privileged children.

The charity ball held by the Robert Burns International Foundation each year. Inter Relocation’s bronze sponsorship of the Burns Supper made a contribution to a record total donation, more than €26,000.

The beneficiary of the donation is the Miskolc Children Hospital, the Tűzoltó street Children Hospital, the Péterfy Sándor Hospital children’s ward and a nursery in a small and less fortunate Hungarian village, Zabar.

Inter Relocation Sponsors Burns Supper for Children’s Hospitals

Owner Stuart McAlister helped the foundation set up a new SME sponsorship program. On the initiative of Inter Relocation, the foundation supported a children’s hospital in Miskolc.

Read the interview with Stuart McAlister about the SME (small and medium enterprises) sponsorship scheme. (Released in the Robert Burns International Foundation’s publication on 21st January 2017).

The joint patrons are the British Ambassador in Hungary and the Hungarian Ambassador in London. The Deputy Head of the UK Mission has a permanent seat on the Curatorium that runs the foundation. Legendary football manager, Sir Alex Ferguson was appointed as the Honorary President.

Inter Relocation and the Budapest Robert Burns Supper

The company’s longest standing charitable effort is its ongoing sponsorship of the Budapest Robert Burns Supper and its associated charity, the Robert Burns International Foundation. Inter Relocation has sponsored the supper since 2002. Stuart McAlister was a committee member for 11 years and worked as Chairman of the event for 6 years.

The Robert Burns International Foundation and the Burns Supper are committed to raising money for sick and under privileged children in Hungary. The organisation have raised over 1 million EUR since starting their good works in 1996. When the supper first began the focus was on Budapest (specifically the 2nd department of Paediatrics at Semmelweis University Hospital). However, support has expanded to hospitals, orphanages and other children’s organisations outside the capital.

 

Inter Relocation and the SME sponsorship scheme

Interview with Inter Relocation owner Stuart McAlister about the SME (small and medium enterprises) sponsorship scheme.

The SME Sponsorship Scheme marks a new chapter in the RBIF’s fundraising efforts. It is one that opens up the potential of giving purposefully for charity to a much wider range of companies. The SME Sponsorship Scheme involves the RBIF teaming up with small and medium-sized enterprises to fund targeted smaller-scale projects. These small-scale projects make a huge impact on improving child welfare in Hungary. For the first project, the RBIF and Inter Relocation supported a children’s hospital in Miskolc specialised in hand surgery.

Below, we asked Stuart McAlister, managing director of Inter Relocation, about the scheme and his motives for helping the RBIF.

Stuart, you’re no stranger to the RBIF, but this time you’re helping in a different way, could you explain why?

I’ve been involved in the Burns Supper and latterly the RBIF since 2001. One of the aspects of fundraising that has always bothered me is that the sponsorship focus was always on the companies that could donate the most in absolute cash. Small and medium enterprises such as Inter Relocation can’t contribute the amounts that multi-national companies can. But as a percentage of their annual turnover, the amounts are far larger.
Back in the spring of 2016, I sat down with Dougie Arnott with the intention of addressing this challenge. I could see a way to highlight the contribution of smaller sponsor organisations and to make those sponsors feel they are making a real difference.

What Dougie suggested was to work with the Curatorium of the RBIF and its medical adviser to determine the best causes to raise funds for. We were searching for smaller projects that companies such as Inter Relocation could call their own. Inter Relocation is now making a major contribution to a specific project we chose for a hospital in Miskolc. It feels good to be contributing to something concrete, rather than just making a donation into a general fund.

A successful partnership is a win-win situation for both sides. What does the RBIF offer you and why do you support the foundation?

The key for me with any charitable involvement is that said charity must keep its over- heads to an absolute minimum. The RBIF does this as well or better than any charity organisation I know in Hungary. Inter Relocation is a small organisation but we have been very fortunate to have the chance to operate successfully in Hungary for the last fifteen years. Where we have the chance to give a little back, we like to do so. When we make any kind of contribution we want both to know where the money goes, and to see complete transparency in the organisation we donate to. With the RBIF, both our key criteria are met.

How does the RBIF’s activity fit in with your company’s CSR initiatives? Why would you recommend the RBIF to others considering sponsorship?

Inter Relocation’s CSR policy is very much about giving back to the community we live and operate in. The RBIF’s long-term commitment to helping sick and under privileged children in Hungary very much aligns with our desire to help wherever we can. The new addition of the facility for the RBIF to provide us with our own smaller charity project makes our contribution all the more personal and effective. I would certainly recommend having the RBIF facilitate sponsorship to any small or medium company that wishes to get its staff behind a specific project.

-Released in the Robert Burns International Foundation’s publication on 21st January 2017-

Local challenges – interview with Stuart McAlister, vice president of the European Relocation Association

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Adapting to a new country and culture can take several weeks or even months, but with appropriate help, the transition can be a lot smoother.

2015/2 – by Ágnes Horváth, in Business Traveller Hungary /interview with Stuart McAlister

Finding and furnishing the suitable home, handling the documents necessary for legal employment and residence, getting to know the new place of residence and the local customs as well as finding a school and doctor pose serious challenges for foreigners when moving to another country, especially if they do not speak the local language.

Inter Relocation Group has considerable experience in helping newly-hired foreigners and their family members settle down in Hungary or any of another 19 countries. Its founder and managing director, Stuart McAlister, came to Hungary as a young and adventurous expat in the mid-1990s, before founding his own company in 2002. Over more than 20 years in Hungary, he has not only become accustomed to the culture but also mastered the language.

“We are not movers – although we can provide this type of service too with the help of our partners – we facilitate the integration of foreign employees coming to Hungary” explains Stuart McAlister.

“The majority of our work is made up of the administration of official documents, but we also focus on destination services, i.e. services related to settling down, namely residential, school and other services necessary for living in Hungary, as well as providing help with local orientation and bridging the cultural gap.”

To start with, how long does it take to obtain the documents necessary for legal employment in Hungary?

For citizens of the European Union and the European Economic Community the situation is more straightforward because the administration related to the required documents – social security card, tax card and documents necessary for employment – only has to begin after arriving in Hungary, which is less time-consuming.

For those coming from third countries, i.e. citizens of non-EU and non-EEC countries, however, the procedure is much longer because a visa is needed in many cases before even applying for a residence permit.

To this end, the purpose of the residence must be documented and fulfilment of the housing conditions must be proved (e.g. with a lease contract, title deed or address registration form) whilst verifying that there are sufficient funds on the bank account until the first salary payment is received – if a unified residence permit for work has been requested. Health insurance needs to be obtained too.

This procedure takes about four months, so it is advisable to launch it in good time as work cannot begin without a residence permit. For those who would like to drive a car it is also good to know that they can do so for one year after the legal acceptance of their residence, provided they hold an international driving licence issued by their own country. Thereafter, however, they have to request a Hungarian driving licence if their home country did not sign the 1968 Vienna Convention.

What are the first unexpected challenges facing those who come here?

Finding accommodation is particularly difficult, for example. Even more so if they do not know the language and the legal rules pertaining to lease contracts that should be observed. Another peculiarity of this issue in Hungary is that real estate agents only receive a commission from the landlord, instead of both parties or just from the tenant as in other countries.

Representing tenants we seek accommodation that satisfies demands in the best possible way, while our lawyers express opinions on the lease contract and we conduct negotiations on the rent to obtain the most favourable result for the tenant. Yet public utility contracts often have to be transferred into the tenant’s name after moving in, which can mean queuing for days.

Internet access and cable TV with appropriate channels are also frequently requested by foreigners, while they increasingly want to access online content available in their own country using their Hungarian IP address too. If something goes wrong, finding and communicating with a competent professional is likewise difficult due to the lack of language proficiency and local knowledge, not to mention recommendations for a reliable hairdresser, beautician, chiropractor or babysitter.

Families most frequently ask that their children be enrolled in schools and nurseries. Although there are plenty of “national” and international educational institutions in Budapest, they were fully occupied before the crisis with long waiting lists, since not only expats’ children attended. These institutions continuously expand, but waiting lists can still be expected.

Where do most foreign employees come from?

Hungary is becoming increasingly popular. While it was typically Europeans and North Americans that used to come here, today we now have citizens of more distant nations appearing, ranging from the Middle East to South-East Asia, while Indians are arriving in great numbers too.

But British pensioners are also able to live better here from their pensions than at home, and so we often help them in their integration and relocation.

Why has the number of Indians surged?

They mainly work in the IT sector and are needed because of their special software knowledge. They usually remain here for a couple of months, or a year, to teach the local staff, and then they leave because expats cost a lot in the long term.

Yet their departure is not always smooth since they need to claw back the deposit paid for the leased property, resolve any disputes with the landlord or even sell the car they bought here.

How has the composition of expats changed over the past years?

While it used to be mainly senior managers coming with their families, many expats are now single, have no children, and are not necessarily top managers.

Their relocation package does not always contain the presentation of elite private hospitals along with their services, as they need to settle for general Hungarian health-care services. Consequently they often ask for the contact details of an English-speaking GP or other doctor.

What problems do foreigners face most often having settled down in Hungary?

They mostly need help with repair jobs in their accommodation since repairmen and service providers don’t really speak foreign languages, though I must admit the situation has improved considerably over recent years.

On a positive note, the scandals “stinging tourists” around the turn of the millennium have now disappeared, since word gets around thanks to Tripadvisor and everybody stays away from places where this happens.

Above all things, the cultural differences present the biggest challenge.

In everyday life or at work?

Both. For example, they are not used to greetings from shop staff, so they don’t understand why they are welcomed like this. Managers of an American company recently complained that they could not find reliable Hungarian workers for months, because despite telling them what to do, the employees automatically reverted to their old habits after a couple of days.

It turned out they only gave instructions without explaining the reasons – as is usual in the USA – and so it was really difficult to put their intentions across. Following my advice, they talked at length with the employees and sought their opinions, which eventually made the communication and workflow much smoother.

To prevent and handle such cases we introduced our cultural training service, where a much-travelled and experienced professional prepares managers for communicating effectively with Hungarian colleagues. As for everyday life, we have our own publication, a special guide detailing the most important things foreigners ought to know, such as the telephone number for the ambulance service and local customs.

How can expats relax and make contacts after work?

Foreigners can choose from a variety of special networks for friends and businesses, ranging from Expats Hungary and International Meeting Point to Internations or Friday Night Crowds.

The individual chambers of commerce also bring together the Irish, the Americans, the British or the Germans living here, women can always turn to the British Women’s Association, NAWA Budapest, the Professional Women’s Club or the International Women’s Club, while Hash House Harriers combine running with entertainment.

Many people remark that a lot of Hungarians attend expat clubs in Budapest, but I think this is perfectly understandable. If you have lived abroad for quite a while, it is difficult to find the rhythm of your own town again, and you just feel better among foreigners. To be honest, if I went back to England, I would definitely join such groups myself.