“Vulnerability of South Africans in Question”: Investment Migration People in the News This Week
Investment migration people in the news this week include
- Nadia Read Thaele of LIO Global
- Christian Kalin and Juerg Steffen of Henley & Partners
- Leana Nel of Chas Everitt International
- Arthur Sarkisian of Astons
- David Lesperance of Lesperance & Associates
Business Tech: Big increase in people looking to leave South Africa
The recent violence combined with the tardiness of the government’s Covid-19 vaccination programme has led to a spike in demand for second residency and citizenship programs, says Nadia Read Thaele, founder of LIO Global.
The current crises have further compounded the rising crime and security concerns of recent years, Read Thaele said.
“People want to live and work in a safe environment and are looking for the mobility that a second passport offers,” she said.
“As the epicentre of the coronavirus meets the brunt of the violent protests in Gauteng and KZN, the vulnerability of South Africans is called into question.
“Dual citizenship not only provides the safety and peace of mind that many look for, but also secures their investment into politically and economically stable countries.”
India Today: High-heeled Indians relocating overseas, pandemic no bar
Figures also reveal a surge of 61 per cent in Indian enquiries about citizenship-by-investment opportunities overseas following the coronavirus outbreak last year.
In 2019, India, South Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nigeria all emerging markets — were the top five countries in terms of enquiries for investment migration, reported Henley and Partners, a global firm for residence and citizenship planning.
“The unexpected events of 2020 have simultaneously exacerbated push factors such as political and economic instability, and reprioritized pull factors, with stability, safety, and access to education and healthcare becoming issues of greater concern than ever,” noted Dr Juerg Steffen, the CEO of Henley and Partners, in the report that found a 25 per cent increase globally in high-net-worth-individual enquiries about citizenship-by-investment options as opposed to residence-by-investment programs.
Business Tech: New route for South Africans looking to emigrate to Italy
“This is not a ‘Golden Visa’ programme like those that have been offered since the global financial crisis of 2008 by countries such as Portugal, Cyprus, Malta, Greece, Grenada and even the US,” said Leana Nel, head of the Chas Everitt International Sales & Relocations division.
“It is also not one of those schemes one sees advertised on the Internet which offers people homes in remote Italian villages for $1 each and permanent residence if they are prepared to restore these properties and stay in them for a number of years.”
Spear’s: What does citizenship-by-investment controversy mean for the way HNWs live, work and play?
Direct passport sales are a $3 billion-a-year business worldwide, according to London-based Henley & Partners, the global leader in arranging citizenship-by-investment. Its chairman, Dr Christian Kälin, says uncertainties created by Brexit and, until recently, Donald Trump’s administration were boosting demand.
Then came the pandemic: ‘People think, “Look, this pandemic could come back. We need the guarantee that, if it does, we can go to a safe place and that we will be admitted.”’ During lockdown, borders were not closed to returning nationals and legal residents. Demand for new nationalities is up by 50 per cent year-on-year, Kälin says.
Ekathimerini: Local realty lands good yields
The Astons analysis points out that “the Greek real estate market is an extremely diverse one not only from a lifestyle offering but also in terms of the real estate market and the investment opportunities available.”
“For those looking to invest on a long-term basis through migration investment, for example, the location of choice will be very much focused on personal factors. However, those looking to invest commercially will need to consider the returns available, so a more developed region that benefits from high tourism footfall will be preferable,” said Astons Managing Director Arthur Sarkisian.
“It’s important to be realistic about why you want to invest. Often the lines between personal and professional benefits are blurred and this can be detrimental,” he warned.
The Street: Cryptocurrency Price Check: Bitcoin Slide Drags Down Sector
“While Chinese crypto miners and exchanges are desperately relocating, international exchanges like Binance are discovering that failure to anticipate regulatory oversight could be fatal to their long-term survival,” said David Lesperance, managing partner of Lesperance & Associates. “We can look at a similar situation from the mid 2000s … the on-line gaming industry.”
Business Today: High-heeled Indians relocating overseas, pandemic no bar
“Savvy investors,” noted Dr Steffen, “have realized that diversification is as relevant to lifestyle planning as it is to wealth management. By spreading their assets across a range of markets and jurisdictions, over time they are more likely to harvest returns than if they hedge their bets on one country alone – even if that is a world-leading nation.”
Christian Henrik Nesheim is the founder and editor of Investment Migration Insider, the #1 magazine – online or offline – for residency and citizenship by investment. He is an internationally recognized expert, speaker, documentary producer, and writer on the subject of investment migration, whose work is cited in the Economist, Bloomberg, Fortune, Forbes, Newsweek, and Business Insider. Norwegian by birth, Christian has spent the last 16 years in the United States, China, Spain, and Portugal.