My family doesn’t celebrate it (bc we never did growing up in the UK), nor do I begrudge anyone their freedom. Anyways, happy independence day y’all. If you need me I’ll be sipping tea in the middle of a wide open field wearing my ceremonial red coat.
Per Google… “An expat or expatriate is simply defined as a person who lives outside their native country. Similarly, an immigrant is a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country. Only one distinction is made here – immigrants intend to stay in their new country indefinitely. Whether expats do or do not is unclear.”
Sojourner workers are also usually called “immigrants” not “expats”, especially if they are from non-western nations.
Like @kennydidwhat says, there is a race/ethnicity component to it.
An American doctor in Dubai is called an “expat” while a Filipino nanny in America is colloquially called an “immigrant” even if they both fully intend to return to their home countries.