I think I'm getting this figured out

me: Are we migrant workers?
Grace: No.
me: Are we expatriates then?
Grace: No.
me: So what are we?
Grace: Foreign talent.

Grace's story from work: There's a famous doctor at the [institution] named [redacted] Ah Cheng. But he doesn't like the "Ah Cheng" because he thinks it sounds low-class, so he just goes by [redacted] Cheng. Even his door plate says "[redacted] Cheng".
 ...The joke at work is that his English name is "Noah".