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Things to consider when making up your mind to relocate abroad
- How would a
move abroad affect your long-term career aspirations? Is now a good
time to relocate or should you wait until you become more established
within your field?
- Have you considered
the views of others close to you? You will be away from your family
and friends for a prolonged period. It is possible your partner will
also have to relocate, perhaps you have children - you will have to
find new schools etc.
- If you currently
rent your home you will have to see your lease through to its end,
if you own a house will you sell it or rent it?
- Language - It
is possible that English will not be the primary language of the country
you are moving to. Do you know enough to get by?
- Will your wage
be paid into an account in the UK or will you have to open an account
in your country of temporary residence?
- Will you enjoy
living within the culture of the country you are moving to? Such things
as dietary habits, climate, housing, media, and local customs will
all be different from what you are used to.
How
to find a job abroad
There are several
ways to get work abroad, some more difficult to achieve than others.
The ease at which you will find work is dependent upon which country
you hope to move to, the type of work you are looking for, and what
skills you can offer.
Get
a transfer abroad with a company/organisation in your home country
Many
companies now have offices around the world and one of the easiest ways
for employers to work abroad is to get a transfer with one of these
companies. Make enquiries with your firm to find out where they have
other offices, or if you are currently job seeking target your applications
to multinational firms.
Find
work with a foreign company
Start with a search
on the Internet, Jobsite currently advertises jobs in 35 sectors in
9 European countries and is in the process of expanding across the whole
of Europe. If you have skills that are in demand in the countries you
seek to relocate to then you have an advantage.
You will be looked
upon particularly favourably if you have Engineering or IT skills. If
you speak the language of the country you are looking to relocate to
you can visit job sites within that countries domain.
Visit your local
library, there are many books on how to go about finding work abroad.
Read English language newspapers from the country you are looking to
locate to, they possibly have appointments advertised.
If you can afford
to and have the time it is recommended that you visit the country you
are interested in working in. This may be the first time that you have
been to the country and there is a chance that it is not as you imagined.
It is advisable that you see what life is like in the country before
you move there as you may not actually like it.
Take lots of copies
of your CV with you and resort to pasting them to telegraph poles if
all else fails. Make contacts while you are there, speak to expatriates
of your own country as they may be able to give you some tips on finding
work. Contact your national embassy and explain what you are trying
to do, try to establish contact with local trade organisations. Take
a copy of the local business telephone directory so you can continue
your cold calling when you are back home.
It will not be easy
and finding work abroad can take a lot of time, if you have your heart
set on it do not give up.
Work
for an expatriate owned foreign company
In
this case language barriers will not be such a problem. It is possible
that you have contacts within the firm who can help set you up.
Work
in an industry that offers lots of scope for travel
One
of the safest options is to find work in your home country within an
industry that offers lots of opportunities to travel. The Armed forces,
Diplomatic corp., Leisure and Tourism will all potentially lead to placement
abroad. If you have language skills and show a particular desire to
work overseas then you will be given preference.
Visas
and immigration laws
To
work for an extended period in a country of which you are a non resident
you usually require a work visa. This can prove to be difficult in some
countries and you may only be granted access if you already have a job
waiting for you, or if you have specific skills that that country is
looking for. To get a visa contact the embassy of the country you want
to move to within your own country. If there is not an embassy write
to the British foreign office for advice.
Check the employment
figures of the country you hope to move to as they can provide an indication
as to how easy it will be to get a work permit. The USA, New Zealand,
Australia and Canada all have fairly elaborate immigration rules.
Tailoring
your CV todifferent countries
Employers
in different countries essentially all look for the same qualities in
their applicants, however a country may have their own unique conventions
when it comes to CV writing. For further details see the article 'Tailoring
your CV for different countries'. Generally though make sure your CV
and covering letter are clear enough for a national in your targeted
country to understand who you are and what you want. Your must show
that you have an understanding of the country and industry sector within
that country so that people feel that you can contribute immediately.
Working
in Europe
Since
1992 nationals of one EU Market State have had the right to live, work
and study in any other Member State. This right has now been extended
to include the EEA (European Economic Area) countries.
Freedom of movement
inside the EU means that you have exactly the same rights as a national
of the State in which you have chosen to work. You are entitled to the
same rates of pay, the same health and social services and the same
rights to benefit when you are ill and unemployed. However some of these
benefits are only available after tax and Social security contributions
have been made in the relevant country.
Residence
regulations
If
you hold a valid passport/identity card from any EU or EEA member state
you can enter another member state for a period of up to three months
(six months in the case of the uk), then you need to obtain a Residence
permit. In order to do this you must be able to prove that you will
not have 'recourse to the funds' of the Host State. In practice this
means that you will be able to prove that you will not claim state benefit
and are able to support yourself either by having a student grant, employment,
of access to their funds.
If you cannot prove
that you will not be dependent upon state funds then you will definitely
have trouble getting a residence permit.
Unemployment
benefits
You
can claim unemployment benefits in any of the EU Member states for up
to 3 months. It is currently possible to look for work for up to three
months and to transfer and to claim UK unemployment benefit abroad.
You must have received contribution-based job seekers allowance (JSA-CB)
for at least four weeks in the uk before claiming benefit abroad. You
must register within seven days of your arrival in the country and must
comply with the national signing on requirements. The benefits you will
receive will be at Uk rates, and not those of the country visited.
This does not apply
to means-tested benefits (i.e., family credit, income support, housing
benefit), these usually vary according to the country of residence.
However, you might be eligible for other benefits that exist in the
country you go to. Leaflet JSAL22 gives you more information and is
available from your benefits office.
Volunteer
work
There
are many voluntary organisations such as VSO, the Red Cross and Oxfam
that would love to hear from you if you want to work as an aid worker
in a disadvantaged country which may be poverty stricken, or ravaged
by war. The chances are your work will not be paid and in fact will
probably have to pay your flight and cost of living out of your own
pocket. The work will be physically and mentally draining, but you will
be doing something thoroughly worthwhile. Your eyes will be opened to
the reality that much of the world is not fortunate enough to be able
to feed itself daily, let alone know what an 'internet' is.
Other volunteer
opportunities are available with organizations such as Raleigh International
who carry out worthwhile community infrastructure building projects
in the third world and conservation organizations such as Operation
Wallacea who operate in the pacific conserving reefs and endangered
species. These expeditions usually last a couple of months, to take
part there are selection procedures and you are required to raise in
excess of £2, 000 by sponsorship.
Organised
work schemes abroad
Other
organizations can do the leg work for you to locate work within a country.
BUNAC (the British Universities North America Club) is a non-profit,
non-political, student organization with its own travel company. They
can book and arrange all your flights, accommodation and work within
the US and Canada, they offer support services and one of the best things
is that there are lots of other like-minded people doing the same thing
who you will be thrown together with.
If you are using
an organization of this type make sure you research their them thoroughly
before you hand over any money. For advice visit your local careers
center or get a book from the library.
Teaching English
as a foreign language is possible in many countries and you do not need
formal teaching qualifications. Often you do require A-level English
language or an official TEFL qualification.
Holiday
work
There
is lots of scope for finding seasonal work in foreign countries, you
could be picking grapes in the south of France, shearing sheep on a
ranch in Australia or instructing skiing in north America. This work
is only for a short period, and you have to work hard for very little
money, but if you are with a couple of friends and are not stuck out
in the wilderness it can be lots of fun.
Studying
abroad
It
is possible to go to another country on a student exchange programme
for a year of your degree, or to undertake your entire degree abroad.
The Internet provides one of the best resources to find out about placements,
so do your research.
In
conclusion
Is
working abroad a realistic option? The answer is an unequivocal yes,
however relocating abroad can be very expensive depending on where you
move to. People who move abroad do not generally come out financially
better off than before they left their home country.
It is relatively
simple getting casual work but earning a comparable wage to that which
you earned at home is far more difficult unless you have specific skills
that are in short supply within your target country.
Finding work abroad
can be a long process but one that is definitely worth pursuing, do
not give up, when you have your job your experiences abroad will stay
with you for the rest of your life.
The world is your
oyster so swallow it down whole!
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