Working Abroad

Working abroad, living overseas, becoming an expatriate - these are all things that many of us dream of and even plan to do at some stage in our life.  Few people actually put their plans into action though, but those who do expose themselves to an incredible wealth of opportunity.

If you’re seriously considering working abroad - whether permanently or temporarily - there are many considerations that you should bear in mind before actually printing off your CV and booking your plane ticket, and this article covers the 10 top things you should cover when thinking about working abroad.

1) The type of work you want and the countries that can offer you the opportunities you require or desire

If you have a career path mapped out for yourself or you’ve qualified in a vocational field such as medicine, education or theology for example, it’s essential that you research the countries that offer you the type of job you require or desire.  You need to ensure that all your qualifications translate favourably in any country you’re consider making home and that the experience you have will be recognised and even wanted.

If you’re about to start a brand new career or take your first steps on the career ladder and you’re looking around for countries offering ideas and opportunities to inspire you then you might find you’re less geographically restricted for choice than if you have very rigid plans for your future career prospects.

2) The buoyancy of the jobs market in your chosen country

Sometimes it’s possible to secure employment before you even venture overseas; in fact your current employer might offer or desire to relocate you abroad.  Either way, it’s important to check the buoyancy of the jobs market of the country you’re about to move to in case your initial job offer doesn’t work out for some reason.

Furthermore, few if any of us believe in having a job for life nowadays therefore even if all goes well for a few years you might want to spread your wings, broaden your horizons and seek new opportunities with an alternative employer or even in a different field.  If you’re moving to a country with high unemployment or a country with limited opportunities for someone with your skills then there may come a time when you have to relocate or repatriate.

3) Work permits, permission to reside and visas

Depending on your nationality and the country you would like to work in you may be forced to apply for residence, for a work permit or even for a visa to enter the country.  If you secure a job offer from an employer within the country of your choice they may be able to assist with such requirements if needs be.  Alternatively you could look at countries where you are free to reside and work.  For residents of an EU member state this includes all other countries in the EU.

If you do decide to move abroad to a country that requires foreign residents to have visas etc., start your application process as soon as possible so that you have enough time to get everything in place before your desired relocation date.  Use the internet to research your chosen country and the restrictions it places on people of your nationality.  Be prepared!

4) Learn a foreign language to aid and abet you

Preferably learn the language of the country you’re considering relocating to!  This should stand you in good stead with local employers and also help you integrate far quicker into the way of life in your new country.  Particularly for those of us lucky enough to be fluent in English it is easy nowadays to move around the world and be universally understood (to at least a basic level) but if you want to move to a country where English is not the mother tongue and you want to be taken seriously and respected you need to make a concerted effort to learn the language of your host country.

5) Employment law and practices and whether you will be protected and affected

Understanding the basic employment laws of the country you’re moving to will help you approach employers in the right way, it will assist you with your interview technique and it may help you when it comes to contract negotiations and salary discussions. 

If you understand employment practices this will help you adjust to working in a foreign country alongside local residents and it will help you adapt socially to your working environment.

6) Health insurance, social security and taxation

Find out what an employer pays for in terms of your taxation liability, any social payments required and also in terms of health and welfare benefits for you and your family.  If you make sure you understand what your employer pays this should leave you with a clearer picture of what your responsibilities are and also how much of your salary will be left to ‘play with’ at the end of the month.

Find out about tax rates in the countries you’re considering before you go and make sure you try and find out about any tax credits of breaks that you might be entitled to exploit and also any hidden taxes as well.  By finding out all about your likely financial responsibilities before you even find a job you will have a far better understanding of what your overall cost of living will be and this will help you budget and also negotiate salary!

7) Open an offshore bank account for flexibility, ease of access and to reduce any currency fluctuations you might be exposed to

Opening an offshore bank account in this day and age is not only incredibly simple it is cheap and par for the course for all expatriates regardless of where in the world they live.  Generally speaking offshore bank accounts offer international travellers and expatriates far greater account flexibility in terms of access and services, and depending on which currency you open one in you may be able to protect yourself from currency fluctuations in your country of residence and back home.

For more information about opening such an account or the account types available to you please complete our offshore advice form with your requirements and we will contact you.

8) Self-employment

If you’re considering moving abroad and starting your own business there are a whole host of practical things to consider.  But very basically you must ensure that your business idea is unique enough to survive yet not so unique that it is totally unlikely to succeed.  If you’ve never been self-employed before and you’re about to venture overseas and do it for the first time be prepared for a bumpy ride.  Self employment is tough at the best of times - though of course, looking on the positive side it can also be hugely rewarding.  But when you add on the complexity and stress of relocating abroad to start your own business you have to be realistic about the fact that you may well struggle emotionally and financially.  If you have enough in the bank to survive for a year you will be giving yourself the best chance of success.

9) Living in and on the local economy - what you’ll need to earn versus what you’ll get

Time and again people move abroad to enjoy lower costs of living and don’t give a second’s thought to the fact that if they seek employment in the local economy the cost of living will suddenly become relative to what they are earning!  Sure, it might be very cheap to live in Northern Cyprus if you come from the UK or Germany - but if you take a job in the local economy and discover that average wages are a little over £10 a day you will need to seriously budget to survive and you will most certainly need to curtail your spending habits.  Be realistic about what you can earn overseas and then look at exactly how much you need to bring in to survive - is there room to breathe or do you need to think again?

10) Don’t burn your bridges

If you’re planning on sacking your boss and telling your colleagues just what you really think of them before hot footing it out the door and onto a plane, just remember the facts - of those who move abroad most will either choose to repatriate or at some point in the future be forced to return home.  Don’t burn any career bridges when you relocate overseas, you never know when you might want or need to return home!

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