Are you in a bit of a rut in terms of your career? Maybe you’re keen to advance, or perhaps a change of scenery is what’s needed to re-motivate you and inspire you. If so, how about moving abroad to work? Lots of countries have skills gaps for skills that you might have, others might give you the opportunity to advance in your career in a way that’s not possible from staying at home. Perhaps your current company is looking to expand globally and has offered you the chance to work in another office elsewhere? If you are thinking about moving abroad for work, here are some things to consider.
Which Country To Choose
If your company is expanding and they’ve asked if you will move abroad, then the destination will already have been decided and you won’t have to choose which country to live in. Otherwise, it’s down to you to decide where you will go, based on the kind of lifestyle and career you want. If you’re looking for a complete change of culture and a place that’s growing by the day then how about the middle east? Dubai and Abu Dhabi are some of the fastest growing cities in the world and offer all kinds of incredible opportunities for work. Alternatively, how about the US, the ‘land of opportunity’? Your first thought might be the big cities of New York and LA, however states including Ohio, Missouri, Michigan and North Carolina are all worth considering. This is because they’re ranked as some of the best places to work, there are plenty of vacancies and job satisfaction is high according to surveys. Plus it’s affordable to live there, and generally offers a less hectic pace of life than the busier states. Europe is another place to consider, especially when places like Dublin in Ireland are experiencing a significant skills gap. This means there are plenty of opportunities for work, and it’s likely to be easier to be granted a work visa. How about Germany, Berlin is considered as a global destination for creativity and combined with low rent prices it can be a great place to live. Then of course there’s England, cities such as London, Manchester, and Liverpool all offer unique experiences for work. The UK can be a little harder to enter for work purposes. You will need a visa, and if you have no links to the country you will need to enter either on a highly skilled visa or a sponsorship visa granted from the workplace in your country.
Where Will You Live
Once you’ve narrowed down the continent and country, your next step would be to work out which location you will live in. Since you’re planning on moving for work, living somewhere that’s not too far from your workplace makes sense. If you will be job seeking when you get over there, what you could do is rent a temporary apartment for a while. Once you’ve secured a position and know exactly where you’ll be working, you can then go about finding a home that suits your style and budget and is easy to commute to the office. This also allows you to see properties in person and take your time, instead of trying to fly out and sign for somewhere before moving to the country. You can find cheap calls to Pakistan, Thailand, Finland, Zimbabwe or just about any place on the globe meaning phoning up to arrange interviews and sort out living arrangements shouldn’t cost a fortune. However being there in person especially when it comes to viewing your place to live can certainly make life easier. If you’ll be moving with your family, you will need to consider things like schools, employment for your spouse and other factors when it comes to choosing a property.
What About The Costs
Moving abroad can be a tedious process, and one of the things to factor in is the costs. As well as plane tickets and purchasing or renting a new place, you will need to pay to have your possessions shipped over and other kinds of costs. In many cases, instead of taking bulky furniture it can be worth selling or storing what you have and buying it again once you’ve moved. Think about vehicles too, usually it’s cheaper to sell what you have and buy another car instead of paying shipping costs. Unless you have an attachment to the car, perhaps it was a project or was brought to you by someone special, then getting rid of it and purchasing something else when you arrive could be the cheaper option. If you’re moving to a busy city, then it might not be worth owning a car at all, something to look into in the planning stages.
Is Relocating The Right Decision
Finally, before taking the plunge it’s worth really thinking about your decision. Moving abroad, even if it’s only on a temporary basis is a big decision. You don’t want to go through the hassle and costs of moving abroad and end up unhappy. It’s easy to make a snap decision after a rough week at work, but take the time to work out what your reasons are. If you’re bored in your role, could you change careers without moving? Will moving abroad benefit your life as well as your family and your career prospects? There’s no right answer here, it’s very dependent on you, your lifestyle, commitments and the people in your life. For example, if you’re very close to your family will you be ok with moving a long distance from them? If your spouse is secure in their career, will moving abroad with you negatively impact this? What kind of education system does the new country have, and will moving disrupt your children’s lives? Have a careful think and weigh up the pros and cons.
Would you consider moving abroad to improve your career prospects? If so, which country would you want to move to?
