The world is a huge place. There are so many countries, cultures and sights to experience that we may never see it all in a single lifetime. However, thanks to the internet and daring photographers, we can experience most of the world’s beauty in the comfort of our own home—but that doesn’t stop us from wanting to explore. We usually hop on a plane and visit another country when we want to experience something fun like a holiday break, but have you ever considered travelling for the sake of work?
Unless you work in a global company that sends you across the world, you’re probably going to be confined in your own office for a very long time, never seeing much of the outside world. If that’s your life right now and you want to break free, then here are some things to consider if you fancy a career change and want to live and work abroad.
Short-term or long-term?
First, decide if you want to work abroad for a short or long period of time. Long-term would imply that you want to gain permanent work abroad which also includes a permanent residency. Short-term would imply that you only want to work for a couple of months, weeks or possibly a year. What you decide will greatly affect your choices and what kind of documentation or licenses you’ll need to acquire before you’re able to work. Speaking of documentation…
Work permits requirements
If you live in Europe and want to work and live in another European country, it’s relatively straightforward and there isn’t much to think about aside from possible language barriers. However, if you live in the United States and you want to work in Japan, then there are many more considerations to think about. You’ll need to obtain a working visa and you’ll have to learn the language if you want to have a better chance of finding work. You’re also going to need to update your knowledge about their culture because there are some key differences between how Americans and Japanese go about their daily lives. You may also need licenses to perform certain jobs in different countries. For instance, you need to take a White Card Online course if you want to work as a construction worker in Australia, and you need a license to drive a taxi or a private hire vehicle in most parts of the world.
Unique skills that you bring to a different culture
One of the most straightforward ways to get a job in another country is to teach your home language. It’s simple and whether you apply to work at a school or do it as a private tutoring service, your expertise as someone who has come from another country will give you a great start in starting a life in another country.
Alternatively, you could use your skills that you’ve picked up from working in your current country. For instance, if you currently have a job as a chef, then your skills and cultural influences could help you land a job at a restaurant or you might even have the opportunity to start up your very own restaurant. However, if you have a technical profession such as a software engineer, it might be more difficult to land a job if you aren’t proficient at the language yet.
Image credit: pexels.com