By Leila Dorari

One of the greatest things about the 21st century is the idea of hyper-connectivity that seemingly opens up so many doors for one willing to invest some effort. For instance, if you have a certain skill in a career you would like to pursue, yet have no opportunity to do so in your own country, what you could do is find a region where your skills are in greater demand and try to find employment there.

With present-day technology, you could find the work you are interested in online (LinkedIn or some similar platform), contact your future employer online (through email or IM) and send your resume. Later on, you could even schedule an interview via Skype and perhaps even get a job in this way. It gets even better. Once you find out if you got a job or not, you could find your future residence right away and start planning a move.

Unfortunately, all of this may sound a bit too idyllic. That’s because it usually is. You see, working abroad has numerous advantages, but it isn’t milk and honey either. This being said, here are a few things you should know about the phenomenon of labor migration.

  1. What are the advantages?

In the introduction, we mentioned finding work that is more to your liking as one of the major advantages of working abroad, however, this is merely a tip of the iceberg. By traveling to a country with a much higher standard than yours, you can earn your yearly salary in just a couple of months. Aside from this, you also get a completely new experience, that, apart from helping you grow by taking you out of your comfort zone, also looks amazing in your CV.

Finally, you get to visit a distant country, learn about a new culture and meet a lot of people you wouldn’t have met otherwise. On top of it, you get to live there for at least a few months, instead of going for a one- or two-week long vacation. Every one of these could be considered as a major plus and on its own reason enough for undertaking such an adventure.

  1. Getting a work visa is not a simple matter

In the previous section, we went to lengths to list all the advantages you may have from going to a different country and finding an employment there. However, getting a work visa is not a simple matter. Think about it, if working at the target location of your choice is so ideal, you can’t be the only one who came to the idea of migrating for work. Furthermore, these countries need to check your record and your background in order to ensure they will benefit from such an arrangement, as well.

Keep in mind that this is a process that could last from several weeks to several months, which is why patience is strongly advised. Additionally, seeing how every place has the laws and regulations of its own, it might be for the best if you were to contact local experts and inquire about this in person. For instance, if you planned on looking for work in NSW, Australia, consulting Withstand Lawyers on the specifics of Australian immigration law might be a good idea.

  1. Prepare for initial expenses

Earlier on, we mentioned moving due to a higher standard, however, the higher standard usually means higher cost of living as well. One of the easiest ways to check the actual price of living in a country is through The Big Mac Index. This informal purchasing power comparison tool can help you deduce just how much more expensive living in a target country is.

Moreover, while some employers are willing to pay for your relocation, most of them are not. Aside from this, you will also need to bring enough money to pay for the first month of your rent, as well as some money for food and basic supplies. This needs to last you at least until your first paycheck arrives. A lot of people take a loan in order to be able to pull this off, however, this easily gets repaid once you get home. That is, provided that your trip was lucrative enough. Needless to say, this is something you need to put on paper before making a decision.

In conclusion

While working abroad may be incredibly lucrative, it all depends on how well prepared you are for what lies ahead. If you expect to just travel across the globe and receive a hefty paycheck for virtually no work, you are bound to get disappointed. Furthermore, even though the money you receive at your target destination may seem like a fortune, compared to what you have earned back at home, living a lavish lifestyle for these few months will still be out of the question.

In other words, whether or not working abroad is as incredible as it seems to be, depends most on your expectations. If you start off with a solid plan and a realistic image in your mind, you can truly make a radical change for the better with this decision alone.

Image credits: Unsplash

 

Author Bio:

Leila Dorari

Leila Dorari is a freelance writer and self-improvement enthusiast from Sydney. Currently, she is spreading the word about the benefits relocating to a new city can bring to one’s career and personal development. In her spare time, she is either window shopping or exploring new ways to make her life more meaningful. http://www.mediagurus.org.au

If you would like to submit a guest post on food, wine or travel to Where and What in the World, I would be happy to feature your travel experience , drink, special wine tasting, or family or simply delicious recipe. If you go to submission tab, you will see how to submit, as well as have the opportunity of telling me if you would like to would like to be a regular contributor. When uploading a file for submission, you are also able to upload jpegs. Please feel free to put a last paragraph about you and a link to your profile. No html please. You can also include a head shot.