Getting Started
There are many resources to help you realize your dream of working abroad long-term. Before you begin, it is important to know the reality of working abroad.
Those who find career-related work often start off working for an international company in the United States and are transferred to an office abroad.
It can be very difficult to obtain a work permit to work legally in a foreign country. Employers usually have to prove that there are no national candidates qualified to perform the job and that the foreign worker is uniquely qualified. This is one of the reasons that Teaching English abroad has become one of the easiest and most popular ways to work abroad for an extended period of time.
Don't let this discourage you though; many people are successful at finding long-term work abroad but it does take perseverance.
Eligibility
To obtain resident and legal work status in a country, usually:
- You must already have a job waiting for you
- You must have means to live in a country without working
- You fulfill government criteria to establish a business
- You are descended from or married to a national
- You have lived legally in the country for a number of years for a reason acceptable to the government
- You are willing to pay a fee to an organization that will assist you in obtaining a temporary work visa. Then it would be up to the employing company to sponsor you for longer. It is not guaranteed that the company you temporarily work for will sponsor you permanently. (e.g., BUNAC, USIT, Alliance Abroad)
Common Fields of International Employment
Now that you know the reality of working abroad and have started to think about what you're looking for in an international career, start thinking about some of the fields where international employment is more likely:
- Business & Banking
- Criminal Justice/ Law
- Consulting Firms
- Government
- Healthcare
- Infrastructure/Public Service
- International Education
- Nonprofit and Relief/Volunteer Agencies
- Public Policy Initiatives
- Technical Fields
- Travel Industry
–Adapted from Career Services at the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University