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How to Prepare for a Global Career Working Abroad

How to Prepare for a Global Career Working Abroad

Working from another country can be an exciting prospect. It’s an opportunity to learn a new language, immerse yourself in a different culture, and explore new places. It’s an intrepid move, but one you shouldn’t make without a little preparation.

There’s no handbook on how to make the transition from working domestically to a job somewhere else on the globe. However, there’s a lot you can learn from those who have gone before you. Do your due diligence now to make everything go as smoothly as possible when the time comes to make your move. Here are a few things you can do to prepare.

Research Where You Want to Go

More and more countries are opening their doors to foreign workers and making it easier for them to enter. Yet, you still need to anticipate the red tape, vetting processes, and other formalities countries will require you to complete. Every one of them will work by their own set of rules.

What constitutes the perfect location for you will depend on a variety of factors. For example, if you work for a company with a foreign office, that could be ideal. Maybe you want to work in a country that speaks your language or perhaps one that doesn’t so you can learn it. If you’re your own boss, you’ll need to find a country that allows you to obtain a self-employment visa.

Visas are vital to making this type of move. You’ll need to know what the country’s visa requirements are and understand the application process. Some are relatively straightforward while others are more complicated. You might want to get help.

If working for a foreign company, your employer might obtain the appropriate visa. If not, or if you’re going on your own, check out a company like iVisa. The trusted travel document provider can guide you through the process and help you obtain the visa you need easily online. You want to make sure you have what you need to work abroad legally, so get your ducks in a row.

Make this part of your journey fun. It’s interesting to research countries and find out more about what it would be like to work in them. A little homework will go a long way toward finding the right fit.

Figure Out the Dollars and Sense

If you were going to move to another state, imagine the details you would need to tackle. You’d need to find a place to live, sign up for utilities, choose a bank, and figure out how to get around. Those activities would be similar to where you are now. But moving abroad will put you into unfamiliar territory.

Countries have unique banking and tax systems, housing and transportation features, regulations, laws, and cultural norms. You need to know something about those before you land there to help make the transition easier. Moreover, you need to ensure you won’t run afoul of the law.

Consider income taxes, for example. The tax system in some countries is based on citizenship rather than where you live. That means you will be required to pay taxes on foreign earnings. You’ll likely qualify for credits for taxes you pay abroad and have more time to file. You also need to know what taxes you’ll owe to the government of the country you’re moving to.

Health insurance is a big issue too. Whatever plan you have at home will not work abroad. Moreover, most foreign countries will require you to pay to access insurance and their healthcare system. If your work abroad is more temporary, you may qualify for an expat plan of some type. For certain, you need to find out how health insurance and healthcare will work for you there and back home.

If you’re working for your employer in a foreign office, the HR staff will probably be able to walk you through this. If not, find qualified professionals who can advise you on healthcare, banking, taxes, and other information. Ignorance won’t be a defense should you fail to comply with either country’s laws.

Ready Your Logistics

It takes more than figuring out how to pack a suitcase before moving abroad. The devil is in the details, as the saying goes. And because there will be an abundance of them, make a list.

What you take will depend on how often you’ll return home, or whether you have one to return to. If you’ll be coming back frequently, think about the essentials and pack those. You can pick up more each trip. If you’re totally relocating, you may be putting what you own in storage. Either way, remember that you’re probably moving to a place where shops are handy. It may be easier to buy certain items you need there when you arrive.

You will likely want to maintain your home country’s address for a variety of legal, professional, and personal reasons. Those include voter registration, receiving mail, and benefits. You can change your permanent address to a family member’s or friend’s. Or you can change your residency altogether. For example, establishing an address somewhere without income tax can save you money.

You’ll also need to consider how you’ll get around in your new community. If you aren’t buying a vehicle, figure out where you should live to have easy access to public transport. You’ll want to live within walking or easy commuting distance of your workplace, shops, and other conveniences. Google Maps will be extremely helpful in this research.

If you’re venturing to a country that speaks another language, you should learn some key phrases before you go. You don’t want to have to rely on a translation app for the basics. It might be time to subscribe to a language app to prepare. It’s just one other important part of this journey’s logistics.

See Also

Get Moving

Making the leap to live and work abroad is as frightening as it is thrilling. But like anything else, undertaking the right preparation will take the edge of the unknown. Get ready. Get set. Go!

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