FAQ about Overseas Jobs

Are Overseas Jobs Hard to Find?

Overseas jobs can be difficult to land. However, there are related immigration and legal issues that make transferring your career to an overseas location a more complex process than simply finding work abroad. It is important to do your homework to learn all there is to know about how to find an overseas job.

How Do People Find Jobs Overseas?

There are many ways that people are able to identify and secure an overseas job. One of the best recommendations - albeit a potentially long-term solution - is to find a job working for an international firm that may transfer you overseas at some point in the future. Some firms will actually ask you on their applications if you are willing to consider an overseas assignment.

In some places, such as the United Kingdom, you can apply to enter the country as a highly skilled worker if you meet specified requirements. Each country has its own policies regarding foreign workers. Do your research.

Other Examples of Expatriate Resources For Overseas Jobs include:

• Expatriate web sites that have classifieds with overseas job listings - such as the one you're on!!!
• Relocation books and magazines - If you really want to find work overseas, then you should read everything you can get your hands on about the country and city to which you would like to relocate. The more research you do, the better the chance that you will be able to identify expatriate and overseas job resources.
• Business news sites - If you can identify companies that have active operations in other countries, you might be able to discover any new initiatives that generate overseas jobs. Maybe one of these will be one in which you have experience!!!
• Friends and family - Some of the closest people you know may have the ability to recommend you for an overseas job. Does a relative work for a company that has overseas operations?? Maybe they can recommend you for work abroad.

How many people work overseas?

We often get this question from all kinds of people - human resources professionals, reporters, etc. - and it's hard to find a reliable number. Some say that the number of expatriates is about 30 million, and a few more than 4 million of them are U.S. citizens. The number of individuals that hold overseas jobs is said to be a little less than 20 million.

How long do people work abroad on an expatriate assignment?

It depends on the type of overseas job that a person has. Many times, the expatriate has a set assignment length. While international assignments a year or less in length are becoming more popular, those that are 1-5 years are typical. About 3 years is believed to be the average for an overseas assignment.

Some people fall in love with the lifestyle and actively seek another overseas job at the conclusion of their first expatriate assignment. Some will in fact become career expatriates -- a hot commodity among overseas job recruiters.

Does an Overseas Job Help Your Career?

An international assignment can help your career development. However, there are a considerable number of expats that leave their companies after returning from overseas. This can be for a variety of reasons, such as a lack of opportunities in the home country, job offers at competing firms, or a loss of interest in the company on behalf of the repatriate.

If you have more questions about overseas jobs, the best resource for you is to interact with expatriates already working or living abroad. You can do that on our forums and via ExpatExchange Connect, our social networking service - it's free!!!

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