?? Considering taking your skills abroad and relocating your life to another country? ??

“I want to relocate and work Internationally, but it seems such a big move and I don’t know where to start”

By Sophie Bubb at dSb Recruitment Consultancy Ltd.

Have you ever thought this?

I know I did, and actually earlier in my career, relocating abroad within the Global business I worked for was potentially an option. There was just so much to consider and always a reason not to, so I pushed it away thinking there will be a ‘better time’. If I’d really understood that this opportunity might not come again, then I know I would have grasped it with both hands. Not having done so is definitely one of my career regrets, so now I spend my time helping others do this instead!

A word of caution, it is certainly not for everyone. Taking the leap to move overseas has a significant influence on both your personal and professional life. There are many considerations and often compromises to make, but the personal journey can be hugely fulfilling (or so many of my placed candidates have told me!) with great future work prospects.

Still want to know more?

Let’s dive into the detail……

Only you can decide if the below 3 potential barriers can be overcome, and I advise you to do this FIRST. If any of the below aren’t areas you can or would consider changing or compromising on, then it’s highly unlikely that international relocation is right for you just now:

Are you willing to leave family behind and potentially see them less often?

The further afield you go, the more this is important to consider. If you are losing family childcare support you’ll need to think about how you can replace this

Who will move with you and what are their needs?

Are there children who need schooling? If they are pre-school you can often consider the state school system, as young children adapt easily to new languages and it’s a great opportunity to bring up them multi-lingual. For older children, it will likely need to be a private International School which are generally very good but expensive. Sometimes this cost is covered by the new employer or can be negotiated as part of your offer depending on your seniority/worth.

Do you have a Partner who also works and will need to find a new job?

You might speak the country’s native or business language but your partner doesn’t, so how easy will it be for them to continue their career overseas?

Do you currently own or rent a house?

If renting then when does your agreement expire? Can you sub-let until it does? If you own, can you easily rent out your house or sell it if you prefer? Can you wait until it does, or cover the costs in the meantime?

There are also other important considerations:

What languages do you speak?

If you speak business English as a native or second language, then much of the world is open to you. Some notable exceptions to this in Europe are Italy, Spain, France, and Portugal where the native language is still very much the business language, and just having good English skills are often not enough. This is quite unlike Germany, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Switzerland, and Asia (to name a few), where just business English is likely to be adequate.

With any other International languages, you will be considered in the country where it is their native language, but most International businesses still require a good level of English language skills to transact on the Global market. Considering this can help you build your target country list or maybe even drive you to take up English language classes so you have future options

Do you know anyone there?

Do any friends or family live in the countries on your list? If so, then you might consider putting them right to the top! Having a starting network when you arrive somewhere new can be invaluable from a social and practical knowledge point of view

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Which offer the best income tax levels?

When putting a Country on your hit list, one of the first things to research is their income tax bandings to understand if there are any concessions for ex-pats. Some European Countries use this as a way to attract international talent. For example, in the Netherlands, you can apply for the 30% tax-free ruling if you match the qualifying criteria (https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/live-work-study/living/official-procedures/30-tax-ruling )

and the zero income tax policy in Dubai won’t be changed in the foreseeable future (https://expatra.com/guides/dubai )

What is the cost of moving?

Relocation support can be offered by larger organisations to help with the costs of moving your goods and a month or two of initial accommodation costs. In?some countries, accommodation costs can be fully covered on an ongoing basis. Some will also offer the support of a specialist relocation Agency to help you navigate the challenges of opening new bank accounts, finding rental accommodation, schooling etc. If however this is not offered, the costs don’t have to be prohibitive, but do some early research into what this might amount to for you

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Can you get a Visa or will you need Sponsorship?

Every country has its own criteria. Once you have drawn up your target list of locations, get into the detail of this early to ensure you qualify to apply for a visa either on your own merit (through education level, family etc), or can obtain one through sponsored employment. Already having the right to work in that country will make you a much more attractive candidate to most companies, but there are many who don’t think twice about organising and paying for work visas for the right candidate

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Are you adaptable to new situations/cultures?

No matter how much research to do before you go, the first 6 months can be scary and daunting as you try to fit in socially, battle home sickness, and establish yourself (and possibly a family) in the new normal.?But if you thrive in change, seek challenges, embrace differences, and can generally handle most of what life throws at you, then you’re halfway there!

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Some helpful Tools:

Ex-pat sites/pages - For every country there are websites, social media pages, or articles which will help you understand the costs of living there and how they differ to your current country. This is vital when considering what salary you’ll need to command to maintain or improve your standard of living when you move. A great resource for a huge number of Countries is https://expatra.com/guides/

Online Income Tax Calculator websites - Use a search engine to find these sites for your country of choice. You can plug in your current (converted) GROSS income and find out what your monthly or yearly NET earnings would be in that country

Government websites - Most countries’ sites will have a section regarding working there as a non-National which will contain valuable information about Visa requirements and application, resident and income taxes etc.

Ex-Pat communities - Find and join these communities and forums online and via social media. https://www.internations.org/ is a great one to consider alongside lots of others. There will be many people who have made a similar move in the past and are very willing to help answer questions and give you the benefit of their experience and advice.

Please don’t be put off by the amount of information above. I am hoping that it will be helpful rather than overwhelming!

If after reading all this you still want to go for it then well done and the best of luck, I am sure you won’t regret it ????