Living and working abroad can be an extraordinary short or long adventure! You have the opportunity to discover new cultures, learn new languages and make new friends. However, it is not as simple as it seems, and being prepared is crucial to making your expatriation a success!

Research careers and opportunities in the area you are moving in:

The trick to avoiding stress when moving countries is to have a job ready for when you arrive. This gives you some stability, and a simple tourist visa will not allow you to stay in the country for very long. It is almost impossible for a country to accept you as an expatriate without having a regular income.

Apply in advance and make sure to adequately research the company you are applying for prior to moving, as it will be harder to make changes after you settle.

Get accommodation:

It goes without saying but having a place ready to live in for when you arrive will take away a lot of stress from moving. Whether temporary or not, it doesn’t matter, as long as you have an address you can use for settling in your chosen country. Different companies sometime offer relocation assistance to help you out with your search, so always make sure to check the benefits section of a job description.

Administrative preparation:

To live abroad, you must have a valid passport, as well as a visa that corresponds to your length of stay. Some countries require guarantees such as work contracts or housing. Always research thoroughly what is expected of you from the government of your target country. On the plus side, most companies offer help on this information as part of their relocation assistance.

Immerse yourself in the culture of your target country:

Prior to living there, you should learn more about the history of the country. Check out the cities and neighbourhoods. Check forums to see where the locals go to eat and see if you can’t try typical dishes. You’d be surprised on how much you can learn about a culture through its cuisine. Check out events and festivities so that you won’t have a culture shock when living in the new country

Be open to others:

Living in a foreign country, far from your friends and family, can be complicated to manage. But don’t worry, it’s normal. It can be helpful to you to integrate more easily in a new city is to open up to others.

To start, you can join Facebook groups, to get in touch with other expatriates or groups of common interest. Exchange phone numbers, offer to go out for a drink, invite them for a drink or coffee.

Open to your co-workers or classmates too! You spend all day together, it’s time to bond, don’t hesitate to do after work, or even to schedule activities on the weekend.  We all need social contact with new friends, expatriate or not, who understand your situation and your life.

Expatriation becomes a success only after a good preparation. A strong ability to adapt, combined with deep motivations, will make your voluntary exile a rewarding experience and a source of renewal to boost your career and enrich your personal life.

Looking for a new international career opportunity and want to find out more? We have amazing career opportunities in many European countries such as Portugal, Greece, Spain, Malta, Ireland, Bulgaria and more!

Send us your CV and our International Recruitment Consultants will be in touch!