Sat, 20 March 2010
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Moving abroad is a great way to travel, develop new friendships, experience diverse cultures and broaden your horizons. Fortunately, you can also develop your career at the same time. When considering a career move overseas, it is wise to extensively research before you go.Doing your homework on moving abroad is definitely worthwhile, for both professional and social reasons. There is a huge amount of information available, including an array of fantastic books and websites.
Securing a job offer before you leave makes life a lot easier, especially as most companies offer attractive relocation and expatriate packages.Most employers will sort out your visa and offer you some kind of relocation package. This could include paying for flights, providing a shipping allowance or arranging up to four weeks’ paid accommodation.
There can also be assistance with housing subsidies, plus schooling allowances, car allowances and other benefits.
It is always worth initiating your own research which covers the cost of living; availability of accommodation; safest suburbs; currency exchange rates; average temperatures throughout the year; local transport services; local issues (e.g. environmental, political, religious); media outlets; major events; popular pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes and shopping spots; nearby tourist destinations … the list is endless!
A good recruitment consultancy will give you advice and information on all of these subjects. Other options are to speak to expats and locals, read a Lonely Planet guide and go online.
Many expats write about their overseas experiences in weblogs, which can be a valuable source of first hand, honest information.
When moving to work abroad, it advisable to avoid leaving debt in your home country. This is recommended for an array of reasons, such as high interest charges and fluctuating currency exchange rates.
You should undoubtedly save money for setting up overseas as relocating can be expensive and there are often unexpected costs, such as furnishing an apartment, bond deposits, first month's rent, buying a car/moped/bike and many more.
Here's a short introduction to our Banking section for those living in France.
Here's a short introduction to our Where to Live section for France.
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