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Millions of people around the world dream of a new, more fulfilling life by moving abroad. Unfortunately, only a small percentage ever makes it happen.
So what is stopping the rest?
For most, I imagine, it is money. After all, if you are rich enough to live where you want, and can come and go at will, then the world is your oyster.
Most of us are not in that liberating position. Instead, we have to find a way to fund this dream life overseas.
Which is where the challenges start. Questions crop up like …
- Am I eligible for a working visa?
- Will my qualifications be recognised?
- What job can I get?
- How much will it pay?
- Can I get my business idea off the ground?
- What hoops will I have to jump through?
- Is there local demand?
There can be so much uncertainty about making your relocation financially viable that I think many people just give up on the idea.
Seems a shame, doesn’t it?
If any of this has happened to you then Megan Fitzgerald, an expat career and personal branding coach, would love to hear from you. She is conducting a poll of current and aspiring expats to find the answer to an intriguing question: what is the biggest obstacle to building a successful career abroad?
The poll’s findings will reveal the most common problems people face, and hopefully offer some useful insights into how to overcome them.
To take part in the poll go to http://linkd.in/i9pnWY.
Tags: business, career, coach, dream, expat, financial, job, life, live, money, Moving Abroad, overseas, pay, qualification, relocation, rich, success, visa, work, world
It is exactly a year now since we repatriated from Spain to the UK. It was lovely to return in time to have Christmas with family, but looking back I wouldn’t do it the same way again. For rather than enjoying those magical weeks in the run up to Christmas, we had to spend them up to our ears in boxes, sorting and packing belongings.
Having moved several times before, we knew how much work was involved. Still, it’s amazing to discover how much “stuff” we had managed to accumulate, and how long it takes to sort.
The question then is always what do you do with it?
Which are the essential items you absolutely must take with you when relocating? Which bits can be given or thrown away? And the biggest quandary, what do you do with the rest? You know, the stuff you want to keep, or that you think might come in useful “some day.”
Unless a friend or family member is happy to give up their garage or attic indefinitely so you can jam it full of your belongings, the only real solution is to use a self storage facility. They come with several advantages:
1) It’s cost effective
For one, it is inexpensive these days to rent storage space. In addition, there are no long term contracts. That means that as you settle into your new place you have the flexibility to collect your boxes when you are ready for them.
2) It’s safe and secure
Any self storage facility worth its salt will have effective security measures in place to protect your property. Look for 24hr CCTV and individual alarms on the storage rooms.
3) It’s convenient
Self storage has become more and more popular in recent years. As a result, there is probably a self storage facility[1] close by.
Where possible it is best to look for facilities near both your old and new homes. That way you always have the option of keeping any overflow you’re not sure if you want or have space for safe.
4) It’s flexible
Unless you’re relocating to a place where the weather is pretty much the same all year round, you may also want to think about storing all that stuff you only use at certain times of the year – for example, skis or scuba gear. That way you won’t have it cluttering up the house the whole time. And that can do wonders for your state of mind!
[1] For example,
Big Yellow Self Storage has over 70 sites across Britain. You can see their facilities and locations at
http://www.bigyellow.co.uk/.
Tags: belonging, box, Christmas, cost, expat, facility, family, friend, home, house, inexpensive, move, pack, property, relocating, rent, repatriate, room, safe, secure, security, space, Spain, storage, UK, weather, work
A recent holiday in Spain – the first trip back to our house on the northern Costa Brava since repatriating to the UK last Christmas – reminded me of all the good things about our former life in the sun.
And the drive home from the airport after we landed back in the UK, with the rain greasing the congested motorway, showed the stark contrast with the world we had left behind.
Since our return friends and work colleagues have been asking the same question: do we regret moving back to England?
Of course, we miss some of the lifestyle benefits Spain offers. After all, the UK is by no means perfect. Nevertheless, on balance we are happy we repatriated.
So what are the good things about living back in the UK? For me, the key ones are:
The number one advantage is being back among family and old friends, renewing those old, precious relationships.
There is an ease to living in a place where you understand the societal attitudes, the sense of humour, and how the systems involved in day-to-day life work. Being able to think and speak in your native tongue once again is nice too.
We have now been through all the seasons, and while the UK’s weather may not be wonderful (I’m writing this with the rain lashing outside), each reveals some special aspect of the country’s beauty.
In the months since our return we have also taken the chance to explore more of the country, and see the charm that attracts so many foreign visitors: the wonders of London, the nation’s majestic stately homes, its quaint villages and verdant countryside.
It is not always easy to see how great Great Britain is when you are brought up with it and long to escape. Instead, sometimes you have to leave to come back again.
As Irish novelist George Moore said: “A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”
That is just how I am feeling … at least for the moment!
Tags: airport, beauty, Britain, Christmas, Costa Brava, country, culture, England, escape, family, Foreign, friend, Irish, life, lifestyle, London, rain, relationship, repatriate, social network, Spain, stately home, sun, UK, visitor, weather, work, world
Moving to Canada to work or start a new business can be an exciting venture. To make the most of it though, it is important to know how to go about obtaining a visa.
Canada values immigrants who come to their country to help contribute to their economy. Nevertheless, there are a few restrictions you should know about when applying for a work visa.
In the case of immigrating to Canada for business purposes, it is important to understand the specific visa requirements and the points system.
Some key points to know:
- Education: This section offers a maximum of 25 points based on the amount of school completed. It starts at secondary education and below, which offers 0 points. PhD or Master’s degree holders receive 25 points, on condition they have completed at least 17 years of full-time study.
- Language: Canada’s two official languages are English and French, and you can receive a maximum of 24 points for fluency in both. Fluency in one yields 16 points, provided you have mastered reading, writing, listening and speaking proficiency.
- Work Experience: Points are only rewarded when you have had at least a year of full-time experience in a managerial, professional, or highly skilled occupation. One year earns 15 points, and four or more years earns the maximum 21 points.
- Proof of Funds: 10 points are awarded to people who have an offer of employment approved by the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). Otherwise, you will need proof you have either a set amount of funds in a bank account, or have secured work in Canada.
The eligibility requirement is based on the number of household members. As of May 2010, single applicants were required to have at least CAD $11,086, whereas a six-member household needed CAD $26,350.
Securing work in Canada exempts immigrants from this requirement. However, failure to meet any requirements results in ineligibility.
- Age: Because most people in the workforce are aged 21-49, the highest number of points is awarded to this age bracket. Applicants under 16 and over 54 do not receive points in this section. Other age brackets are awarded in two-point increments up to eight.
There are a number of Canada Immigration Services that can help you get started if you plan to immigrate from the UK to Canada in search of work. Whether you plan to move to Canada for business or hope to move there permanently, knowing the basics in the immigration process can help you become acclimated more quickly and avoid any procedural snags along the way.
This article was provided by Global Visas, the leading immigration experts for private and corporate clients locally and worldwide.
Tags: age, bank, business, Canada, country, degree, economy, Education, employment, English, experience, fluency, French, fund, Global Visas, household, human resources, Immigrant, immigrate, immigrating, Language, move, occupation, points, professional, School, study, system, UK, visa, work, workforce
The United States is one of the most popular countries in the world for businesses and families to immigrate to. With a diverse array of cultures and companies throughout the large nation, the opportunities for immigrants are virtually endless.
However, because of the strict requirements for people immigrating to the U.S., it is important to know the processes to ensure you get the right visas and documentation for a visit or smooth transition to life as an American citizen or permanent resident.
There are several ways to immigrate to the U.S. depending on the needs of your business, family, or yourself. You can choose from a work or student US visa for a temporary stay, apply for a green card if you have a spouse or relatives who are U.S. citizens, or apply for citizenship if you plan to make a permanent move to the U.S.
A green card affords permanent U.S. residency. People who hold a green card are permanently approved to work within the U.S. despite not having citizenship.
After a certain number of years people with a green card may apply for citizenship if they choose. However, it is not required – something especially important for people to know when there is any possibility of moving back to their home country.
Naturalization, or the process of obtaining American citizenship, is another option, although it applies to those who plan to make their move to the U.S. permanent. After five years of residence in the U.S., green card holders can apply for citizenship. The test required for nationalization measures knowledge of U.S. civics, as well as English language proficiency.
Overall, U.S. immigration laws change rather frequently, so it is vital to know the current regulations in advance, whether you choose to get a USA visa for work, a student visa, or you want to apply for citizenship.
This article was provided by Global Visas, the leading immigration experts for private and corporate clients locally and worldwide.
Tags: America, business, citizen, countries, document, English, family, Global Visas, green card, holder, immigrants, immigrate, immigrating, Immigration, Language, law, move, nation, naturalization, relative, residence, residency, spouse, student, U.S., United States, visa, work, world
We’ve long suspected it, and now it appears to be true – the French, those lucky blighters, have the best quality of life in Europe.
Or, at least, so says a new study by consumer comparison service uSwitch.com[1].
Its research examined 16 quality of life factors – such as net income, food and fuel costs, life expectancy and working conditions – across 10 European countries to see how they stacked up.
France emerged with the best overall score, followed by Spain. The UK came ninth, with Ireland propping up the bottom of the table.
The reason for the UK’s poor score, said uSwitch, included its high living costs, below average government spending on health and education, shortage of holiday entitlements, high retirement age and lack of sunshine.
France, by contrast, was found to have the lowest retirement age, the longest life expectancy and the highest healthcare spend.
Meanwhile, Spain benefited from low living costs (especially for alcohol and cigarettes!), the highest number of holidays (at 43 days per year) and most sunshine hours.
The firm went on to note that three in ten people in the UK believe now is a good time to emigrate[2]. Given the low quality of life it seems they can expect to enjoy, is it any wonder?
The Full Picture
Yet before everyone starts packing their bags for France and Spain, it is important to remember that while such surveys make for attention-grabbing headlines, they don’t show the full picture.
For instance, the uSwitch report gives no consideration to the countries’ current or expected economic growth rates. Or what about the 20% unemployment rate afflicting Spain?
It gives no weighting either to the burdensome red tape that is so often cited as a feature of life in France and Italy.
The percentage of GDP spent on health is a blunt tool too by which to measure and compare the efficacy of countries’ systems. The United States, for one, spends a considerably higher percentage of its GDP on health, yet millions of its citizens remain without adequate, or indeed any, health cover.
The uSwitch survey also takes it as given that the greater the hours of sunshine the better. Yet the impressive sunshine quota seen in southern Europe – as well as places such as California and parts of Australia – bring with it high summer temperatures that frequently provoke raging forest fires, water shortages, pest infestations and crop failures.
In addition, the summer heat may force residents, especially the elderly, to spend weeks of the year trapped indoors, and can even lead to spiking death rates (as seen in Europe during the 2003 heatwave).
In short, these types of reports and surveys – a plethora of which are produced around the world each year – can give some helpful indication of the life you can expect to find when moving abroad. But to get a real picture, don’t forget to consider all the elements, the pros and the cons, and what they mean specifically to you.
[1] UK and Ireland Trailing the Rest of Europe for Quality of Life, uSwitch.com, 22 September 2010,
http://www.uswitch.com/press-room/press-releases/uk-and-ireland-trailing-the-rest-of-europe-for-quality-of-life-1769.pdf.
[2] uSwitch.com Consumer Opinion Panel, May 2010, amongst a sample of 3,640 adults.
Tags: Australia, California, citizen, cost, countries, Education, emigrate, Europe, Food, France, French, GDP, growth, health, holiday, income, Ireland, Italy, living cost, Moving Abroad, quality of life, resident, Retirement, Spain, summer, sunshine, survey, UK, unemployment, United States, uSwitch.com, work
There was a documentary on British TV last week called Living with Brucie[1].
For anyone who hasn’t heard of him, Bruce Forsyth is a showbiz legend in the UK, a mainstay on Saturday prime time TV for the last 40-odd years.
And for the last 27 of those, Bruce has been married to Wilnelia, a Puerto Rican former Miss World who is 30 years his junior.
For me, what was interesting was the story of two people from different countries and cultures coming together to forge a life, and what it takes to make it a success.
Despite her fame on the Caribbean island, and the family and friends she has there, it is Winnie who has given up her homeland to be with her husband. OK, so she now lives in a mansion on the Wentworth golf estate in Surrey, with all the trappings that come from being married to a multimillionaire entertainer. But still, it must be a sacrifice.
Expat love
And it is a common tale. A survey earlier this year by health insurer Bupa International and expat web resource Expatica found one in five respondents had moved abroad for love[2]. It was a bigger reason for relocating than lifestyle choice (cited by 8% of expats), retirement (4%), weather and culture (1% each).
There is a suggestion it may be a growing trend as well. According to the survey, only 14% of expats who moved abroad 10 years ago did it for love, whereas the figure was 22% for those who relocated in the last five years.
In these situations, one member of the couple will always have to be away from home and all it embodies: family and friends, familiar landscapes, its customs and culture.
Homesickness may strike, but – short of breaking up the family – one person will have to live with the consequences.
So how do you cope?
If anyone has any personal experiences from moving abroad for love, or tips and strategies on how to make it work I’d love to hear them.
[1] Living with Brucie, Channel 4,
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/living-with-brucie
[2] One in five expats moves abroad for love, expatica.com, 11 February 2010, http://www.expatica.com/be/news/community_focus/One-in-five-expats-moves-abroad-for-love.html
Tags: British, Bruce Forsyth, Caribbean, countries, culture, custom, expat, family, Friends, home, homeland, lifestyle, love, Miss World, move abroad, multimillionaire, Puerto Rican, relocate, relocating, Retirement, TV, UK, weather, Wilnelia, Winnie, work
Golf, I’ve discovered, is not like riding a bike. Picking up a club for the first time in five years and expecting to smash ball after ball down the middle of the fairway was always going to be wishful thinking. I mean, if Tiger struggles with his game after months out what hope did I have?
At least the conditions were perfect. It was one of those glorious English summer evenings: the warm sun dipping towards the horizon, soft June light, shadows lengthening across the rolling green fairways, woodpigeons calling from the branches … the thwack of small white golf balls clattering into yet another copse of trees.
And, quality of play aside, it was great to get out last night for a hack round with my brothers, the first time we’d done it since before I moved to Spain seven years ago.
In fact, the last time I played was with my eldest brother, when he came to visit shortly after we moved abroad. On that occasion we tried out the Empordà Golf Resort, one of a string of top-notch courses to be found close to our home on the Costa Brava. Unfortunately, that was as far as my Spanish golf career got. Places like PGA Catalunya, which is ranked number seven in Golf World magazine’s Top 100 European courses, remain an unfulfilled dream.
For despite the fantastic facilities and ideal weather in Spain, time was always a problem.
The expat lifestyle may seem to be one of leisurely days spent drinking wine and soaking up the sun, but that isn’t the reality for most. I still had to work hard all week. And with two young daughters to look after it never seemed fair for me to slope off for five hours on the weekend to play, especially when we had no other family around to ease my wife’s childcare load.
As a result, it’s taken our repatriation to the UK for me to be able to dust off the clubs. That, and the chance to spend valuable time with my brothers, are among the plus points of moving back. If only I could have brought some of those magnificent courses with me.
Tags: Catalunya, childcare, Costa Brava, Emporda, English, expat, family, Golf, leisure, lifestyle, Spain, Spanish, summer, sun, UK, work
Priorities are powerful forces … assuming you’ve got them in the right order. And keeping them there requires continual monitoring.
So what are your priorities?
Most of us – myself included – get batted around like a pinball from one activity to the next. Our days are spent finishing up that urgent project at work for which the boss is breathing down our necks … seeing to the needs of our kids … phoning parents to check how they are … dashing to the shops to pick up a last-minute birthday present.
We go to bed exhausted, only to get up tomorrow and do it all over again. Lives spent scuttling from one weekend to the next, firefighting whatever today’s most pressing need happens to be.
But what about that life you’d really like to be leading? The one you keep nestled somewhere close to your heart?
We all have one, don’t we? That ‘if I won the Lottery …’ vision of how things would be in a perfect world. Where you’d like to live. How you’d like to spend your time. And with whom. The long-term dream.
Making that vision reality though takes consistent action, and time. Progressive, daily steps. And to do anything on a daily basis means prioritising.
It’s something with which I still struggle. But by persevering it’s starting to pay off. In fact I’m feeling pretty good, for I’ve finally finished revising and proofing the print version of my book on the pros and cons of moving abroad. It is now with the printer, the last step before public release next week!
It’s not been easy mind.
As with so many other people around the world, it’s been a tough 18 months.
The financial crisis has forced me to scramble for work like never before. And outside of the long work hours are my commitments as a husband and father.
As a result, it’s not always easy to find time to do the ‘non-urgent’ writing I really want, the books and screenplays that one day I hope will be my full-time occupation.
I realised though that unless I made the time, prioritised the writing in my day, it would never get done. And my dreams of being an author would go the same way.
It’s the same in all aspects of life. We all have to find time to pursue our dreams, whatever they are.
If you want to learn the piano it’s never going to happen unless you sit at the keyboard on a regular basis – preferably every day – and hammer out the notes.
How are you ever going to get your golf handicap down if you don’t go to the driving range, or get out on the course?
Ditto moving abroad. There may never be a great time to up-sticks. There are always other financial pressures, kids about to change schools, new job promotions in the offing. Valid obstacles that keep you from taking action, from grabbing that life you want.
But that’s the choice you must make. You have to seize the moment – take the requisite steps, however small, and make progress. Without it, your life will never become what you want it to be.
Tags: author, book, dream, financial, kids, life, living abroad, moving, overseas, priorities, work, writing
Mid October and it was already down to -2 degrees centigrade this morning. Daytime highs at the moment are struggling to reach 5C.
Not in my balmy corner of Spain, I hasten to add. In Norway.
I was conducting a phone interview with a banking executive in Oslo this morning, and this is the weather report she gave me.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: country, development, environment, income, Norway, quality life, sea, Spain, sunshine, weather, work
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