Working Overseas

Working in the US

2009-01-06T15:26:00Z

Looking at broadening your career in the US? Here’s what you need to know before making the move. Words: Natasha Vuckovic

So you’re ready to move on from the UK but aren’t quite ready to go home yet. If this sounds like you, then packing your bags for a career in the US could be an option.

While getting an American visa might not be the easiest process (the country’s immigration system is said to be the world’s most complicated), the system’s complexity means there are plenty of visa options and there’s probably one to suit you.

There are four main ways to get into the US: an immediate family relationship, Green Card lottery programme, employment and investment.

This means that for most of us, an employment visa is the most realistic option.

Generally the same visa classifications are available to everybody, regardless of nationality.

“It comes down to your professional experience and education rather than nationality,” says Amanda Gillespie, a US immigration consultant and owner of US-based consultancy firm Amanda C. Gillespie.

“Australians, though, are subject to one happy exception. The E-3 visa.”

The US issues a maximum of 10,500 E-3 visas annually and it allows Aussies of a ‘specialty occupation’ to work in the US. While there’s no definitive list of ‘specialty occupations’, you will be required to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree relating to the occupation. They also require a ‘theoretical and practical application of a body of specialised knowledge’.

Other employment visas include the O-1 (Gillespie’s specialty) and the H-1B.

The O-1 visa is designed for immigrants of ‘extraordinary ability’. “While it’s largely known as a visa for artists, it also serves designers, scientists, consultants, musicians, stylists, businesspeople, entertainers and sportsmen and women — anyone whose career is thriving in such a way that you meet the government’s ‘extraordinary’ standard,” Gillespie says.

The H-1B visa runs along similar requirements as the E-3, but it caters for all nationalities.

It can be quite difficult to get one as only 65,000 are issued annually worldwide, and they get snapped up quickly.

All employment visas require you to have a sponsor, so you must have a job lined up in the US before you qualify for a visa.

“A great many of my clients come in as tourists to get the lay of the land in a few different respects — to meet as many people as possible for prospective jobs … to get a sense of cost of living, and if they are really organised, they swing by an immigration office to get a sense of what’s possible,” says Gillespie.

Her advice is to meet with an immigration consultant and find out what your options are.

» See www.uscis.gov for more info on US visas. Amanda Gillespie will be available for appointments in the UK from February 2009. See www.amandagillespie.com

Working in South Africa

2008-09-11T14:19:00Z

Ask any South African what he or she misses about ‘back home’ and you’ll get reasonably consistent answers: the sunshine, the food and a great outdoor lifestyle.

Of course there’s also a list of things people don’t miss, but one long-running complaint has disappeared in recent years — strong work opportunities.

South Africa has been enjoying one of the longest stretches of economic growth in its history thanks to booming commodity prices, the upcoming 2010 Fifa World Cup, and an emerging black middle class.

This has transformed job prospects, but also exposed a critical lack of talent.

“There’s a major skills shortage,” says Robert Ridout, CEO of headhunting firm The Ridout Group. The country’s newspapers are filled with job adverts for anyone with good qualifications and experience.

“We’re seeing a surge in employment opportunities,” says Penny Chaskelson, MD of recruitment agency The Personnel Concept. “Any candidates with niche specialisations, good academics and experience are in high demand.”

For South Africans living overseas and missing home, this is great news. Prospects are good in everything from education to retail, with the following sectors offering the top opportunities.

Construction and Engineering

Winning the chance to host the 2010 football World Cup has merely added to an ongoing construction boom. Visitors see the evidence first-hand, with new malls, housing complexes and offices popping up everywhere.

Financial and financial sectors

South Africa’s financial services industry is also experiencing a boom, which is financing an upsurge in the housing market and offering services to the expanding middle class. “Retail banking is a very sexy place to be right now,” says Ridout. It’s also the sector that’s the most competitive in the hunt for talent.

The sector’s skills shortage has even led to an increase in firms offering candidates signing-on bonuses. These typically compensate high flyers for any bonuses they might lose out on at their current job — and highlight the fight for skills. Pay prospects are excellent, not just for bankers, but for anyone in finance.

Entry level for financial management accountants is about R400,000, while a group financial manager will be on about R800,000. High-end chartered accountants can expect pay packets of between R1m and R1.3m.

IT and Telecoms

Africa was the world’s fastest-growing continent for mobile phone connections in 2007.

South Africa’s telecom giants are enjoying record growth and, beyond telecoms, a wide range of opportunities exists for IT workers from programming to networking. The money is good and opportunities abound, says Ridout.

IT developers can expect to start on about R180,000, while more senior programmers are looking at R400,000. Management prospects are better still, from R450,000 to R850,000.

Working in New Zealand

2008-09-11T14:13:00Z

One Saturday earlier this year, The New Zealand Herald ran three pull-out sections chock- a-block with professional and executive jobs.

Sector by sector, here’s a rundown of what’s happening in New Zealand’s booming job market.

Teachers

New Zealand needs qualified teachers and it needs them now. Early childhood teachers are in demand, as are primary school teachers. A population explosion in Auckland has boosted schools’ rolls, and a good proportion of primary and high school teachers are nearing retirement age.

There aren’t enough secondary school teachers either. Maths, science and technology staff are particularly hot property.

A secondary school teacher with a three-year degree, a one-year diploma of teaching and five years’ teaching experience would get NZ$58,610 a year. A primary school teacher with three years’ experience would get $42,000 a year

Medical workers

It’s a candidate-short market in health recruitment in New Zealand, so you can generally state where and when you want to work, depending on your field.

New Zealand is actively looking to recruit doctors, specialists, consultants, nurses, radiation technologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, social workers, anaesthetic technicians and operating department practitioners. And the country needs general practitioners in particular.

Midwives employed in the public sector are paid between $30,000 and $70,000 per year. General nurses can earn between $44,000 and $53,000 a year.

Information Technology

New Zealand’s small population means there are fewer workers to choose from.

Programmers can rake in up to $55,000-60,000 in Auckland and Wellington, and senior analyst programmers can take home $95,000 a year. Helpdesk and service managers can earn up to $85,000.

Finance and Accountancy

People with careers in finance and accountancy are literally in the money.

Senior internal auditors make $85,000 a year. Non CA-qualified accountants can get $50,000.

Construction

New Zealand isn’t exempt from the global competition for those skilled in the construction sector.

New Zealand needs project managers and planners, engineers, architects, estimators and cost managers.

Architects with two to five years’ experience can make from $45,000 to 60,000 a year, and senior design engineers about $90,000.

Working in Australia

2008-09-11T14:11:00Z

You wouldn’t normally expect to be earning $90,000 a year flipping burgers at a fast food joint out in the sticks. But that’s what one takeaway chicken chain manager is earning in natural resource-rich Karratha in north-west Western Australia.

The boost in earnings is due to the ‘resources boom’, which has had major effects on the Australian job market, especially in WA and Queensland. Bree Mitchelson, of Perth-based careers management company Skills Solution, says the thriving mining, oil, gas and construction industries are beefing up career opportunities — and pay packets — particularly in WA.

“Demand for people is across all major fields — retail, hospitality and tourism, education and training, medical professions, accounting, legal, the list goes on,” she says. “The message for people thinking about heading back to Australia is: come home, Australia needs you. “There are certainly some exciting career opportunities available,” Mitchelson says.

Engineering, Mining and Construction

For big job offers, this is the big sector. The resource industry has huge demand as a result of numerous billion-dollar projects, particularly in WA. Sector experts say the demand for skilled workers in this industry doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon. And employers are willing to offer big bucks to entice staff. Due to a country-wide skills shortage, engineers, surveyors and geologists can land themselves packages higher than $100,000 a year. Mitchelson points out that graduate engineers are getting about three job offers in their final year of university, and some of these positions offer salaries of $80,000 or more. “Electricians and mechanical fitters are also big in demand,” she says. Other tradies, including boilermakers, welders and mechanics (particularly with experience on heavy vehicles), won’t have trouble finding work, especially if they are prepared to do fly-in, fly-out jobs in remote areas.

Teaching

The current market for teachers in Australia is good. However, the job market situation is different from state to state because each education system is run by the state, not the federal government. Supply teaching is an option in most areas, but if you want something more permanent when you get home it’s all in the timing, according to Daniel Mundy from recruiter ANZUK Teachers. If you’re looking for contract work, try hitting Aussie soil at the start of term, he advises. “Victoria has a particular need in Melbourne’s north-west, west and outer-west,” he says. WA also has a major shortage of teachers due to the resources boom. South Australia is in need of relief teachers, and Queensland needs teachers in country areas.

Medical and Nursing

Major capital cities and surrounding suburbs in all states need paediatric, orthopaedic and theatre staff. Experienced medical and surgical workers are also wanted. According to Hays Healthcare regional director Christine Wright, nurses can usually find work in all states, with UK experience looked upon favourably. Midwives, mental health nurses and registered nurses all appear on the Department of Immigration’s skill shortages list. Salaries range from $50,000 to $80,000 a year — depending on the level of experience and particular state or territory.

Accounting, Finance and Banking

Despite the credit crunch, Australia’s still looking good for those who want to work with managing and moving all that moolah around. Simon Tobin, from recruiter Michael Page Australia, reckons that for people moving home, the skills shortage is good news. “That’s going to make it easier for people to get the job they want,” he says. Jobs firm Hays Global Link manager Rachel Baldy says assistant accountants at the $50,000-$70,000 level — both degree-qualified and undergraduates — are in high demand, while payroll candidates are in short supply. Auditors are top of the list for the professional practice market as there’s a shortage of them across Australia. Skills dealing with insolvency are also sought after, and accounting skills are in demand across the board with more vacancies than suitable candidates. Assistant accountants, payroll candidates, and those with experience in accounts payable and receivable are all in short supply Down Under.

Working In Dubai

2008-09-10T15:50:00Z

Dubai is one of the key up-and-coming countries where skilled expats are welcomed with open arms. To work in Dubai most nationals must be sponsored by an employer. This is especially good news if you're skilled in boom areas such as construction, finance, conventions and media.

While its citizens are devout Muslims, the city is glitzy, glamorous and remarkably liberal.

While the Middle East might not be the first place that springs to mind for a working holiday, says there are plenty of things to like about Dubai, while below we look at other options for travelling and working abroad.

Over the past two decades, thousands of Western professionals have viewed Dubai as an Aladdin's Cave of riches. This dynamic city-state - part of the United Arab Emirates - has expanded astronomically, creating unprecedented demand for foreign labour. Since the 1980s, foreigners have been lured here by attractive packages, tax-free wages and the chance to live in this exotic Arabian port.

The Hong Kong of the Gulf, Dubai is a freewheeling commercial centre where glass towers rise above bustling spice markets. While its citizens are devout Muslims, the city is glitzy, glamorous and remarkably liberal. Restaurants are world-class and the nightlife sizzles like a shwarma grill.

Unlike other Gulf states, Dubai has a diverse economy with a range of sectors including construction, healthcare, media, IT and engineering. Now a popular holiday destination, jobs in hospitality and retail have boomed as hotels and malls soar skyward.

That said, Dubai isn't the expatriate paradise it used to be. Rents have recently risen and you now need a decent wage to pack away some dirhams (the local currency, linked to the US dollar).

"It's not the bargain it was when we first got here," says Sue Hunt, from Australia. "Rents have risen dramatically over the past few years, but we manage to do OK."

Hunt's husband works in the petrochemical industry, where packages improve the longer you stay. She is on a spouse visa, however, and cannot work, although she adds that it is possible to secure her own work visa.

Two types of expats

Essentially there are two types of expats in Dubai. Lower income positions are mostly filled by people from Asia, Russia and the Middle East, while Westerners typically occupy professional posts. To work in Dubai you need a job offer from an employer, who will then organise your work visa. You'll have to get any educational qualifications certified (see below), so it's advisable to organise this in advance.

Of course, finding a job isn't simply a matter of rubbing your magic lamp. There are various recruitment agencies online and the websites of Dubai's two newspapers, Gulf News and Khaleej Times, are useful resources. Two years' experience in your field is often necessary.

You can visit Dubai on a three-month tourist visa and look for work yourself, although you won't be able to work until you secure sponsorship. For visa information go to www.uaeembassyuk.net

Some foreigners arrive in Dubai as tourists to search for jobs, an option many expats recommend. Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans can get three-month visitor visas on entry. South Africans must have a hotel booking and organise a visa beforehand. Once you gain employment, you must exit the UAE then re-enter with a work visa.

Unfortunately, work visas bind employees to one employer. If you wish to change jobs, you may have to endure a six-month cooling off period before doing so - a law introduced to prevent job hopping.

Lifestyle

Overall, most expats enjoy Dubai and many stay longer than anticipated.

"There's so much to do," says Hunt. "The beaches are lovely, you can do desert safaris, scuba diving and the nightlife is awesome."

Like London, there are cocoons of home comforts: indeed, the Aussie Legends Bar and the Springbok Bar speak for themselves.

Situated halfway to Australasia, Dubai is a launching pad for exploring Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Many jobs include an annual return flight home, but don't take this for granted: read the fine print.

Lastly, the booze news; alcohol is heavily taxed in Dubai and is only available in bars in luxury hotels or licensed shops. But once you factor in your tax-free income, the prices lose their sting.

Before you go

If you're certain you want to work in Dubai, get your educational qualifications certified by a Public Notary, your country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE Embassy in your country of residence. This speeds up the work visa process. Furthermore, if your degree is already attested this makes you a more desirable candidate. For information, contact the UAE Embassy on 0870-005 6984.

Recruitment websites

www.bacme.com lists professional jobs, retail, administration, engineering, sales, catering and publishing.
http://jobs13.bayt.com has IT, engineering, technicians, HR, media, construction, sales and administration jobs.
www.khaleejtimes.com and www.gulfnews.com are UAE news-papers with employment classifieds.
www.catererglobal.com and www.hospitalityjobs.hcareers.com for hospitality positions.
www.clarendonparker.com lists jobs across many fields including hospitality, management, sales and marketing.
www.kershawleonard.net cater for various professions including HR, sales, IT, administration, retail, engineering and construction.

Overseas Recruitment Agencies

2008-09-01T14:59:00Z

Opportunities Australia

2008-09-01T13:14:00Z

The Opportunities Australia Expo - the only employment event in the UK focused solely on Australia! This October, employers will be recruiting in a wide range of industries, including engineering, construction, mining, healthcare and more! Purchase tickets at www.expo-australia.com before 10 October and go into our draw to win flights to Australia!

Aquent

2008-09-01T13:08:00Z

Aquent is the leading global staffing firm specialising in marketing, communications and creative talent. With 73 offices in 18 countries, we are an international network that works!

Visit http://www.aquent.com to learn more.

Check out our new talent blog at http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentoracle

View our Privacy Policy: http://www.aquent.com.au/privacy.html

Robert Walters

2008-09-01T13:05:00Z

Robert Walters is a leading global recruitment consultancy, specialising in placing high calibre professionals into permanent, contract and temporary positions at all management levels. The Group specialises in the accounting, finance, banking, IT, management consultancy, legal, sales and marketing, human resources, supply chain and logistics and support fields. Robert Walters’ client base ranges across both multi-national corporations and SMEs and covers all market sectors.

Established in 1985, Robert Walters has built a global presence with 35 offices spanning five continents and employs over 1,600 staff worldwide.

www.robertwalters.co.uk

Live in Canberra

2008-09-01T12:22:00Z

Canberra, Australia’s Capital City, is a beautiful city of wide open spaces, fresh air, community living and a relaxed way of life.

Yet you’ll still enjoy the best in cosmopolitan living, with all the amenities of a world-class capital.

Right now there are thousands of jobs available for suitably qualified workers. What’s more, workers in Canberra enjoy the highest average income in Australia.

http://www.inplacerecruitment.com.au

Opportunities New Zealand

2008-09-01T12:19:00Z

The Opportunities New Zealand Expo - the only employment event in the UK focused solely on New Zealand. This October we have jobs in a wide range of industries, including a special focus on healthcare and medical. Purchase tickets at www.expo-newzealand.com before 3 October and go into our draw to win flights to New Zealand!

MWH

2008-09-01T12:18:00Z

MWH has been helping its New Zealand clients with their infrastructure needs for more than 100 years. Today, we have a team of 750 across 17 offices nationwide and are actively recruiting Engineers including Civil, Environmental, Mechanical, Electrical, Geotechnical, Transportation, and Structural disciplines. Do you want to contribute to our global purpose of Building a Better World?

Apply today. www.mwhglobal.co.nz/careers

InPlace Recruitment

2008-09-01T12:16:00Z

inPlace Recruitment is an Australian recruitment agency which specialises in the Australian travel and tourism industry. We handle permanent, temporary and contract positions ranging from entry level to executive roles.

Our strengths and company philosophy is People. Integrity. Energy.
Click here to experience the inPlace Recruitment difference first hand.

http://www.inplacerecruitment.com.au

Victorian Government

2008-09-01T12:14:00Z

Victorians Abroad aims to connect you with home - providing information on the latest business and employment opportunities in Victoria, ideas on how you can be an ambassador for Victoria while overseas, and opportunities to network with fellow Victorians in your region. Membership is free and open to all expatriates, repatriates and alumni of Victorian universities.

Join here. http://www.advance.org/australian_states/victoria.asp

Hays Globalink

2008-09-01T12:12:00Z

If you are considering a move back home to either Australia or New Zealand, our specialist team in London is here to assist you in finding employment. We will endeavour to begin the job search prior to your departure. Hays operates from 32 locations throughout Australia and New Zealand and our website is one of our most visited recruitment consultancy websites - www.hays.com.au

If you are looking for a helping hand to kickstart your career back home, and would like to gain access to multiple job opportunities and market advice - our London based Globalinkteam should be your first point of contact.