Paid work abroad: what is it, why should you do it and where is the best place to go?

What is paid work abroad?
Why should you go to work abroad for pay?
What do you need if you want to work abroad?
To what extent are you insured for risks when doing paid work abroad?
What are the most popular countries to do paid work abroad?

What is paid work abroad?

Paid work abroad means that you have a temporary or permanent job with a foreign employer or that you have been sent abroad by a Dutch employer.
For your work you generally receive compensation in the form of salary, expense allowance or, for example, board and lodging. In addition, the better jobs may also reimburse you for your travel to and/or from work.

Why should you go to work abroad for pay?

To gain experience: by working abroad, your work experience increases within your own field but generally beyond. You experience much more during your stay abroad when you go to work than if you were already traveling around.
To strengthen your empathy: by working in another culture, you often strengthen your own ability to put yourself in another person's shoes. The differences in culture, ways of working and ways of communicating make you accept or take other pieces as they are more quickly. Your own perspective quickly becomes wider, broader and, in particular, more flexible.
To increase your stress resistance: you regularly work under reasonable or great pressure; working in a different culture can be a drain on your stress resistance. Especially due to pressures that may arise because you have to communicate in a different language, perform new work or receive limited coaching. Yet for almost everyone, these experiences contribute to greatly increasing your stress resilience precisely because of them.
To discover and accept your own qualities: further away from your familiar surroundings you discover more quickly what you can actually do and what you really want. It is precisely by going to work that you encounter yourself more often, get to know

What do you need if you want to work abroad?

Flexibility: you already need some form of flexibility, the rest you will gain during your stay abroad.
Communication skills: depending on the type of work, you will need a reasonable to good command of the local language.
Independence and/or self-confidence: you already need some form of independence, and your self-confidence will grow through it.
Being environmentally aware: an important element for your stay abroad.
Collaborative ability: also abroad, it is important that you learn, or can, work together when working with others.

To what extent are you insured for risks when doing paid work abroad?

There may be several reasons why you need separate insurance when doing paid work abroad:
During work, internship or volunteer work abroad in many cases, you will then need special insurance to remain insured for illness and accidents.
Local employers usually offer no, or limited, additional insurance.
The risk of accidents is present because you are doing work with which you have little experience, for example.
Some specialized insurances offer opportunities to do (temporary) paid work abroad. See the pages on insuring paid work abroad and the pages on your medical expenses abroad.
Read more: travel insurances and insurances for long term abroad - Theme
Read more: betaald werken in het buitenland verzekeren (NL)

What are the most popular countries to do paid work abroad?

All countries
Australia: working holiday, agricultural work, health care
Austria : tourism, winter sports
Canada: working holiday, agricultural work
Curacao: hospitality, communication
France: tourism, agricultural work (fruit picking), au pair
Greece: hospitality, tourism
Italy: tourism, winter sports , teaching (English), au pair
New Zealand: working holiday, health care
Portugal: tourism, helpdesks
South Africa: tourism, helpdesks
Spain: hospitality, tourism, teaching (English)
Switzerland: tourism, winter sports
Thailand: teaching
United States: working holiday, au pair

Tip category:

Paid work & Work for board and lodging

External links

Werken in het buitenland en vacatures in het buitenland

Werken in het buitenland verzekeren

Supporting content or organization page:

Sector: organizations for paid employment abroad and international recruitment

Organizations: home page

Related subject

The World
Stories, tips and experiences from The World

Concerned countries and regions

Side road:

The World
Stories, tips and experiences from The World

Work abroad and finding jobs

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