Many of us are pulled towards a life of varied experience; we want to see the world and other ways of living within it; we might even want to expand our travel adventures into longer-term situations where we live and work some place new for a little while to get a better feel for a place. The following will explore some of the things you can do if you’re interested in working in another country.

Before beginning, it is important to note that every country has its own laws and regulations regarding legal work within their nation. Because of this, it is crucial that you do your own additional research regarding the country you’re looking to work in before you set any plans in stone. It is also worth noting that these standards can change all the time, so be sure to visit government websites to ensure that you’re using the most up-to-date information to help you make your decision. As a general rule, you can assume you are not allowed to work within a country unless you have a visa that entitles you to work. More simply put: you can’t just show up and start working without risking legal persecution.

Look For Working Holiday Visas

One of the easiest ways to quickly end up working in another country is to apply for a working holiday visa. These are visa agreements between two countries whereby youth are able to apply for a visa to come and live and work in their country from one other country for up to two years. The working holiday visa is one of the fastest visa applications to deal with and allows you to go to the country you’re drawn to and search for work on the ground, which many other visas do not allow for. Typically, these visas are available for people aged thirty and younger, but there are exceptions.

As with all visas, it is critical that you research the specific requirements of the visa you have qualified for. Some might have limits on the number of hours you can work each week or the industries that you can work within.

Consider Express Entry Options

Some visa schema allows for express visa options. These are ideal for someone who has been offered a job and so needs permission to enter a country and begin work. Sometimes workplaces are experienced with this process and can help; sometimes it’s as new to them as it is to you. Often, express entry visas require evidence that you’re ready to thrive in your new country. The Canadian Express Entry visa profile, for example, passing a language test, proof of Canadian education or education credential assessment, a written job offer, and proof that you have enough money to set yourself up when you arrive. Again, different countries will have different requirements for express entry, and some do not offer this option at all.

Look Into Placement Agencies

There are agencies that help people find jobs in new countries and help them sort out the visa application process. Depending on the industry you work in, there might be an agency that handles specifically your line of work. If you find an agency that helps place you, the process is usually much easier as a lot of the research has been done for you.

Research Workers Rights

No matter which country you go to, you need to understand that workers have different levels of protection from different sorts of working problems. Be sure to brush up on what the specific protections are before you agree to live and work somewhere. There are also intense cultural differences surrounding job requirements depending on which country you’re going to. Things like standard working hours and days off vary drastically. Holidays, vacation time, paternity and maternity leave, lunch breaks, and other things you might expect to be standardized aren’t going to be the same across countries.

Think About Your Specialist Skills

If you have a skillset or experience that is in demand in a particular country, it is often easier to get a visa and much easier to get a potentially permanent visa. Most countries have a list of skillsets that they are hoping to draw into the country.

The above tips should help you begin the process of working in a foreign country. Again, this is only a preliminary step. Each country needs to be researched individually. If you’re really struggling, consider speaking to an immigration lawyer who can advise you on the best course of action given your particular context.