View Full Version : working overseas
anna bligh
28-04-05, 09:14 AM
out of interest, can some of our members who live and work overseas give us a rundown on what they do, where they work, whats cool/sucky about where they are ... and most importantly how interested parties here can get started
Evo_Lee
28-04-05, 08:34 PM
Most probably already know what I do and where I've worked.
System Design Engineer (EE) - Rolling Stock Systems
Got to run, so will post my experience at these places later tonight.
Places I have lived and worked overseas:
Osaka, Japan
Hong Kong
Singapore (briefly)
Pusan, Sth Korea (briefly)
Delhi, India
Currently living and working:
Taipei/Tainan/Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Mech eng. London. Do.... not much at all. Process to get into it
1. Get visa or get sponsored
2. Buy Plane ticket or largish row boat with oars.
3. Find place to live
4. Look for work (does not apply to people spaonsored by a company)
5. ???
6. Profit or travel... choice is yours.
All in all its good fun. Highly recommended. For the visa people its now only 1 year for a working holiday, sponsored people have to renew the visa a year at a time. either way its no big drama.
Essentially wot he said.
Mech Eng, London.
I'm in the buildings game, Consulting/Project Management -don't work anywhere near as hard as i did at home.
if you have a mum/dad/gran etc that was english i can provide a whole heap more info. It's easier to get in that way.
Plenty of work really.
oh for more info on what I'm doing look here
www.mottmac.com
I.T. Coordinator. Bamako, Mali (West Africa)
Basically I'm responsible for running some UNIX boxes, maintaining some WANs, and other networking shit - VSATs, RBGANs, and then stuff like satellite phones & HF-SSB radio sets. Anything with electronics or comms, I'm your guy.
Good points:
* tax-free income
Bad points:
* poverty
* corruption
* hours
* conditions
* responsibilities
* everything else
Billzilla
29-04-05, 07:16 PM
out of interest, can some of our members who live and work overseas give us a rundown on what they do, where they work, whats cool/sucky about where they are ... and most importantly how interested parties here can get started
747 Captain.
Currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
What's cool? Plenty of spare time, shopping.
What's sucky? Spending so much time away from home, working with wankers, etc.
How to get started? Just don't bother ...
oh for more info on what I'm doing look here
www.mottmac.com
I used to work for Connell Wagner up here in Darwin.
Working in IP law in London
Here due to EU (Irish) passport so a lot easier....but still had to jump hoops for my wife's visa
House sharing much much more common than back home but overall, good experience so far
out of interest, can some of our members who live and work overseas give us a rundown on what they do, where they work, whats cool/sucky about where they are ... and most importantly how interested parties here can get started
Living in London
Work in IT as a System Tester/QA for property surveyors firm
Very easy work and the UK work ethic is a joke.
Pros: Travel, Money and you can always find work in every field.
Cons: Long way from home
Under 28s can get a 2 year working visa and then sponsorship if wanted.
Rock up and live in a 14 person share house, get a job piss of the share house and live happily ever after.
tripper
29-04-05, 10:22 PM
rolin were any of your parent/grandparents born in england ?
if so you may be able to get a brittish passport and make work easier to get in the UK
kwottro
30-04-05, 12:46 AM
out of interest, can some of our members who live and work overseas give us a rundown on what they do, where they work, whats cool/sucky about where they are ... and most importantly how interested parties here can get started
Live and work in Switzerland (the french-speaking bit)
What I do: Sales manager for a small niche-industry engineering co. (not automotive)
Where I work : Here at HQ, and in my area of responsibility (regular travel to/within) - Scandinavia, UK/Ireland, Turkey, Middle East, Oz/NZ (well, once so far!).
Whats cool : Mountains (snowboarding in winter, driving in summer), euro cars-autobahns/freeways-cheap fines (relatively)-no points system, high standard of living, good salaries, low taxes, travel, wines, food, and the boss just approved my s4...
Whats sucky : Uhm. It's a pretty short list, for me anyway. However I admit that living in Europe is not everyones cup of tea. Gumbyments everywhere are bureaucratic tossers, but no worse here than in Oz. Wife is Swiss, so the inlaws are a bit close for comfort sometimes...
How to get started here : Pretty bloody difficult, frankly. People I know have tried/are trying, no successful shortcuts found yet. Marry a local, basically. If you are extremely highly skilled/qualified you MIGHT be able to get a company to sponsor you, but its pretty hard to kick off the process without being here to look for jobs going at aforementioned company.
So not much useful info, really. Sorry.
Also lived in the UK for a couple of years - As others have mentioned, I guess this is probably one of the 'easier' options, at least to have a look around, if Europe is your goal...
Check out www.thegumtree.com to get a 'feel' of London - the 'missed connections' is a bit of a worry *makes nee nee nee stabbing motion a la Psycho* - will be keeping an eye out at my station to see if I can identify one of them as they posted in there!!
Work ethic...what work ethic!!!
Evo_Lee
30-04-05, 03:23 AM
From where I left off...
Simon, let's be honest every country is good to work in as long as you get paid well with an attractive package. I'll admit I'm a bloody mercenary. I'd work anywhere as long as there is alcohol and girls, else I'd be only be doing a fly in and fly out job.
I'm sure every one of us who works overseas is after 2 things maybe 3.
1.) Money
2.) Experience especially global experience. So when you reach 40 semi-retirement age you can return to Aust and slot straight into a comfortably paid job and standard working hours.
3.) Travel
If none of this is what your after be it due to family, age or lifestyle then I wouldn't trade it. Most of the guys working here are either young and not married, married with young children or divorced.
As Chris mentioned long working hours, in most cases this is true for project based contractors. Your employer doesn't pay you big bucks for nothing, to meet the completion date. Standard about 10 hrs/day. I work anywhere from 240-280 hrs/month.
As a freshmen, I'd say it before the best way to get started is work for an international company. It will open the doors to an internal transfer or secondment to another overseas office. Course you have to prove why you should be the one. Recruitment agencies are good also but without experience your paper better look good.
With experience, the best way first is always through your contacts if not someone will know someone in the industry before going to a recruitment agencies. Mate, I've already got my eyes on the lookout over here for you.
Also search for companies in your industry or fields you wish to work in, see what kind of jobs they have on offer at their local website in the country you intend to work in.
Like any where, employment opportunities is only as good as the country's economy..so the larger the economy the better (Japan was good being the 2nd largest in the world), the job market and the shortage of skilled personnel. However if you insist on going to a particular country where the market is diffcult to penetrate, you'll need patience or find some work to tie you over for the moment preferable something still in your field.
My next project is possibly in Dubai :), finally an assignment outside of Asia!
rolin were any of your parent/grandparents born in england ?
if so you may be able to get a brittish passport and make work easier to get in the UK
This law was updated a few years ago. If you've got a British-born parent, then yes, you are eligible for a British passport. However, if you've only got a British-born grandparent, then you are only eligible for an Ancestral visa. They are better than work visas though, as they are valid for 4 years & are renewable. But just FYI!
This law was updated a few years ago. If you've got a British-born parent, then yes, you are eligible for a British passport. However, if you've only got a British-born grandparent, then you are only eligible for an Ancestral visa. They are better than work visas though, as they are valid for 4 years & are renewable. But just FYI!
in most circumstances it must be your father to get a passport immediately. if it's your Mum, then you can get permanent Right Of Abode. For the UK this is just as good, however you get no EU rights. You can become a citizen, but it is by descent and non transferable. ie: won't go to your kids/partner.
I have a UK passport, I'm heading over the last weekend in May I think for 6 months. I have a few grand saved up but I'm staying with relatives, hoping to find work in a hotel. What's the current exchange rate look like? Is it hard to find unskilled temp work?
Billzilla
01-05-05, 11:26 PM
What's the current exchange rate look like?
Check out this (http://www.x-rates.com/calculator.html).
I have a UK passport, I'm heading over the last weekend in May I think for 6 months. I have a few grand saved up but I'm staying with relatives, hoping to find work in a hotel. What's the current exchange rate look like? Is it hard to find unskilled temp work?
exhange rate is hobbling around the 2.45 mark or so.
No where near the ~3 mark where it used to be and where i'd rather it was!!
Unskilled temporary work? plenty AFAIK. But largely depends on how far out the city you plan on being. For London, in the burbs, there's lots. Don't expect to be within 1hr train of the city centre though.
Where are the rels. and don't say "London" this place is farkin huge. Imagine how big it is then double it at least.
Hmm, creative resume writing skills are the most important skill you will need.
Cheers,
C+
bob shovel
02-05-05, 03:27 PM
cplus where can i get more info on getting a passport or "Right Of Abode" in the UK. My mum was born in england. Is right of abode just letting you hang out in the UK but cant become a citizen??
Evo_Lee
02-05-05, 03:43 PM
Bill, that's a good website with graphical history as well.
Can you recommend one with a few or one year history?
cplus where can i get more info on getting a passport or "Right Of Abode" in the UK. My mum was born in england. Is right of abode just letting you hang out in the UK but cant become a citizen??
it depends on a lot of things. depending on when you're born for example before/after 1983 you are eligible for different things.
read this (http://www.southern-cross-group.org/archives/UK%20Citizenship%20and%20Immigration%20Law%20and%2 0Policy/British_Citizenship_Law_by_Descent_Changes_April_2 003.pdf) if you were born after 1983, you're set for a passport. if not you need to get citizenshp first (can take 12 months)
if born before '83 ROA is a quicker route.
Thanks for the info Bill/Cplus :)
Where are the rels. and don't say "London" this place is farkin huge. Imagine how big it is then double it at least.
Hmm, creative resume writing skills are the most important skill you will need.
A place called Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire. I have no idea what to expect, or even where it is in relation to London yet. I guess I'll find out when I arrive! It's not like I have a choice where my rellies live :)
If my WA license is suspended (another 5months to go) but in my possession, and I have an international license from the RAC, I wonder if I can get away with driving every now and again :p
Are the English sick of Australian tourists clogging up their pubs yet :lol:
A place called Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire. I have no idea what to expect, or even where it is in relation to London yet. I guess I'll find out when I arrive! It's not like I have a choice where my rellies live :)
Just outside the M25. bout 1:20 by overland, or 10min car / 20min bus + 1 hr tube ride to the centre.
If my WA license is suspended (another 5months to go) but in my possession, and I have an international license from the RAC, I wonder if I can get away with driving every now and again :p
International licences arn't worth shit i'm sorry to say. Your licence will not be vaild when it counts, but you'll be able to be pulled over for light offences and hire cars no problem. Crash or get a speeding fine and you're going to get bent over however.
BUT, you could swap it for a UK one when you get here which will be valid. £38. They send it home to the motor reg. place in AUS and give you a UK licence, *apparently* your situation has been done many times before.
Are the English sick of Australian tourists clogging up their pubs yet :lol:
Who else is going to pour their beer mate??
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