Working outside the UK

Planning

Think about the following questions to guide your plans:

• Be clear about where you want to work, what you want to do and why?  Is it to earn money, experience a new culture or start developing an international career? Is it to put off getting a graduate job? Do you want to be based permanently outside the UK or just spend some time working in other countries, as some graduate schemes offer placements outside the UK?
• How much do you actually know about job opportunities in the country you want to work in – are your plans realistic?
• Will you need any additional experience or qualifications?
• Do you have adequate language skills? If not, could you take a course before you leave the UK?
• Can you demonstrate the ability to adapt to a new cultural environment?
• If you are looking for a graduate position, are there really opportunities for UK graduates in the country of your choice or will home graduates be given first consideration?
• Will your qualifications be recognised for the kind of work you want to do?
• Do you understand the recruitment/application process and how it may differ from that in the UK?
• Will you need immigration permission? How much will a visa cost (if required) and how long will your application take? Are there restrictions on the type of work you can take?
• Think about the practicalities: finding somewhere to live, paying rent up front, setting up a bank account, tax/NI issues/health and travel insurance, money for emergencies etc.

Research

Spend time researching different countries - these resources will help:

• Goinglobal country and city guides
• Prospects Working abroad
• TargetJobs Working abroad
• World Links
• HSBC's Expat Explorer report for insights into expat life in cities around the world
• Newspapers and journals can be a useful sources of information and vacancies
• InterNations global expat network offering advice, country and city guides
• Use the British Chamber of Commerce for a particular country to find links to businesses based there
• Eures European job mobility portal with country profiles

Also check the travel and safety advice for the country you're considering:

• UK government travel abroad pages and Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice
• Travel aware - UK government site on keeping safe abroad
• Travel health
• Safer travel - advice for young people from Caroline’s Rainbow Foundation
• Safer jobs - advice to help protect jobseekers, employers and service providers from crime during the recruitment process.

Casual work is popular with many students and graduates as a way of combining travelling and earning some money. Jobs are often unskilled and can be seasonal. Opportunities exist in the hospitality sector, retail, bars, catering, ski resorts, summer/sports camps and many more.  Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is another popular choice for many.

You may find vacancies on Handshake, via our World Links or on the job sites on GoinGlobal.

An international internship could be an option during the summer or once you have completed your degree. Although internships in the UK should comply with National Minimum Wage legislation (see your rights at work) you will find that some internships and work experience can be unpaid, and some companies charge for their services in arranging the placement, accommodation, visas, etc. So check carefully before committing yourself to anything. You should think about what you want to achieve during your internship and discuss this in detail with your employer. Take as many opportunities to learn about the organisation, make contacts and learn new skills as you can, and think about how the experience and skills you gain can be marketed to future employers.

Sources of international internships/work experience include:

• International placements and internships through the University's Global Programmes
• British Council Study and work outside the UK (for UK-based students and graduates)
• World Health Organisation 
• NATO internship programme (specific requirements)
• UNICEF Internships
• International Labour Organisation internships
• OECD  Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
• efinancialcareers  finance, banking and insurance jobs and internships

Check if you're eligible for a York Futures Scholarship to get financial support for your work experience. 

Understanding the graduate job market in the country you want to work in is vital. GoinGlobal (login required) has labour market information, CV advice and some visa information in its country and city guides.

Multinational companies or British-based businesses with overseas offices may have opportunities for new graduates, although this may be more likely after a period of time working for them in the UK. It is worth contacting the companies you are interested in to see how they recruit to overseas positions or checking their websites.

Government departments and NGOs may be another option. It may be you are more likely to find work overseas once you have some relevant experience of the sector and of the country (through vacation work/volunteering, etc) which will make you attractive to overseas employers.

Sources of graduate vacancies outside the UK include:

Europe

• EuroJobs
• EURES network linking public employment services across Europe to provide international job centre services; includes sections on job seeking, living and working, and learning
• GoinGlobal (York login required)

Worldwide

• JobRank lists jobs sites and staffing agencies by country
• iAgora graduate vacancy listings
• GradLink - for information and opportunities: China, ASEAN, Gulf, Europe, Canada, Africa, India
• GoinGlobal
• Visa Sponsor Jobs (based in Australia) advertises jobs in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland for employers offering visa sponsorship
• Prospects - Working abroad

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) can be a popular option for graduates, either as a career choice or for a year or two after graduation.

• See Prospects EFL teacher profile for information on qualifications, skills required, and TEFL organisations
• The TEFL section (p21) in the Agcas guide to alternative education careers is also useful: Education Alternatives 2024 (PDF , 1,122kb)
• EL Gazette has news about English language teaching worldwide, and a monthly magazine reporting on current issues
• See DoTEFL's global directory of TEFL courses to find TEFL courses around the world, along with information on teaching English abroad and online

Try to get some classroom experience, for example with York Students in Schools, and make the most of opportunities at university to communicate with people from different cultures, on your course, in societies and by taking a Languages for International Mobility course.

If you want to teach on a short-term basis, a short course (eg weekend or distance learning), may be enough. If you want to teach for a year or more, a certificate course may be more appropriate. For a longer term career a diploma or MA is necessary. The country or type of organisation you wish to teach in will also be important when deciding what qualification to aim for. See Trinity College, Cambridge English or the British Council for lists of recognised courses and providers. The Trinity College TESOL and the Cambridge CELTA courses can be studied full or part time in the UK or in many other countries. There are also Cambridge and Trinity qualifications designed specifically for teaching children. Check your course is recognised by the UK government (list supplied by Vital Consular) so that you will be able to apply for a work permit to work overseas.

The department of Language and Linguistic Science runs the Trinity CertTESOL intensive course once or twice a year, and offers a discount to University of York students.

Investigate carefully the conditions and costs involved, including who will pay for travel, accommodation etc, insurance, healthcare and salary, as well as details of the school and support once you are in post.

The British Council recruits language assistants for work in schools overseas.

There are thousands of opportunities available - it is important to find one that matches your values, skills and career aspirations.

In some cases, for organised volunteering projects it may be that you need to pay for your experience abroad - and whatever you do it's likely that you will have to cover the costs of your flights/accommodation/food/living costs, etc while you are overseas. You should take all this into account in your planning to see if it is a realistic option for you.

Talking to people who have undertaken similar opportunities in the past is a great way to see beyond the sales talk and understand the reality of the experience.

Search for opportunities on Handshake

Explore the global programmes available to you as part of your degree programme through the global opportunities by subject web page.