Want to move abroad, where to begin

[imnotacelebritygetmeoutofhere]

(Shamelessly posting here for traffic, apologies, but it gets a big audience.)
I'm British, lived my whole life in London, I am mid-40s. I've always dreamt of moving overseas but for various reasons had ties at home. Now I'm free, but I haven't got a clue where to begin.
There is not a particular place I'm aiming for, I just love the idea of trying life somewhere different. I'm very well traveled and happily go new places and try new things, I enjoy the adventure, so I'm not phased by the idea of starting somewhere new.
I work in marketing communications also with some project management experience. I have a degree from 20(ish) years ago but no other professional qualifications. I can speak a basic level of French, Spanish and Swedish.
How do I begin? Where would I start to look for overseas jobs? Or should I go somewhere and then look for a job locally? Is it easy to get a visa to work somewhere else? Realistically I need a job that will pay enough for me to rent my own home (I'm too old for flatsharing) and enjoy what the local life has to offer.
The only people I know who have moved overseas have either been recruited for a specific required job, or have moved for marriage, and I don't have either of those to follow. Has anyone moved overseas simply for the adventure and fun of it?
I'd love some tips

I dont have time to read the whole thread.
But in my experience (moved a lot with and without kids)

1. Narrow where - and aim for fast growing economies or established ones

Portugual and other similar countries would not hire you on the basis that you couldnt do your job in the local language. Marketing and management are mainly dealing with people so in those countries that wouldnt be done in english unless maybe you work a multinational and even so.

1. Write down your project and how you want to steer your career and contact HR and head hunters
2. Start your network again and network somw more. Talk about your project
3. Watch for job offers on companies sites and linkedin
4. If thats what you really want believe in your project and go for it. Life is too short.

If you have kids it is different.
Find a school first, job as well then find a place to live.

Good luck. How exciting!!!

Also very good advice from @violetbunny re visas

You can work in Ireland due to the Common Travel Area that we share. But as someone who lives and works here: life is expensive; be it rent, eating out and general living. It's hard to get on the property ladder and the pay that you get (I work in telecoms) is underpaid for the jobs that you do. But the people are warm enough. Although the weather is like Manchester.

I hear you re Brexit. I honestly wished I'd left the UK for the continent as soon as the Lib Dems brought the Tories into power.

@imnotacelebritygetmeoutofhere

Oh dear, sounds like Gibraltar is off the cards already! I have actually thought of remote working as an option. Since lockdown started I have worked from home full time with no problems at all and could easily continue that. But I wondered though, if I'm working remotely overseas would I have to pay tax to the country I'm living in, even if my employer is in the UK. That's something I need to look into some more.

Even if you are working remotely, you would still need a visa that grants working rights, the same as if you were working for a local based employer.

The location of the employer has no bearing on where you would pay tax, where you are resident is what matters. And of course you have to pay tax in the country you are living in. 🙂 Any UK employer would also have to be mindful of employment law and PAYE type of requirements in the country you live in, many would probably not want to.

I have moved overseas, once on a country that only gives temporary work visas and the other time involved twice applying for permanent residency in Australia, at the same time I looked into Canada. Unfortunately you are going to find your age will go against you for some countries, definitely it gets nigh on impossible after 45 in Australia and I believe Canada. New Zealand used to have a higher age limit but I haven’t kept up to date the last few years. I was on an immigration forum for years and years and I don’t recall your occupation ever being on the skills list for these countries in the past anyway.

Do you work for a multinational employer now? A transfer might be your best bet.

*to a country

@Alonelonelyloner

You will pay tax in the country on which your payroll resides. The best option if you want to live in the EU (for instance) is to get a BLUE CARD,

www.apply.eu/BlueCard/

This scheme gives you free movement in Europe, however you need to meet minimum salary requirements, depending on your field.

If you are in EU I would suggest also making voluntary NI contributions so that you you are still eligible for the full UK state pension should you return - if memory serves this are N2 contributions.

As above PP says, choose a country and look at their requirements and also their needs. For instance, I hire people in Denmark (and Germany) and in Denmark if you are able to meet the criteria for a skill shortage - for instance in IT or medical then you will get a visa regardless so it is easier for employers. If you have any IT skills let me know!

Eastern Europe is also often easier in terms of rights to live.
In any case you have 90 days to stay in a place and see what you think. This is a good opportunity to decide if you like a place, make contacts there etc.

Good luck!

You will pay tax in the country on which your payroll resides

What an absolute load of utter drivel!

If that were the case, do you not think most companies would have transferred their payroll team to Singapore or Bermuda so all the employees could pay low tax. 😂

You pay employment tax where you reside.

You pay tax in the country in which you’re resident usually. So remote working wouldn’t help you get out of it. Post Brexit it’s difficult to come and live in an EU country without a job offer, and those offers are only really given when they can’t hire people with skills locally ie something very specialist.

As a pp said, sadly your age is going to go against you. I looked into doing tefl in various countries and realistically they have a steady stream of people in their 20’s to choose from so the only places I could have got work are the places they wouldn’t choose! Basically the crappy jobs that no one else wants.

Also as others have said, post Brexit makes it a whole lot harder. You’d also have to consider how much health insurance etc would cost. Finances for retirement etc.

The compromise I made was to do contract work for several months of the year. Save hard and then spend 3-6 months in other countries. I went to Japan and the tourist visa lasted 90 days. Plus I was able to very easily get a 90 day extension on top. Obviously covid has shelved all that for a while. But I intend to start doing it again when travel is easier.

Brexit makes it much harder if you are considering Europe. I know two people who have moved since Brexit. Neither work for companies that sort out visas and do relocation packages. One got a job that was in the country’s equivalent of the shortage skills list but it was hard. That was in Central Europe. The other bought property aboard -you have to spend a certain amount - which leads to a residence permit - that was Portugal.

Have you thought of teleworking - ie carrying on working in UK in English, online, but living overseas.

You can’t, in a lot of the EU. Spain, for example, requires you to either not need to work and have provable income (including remote work, since Brexit), or have €500,000 to invest in Spanish property. If you can’t do either, you have to apply for a work visa, which requires your remote office to have a Spanish address; and the usual steps to prove why a European National couldn’t be given the job.

Even as a company owner, it’s a nightmare now. You’re also taxed on worldwide income, and have to pay for private medical cover. The application process for Spain costs about £800, in visa fees, police checks, medical checks, translations, etc. None of it is refunded if you fail.

@imnotacelebritygetmeoutofhere It’s a million percent harder since Brexit, sadly. I massively regret that I couldn’t convince DH to move back before it kicked in.

Would you consider further afield?

I have a friend who managed to get an NLV for Spain and intended to keep running her U.K. company from there… she moved over last week and her visa has been revoked this week as she’s working, and she was found out. She can stay for the 90 days everyone is allowed, but then needs to leave the EU. She’s heading to Asia, where the visa situation is easier - but the Covid situation is worth looking into.

Gib is a good option but as others have said, rent is expensive. My OH used to work there and his employer paid half his rent, he did work in the hospital though so not sure if that’s why?
It’s a lovely place, small though and it is gossipy, but sunny most of the year and they have a good work/life balance, and have Morrison’s, and English shops!
A lot of companies out there advertise for roles on a contract basis, so you could see what’s available and if a rent subsidy comes with the package.

His full rent was around €1000 on a 1 bedroom flat, but that was 10 years ago!

There are a lot of forums on the internet and Facebook groups aimed at those who want to move to a certain country. I think it might be highly informative to find a few of them that are about the potential locations that have your interest and start reading, posting and ask those already living there what they would do in your situation. It gives you a broader view of the possibilities and some real life experience shares of those who have taken this step already.

You should consider Estonia. Granted climate is not great but they have Digital Nomad visas with a special tax treatment and the quality of life is really good. Check out English language vacancies here: www.workinestonia.com/ or just stay with your current job.

I know an older person who was successful in getting a TEFL job in Russia. TEFL involving British teachers in Europe is harder now, because schools will hire staff from Ireland instead.

Brexit has just about killed any opportunity that UK passport holders had for working in Europe unless they have very specific, high-level skills that are in demand in a particular country.

My company moved from the UK to the EU before the cut-off date, 31st December 2020, so like thousands of other Brefugees I am able to live and work in my new country (but only here - I cannot easily move to another EU country).

For anyone from the UK now wanting to move here the likelihood of success is extremely small.

• Firstly, the potential employer has to seek to recruit from the local population and from elsewhere in the EU or EEA (so UK citizens are already #500,000,001 in the queue)
• If unsuccessful, the employer can apply to the Employment Ministry for permission to recruit (for the specific job) from outside of the EU

If permission is granted, the non-EU recruitment process can begin

• Assuming that a suitable candidate is found, the employer has to apply yet again to the Ministry for approval of that person - i.e. the Employer's Visa
• Only then can the candidate apply to the country authorities for their personal Visa, which involves providing further evidence of qualifications, experience and other issues such as criminal record and financial checks - at this stage, the candidate can still have the Visa application rejected.

All of this takes time and involves costs at every stage. Even if the employer finds the right candidate, this person can still have their personal application rejected - so understandably, employers are not keen to embark on the process only for it to fail six-twelve months later.

[One alternative mentioned by others is to find work with an employer in the UK where there is the possibility of moving abroad at some stage. E.g. you might be the UK Marketing Director for a German company's UK subsidiary and then in a few years be offered the post of European Marketing Director based at HQ in Germany. There are Visas available for high-level appointments such as this, but they are for specific posts, have to be applied for by the company and are time-limited - e.g. for 3 years]

If you can keep a base in the UK you could try house sitting abroad for a bit to get a taste for life in a country longer than 2 weeks etc. Some of my friend pretty much live this way, moving around the world, looking after houses for people (often their animals too). They don't get paid, but have free accommodation and then teach online for living money.
Obviously Brexit has made it a lot harder for them due to the 90day limit but as they travel around the world and spend stints back at home they make it work.

@bitterbuddhist

You can work in Ireland due to the Common Travel Area that we share. But as someone who lives and works here: life is expensive; be it rent, eating out and general living. It's hard to get on the property ladder and the pay that you get (I work in telecoms) is underpaid for the jobs that you do. But the people are warm enough. Although the weather is like Manchester.

I hear you re Brexit. I honestly wished I'd left the UK for the continent as soon as the Lib Dems brought the Tories into power.

Agree with weather like Manchester but salaries in some areas (particularly teaching/public sector) are usually much higher than U.K. equivalent.

What about Channel Islands?

Is this an option? u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/types-of-visa/remote-work-visas

You need a decent salary but the bonus is you won't pay tax on it.

@CliffsofMohair I need to look into public sector, tbh. I have been able to do a fair bit (I think) with the salary I'm on, but I need to move on seriously.

Thanks for this! You've got the wheels in my brain spinning.

But yeah, Brexit and the Tories f**ked us over. But watch them being voted into power again. A disgrace.