Posted by Sean at Goinglobal on November 4, 2011
With the constantly evolving ability to create new content it is increasingly common to find local news and highlights in the form of podcasts.
Finding Local Podcasts
Whether you are planning for a short trip or a longer relocation, you need to have access to local details and news so that you can become acclimated to your new home. Podcasts often cover a variety of topics ranging from business practices to local language and culture. Below are a few examples of language and culturally oriented podcast resources:
A basic search on the internet using the name of the country you are interested in plus the terms “podcast” or “webcast” will help you to identify indexed resources. If you happen to use iTunes, you can also conduct a search on the iTunes system for country and city-specific shows. More information about expat podcasts and some examples pertaining to Thailand can be found on Expatify’s website (http://bit.ly/wjxuun).
Learning more about the business environment
Economist.com offers a variety of “Doing Business In…” video and audio podcasts through their website. Some of the locations they cover include:
- Auckland
- San Francisco
- Beijing
- Moscow
- Johannesburg
- Singapore
- Chicago
You can also find resources from educational sources, particularly when looking at emerging markets. One example is the Thunderbird Knowledge Network series on doing business in Brazil.
Goinglobal.com offers a variety of business, career, and local resource information as part of its Country Career Guides and USA and Canada City Career Guides. You can find more information about additional career and employment resources at Goinglobal.com.
Posted by Sean at Goinglobal on September 22, 2011
Traveling outside your home country for extended periods of time (30 days or more) should motivate you to think about potentially troubles you could encounter while overseas. It certainly isn’t practical to think about how your trip could “go wrong” but the tips below can prevent headaches (and possibly injury) during your trip.
Have Cash on Hand
It used to be more difficult to access your bank accounts while overseas but the previous inconvenience has been replaced by a greater dependance on debit cards and cash access points and automated bank tellers. Travelers and expatriates can now use their bank and credit cards throughout the world, as long as service fees don’t become an issue (and they can add up). However, if you happen to lose your card because of accident or theft or if your card is “eaten” by an automated bank teller it could be several days plus expensive shipping fees to have it replaced. Below are examples of services that can make it easier to travel with more accessible cash resources:
- Moneygram – https://www.moneygram.com – sending money around the world with pick up locations at both banks and, depending on the country, post offices. This option requires you to have an emergency contact in your home country to arrange for the transfer. There are also prepaid cards available that enable a holder to use them where Visa debit cards are accepted.
- Travelex – http://www.travelex.com – offers a cash passport in the form of a rechargeable debit card. This service offers coverage in multiple regions of the globe. You can check the availability of their services on their website.
- Western Union – has an option to send international money transfers but it requires an account sign up and there is a dedicated site for individuals who wish to send money overseas at http://onlinefx.westernunion.com/. There are short-term cash transfer options but the most cost effective is a wire transfer, which takes 1-2 days.
Some credit cards may offer emergency cash transfers but travelers should check on the interest rate and any associated fees that are applicable if the emergency service is used. As with any of the services mentioned above, travelers should conduct additional research before selecting solutions that best meet their needs and traveling conditions.
Have an ID backup plan
Replacing a lost ID (residence card, passport, etc.) becomes a lot harder when you can’t show the authorities that you had the document in your possession prior to its loss or theft. This can be particularly important in any locations that have a threat of street crime or higher potential for burglary.
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Posted by Sean at Goinglobal on September 8, 2011
South America has several advantages for the overseas career and international internship seeker. Among the fourteen countries in the region are some of the most promising growth centers in the world. Brazil is a growing economy that is widely acknowledged to be among the most powerful emerging market countries (as part of the BRIC countries). Peru has seen continued economic growth during the past decade and has attracting a variety of international companies from both the Eastern and Western hemispheres.
Other countries in the region also are expected to see growth in the near future.
The World Bank’s Latin America and Caribbean Regional Brief stated:
Fueling LAC’s momentum is a global commodity and food price surge that has largely benefitted agro-commodity producing countries, mostly South American net food exporters, which jointly account for between 30-50 percent of several key food exports globally. By contrast, non export-based Central American and Caribbean economies face the double peril of a food crisis and price hikes in other commodities that can hurt their most vulnerable populations.
Argentina
A wide array of companies operate in Argentina across multiple industry sectors including:
- Telecommunications
- Commercial Banking
- Oil and Gas exploration
- Beverages – Wine production
- Food products – retail and wholesale
Brazil
Networking, and particularly social networking, is a powerful way to expand your connections and potentially identify job or internship opportunities in Brazil. An excerpt from the Brazil Country Career Guide highlights the following advice:
Professionals entering the Brazilian market [should] understand that building personal networks will be an essential feature of business life and will prove just as important as having a good résumé/CV.
One of the most popular social networking sites for Brazilians is Orkut. If you are planning on making new connections establish a profile on the Orkut network as an effective tactic to make new friends before landing in Brazil.
Chile
Searching for a job in Chile can focus on either international companies who are looking for expatriate employees or you can use Spanish-language keyword terms to identify opportunities within multiple industries. Below are some examples of keywords to different industry areas in Chile:
- Arquitectura
- Asesoría
- Banca
- Construcción
- Contabilidad
- Diseño
- Edición
- Educación
- Entretenimiento
- Farmacia
- Hostelería
- Informática
- Ingeniería
- Inmobiliaria
- Logística
- Producción
- Telecomunicaciones
- Transporte
- Turismo
Using host country languages as part of your job search queries on search engines or job search sites is one tactic for expanding the number of job opportunities listed in search results.
Colombia
Gaining work experience overseas can also include taking advantage of volunteer opportunities. A brief internet search identified several potential choices for finding volunteer work in Colombia:
Peru
Peru has expanding international trade ties with multiple countries around the world and offers some of the best cuisine and cultural experiences in South America. The Christian Science Monitor observed:
…Peru has enjoyed an average annual economic growth rate of 7 percent since 2003 or that per capita income has doubled and poverty plummeted from 50 percent to 35 percent in roughly the same time.
More recent reports have highlighted the growth of the agricultural sector, as noted by livinginperu.com
…the Commission for the Promotion of Peru Export and Tourism (PromPeru) revealed that Peruvian agricultural exports reached 136 markets in the first half of the year, 11 more compared to the same period last year.
The main destinations for exports were the U.S. (301 million / 25.4 percent growth), Netherlands (194 million / 40.1 percent), Spain (123 million / 44.1 percent), Ecuador (68 million / 28.6 percent) and France (44 million / 53.9 percent).
Seeing and Finding Opportunities in South America
You can start your job search today for jobs and internships in South America at goinglobal.com where you can submit queries using country-specific and multi-lingual keyword search tools.
Going Global also offers downloadable Country Career Guides that cover Argentina, Brazil and Peru.
Posted by Olga at Going Global on April 18, 2011
Photo attribution to andercismo
Imagine working abroad for the first time, armed with all the information you need to successfully acclimate yourself to the work environment, social scene and overall cultural customs? That is where Goinglobal steps in. Goinglobal is committed to providing you with an arsenal of career information and resources to ease the transition abroad and help you be prepared before you leave. We have career country guides for over 30 countries, written by in-country researchers, aimed to help you as a professional, regardless of whether you are a novice or seasoned expat.
Every week, we will feature an insight from one of our global career guides to help you achieve your dream of working internationally.
Living in Gumball Machine, Photo attribution to 29cm
Today’s tip: Knowing your cost of living in Italy
Salaries and Cost of Living
Italy is one of the least expensive countries in the European Union. Even though the Euro has made great gains in recent years against the US dollar, average prices in both Rome and Milan are still slightly lower than in New York, North America’s most expensive city, according to investment bank UBS.
Housing
On a per-square meter basis, apartment rent is most expensive in central Rome and least expensive in Milan. Apartment rent in Venice is more expensive than in Florence,
but both are less expensive than Rome. In central Rome, a 30 square meter (323 square feet) apartment rents for 1,100 EUR (1,737 USD) per month. In Milan, a 50 square meter (538 square feet) apartment rents
for 600 EUR (948 USD) per month.
Vacation and Leave
Workers receive a minimum of four weeks of paid holiday, although many receive up to six weeks. There are also 10 public holidays, plus some half-day holidays and feast days for local patron saints. Many Italians choose to take their annual leave during August.
This is just a sample of what you’ll find in the complete Italian country guide. To learn more about Goinglobal and our other country guides, please visit www.goinglobal.com
Posted by Olga at Going Global on April 7, 2011
Photo attribution to Ripley Daniels
Today’s guest post is brought to you by the Ripley Daniels at Without The Stress. Ripley Daniels is an editor at Without The Stress, a passport, travel visa, and immigration advisory firm located in Los Angeles. They specialize in helping to make the visa and immigration process easier for you. What is fascinating about their post is that rarely do we consider the immigration implications when we fall in love. It’s important to know what kinds of options you have if you decide to take the relationship further and live in the same country. To learn more, visit www.withouththestress.com.
Love knows no boundaries. Thanks to the internet people are finding love across international borders every day. But a particularly interesting trend is the number of Americans who meet and fall in love with Brits on dating sites like Match.com and eHarmony and want to relocate to the U.K. However, as much as couples want to relocate, tie the knot, and start their lives together, the UK Border Agency has made the process of settling in the U.K. anything but simple.
Let’s face it, as Americans, we’ve enjoyed the luxury of globetrotting around the planet freely for decades. For those UK/US couples who have decided to take the next step in their relationship towards marriage, there is often a sense of disbelief that the process is so convoluted. The UK demands that all non-British citizens looking to relocate to the UK must apply for a settlement visa which allows them permanent residency and eventually the opportunity to apply for UK citizenship. On the surface, that doesn’t seem so bad.
A closer look at the process reveals something entirely different. Not only does the application cost a non-refundable $1,000, (depending on the prevailing exchange rate), but the application process itself has become exceedingly difficult. The UK government has dramatically tightened up its borders; a policy initiative fueled by the soaring number of illegal immigrants currently residing in the UK.
The justification is that these measures are an effective means of deterring fraudulent cases and other false relationship claims from those who are only seeking to relocate to the country for health care and other social welfare benefits. The UK consulate demands a dizzying list of supporting documentation which proves that your future or current relationship with a UK citizen is both valid and true.
Photo attribution to Ripley Daniels
Those who are serious about relocating across the pond have three ways to get it done:
- Do it yourself.
- Hire an immigration attorney.
- Hire an experienced visa expert.
For Do it Yourself-ers, it is imperative that you do your research regarding the lengthy online application, daunting list of supporting documents, and the vast array of submission policies in order to dramatically improve your chances of obtaining a UK Settlement visa. Total cost: Approximately $1,000. Total time and stress: off the charts.
For those who plan to hire an immigration attorney, you will have much less work to do, and a lot less stress. But you will pay a pretty penny. And “attorneys”, according to former UK entry clearance officer Myra McKelvie, “usually do not guarantee their work” “I’ve seen thousands of applications botched by attorneys. Its a shame too, because having a denial stamp means forfeiture of the entire application fee and a big “DENIED” stamp on your passport; something that only makes it tougher to get in on future attempts”, she added. Total cost: Approximately $3,500. Total time and stress: Tolerable.
“Another viable, but lesser known option is to hire a travel document expediter. These are firms specializing in helping travelers acquire passports and visas in a hurry”. Most people are completely unaware these firms exist”, say McKelvie. These are people with the expertise to advise clients on visa and immigration matters, but because they are not attorneys, they charge a fraction of what attorneys charge for what is, many times, a better result.
You can easily locate the website of the UK Consulate that serves your jurisdiction to find a list of agencies who may employ such experts. These folks specialize in handling UK visa applications for US travelers and US residents. “Some will even guarantee entry (with the exception of fraudulent applications) into the UK for a very reasonable fee”, she concluded. Total cost: Approximately $1,200. Time and stress: Minimal.
Linda Ripoll is a senior editor at Without The Stress, a passport, travel visa, and immigration advisory firm located in Los Angeles. Myra McKelvie is one of the worldís foremost UK Immigration experts. She is currently offering consulting services at UK Immigration Without The Stress. Prior to her current role, she was an entry clearance officer (ECO) at the UK Consulate in Los Angeles for 15 years. Myra is originally from Glasgow, Scotland.
Posted by Olga at Going Global on March 28, 2011
Photo attribution to Ivan Walsh
When disaster strikes in the country you are working as an expat, what is your exit strategy? Reflecting on the 2.2 million foreigners, including a good number of Americans, currently living and working in Japan, this process becomes that much more pressing.
This month, many overseas workers suddenly found themselves caught in the middle of Japan’s powerful earthquake, along with its aftershocks and resulting tsunami, and are facing the threat of radiation exposure. In another part of the world, the political crisis in Egypt and the Middle East has not only caused food and gas shortages, but Americans working there may face dangerous unrest in the streets.
As businesses expand into new global markets, 10 percent of employees who are sent abroad from the U.S. are assigned to countries that are considered dangerous or have harsh living conditions. While employment in a foreign country can be a dream come true, anyone working outside their native soil should have an exit strategy in place and be prepared for a hasty departure – even if they are working in countries that are considered ‘safe.’
Your first step should be to register with the appropriate embassy and consulate and regularly update your contact information. This will assure you will be notified and continually updated by the U.S. State Department in the event of a disaster or crisis in your host country.
Employers with overseas workers have a priority to protect their human capital abroad and should have a risk management plan in place to ensure their employees are as safe as possible wherever they are in the world. Companies should also buy travel insurance policies, monitor the movement of their employees, and hire medical evacuators and security companies to protect overseas offices.
While both the U.S. government and companies with employees overseas map out strategies to help citizens exit dangerous situations abroad, it is also the responsibility of the individual to be organized and prepared for the unthinkable. A best practice is to keep abreast of local political, social and meteorological developments, and most importantly have a personal safety plan and escape route. Keep a three-day supply of food and water on hand and your key documents in one location. Being prepared helps keep you safe.
We here at Going Global offer these tips (from our expat experiences) for staying safe in a foreign country:
• Stay on top of local political, social and meteorological developments.
• Register with the appropriate embassy and consulate and regularly update your contact information.
• Have a personal safety plan and escape route.
• Plan a way for family members to stay in contact.
• Keep a few vital supplies (food, water, flashlight, battery-powered radio, cell phone with chargers, passport, visas, local maps, emergency phone numbers, first aid kit, etc.) on hand.
• Maintain a reserve of cash in smaller denominations.
• Be aware of the ways to leave the country (planes, trains, ferries, etc.)
• Learn some basic safety skills.
Knowing how you will take care of yourself in the midst of an emergency is vital to a successful time as an expat. You may or may not need to employ that plan. Having a plan, though, is what will help you stay calm amidst potential chaos.
For employment, career and culture resources in other countries, please visit www.goinglobal.com.
Posted by Olga at Going Global on February 21, 2011
Photo attribution to andercismo
Imagine working abroad for the first time, armed with all the information you need to successfully acclimate yourself to the work environment, social scene and overall cultural customs? That is where Goinglobal steps in. Goinglobal is committed to providing you with an arsenal of career information and resources to ease the transition abroad and help you be prepared before you leave. We have career country guides for over 30 countries, written by in-country researchers, aimed to help you as a professional, regardless of whether you are a novice or seasoned expat.
Every week, we will feature an insight from one of our global career guides to help you achieve your dream of working internationally.
Today’s Tip: Knowing the cost of living in Argentina
By North American and European standards, the cost of living is very low in Argentina. According to a global cost of living survey for expatriates conducted by UBS, the average cost of a basket of products and services in Buenos Aires is 45 percent of the cost of the same basket in New York, the most expensive city for expatriates in the Americas.
Transportation
Due to road congestion and the high cost of parking in Argentina’s cities, most people utilize public transportation. Each of Argentina’s cities has urban bus, or colectivo, service. In Córdoba, Mendoza and Rosario, buses are supplemented with trolley buses which are powered by overhead wires. Buenos Aires has a subway system (known as Subte, short for subterráneo) as well as a network of commuter trains covering its suburbs.
Medical Care and Health Insurance
Argentina’s public health care system has been ravaged by inefficiency, corruption and the paralyzing economic downturn occurring in the early part of this century. Nearly half of all Argentines are covered by healthcare programs funded by their employee union and administered by one of many Obras Sociales. Forty percent do not have health insurance and about 10 percent are covered by private insurance plans. Those who do pay into the public plan pay six percent of the first 4,800 ARS (1,520 USD) in gross earnings plus 1.5 percent of the first 4,800 ARS of gross earnings for each dependent.
This is just a sample of what you’ll find in the complete Argentina guide. To learn more about Goinglobal and our other country guides, please visit www.goinglobal.com
