Whether you have just accepted a post overseas or you are about to submit your C.V there are a lot of important things you need to cover before you go. It is not just about getting the job, its about finance, property, salary, holiday and more. Below are some very important points you should have on a check list before you go to make sure the transition is smooth. It is important you don’t regret the move for any other reason than the job itself if it doesn’t work out.

Old Home

Before you think about where you are going to live it is really important to make proper plans around where you live at the moment. If you rent you need to look at notice periods so you do not commit to starting your new role before you can move out and stop paying rent. If you own a property things can get a little more complex. Depending on where you are in the country selling a property can be very rapid but it can also take months. Having to deal with a house sale when you are in another country is not ideal so if the market is slow you might want to consider a home buying service. Companies like www.barryhomebuyers.com are able to buy your home within a matter of weeks for a cash lump sum. It will be less than the normal market value but it could save a lot of money and hassle hanging on for a traditional sale.

New Home

If you are homeowner then you instinct will be to buy straight away in the new location. This may be a bad idea. Renting first is always best, it allows you to find the best areas and see if you like there. Take some time to look for some expat websites and speak to a few people about places to live and areas to avoid. Forums like this can be useful – https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/30  Getting the right pace to live when you first arrive can have a massive affect on how much you want to stay for the long term.

Banking

Getting paid is obviously a key part of moving for a new job so making sure it all goes smoothly is important. Rather than keeping a UK bank account it is worth setting up a local bank account in the country you are moving too. This way you get paid into a bank that deals with the local currency and avoid any extra charges. You also get local bank cards so you don’t have to deal with any issues around payments.

Working Hours, Holiday and Pay

While much of this could be agreed by the time you accept a role it is important to look at the current levels of holiday, tax, and wages in the destination country. Some countries have higher taxes so a pay rise may end up being a pay cut if you don’t check first. Holiday allowance can vary greatly too – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minimum_annual_leave_by_country . In the US 10 days is normal, Germany its 30 days! The times of year holiday is taken can change a lot too. Working hours vary too, in Spain for example it is normal to work from 9am to 8pm but a long 2-3 hours break is taken during the afternoon when it is hottest. In Dubai the working week is Sunday to Thursday which can be quite strange for people moving from the UK. By making sure you are aware of the numbers before accepting a job you can avoid some serious issues. However, if the job has already been accepted the problem could be harder to deal with but not impossible so it is worth discussing it.

Legal Documents

So apart from all the personal financial and of course emotional issues surrounding leaving the country there are also some very important legal ones to cover too. Firstly, you should have the correct permit to work in the country you are going too. You employer will probably help or the recruitment agency, but it is worth taking some control and learning what you need so you don’t fall foul to someone else’s mistake. On top of permits you also have some legal obligations at home in regards to tax, national insurance and the like. www.gov.uk is a good starting point but also speak to your employer and see if they have another workers from home who could help out too.

Good Luck!

Once you have everything in place in terms of money and legal issues it is time to consider family issues and how your loved ones will handle you being away. However, for many people it is very normal and with travel being so much cheaper these days often people visits friends overseas more than they see people in their own country. If you make sure you include all the critical aspects in your plan you can look ahead to a new adventure and potentially a new forever home!