Top Overseas Jobs for Americans: Your Guide To Working Abroad
Fact Checked by: Americans can find overseas jobs in several fields, such as teaching, travel, and hospitality. Here are our top job recommendations for Americans working abroad:
- ESL teacher: A lot of Asian and Latin American countries need native English speakers to teach.
- Virtual assistant: Provide remote administrative support to businesses.
- Tour guide: Lead tours in popular travel destinations.
- Customer service representative: Help companies assist customers remotely.
- Interpreter or translator: Convert written or spoken content between languages.
Some other roles you can perform overseas include web developer, graphic designer, content writer, hospitality worker, and educational content creator. In most cases, you’ll need a work visa or permit to work overseas, and some countries provide digital nomad visas.
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10 overseas jobs for Americans
When hunting for jobs overseas, be sure to look for areas where you can leverage your existing expertise. Remote employment opportunities mean many more options for working abroad than just a decade ago.
Take a look at the most popular industries for expats, as well as the best international movers and tips for planning your life in a new country.
ESL Teacher
ESL — English as a Second Language — instructors teach English to non-native speakers in countries around the world. Aside from local schools, many international educational institutions affiliated with the US Department of State are in need of ESL teachers.
Average pay
Earnings for ESL teachers vary greatly depending on country and local cost of living. In Europe, the monthly salary ranges between $450 and $6,540, with the low end of the scale in Hungary and the highest in Switzerland.
Popular countries for ESL teachers
You’ll find the most demand in Asian countries, but this profession is needed in many locations, including:
- Japan
- South Korea
- China
- Costa Rica
- France
Virtual Assistant
Becoming a digital nomad is very much en vogue these days, with the increase of remote work and related opportunities. Virtual assistants — or VAs — assist companies across all industries in day-to-day operations. Specific job duties, qualifications, and pay for VAs depends on the company, but generally speaking, the position involves data entry, clerical work, and research.
Average pay
Median pay in Europe ranges between $10 and $31 per hour, but fluctuates depending on your location.
Popular countries for VAs
Some hot spots for VAs include:
- The Philippines
- India
- Canada
- Malaysia
- Colombia
Tour guide
If you’re living in an area that tourists frequent and are bilingual, this is a strong candidate for employment abroad. This will likely require that you live in a larger urban area or historic locale.
Average pay
Annual pay for tour guides depends on your location and how popular the site is as a tourist attraction. On average, you can expect to make between $12 and $16.50 per hour.
Popular countries for tour guides
The best countries to vie for employment in this field are those that attract the most tourists each year.
Those include:
Customer service representative
Companies across most industries need people to answer customer queries and field complaints from their clients. This is also a field that well-suited to remote work, as some employers will only require a stable internet and phone connection for you to work in a far-flung location.
Average pay
The average annual salary for international customer service representatives is $46,000–$67,000, according to estimates from Glassdoor.
Popular countries for customer service reps
American customer service representatives are most commonly hired in:
Interpreter or translator
This is another profession with employment possibilities in many fields, and it’s also a popular remote job. Translators are tasked with transcribing important documents and work materials from one language to another, making this a great pick for bilingual expats.
Average pay
Glassdoor lists the pay for a translator at the European Commission in Brussels at about $68,000 per year. Pay will depend on how in-demand your combination of spoken languages is, as well as your level of fluency.
Popular countries for interpreters & translators
Countries where English-speaking translators are in-demand include:
- Singapore
- Switzerland
- The Philippines
- The Netherlands
- Germany
Web developer
Web developers handle everything from coding and layout design to overall website function. It is a job for which almost every modern company will hire at some point, either on a contract or full-time basis, and is a great remote work opportunity.
Average pay
Average pay across Europe ranges from $72,000–$140,000 annually, compared to $112,000–$200,000 in the US.
Popular countries for web developers
Europe dominates the top in-demand countries for web developer talent
- Argentina
- Poland
- Brazil
- Czech Republic
- The Netherlands
Graphic designer
Graphic designers craft visual elements for print and online marketing and websites. These include web copy brochures, logos, and advertisements, among others. In short, they are branding experts that nearly all industries need. And — bonus — they are typically able to work remotely.
Average pay
As with any job, where you live affects how much you make. For example, in developing countries, you’d likely make around $25,000 as a graphic designer but you could be paid more than $80,000 in countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
If you’re looking for employment from a U.S.-based firm, the average salary is approximately $55,000.
Popular countries for graphic designers
Graphic design is a popular profession in industrialized, high-income countries, including:
Content writer
Work as a freelancer or full-time content writer is yet another profession that falls under the “digital nomad” umbrella. Blogs and other website copy, newsletters, and ads are all marketing materials companies rely on a content writer to produce.
Average pay
Content writers in Europe make anywhere from $40,000—$90,000 annually, depending on experience.
Popular countries for content writers
English-speaking writers are in demand in these countries:
Hospitality worker
This is more of an option if you’re going to a country where English is commonly spoken or you’re fluent in the native language. Bilingual customer service personnel in hotels, resorts, hostels, and similar tourist-heavy locations are always in demand.
Average pay
Since the hospitality industry encompasses a variety of jobs and experience levels, salaries will depend on your actual job title. But the average range is between $25,000 and $82,000 in most cases.
Popular countries for hospitality workers
Countries where English is widely spoken are more apt to hire expats for hospitality jobs.
Those countries include:
Educational content creator
This field of work is best-suited for those who are bilingual or speak multiple languages. Many educational departments and affiliated companies need people with a capacity for language to translate or transcribe their curriculums into easily-digestible content for print, YouTube scripts, and other content.
Average pay
In Germany, the average salary for this role is just under $59,000, with the overall range being $35,000–$105,000. Expect this pay to fluctuate based on the cost of living in the area you live.
The U.S. range for this role is $29,500 to $129,000, according to ZipRecruiter.
Popular countries
English-speaking educational content creators who speak at least one other language may be able to find work in:
- The Netherlands
- Denmark
- Thailand
- Spain
- New Zealand
How to find overseas jobs
Remote workplaces make it easier than ever to find jobs that allow you to live overseas. But unless you’re already in a virtual office space — or if you prefer in-person international employment — it can be daunting to navigate an overseas job hunt.
Here are a few basic steps to take before you start crossing off any moving abroad to-do items:
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- Decide what kind of job you want. A fresh start in a new country might feel like a good time to also venture into a new career or industry but sticking to what you know best until you get settled in overseas might be the safer approach. If you are looking to branch out a little professionally, you should also apply for at least a few jobs in your current field so you have some back-up plans.
- Utilize international job boards (or local to the country you’re moving to). Diversifying where you look for work is a good way to get fresh job listings with each search and potentially build up your professional network. Indeed Worldwide, We Work Remotely, and FlexJobs are a few of the top options for remote and international work.
- Apply for a visa. Once you’ve secured a job offer, you’ll have to apply for a work visa in your new country of residence. Most applications will require employer sponsorship but some countries — like Iceland, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Norway — now issue visas specifically for digital nomads.
Tips for working abroad
Once you’re settled in at your new home, becoming comfortable in your new overseas job should be among the top priorities for you:
- Immerse yourself in the culture. Experiencing and truly living in your new country will help you feel like you’re actually at home, rather than on an extended vacation. If you’re ever considering applying for dual citizenship, beginning acclimating is better done sooner than later.
- Sharpen up your language skills. While many countries around the world have a significant population of English speakers, learning the native language is always a positive. It will help you to integrate more seamlessly with the locals, and will make you a more marketable applicant to job openings at local companies.
- Network with both expats and locals, Aside from the obvious personal angle, networking will help you if or when you eventually branch out and look for another job.
How to move overseas for work
Moving overseas presents many logistical challenges which are best handled by a professional international moving company. Aside from that, you can do the following to make your relocation a bit easier:
- Downsize. Getting rid of unnecessary items before your move will help to reduce your costs. International shipping costs are largely based on shipment volume or weight, decluttering before your move and selling seldom-used items will help you to keep more money in your pocket during the process.
- Pack your own goods. If you have fragile items or antiques, we recommend paying movers to crate or box them up for you. Otherwise, packing more basic goods on your own with free or cheap moving boxes is another way to cut costs.
- Keep a checklist. Before moving, create an international relocation checklist. Top things to cross off are securing housing and a job and getting a work visa approved.
- Consider storage. If you know that your move will be temporary, arrange for storage near your origin address. Many people downsize when embarking on longer moves, but that doesn’t necessarily have to mean disposing of certain goods entirely.
Our picks for international movers
The best international movers provide extensive services, including customs management and assistance, packing, and vehicle shipping. We recommend getting quotes from at least three international companies before choosing the one to hire. Use our moving cost calculator to get a ballpark price and set expectations before booking.
We researched dozens of providers and rated each against our methodology to score them according to customer care, pricing, industry reputation, and more.
Here are our top picks for overseas moves:
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Shipping your car overseas
If you want to bring your car with you to your overseas job, you’ll need to find a reliable vehicle transport company. Some international movers — like International Van Lines and JK Moving — can coordinate car shipping as part of your relocation package, so you won’t have to worry about finding a separate car shipper.
If you don’t have the luxury of booking this service through a dedicated provider, we’ve outlined the best car shippers available for overseas moves. We rated each against our methodology to yield a comprehensive score based on pricing, container and trailer types offered and more.
We recommend these car shippers for international moves:
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Our rating methodology
At moveBuddha, we understand that all moving and car shipping companies aren’t created equal. We undertake a rigorous review process to rate and review companies to ensure we provide accurate recommendations.
Here’s a breakdown of the methodology we use to rate moving companies:
- Customer satisfaction: In addition to looking at reviews with the BBB, Google, and other third-party sites, we rely heavily on interviews with Better Moves Project participants to understand the pros and cons of each company.
- Standard services: We look at what services are included as part of a company’s standard offerings, and which ones you can only get for an additional fee.
- Reputation: We evaluate a company’s industry ratings, including aspects like carrying sufficient insurance coverage and compliance with applicable regulations.
- Add-on services: We look at any add-on services that can simplify a move — such as customized crates and special handling of large or fragile items — as well as services that aren’t offered by all moving companies.
- Availability: The areas a company serves — as well as whether they offer local, long-distance, or international services — is another important consideration. Widespread availability is most useful.
- Payment: Ease of making a payment (including submitting a deposit) with multiple options (credit card, check, cash, etc.) can also make moving easier.
- Scheduling: How easy is it to book a moving container? What kind of lead time is needed? Readily available booking services and streamlined scheduling will help get your move underway.
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