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The 21 Best Jobs For Expats

So you want to travel the world? Why not start your journey as an expat! Expats, or people who live outside of their home countries, deeply enjoy experiencing another culture. But there just might be one problem: you still need a job!

We all need a way to make money and earn an income to afford a place to live and to put food on the table. Whether you’re looking for a new job or continuing your career, one of the best ways to be an expat is to find a career outside of your home country.

Overseas jobs or jobs that allow for travel can be a bit tricky but you can find the perfect job for you! If you’re hoping to become an expat, here are the best jobs for expats for you to explore.

Why Be an Expat?

Living abroad gives you the opportunity to explore new cultures, travel the world and meet interesting people along the way. It’s a great way to check things off your bucket list too! Expats enjoy experiencing other countries so much that they tend to stay for an extended period of time or even settle down in their temporary living place!

Being an expat is a great opportunity to improve your language skills and learn a foreign language, diversity your career path, work at an international company, and live in a new country.

best jobs for expats

The 21 Best Jobs For Expats

Teach English

The first option that most people think of when it comes to the best jobs for expats and how to work abroad is teaching English! Teaching English at international schools may be done in a variety of locations throughout the world, which is why it has always been popular. For native English speakers, this is a great overseas job. Teaching jobs are a great opportunity to live the expat life. You’ll need to check job openings frequently to find teaching jobs – they are highly sought after and the competition can be fierce.

The most popular way expats work abroad is by teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) at local schools or private after school programs. You can find multiple job postings on websites such as Dave’s ESL Cafe and Teach English.

English teachers typically don’t need a degree in english, but you might need a degree in something. Make sure to check the program’s requirements that you are applying to.

Virtual Assistant

For digital nomads, working as a virtual assistant abroad is becoming more and more popular. A virtual assistant is someone who provides administrative support to clients from their home country, usually via email or phone calls. As a virtual assistant expat you will be able to work from anywhere in the world!

In order to become a VA expat you must have great communication skills and a good understanding of the English language. You will be responsible for researching, managing email accounts, creating reports or presentations, scheduling appointments/meetings and filing documents online.

The best place to find VA jobs is Upwork, Freelancer.com, and Facebook (Metaverse) groups.

Nanny/Au Pair

Another popular expat job is working as a nanny or an au pair. This can be done in virtually any country, which makes it great if you are looking for jobs abroad. As an expat nanny you will need to have childcare experience and also know how to speak the local language fluently since most families require their babysitter/au pair to speak English.

The website expats use the most when looking for nanny jobs is Care.com, where expat parents can find babysitters and au pairs from all over the world!

Housesitting

If you love animals and want a job that allows for travel expat housesitting is the best option! House sitting means living in another person’s home while they are away on holiday or business. In exchange, expats will take care of their house plants, pets and mail etc.

Most expats find jobs as housesitters through websites such as Trusted Housesitters and Mind My House.

Working Holiday Visa

For expats who want to live abroad, but they don’t have a job lined up, a working holiday visa is a good option! Getting a work visa would allow you to work for one company legally for 12 months or more in many countries including Australia and New Zealand!

The best websites expats use when applying for a working holiday visa are GoWorkaBit and Working Holiday Visa.

best jobs for expats

Work at A Hostel

Another expat job is working at a hostel! If you enjoy meeting new people while traveling then this option might be for you.

Working in a hostel means being the first face that guests see when they check-in. You will need to have strong customer service skills, know how to work on your own and with others as well as be able to speak multiple languages!

The expat websites expats use when applying for hostel jobs are Hostelworld and Booking.com. These sites offer expats the opportunity to work in different countries from around the world.

Partner and Support Local NGOs

Another expat job is working as a volunteer for local NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations). This expat option gives expats the opportunity to travel and work at the same time.

One of the most popular websites expats use when looking for NGO jobs abroad is Idealist. Expats can search through hundreds of different types of jobs including positions with expat NGOs.

Diving Instructor

Another expat job is becoming a diving instructor. Diving instructors usually work on boats and they teach people how to scuba dive! This expat option does require some certification, but you can find jobs all over the world if this interests you.

The website expats use when looking for diving jobs is Diving Jobs DB.

Work Exchange

An expat job that is growing in popularity is working abroad as a work exchange. In this expat option, expats will find jobs where they can stay and live for free while on the other hand employers get someone who is willing to help them with their business/home without having to pay an hourly wage.

The most popular websites expats use to find work exchange jobs are WorkAway and WWOOF.

Peace Corps

For expats that are looking for a job abroad but they don’t need to be paid, the Peace Corps is an expat option. The Peace Corp is an organization where volunteers travel and work in developing countries alongside local communities; it is like living and working as part of another culture!

The best websites expats use when applying for the Peace Corps are Volunteer Forever and Go Opporty.

Cruise Ship

Another expat option is becoming a cruise ship worker! This expat job allows expats to explore different locations around the world while traveling on somebody else’s dime. Cruise ships are notorious for hiring expats, but they do require that you have some experience before applying.

The best websites expats use when looking for jobs at cruise ships are Cruise Ship Jobs and Maritime Careers.

best jobs for expats

Tour Guide

Another expat option is becoming a tour guide. Being a tour guide means expats will lead groups of tourists around the country that they are in and show them important landmarks while also telling them local history! Tour guides get to experience the true pulse of a city, so if you’re a history nerd, this might be for you!

The expat websites expats use when looking for tour guide jobs are WayUp and GoAbroad.

Travel Blogger

If your passion is truly traveling the world, becoming a travel blogger might be for you! This takes a lot of skills – from writing to photography to marketing – but it is an option if you want to build a website with a niche focus that involves traveling! It might not be the best option if you want to stay in one place abroad as you would most likely still need to be based in your home country. Like all jobs, writing is blog posts isn’t for everyone.

Flight Attendant

Being a flight attendant means expats will be traveling with people all over the world and sometimes they have an expat base that allows them to travel from there as well! being a flight attendant is hard work and many times the duties go beyond the job description. You won’t always get to go where you want on your own schedule but you will have the opportunity to spend some time in countries abroad on layovers.

You’ll likely end up in places like Hong Kong, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and more.

The most popular websites expats use when applying for being a flight attendant are AirlineCareer and JustFly.

Hospitality Worker/Waiter

Another expat job is becoming a waiter or waitress in another country! In this expat position, expats will be living abroad by working for one restaurant or hotel at the same time they are making new friends from all over the world! The most popular websites expats use when applying for this expat job are Expatica and SimplyHired.

Nursing/Medical Assistant

Another expat job is becoming a nurse or medical assistant. Nurses are always in high demand. This expat option gives expats the opportunity to live abroad while working in healthcare and experiencing different cultures!

Moreover, it’s one of the most satisfying jobs, especially for those who fancy working in an environment where they assist others in need and potentially save lives.  

The pay is also quite lucrative once you get experience as a medical assistant, often depending on where you work and the number of hours you put in. Experience can be achieved through various options, such as externships and internships, as well as on-the-job training.

The most popular websites expats use when applying for nursing jobs are NursingJobs, TravelNursingNetwork, and Nurses24-Hour.

Software Development

Another expat job is becoming a software developer. Software developers and web developers program different applications and programs that are used all around the world! Software engineers work at global companies with offices all over the world. If you already work in software, you might be able to transfer to a team abroad.

The most popular websites expats use when looking for jobs as a software developer abroad are USA Jobs, ITJobCafe and Monster.com.

Web Designer

Being a web designed is one of the best jobs if you want some autonomy in your life abroad. Web designers and web developers design websites, develop mobile apps and more! expats who work as a web designer abroad will usually have some kind of remote access to their company so they can help out from afar.

The most popular websites expats use when applying for jobs as a web developer are Indeed, CareerBuilder and Dice.com.

Graphic Designer

Another expat option is becoming a graphic designer. Graphic designers create logos, advertisements and other forms of media! Expats looking to become a graphic designer abroad will likely need an education in design as well as some experience working with companies.

The most popular websites expats use when applying for jobs as a graphic designer are Monster, CareerBuilder and LinkedIn.

Contract Work

Another expat job is working on a contract basis for another company. This expat option requires expats to have some experience in the field they work in so it might not be an option if you are just starting out your career abroad. expats who work on a contract basis might be able to pick where they want to live abroad.

The most popular websites expats use when applying for jobs as contract workers are LinkedIn, SimplyHired, and PeoplePerHour.

Freelancer

Another expat option is becoming a freelancer. In this expat job, expats will be able to work from anywhere in the world while having multiple clients all over the place! This might be a good idea if you have existing skills and can work in social media.

The most popular websites expats use when looking for jobs as a freelancer are FreelanceUK, Elance, Upwork, Fiverr, and Guru.com.

What Else To Know About Being an Expat

You’ll have to figure out things like a bank account and health insurance when working abroad. You might also be lonely at first until you find a group of friends. Working abroad isn’t necessarily what the show Emily In Paris makes it out to be.

You might also be quite lonely at times in a foreign country away from home. Even if you are in a great place and living the dream, if you go alone, it could be hard to make friends and meet new people outside of your job.

So there we have it: The Best Jobs For Expats

The expat options listed above are just a few of the best jobs for expats. Working abroad is an amazing opportunity that everyone should try at least once in their life! Whether you want to work as a diving instructor, nanny or virtual assistant these expat jobs will help you afford to travel the world for longer or help you settle in a new place. You may need a work permit to work outside of the United States so make sure you look into all of the necessary requirements. Good luck!

About the Author

Nicole Booz

Nicole Booz is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of GenTwenty, GenThirty, and The Capsule Collab. She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is the author of The Kidult Handbook (Simon & Schuster May 2018). She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably hiking, eating brunch, or planning her next great adventure.

Website: genthirty.com