If, for one reason or another, you have finally decided to take that foreign job offer and relocate your family to a foreign land, there is much to consider. It isn’t only yourself who will have to adjust to life in a strange place, but there are many benefits for the family on a foreign job posting, which we will examine in this article.
Education
While it is a good idea to expose your child to new cultures, their education must not suffer, and if you are planning to relocate to sunny Thailand, there is an international school on the Eastern Seaboard, which would be ideal. International schools teach the same curriculum (either UK or US), which means that your child can enter the next academic level without interruption. If you have been hired to work in Thailand or any other foreign country, the chances are that your employer will pay your child’s school fees, and an international school would make for the ideal choice.
Health Insurance
Living and working in a foreign country demands that the whole family has top-notch medical insurance, as hospital treatment can be very expensive indeed. Again, this is something your new employer would provide, and should you or any member of your family needs medical treatment, you are fully covered. If you do not have this perk, then you will need to take out a comprehensive health insurance package, which will cover you for every eventuality. If you child is a little older, here are some tips for travelling with a teenager, which might be helpful when you make the move.
Accommodation
If you were recruited at home, then your accommodation would be paid for by your employer, and with a family, this would mean living in a 3-4 bedroom two-storey house, paid for by your employer. Typically, the employer would either source a property on your behalf, or they would give you a monthly allowance and ley you find your own accommodation.
Visas
Of course, the whole family would require visas to reside with you and this would normally be the responsibility of the employer; all you have to do is show up at immigration when requested, which is no big deal. As the employee, you would be issued with a work visa, while you family are classed as dependents and would receive a different type of visa, and these visas will need to be renewed on an annual basis, which your employer would arrange. Here is some UK government advice for those who plan to live and work abroad.
Preparing for the Posting
It is wise to do some online research into your destination country, which will infirm you about the culture, the background and customs of the local people. If you can learn some basic vocabulary of the local language, this will stand you in good stead, as the locals will warm to you. Take the climate into account when packing, and also check to see if you will require any vaccinations, which is often the case when emigrating to a third-world country. Additionally, if you are planning to work in the UK, be sure to review the sponsor license guidance provided by the UK government to ensure you are meeting all necessary requirements. It might seem like a challenge to arrange everything, but the experience of living and working in a foreign country brings with it many benefits, not just for you, but your entire family.
It might seem like a challenge to arrange everything, but the experience of living and working in a foreign country brings with it many benefits, not just for you, but your entire family.