Thinking of working abroad during your gap year? Maybe you’re looking for way to make money while traveling. Getting a job while abroad, whether it’s a career break, or a year out from university, is one of the best ways to keep the adventure going for longer. After all, you’re virtually getting paid to travel the globe.
Your adventure will be one of the best things you ever do, rich with memories and experiences, but working while your abroad is a reality for many. Happily, there are a lot of jobs around the globe that will keep your wallet full enough as well.
If you’re worried about finding work while on a gap year, we’ve got you covered.
Working Abroad: What Kind Of Jobs Can I Get On My Gap Year?
You’re probably wondering what kind of jobs are available abroad. The good news is, there are plenty of overseas jobs available. There are always seasonal jobs such as picking fruit in Australia, trekking an America, teaching skiing in Canada, or even being a sky diving instructor in New Zealand.
But it’s not all season jobs abroad, there are a whole host of gap year job opportunities that you can pick up whatever time of year you travel. From picking up bar work abroad to teaching English as a foreign language in Thailand.
Working Abroad: Do I Need A Visa To Work On My Gap Year?
While you’re on your gap year, you may need to obtain a visa before you can look for work overseas. But if you’ve never looked for work abroad before, you may be scratching your head asking “what is a visa, and do I really need a visa to work abroad?”
First things first. A visa is essentially a document granted by the authorities that lets you enter a country. More often that not, it come in the form of a simple stamp or additional page in your passport. To work on a gap year, you may have to get a working visa, depending on your own nationality and the country or countries you intend to work in.
Often, you will need a visa to work abroad legally. How much does a visa cost? Well, it depends on where you want to travel to, and how long your stay will be.
Some visas are free, and some come at a cost. Some have to be obtained before you begin you gap year, while others can be granted while you’re traveling, or even when you enter the country.
For example, a gap year visa for Thailand can range from 60 days single entry, costing £73*, to a six month triple entry visa for £123.
However, a 6 month visa to work in Australia will set you back £313, where are a 23 month working visa for New Zealand is only bargain price of £133.
*All prices correct as of July 2015
Working Abroad: Finding Work On A Gap Year?
Finding work during your gap year differs greatly from person to person. After all, not all gap years are created equally. It’s worth really considering what kind of travel abroad you’re planning.
Your adventure may involve a lot of travel, not staying in one place for more than a few weeks or even days at a time. Finding a job on a gap year of this kind usually means picking up temporary, low commitment work.
However, your gap year may see you staying in one location for much of, or all of the duration. If that’s the case you may be more suited to finding a more permanent job overseas.
And of course, you may find that you’re travel plans fall somewhere in between, staying in some places for months, but moving through others quite quickly.
And you never know what life will throw at you during your gap year, which will also affect your duration in any one place, therefore the kind of jobs you will want to be looking for.
Because of this, the two biggest things you can do to find employment during a gap year are to stay as flexible as possible, and prepare as much as you can.
The Internet
The internet is, of course, a great resource for finding work during a gap year. There are many websites, both global and local, that list a vast array of backpacking jobs, and employment opportunities for people on a gap year.
Whether you line something up before you leave, search for travel jobs in an internet café, or simply use our smart phone to find work abroad, looking for gap year jobs on the web can be a excellent way to ensure you keep your funds up overseas.
Social Media
Social media can also be an incredible tool for finding work abroad. Social media combines the benefits of the internet with the word-of-mouth benefits of a more traditional approach.
Whether you join Facebook groups specifically about gap year jobs, you use Twitter to find prospective employers abroad, you make a Vine to show off your skills, social media can be a golden opportunity to find work overseas.
The Personal Approach
That said, the internet isn’t the only way of finding a gap year job. Not everywhere you travel will have fibre broadband, and not every prospective employer will be fully singed up to the Dot Com age. It’s worth packing a handful of CVs to hand out while you’re travelling, especially if you’re looking for more temporary work while abroad.
Working Abroad: Don’t Stress?
It’s important to remember why you’re on a gap year in the first place. You’re there to see the world, experience something new, immerse yourself in new and different cultures – not revert back to the stress of your old life.
If you don’t find work during a gap year immediately, don’t panic. There is plenty of work out there. Remember, if you’ve already taken the leap to do a gap year, chances are you’re the kind of go-getting, active, and ambitions person that employers will lap up.
Finding gap year work is an excellent way to, effectively, get paid to travel the world, but ensure that smelling the roses remains your priority.