In today’s day and age, there are more opportunities for work from home jobs than ever before. If you’re tired of the commute, or if your boss is a jerk, it might be time to make money from the internet or switch to a job that allows you to travel and suits your lifestyle. In this post, we will cover easy steps that will help you transition to a nomadic lifestyle quickly and easily!
If you are not tech-savvy or less than great with computers, don’t give up just yet! There are many other ways you can raise money to support living abroad and traveling, such as teaching English, working on a cruise ship or as a traveling nurse, renting your house on Airbnb, and even playing poker for a living in casinos abroad or online.
Some professions are in demand and highly sought after in other countries. My sister is a nurse in Barcelona, Spain, and she constantly receives invitations to work in Germany, England, and Norway, among other European countries. Aside from being offered a handsome salary, they often offer to cover at least part of her living and travel expenses with a year or two contract. If you have a set country in mind that you would like to move to, I would recommend searching which professions that country is trying to import. You never know, yours might be on the list! There might also be something there you may be interested in learning, and that would grant you an awesome temporary work contract.
A popular occupation among ex-pats is teaching English either in a language school, by giving private presential lessons or tutoring online. When my husband and I lived in Spain for a few months in 2019, I posted an English tutoring ad online and landed a Spaniard student that I meet in a cafe in Barceloneta twice a week, and who was happy to pay me in cash after each session. I love teaching and I was thrilled to have just one student since we were working our own digital marketing agency and on the development of our LeadSnap software. However, I could have easily filled up my schedule teaching languages if that was what I wanted and, most importantly, so could you! Native speakers are typically preferred but if you speak other languages or have experience teaching you should do just fine. Other related options would be to work as a translator, interpreter, bilingual host or receptionist in hotels and conference centers.
So if you don’t exactly rival Bill Gates or Steve Jobs in your comfort levels around new technology or their ability to work with computers, fear not! We got a system to help you find something that suits you, and if that doesn’t work out either, we have some additional out-of-the-box ideas to get you on your way. Read on to learn more.
Check out this article for more ideas on out-of-the-box remote jobs and other ways to make money while living abroad.
STEP 1. Research remote jobs to find one that matches your skillset
To get started, make a list of skills you have or are willing to learn in order to get a job that allows you to travel. On a piece of paper, create 2 columns: one for current skills, and one for skills you would be willing to learn. Don’t skip this step. This is very important to give you clarity and direction. Next, make a list of possible jobs you could get that would allow you to travel for each category. Take your time to think this through without distractions and remember: if you are not happy with your current career there is nothing stopping you from starting a new one and this might be the time to go for it.
Now it’s time to look for positions you may be interested in. Nowadays, more and more companies are allowing their employees to work remotely from home, especially after covid. Jobs that were traditionally done in an office have now moved to the comfort of one’s home with the help of virtual meetings. A great place to start looking for these opportunities is on LinkedIn: search for jobs and filter your results by “remote” or “telecommute” (this will give you access to all jobs that allow you to work from home). There are also websites like Jobspresso and Remotive which help match your skills with the jobs available.
Make a list of all companies that interest you and match the job description/skills. Find out what they offer in terms of salary, benefits, etc, and follow their ad instructions on how to apply for the position. You can also reach out to companies you wish to work for via email with your resume attached and a short cover letter. Make sure the email is addressed to someone with authority in making hiring decisions, such as the hiring manager or HR representative. You can find emails and contact information on most company websites, usually on the site header or footer.
Finally, be prepared for rejection! Even if you are qualified and have experience most companies do not hire all candidates so do not take anything personally: these things happen every day and you should not let them get you down. Accept the news in a graceful and respectful manner – you never know when they will hire in the future and you may be put in the “next to hire” list or be recommended to a different job offer if you play your cards right.
Also, keep in mind it doesn’t have to necessarily be a full-time job. You could get work done after hours, on weekends, and get two or three part-time jobs. Remote work can theoretically be done from anywhere in the world as long as your internet connection is stable and fast enough. Be open to new experiences, keep a positive mind and attitude, and continue looking for other opportunities until you have been officially hired. You don’t want to wait for your dream job to respond before finding more options as sometimes companies can get showered with applications and take a long time to respond or not respond at all.
Good luck! We hope this helps you find a remote job that fits into your life, however big or small it may seem at first. If it doesn’t work out don’t get discouraged: there are many more opportunities out there and you will find the one that is right for your skillset.
For more ideas on traditional and out-of-the-box remote jobs and other ways to make money while living abroad check out this article.
STEP 2. Find out what’s needed to travel to the desired location
Once you have found an online or presential job in your preferred location or picked where you want to live if you have other sources of income, you will need to find out what’s required to get there. Although most countries do not require visas from Americans, there may be other important requirements, like filling out a visa waiver online, getting particular vaccines, and so on. What is needed will change according to the specific nation you are planning on moving to but typical things you may need to double-check on are:
- Passport or passport card: You will need a passport book to travel overseas. A passport card can be used to travel by land to Mexico or to board cruise ships sailing out of the United States and it can also serve as a real id (for domestic travel only). If your passport is older than 10 years it can not be renewed and you will need to apply for a new one. In October 2021, there were excessively long waits to both renew and apply for a new passport. It could take up to 1o weeks to get your passport back with expedited handling and up to 14 weeks with regular speed service so plan ahead and make sure to have your passport ready before you take that job offer that starts in a month! Demand ebbs and flows so the US Department of State recommends you apply at least 4-6 months in advance. For more information on current processing times and what you will need to get or renew your passport visit the US Department of State website.
- Do I need a visa or visa waiver? You may need a visa or a visa waiver depending on where you are going and where you are coming from. It is important to always check because these policies are frequently revised and can change at any time. For instance, Brazil has historically had a visa reciprocation policy, so if the United States required a visa from Brazilians, Americans would also need to have a visa to visit Brazil. However, in June 2019, an exception to this rule has been made for Americans, Australians, Canadians, and Japanese citizens. By the end of 2022, European countries from the Schengen Area will introduce the ETIAS Visa Waiver, which is an online application that once approved, is valid for travel for 3 years. Some European Union countries already request visa waivers be filled out online. Citizens from several nations need visas or visa waivers to visit America. Make sure to check the embassy website of your destination for these policies.
- Travel advisories and restrictions: political turmoil, crime, riots, disease, natural disasters, and other unforeseeable circumstances may affect your travel destination without warning or being covered by the news channels back home. These situations can arise at any time and unexpectedly. Be sure to check for information about international travel restrictions, advisories, and resources by visiting the Bureau of International Affairs website before you start planning your trip, again before you buy your tickets, and once more before you board your plane. It doesn’t hurt to be safe.
- Health alerts, vaccinations, and preventive meds: in areas that are more susceptible to certain diseases you may be asked to present a vaccination card showing you took the required shots or you may need those to get back in your country of origin. For example, when we went to the Dominican Republic in 2017, we took shots for typhoid, yellow fever, rabies, hepatitis A and C, as well as pills to prevent malaria. Some vaccinations are not fully effective for weeks after you take them or necessitate more than one dose, not to mention you may need to schedule an appointment to get them administered. Many countries also require visitors to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and/or to present negative tests upon departure/arrival. Do your research and allow yourself the necessary time to be fully immunized. For more information on health warnings, which vaccines and medications are recommended for each country visit the CDC Travelers’ Health page.
- Can I bring my pets? That depends on where you are going what kind of pet you have. Each place has its own rules about which animals are allowed, which ports of entry conduct inspections, and which immunizations and medications your pet needs. A pet passport is used within nations in the European Union and a Health Certificate may be required in others or to get back in your country of origin. We had APHIS Health Certificates done for our dog and cat when we lived in Spain for a few months. They both had to take several shots, be microchipped, and take preventive medication. Health certificates need to be completed and signed by a USDA APHIS accredited veterinary no more than 10 days before your date of arrival but some shots need to be administered several weeks apart and finding an accredited veterinary that performs this service can take some time if you don’t live in a major city. So make sure to plan ahead. Cost and requirements can vary widely between veterinary hospitals and are subject to what your pet will need done for the country you are going to. That being said, you can expect to spend somewhere between US$150 to US$500 for the certificate fee, a microchip, required shots, and preventive medications. For more information about bringing your pet overseas visit the USDA APHIS website. You will also need to purchase plane tickets for your pet (about US$200 each way) and have your fluffy friend in an airline-approved carrier under your seat for the duration of the flight.
- Be prepared: Have your passport, completed immigration forms, return flight information, vaccination records, hotel, Airbnb, or rental address, proof of employment, pet health certificate, and anything else you need to show to immigration officials ready in a folder to expedite and facilitate your entry. Make paper copies of your passport and leave them in separate pieces of luggage. That will make it a lot easier and faster for an embassy to make you a new one if you lose it or if it gets stolen and you can carry the copy around most of the time and keep the official one in a safe when not needed.
