Considering all this, you need to be able to answer the following questions well before taking the leap. Where should you move to? What should you consider before moving abroad? Is it the only solution?
More work visas to address labor shortages?
Moving abroad is a good choice, but for better job prospects. Many countries are facing critical labor shortages. The United States has over 10 million job openings to fill. Australia has over 450,000 vacancies to cater for, and the European Union (EU) has more than 6 million job openings in urgent need of skilled staffing. In Germany, 87% of entrepreneurs report problems in recruiting qualified workers. In France, 90 percent of them have the same issue. The shortage even affects countries with high unemployment, like Spain, which despite an unemployment rate of 12.4 percent, is finding it hard to hire qualified workers. Countries that prioritize local labor, such as Saudi Arabia and its Saudization plan (job nationalization), are also affected by labor shortages. Could this be a golden opportunity for expatriate candidates?
In response, many countries are reviewing their visa policies. For example, Portugal has relaxed its immigration law to attract international talent. The Canadian 2022-2024 immigration plan is currently seeking nearly 450,000 new permanent residents per year, which is how Canada favors economic immigration, just like other countries. The French Conseil d'Analyse Économique (CAE) also recommends that France envisions economic immigration as a key to growth. And this information is essential for expatriation candidates. Besides, the most open countries are often the most popular with foreigners.
New visa policies around the world
Last September, French President Macron announced that new immigration law would be introduced in 2023. The prime objective, he said, was: “to facilitate the integration of those who have a temporary title through language and work”. In other words, the French government is moving to make economic immigration a national priority. But in France, the immigration issue is a sensitive one. As a matter of fact, people there fiercely oppose the idea of positive immigration.
Furthermore, far-right voices soaring across Europe are fueling the idea that foreign labor would degrade the country's economic fabric at the expense of the French people. Sweden and Denmark, for instance, are constantly tightening their immigration rules and advocating for highly specific immigration policies. But can such policy changes slow down immigration strategies?
Other countries, though in a chronic shortage of workers, remain cautious about visa issues. The JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) is sounding the alarm in Japan. A recent report estimates that the country will need to hire 6.74 million foreign workers by 2040 to achieve an annual growth rate of 1.24% (set by the government), which is 300% more than the current 1.72 million foreigners living and working in Japan today.
And knowing that visa issuance is a very political act, some questions deserve serious consideration: What is the country's vision regarding its immigration policy? How open is it? And how much attention does it pay to immigrants? These are fundamental questions to ask yourself while seriously thinking of moving abroad.
What should be your main priorities before moving abroad?
The country's economic situation is a key factor. Is the country recruiting? In which sectors? What is the unemployment rate?
For example, Switzerland has welcomed more than 75,000 foreign workers, mainly cross-border ones, since the beginning of the year. The country, which has held up well in the face of the COVID pandemic, is experiencing a good economic recovery with a significant drop in its unemployment rate. However, in that particular case, the economy does not seem to be the only motive driving immigration. In fact, foreigners living and working in Switzerland also speak about the "feel good" factor prevailing in their host country. The University of Geneva, which regularly conducts opinion polls on the subject, indicated that in 2020, 77% of respondents were of the opinion that Switzerland is "the right place to live in". Moreover, 80% of them acknowledged that their professional situation had improved while they were able to enjoy a high quality of life there.
Take stock of your own situation
How do you choose between Switzerland, Canada, Australia, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates, for example?
First of all, you need to assess both your professional and family situation. Are you going alone or with your family? What visas are available for dependents, and what are their prospects? In some cases, you might need a pretty high budget in order to be granted a visa for the trailing spouse.
And from that perspective, one must consider the personal impacts that a move overseas can have on their partner, such as job loss, loss of income, and even the loss of self-esteem sometimes. As such, before engaging a couple or family relocation overseas, one needs to make sure that everyone sees themselves as a key stakeholder in the project. Regarding income, you have to ask yourself whether one salary will be enough to live on, and if so, for how long. The question becomes even more crucial when children are part of the moving abroad plan.
Age is another crucial factor to consider. Unsurprisingly, there will be more opportunities for younger workers than for older ones. Even in countries as open as Canada, the focus is on the economic immigration of skilled workers today or in the future. Students are a good example! So, keep in mind that people at the end of their careers may find it harder to obtain a visa unless they have a very high profile, such as an executive, head of a large company, or a billionaire!
Identify your needs
You need to carefully consider your personal and professional needs and aspirations. Here again, you will need to find answers to the following questions. Regarding your career, what do you want to achieve by moving abroad? Has your current professional life become dull or unrewarding? Are you looking for more responsibilities, challenges, independence, discovery, or renewal? Are you happy with your personal life, or is there a void? Is moving abroad the only right solution? Is it an old dream, a well-thought-out project?
Visualize your objectives
As opposed to certain misconceptions, moving abroad is much more than a great adventure. It needs to be nurtured and thoroughly prepared, like for visas. Defining your objectives is another way to question the appropriateness of the moving abroad plan. Identifying your ambitions allows you to project yourself in a positive perspective. It can be either to make a career abroad, to set up a business, to increase your income, or to change jobs. In any case, you must always pay particular attention to the timing. Actually, any prospective expat should be able to define the timeframe in which they want their moving abroad plans to materialize.
Consider the length of your stay
One should not envision a short-term stay (a few months to a few years) as they would for a long-term settlement, the duration of which is often determined by the visa. There are a lot of visas, and each one is a different scheme, for example, the Work Holiday Visa or WHV (one year), the Student Visa (renewable as per study duration), the Work Visa (can be a few months to several years), the Digital Nomad Visa (a few months to several years and can be renewable). In many cases, some visas can be renewed, while others, like WHVs, are issued only once in a lifetime.
If moving to a particular country may seem obvious to some, it is sometimes vaguer for others, even though they might be very attracted to the country of their choice. For example, the Canadian dream can be cut short after experiencing the climate, the culture, and the changes that do not always come easy. In fact, it is quite hard to know in advance whether you will actually adapt to a foreign country. On the other hand, a randomly chosen host country might as well become a second homeland. The duration of the stay is subject to many variables that cannot always be taken into account beforehand, hence the need to thoroughly reflect on the moving abroad plan before you take the leap.
Get information about the country
Knowing about a country's culture, climate, political system, economy, and the social status of women, amongst many other aspects, is critical when considering a move abroad. Learning about the country of your choice will help you avoid or better cope with culture shock and other setbacks. Always keep in mind that speaking the language of your host country and learning it before settling in will get you closer to the locals and will definitely facilitate integration.
Weighing the pros and cons of your moving abroad plans
When embarking on international relocation, the host country's economy is not everything, and the potentially high income is not always a priority either. If economic conditions have a definitive impact on one's life, especially in times of crisis, the personal context is just as important.
And while experts have identified the increase in mental health issues following COVID as one of the underlying causes of labor shortages, nowadays, the preservation of well-being and mental health is increasingly being mentioned by prospective employees as a required prerogative before taking a job offer. While they are ready to boost their income and take on more challenges, they also want to safeguard their personal lives and aspire to a better quality of life. So, for many, there's a new motto: Leave, yes, but only to live a better life!
