When you arrive to live and work as an expat in a foreign country, you should:
Your ability to build a reliable personal network abroad will make or break your experience overseas, so we recommend investing in new relationships from day one.
You can join some of the local clubs that you find, as well as connecting with fellow expats.
If you don’t have a job already lined up, getting one will give you an instant community. Tapping into any alumni communities abroad can be useful for further developing your professional network abroad.
Also see: 10 things you should absolutely do BEFORE you move abroad
Using online services like MeetUp.com to find events in your new locale with like-minded people is another great way to meet people in a foreign country.
If you have children, look for parenting groups in your area to gain further recommendations for settling in.
In addition to making friends abroad, determine what you need to do to access local health insurance and car insurance, as requirements will vary from one country to another.
Just keep in mind that you can’t predict most of how your time overseas will unfold. Be willing to adjust and remain adaptable to reap the greatest rewards.
To find a job abroad:
Once you arrive overseas, you’ll likely want to get a new bank account, but we also recommended that you keep your old bank account open. It may help you maintain credit-worthiness for when you return home.
Once you have a local account ready, you can then use OFX to transfer your funds swiftly and securely from your old account to your new one at a great exchange rate. You can even use OFX to transfer your pension if you are retiring abroad. And you can use OFX to transfer money for everything from paying your rent or mortgage, to paying everyday bills until you have found steady employment abroad.
Making a fresh start in a new country comes with a fair bit of admin, but the advantages of living overseas are too numerous to count. At OFX, we’re inspired by the risk-takers and adventurers who seek out new experience. Check out our other guides to managing your finances abroad or dive into blog for further reading on all things expat.
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