We all have those days in the office where the mind will drift away when it should be hard at work, wondering if there’s an office somewhere out there that was pretty much the same but just so happened to be tropical or somewhere a bit less grey.
Moving away to another country used to be seen as a massive career change, especially to a country where the skill level wasn’t as developed. The last decade has seen many countries you’d never think of put the signal out there that they need higher skill level jobs as they develop.
It used to be that people would move “west” for better jobs, but just take a look at some of these countries that are thriving and begging for more talent.
Medicine in Cuba
Did you know that Cuba patented the world’s first vaccine against advanced lung cancer a few years ago? While many of us think of rum, old cars and cigars, the little country where the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean meet has a thriving pharmaceutical industry.The government there has also put a lot of money into the healthcare system, as are many South American communist countries. This has led to a considerable level of research as the country had to be pretty dependent since the 1970s and anyone skilled as a pharmacist or a biomedical engineer can quickly fill the high demand for jobs there.
While the country does put a preference on residents first, it is possible to up sticks and start learning your salsa moves while making medicine.
Accountants in Bermuda
Some people find it hard to pinpoint where Bermuda is on a map (it is 900 miles off the east coast of America), but most people will primarily know about it for its status as a tax haven, like the Cayman Islands or Andorra.
And when you have a country where people want to keep their money high and taxes to a minimum, you need people who can count. Bermuda is an excellent spot for an avid accountant looking to swap an office cubicle for a tropical-esque desk by the beach. Finance jobs are always up for grabs to meet demand, unlike other career sectors seen as having restricted status. That includes anything in tourism and public-facing roles.
Paralegals in South Africa
Right down at the continent's tip, South Africa is trying its best to attract highly skilled foreigners with specific skills, especially in Johannesburg. The metro area has a population of over 8 million that continues to balloon. Because of this, certain areas can’t keep up to meet the demand of a growing population, especially in the legal sector.As a recruitment firm, Africa Legal, puts it, “…working [here] is fast-paced, and you need to be up for the challenge.” The country is trying its best to get young lawyers and those in the legal sphere under 30 to consider making the big move and starting careers here.
With it already being a country where English is the primary language, there’s no significant learning curve at play to catch up.
Social Media Managers in Iceland
Lastly, it may not seem like the exotic kind of spot to move to work, but not everyone thinks of paradise as working near the beach. For those who love the outdoors and want their Instagram hiking pictures to look as good as possible, there may be an opportunity to become an English-speaking social media manager for the growing tourism boom in Iceland.
Tourism now makes up over 30% of the country’s GDP and has steadily grown for the last ten years. If you love swimming in lagoons, eating a lot of fish and wearing plenty of layers for half the year, Iceland is!
