London, Paris, Milan, Oh My! Becoming an Expat in a Virtual Work World
LinkedIn news ran an article titled “Expat life may be within your grasp”. For the full article, visit here.
The TL;DR version is basically hey, with everything work related virtual now, why not take advantage of changing up your physical work space and get to a South American beach or a Swiss ski lodge stat. The Wall Street Journal also reported that in 10 years, "barriers and tax deterrents to globe-trotting could be looser."
Are you reading this article from the same four walls you’ve been sitting in since March 2020? Yeah, me too. Perhaps it’s time for a change. Enter my dear friend and international education colleague Ashley Jeanson.
Ashley is the Lead Undergraduate Advisor at Study Across the Pond Student Recruitment where she helps American students apply to British universities for full-degree programs. She herself studied her master’s in London, England at the University of Roehampton but is originally from San Diego, California.
Ashley has worked and lived on both coasts of the USA from California to Massachusetts and is now a full-time resident in London, England- all while holding down a job with the same company and moving up through promotions.
I had the chance to catch up with her whilst she was back in Cali visiting friends and family over the holidays and wanted to get her take on working and living abroad and being an expat. Here is what she said…
Why London?
Since studying for my Master’s in London in 2013, I knew I wasn’t done with London yet. I tried a few cities in the US to test it out: New York, Boston, San Diego. All were great parts of my journey, but everything ultimately nudged me back to London.
I think, if you know at a soul level that you need to be somewhere, you’ve got to go and do it.
My Remote Job
I was in a luckier spot than most to accomplish this: my remote job at Across the Pond already allowed me to work in different locations; however, what I really was desiring was a work visa in the UK. I realized that my company had a UK base, meaning they were registered as a company in the UK.
So my first piece of advice to get a work visa abroad is find out if your company/organization has a base or branch in that country. From there, I knew they at least had the ability to sponsor me.
The Visa: Don’t Be Scared- You Can Do It!
The next step was asking for that visa. I finally mustered up enough courage after years of working there to ask for a UK work visa. I expected to hear a no, or a long drawn out “we’ll think about it.” To my surprise, I got a quick yes from my direct manager, and then a yes from our CEO the following day.
I guess the old adage is true sometimes? Ask and you shall receive! Of course, it helped that I had already been with the company for a few years and performed well.
The visa process was not linear. There were many ups and downs in getting the company registered as an official sponsor, and applying for my work visa. Everyone I’ve talked to who has applied for a work visa abroad has experienced the same.
Expect delays in the process! Mine took about a year and a half to get completely sorted from conception to having the visa in my hand.
Because of the long wait time, I moved to the UK before I had my work visa so I could set up a place to live. I was able to do this because Americans can stay in the UK up to 6 months on a tourist visa (it does not have to be applied for).
If you’re not wanting to commit to a full work visa, this fact alone is good to know if desiring the remote lifestyle. Find out which countries will let you stay for months on end. Always defer to government websites for this info. Then look for short term housing, sign up for an international bank like Monzo, and voila!
Has Your Work Style Changed Since Moving Abroad?
Working from a different time zone has not affected my work negatively; in fact, I think it’s made me more productive. I’m able to blast through a lot of emails before students even wake up. I use Skype credit to call students in the US, which is only $2.99 per month (a company expense).
I still love the freedom of being location independent. If I want to have an extended stay in Bali, I can! Sometimes I miss having coworkers in the same city, but thus far my freedom has been more important to me.
Overall, since moving back to London, I’ve felt like I’ve been back in my zone. I’m happy I made the decision to go back, and I still love being an expat! I feel I have the best kind of job for being an expat, because when I miss my family in San Diego, I’m able to visit for a month (or even two) to get my fill. Since the pandemic, working from home has been more normalized, so I hope more people are able have extended ‘working holidays’ like this.
Tell Me I Can Do This…
Most importantly, I’m more productive because I am happier. I am a big believer in following your own path, even if it’s different from the expected path.
I’m a 35-year-old single woman who decided to move back abroad! I pulled an Eat, Pray, Love of sorts, and I am fiercely independent and fulfilled because of it.
I’m leaving my future open: I’ll go where opportunity knocks, whether that be staying in London, returning to California, or wherever that slight tugging of the soul pulls me next.
Parting Words...
This article focuses on the specifics of moving to the United Kingdom and as Ashley pointed out, if you have a United States passport, there are many countries you can enter and stay in for extended periods of time without having to formally apply for any work authorization or visas.
So if you aren’t ready to make a full scale move, testing out a location for a month or two or even three is a great “dipping your toe in the water” method before diving all in.
Related:
Meet The Writer!
Hi! My name is Nadia Ibrahim-Taney and I help people design happy and fulfilling careers through authentic career coaching. My expertise includes career exploration guidance, resume writing, interview prep and LinkedIn profile optimization. My pronouns are She/ Her/ Hers and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I focus on how diverse identities impact and influence folks holistically and professionally. Please connect with me on LinkedIn or at Nadia@beyonddiscoverycoaching.com
