Once their means of basic sustainment are secure, the next thing all humans seek is a better living. From the lowest stratum of society to the highest, every human hopes to improve our living conditions and our circumstances further. However, the parameter or the vision of said improvement differs across individuals from different socio-economic backgrounds and social stratum.
Money is one of the key factors involved in bringing about the betterment of conditions. It dictates the nature & manner in which we humans seek to improve our lives. Naturally, such measures differ with respect to what a person earns. While lower-class families consider a job in the city as an excellent opportunity, upper and upper-middle-class families seek a job abroad as the door to a better living. At the same time, a significant portion of the lower class population does migrate for income given appropriate circumstances.
This article explores the ideas, ambitions, urges, and thoughts of all those looking to travel & work abroad, irrespective of their socio-economic background.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
The Allure Of Foreign Lands
Getting right to the point, we consider the allure of unknown lands and foreign cultures as one of the biggest reasons behind a yearning to travel & work abroad.
- The allure of the unknown is intrinsic to human nature and a prominent motivational factor in going abroad. Besides the will to seek a better living, exploring foreign lands and experiencing foreign culture urge many to travel abroad.
- Migration and moving to other places for a better livelihood are embeddedin the DNA of us Homo sapiens. After all, the non-migrating Neanderthals perished while the roaming Homo sapiens move to other lands for continued sustainment.
And, that prehistoric trend continues even today as we venture into the unknown to seek a better life.
- The delight of experiencing non-native cultures, traditions, and environment supplements our need to earn a cut above most of our contemporaries in a foreign country.
The excitement of international travel and the enchantment of alien cultures is, in my humble opinion, a key motivator for working abroad.
The Hope For A Better Job &Life
Improving one’s livelihood is one of the key driving factors for seeking an international job. This tendency is strongest amongst the upper & middle class in developing &third-world countries.
- International job seekers seek better and developed economies in their bod to earn more. Better working conditions, bigger pay packages, and high foreign exchange rates dictate such decisions, either directly or indirectly.
- Money is a necessity for a better livelihood. Increased earnings from an international job are a very promising prospect for anyone with the right resources & circumstances. Better economic opportunities are something we all yearn for every moment, and if the doorway to better career & economic opportunities opens up, very few amongst us will ignore it.
- Both skilled and unskilled labor is in demand across different economies. Many well-to-do countries offer handsome pay packages, such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, & other affluent middle-eastern countries, resulting in these countries becoming the hub of foreign workers seeking better remittance.
- Foreign remittances are a significant contributor to the Gross Domestic Product of many economies. Better salaries from international jobs boost living standards, and high remittance flows are a label with which many organizations such as the International Monetary Fund estimate the extent of foreign workers in a country.
The IMF identifies countries in Africa and Asia as the candidates showcasing the largest amount of remittance flows, both in & out. The remittance flow tends to change due to factors such as region, nature of employment, and varied economic conditions.
The opportunity to earn more money & renown, improve the standard of living and rise in social status is THE most prominent reason why so many migrate to foreign countries for work.
The Opportunity To Learn, Connect and Grow
An international job is a highlight in anyone’s bio-data and boosts one’s employability manifold. While it may have something to do with human’s natural obsession with everything foreign, other points factor in too.
- Besides better money, better employment& learning opportunities, infrastructure, work cultures, and infrastructure are other prominent things that attract us to work amongst an alien culture.
- Finding a new job in the cutthroat professional market is an excruciating challenge experienced by millions all over. Things become much more challenging when you are looking for a living in a foreign country.
Language barriers, culture shock, lack of proper information are major hurdles, and job seekers need to step out of their comfort zone to beat all odds. One has to adapt to new routines, be resilient to adversities, and learn from experience. You adjust, overcome, & improve and learn to grow in the meantime.
- A job abroad can expand one’s professional & communication network drastically. Such connections can prove to be extremely beneficial under the right circumstances. Connecting with the right people opens up new doorways and avenues of better employment.
- An experience of working abroad is a huge feather in anyone’s professional cap. Most employers and hiring managers have a propensity to select individuals with experience of living & working abroad. They consider such people to be :
- Adaptable
- Courageous and confident enough to take calculated risks
- Experience in working with different people and culture
- Proficient in multiple languages
- Likely possesses a large network of prominent contacts that can be a huge advantage.
- The trend of migrating abroad for workis highest amongst economically backward nations, especially in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Skilled and unskilled migrants from these regions flock to affluent economies in Europe (82 million international immigrants), Asia ( 84 million), and North America (59 million immigrants).
- Most are migrant and guest workers, sent abroad by their employers or invited by some guest programs to meet the invitee country’s labor demand. Significant portions of such workers work with temporary work visas and are skilled individuals belonging to society’s upper & middle classes. They take up temporary residences within an immigrated nation and seek to make the best use of better learning & earning opportunities abroad.
Economic migrants and border workers form another major portion of international immigrants. The majority of them are unskilled laborers looking to earn better from affluent economies and have similar objectives to skilled, upper-class migrants. The nature of their employment and economic outcomes tend to differ widely, however.
The above points are prominent factors that control the migrant flow across the globe. They dictate migrating behavior and even affect economies quite significantly.
A Chance To Be Independent
Lastly, we come to the aspect of working independently. Working abroad comes with its own challenges, which can bring about drastic changes in the ideas, behavior, and mindset of any individual. The sense of freedom and independence is an added positive.
Growth, change, and freedom are some major benefits of working abroad. It is extremely likely to experience one or the other or maybe even all of them once they decide to opt for a job abroad.
And, that rounds up this article. Hope the reader got acquainted with some of the biggest reasons why so many travel & work abroad. If you harbor a similar ambition, use this guide to determine your long-term goals and make the right decision.
All the best!
Author-Bio: Karen Hamada is a student counselor and international admissions head from a major university in Maine, the US. She is also a professional consultant and a part-time tutor at MyAssignmeenhelp.com, US’s biggest proofreading service & academic writing service. She guides students in writing personal, college applications, and reflective essay.
