Many people ask:

“How Can I Move Abroad? ”

There are different reasons why people want to live in a foreign country. It mostly depends on life goals. Some people decide to take a gap year and go abroad. For them, this is an opportunity to experience different cultures and gain as much experience before they tackle the world of student debt, getting a stable job, and settling. 

Others just want to move overseas and take it as an opportunity to earn more and improve their financial situation.

There are many opportunities and different ways to move abroad. Some people are just lucky to get a job offer and move overseas, or a scholarship to study abroad. Some even marry a significant other from a foreign country. If you are not one of those people don’t despair, because there are plenty of opportunities for moving abroad.

Among those who dream to move abroad, there is a large number of them who might be curious to know what’s it like to move to China.

I always wanted to have the chance to live abroad, and for me getting a scholarship from one of the famous universities in Beijing to study the Chinese language was a dream come true. By the way, if you think this was luck, it wasn’t. Read my story of Why I Moved to China.

Study Abroad

Study abroad is at the top of my list of recommended ways to move abroad. No matter at what stage of life you are at, you can always choose to take a break and sign up for a semester abroad. If you have set aside a small amount of money and you would like to experience living abroad just for a period of time but without the long-term commitment that signing a work contract entails, why not choose to sign up for a semester at a language university? This is a great way to start and see if moving abroad is for you.

I have been living in China for 12 years. Throughout these years, I’ve been a student, an English teacher, I’ve worked for a corporation, and have started my own business. In my mind, nothing helps expats deal with cultural differences better than starting out as a student. It’s also a lot of fun!

The benefits to this in China at least, are numerous.  For starters, your university would take care of all the visa hassles. You’d have better options at choosing insurance, and accommodation on campus. With Chinese culture being one of the toughest ones in the world to integrate into, you would have friends from different countries with whom you can explore and share your China experience.

Confucius Institutes

Even better, the Chinese government gives out scholarships to students all over the world, that’s how I got here. As Chinese has a reputation for being one of the hardest languages to learn, I am sure there isn’t that much competition as there would be for studying one of the more popular languages. Recently numerous Confucius Institutes have mushroomed in many countries. I am sure just by visiting or writing to them you can inform yourself about opportunities in the near future.

Teaching English

Are you’re still in debt from college years or other circumstances and are looking for a well-paying job? Moving abroad to teach English gives you the chance to put some money aside.

At the same time, you can experience life in a different culture and have the opportunity to travel.

If you are in this situation then moving to China to teach English can be a great opportunity.

Those with a degree in education, arts, or sciences have the opportunity to apply for teaching positions with some of the International schools in China.

Even if this is not the case for you, if you are a native speaker or speak fairly good English, there are always schools and agencies looking to hire foreign English teachers.

If you want to move to China to teach English, you need to watch out for scammers though.

You have to be careful and do your research carefully before choosing your school or agent. There have been many scammers. Research carefully and reach out to expat communities to help you verify. One of the ways to find teaching and other jobs in Beijing as well as other parts of China is to check this awesome website.

Work Abroad

This is one of the most common ways that people move abroad.  This used to be the best and most widely open option for most since China was looking to attract foreigners. Nowadays, however, the game has changed. It’s becoming competitive.

There have been many Chinese returnees from the world’s renowned universities who cost less to hire. Also, they speak Chinese. China is still looking to attract foreign talent but only in the major focus areas, such as bio-medics, technology, and agriculture.

If you have graduated from one of the prestigious universities or hold some awards, you may be eligible for a five-year hassle free visa.

Internship in China

Getting an Internship in China is a great way to start your career. Also, it is a perfect opportunity to get a taste for how working and living in China would look like. Business trips are almost an inevitable part of the working in China experience. If you are just starting out and have the energy and willingness to travel to multiple cities throughout the week, then this can be a great way to work and travel.

Start a Business In China

This is obviously not the easiest way to move abroad.  In other countries, it is unlikely to start business talks as soon as you meet some locals. However, in China, it’s not so unlikely,  provided you’ve done your research well.  When it comes to starting a business In China as a foreigner, you have to be aware that the government encourages partnerships between locals and foreigners. It is exceedingly rare to see a foreigner in complete control of a company in China.

If you are a digital nomad China might sound like a good option to move abroad. Please note though that internet censorship here might cause a lot of troubles and delays with your work. A good VPN is a must before coming to China.

Even if you have a reliable VPN, be prepared to deal with slow service during important political meetings in Beijing, these can often affect VPN functionality.

Read Next:

Living In China As a Foreigner: The Pros and Cons

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