Thinking of Emigrating? Before you Go

More information:

The world is a big place – how do you pick where to go? Things to think about – is it easy to get a job, is it expensive to live there, do you know people there.

Talk to friends who are living abroad or have lived abroad before, to find out what it is like to settle there, find out about the positives and negatives. Do they have any tips or suggestions?

Make contact with friends/ family who live in the country you are going to – they are often a great source of local information, job opportunities, accommodation.

• – A valid passport and at least one other form of photo ID.
• – An entry or work visa if it is required (without this you could face detention or even deportation in some countries).
• – Your birth certificate (or at least a copy of it).
• – Medical prescriptions and records if you need regular medication or have an existing medical condition.
• – If you’re going to be looking for work, bring evidence of your qualifications and references from your previous employers along with your up to date CV.
• – your driving licence and the appropriate visa if required.

Make copies and save them to your email. Give a photocopy of  all your paperwork (passport, insurance, visa) to someone like a family member staying at home.

If you became an Irish citizen by naturalisation you need to register annually to make sure you retain your Irish citizenship while you’re abroad. Download and complete Form 5 from the Immigration Service .

It might sound obvious but make sure you save money in advance. Setting up in a new country can be expensive, especially if you’re not moving over with a job. Have enough money to support yourself until you find a job or in case of emergency. Get an idea of the cost of living where you are going at www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/.  Find out if you can use your Irish bank cards in your chosen destination. Ask your bank and make sure you let them know before you go. Try to use cards rather than cash but have a small amount of cash in the local currency just in case

Check out the cost of living in your destination country – It is important to have savings to last for about 3 months to allow for living expenses (rent, bills, daily living costs, transport) until you find work and are getting paid.

Social Welfare Payments – If you are going to live in an EU country and you are already in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit, you may be able to transfer your payment to that country for 3 months. You may not be able to access social welfare in other countries unless you have worked for a while and accrued social insurance contributions. Further information

Bank Account – Find out about how to open a bank account in the country and what tax requirements there are for foreigners.

If you can, try and find a job before you go. Migrant Project has essential information on working abroad in various countries. If you are thinking of working within Europe then the Eures Jobs Mobility Portal is a really good place to start. Eures – European Job Mobility Scheme help young EU citizens to find a job, traineeship or apprenticeship opportunities in another EU country, Norway or Iceland. You may also be eligible for financial support to attend an interview abroad, as well as to cover costs such as language training, recognition of qualifications or relocation to the destination country.

Look online before you travel to get a sense of the availability and cost of accommodation. Be careful of what you see online and don’t pay a deposit before going to see the place. Get a short-term let or stay in a hostel to start with, so you can use this as a base while attending viewings. Think about the location of your accommodation; it should be close to public transport, shops and any other necessary facilities.

If you are travelling to a country outside the EU, you should include health cover in your travel insurance and find out what it costs to access health services there. Apply for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or ‘Blue card’ before you leave if travelling to a EU country which entitles you to emergency hospital treatment if needed.

If you are going to a country where English is not the first language, there are lots of apps to help you learn the language (e.g. Duolingo), and you can find language exchange sessions both in Ireland (before you leave) and abroad. But don’t let language stop you – English is recognised in most countries and you pick up words very quickly.