Top Four Things To Consider Should You Apply For A Job Abroad

Everybody's leaving the country, either as a nurse in the US or a chef in the Middle East or even just to migrate to Canada or New Zealand. Everybody is setting their minds on opportunities outside the country. Is this the course for me? Should I try getting a job outside of the country? Will it be worth it? How will it affect my family? If you're considering working overseas, bear in mind these questions.

Here are the top four things of the non-personal things that should be at the top of your list if you plan on applying abroad:

1. What type of job would you like to pursue? Of course the popular jobs abroad are medical (nursing, PT), teaching, construction and engineering jobs, as well as design and development positions. You're going to have to decide the career path you'd like to go one because this will most likely dictate what you'll be d
   



2. TOEFL test (or IELTS), people often think both exams are the same but they're not. Sometimes they're determined according to the location you want to go. IELTS is usually considered for Canada and the UK but TOEFL is said to be for the USA. I don't think that's the determining factor.
   
   As a personal note Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL actually is used more often as basis for English proficiency even when people have already taken the IELTS. But just so we define it as well, IELTS stands for the International English Language Testing system. It operates on a nine point band, where a nine indicates that the student has a level of English equivalent to a highly educated native speaker, and it tests all four skills ( reading, writing, listening and speaking) in an academic context.



3. Prepare your VISA, make sure you read on How to get a VISA for the location abroad you will be relocating to. Research the area and know your way around so you don't get lost or worse yet become a victim of fraud.
   



4. Be sure your employment is sure and guaranteed before you leave the country. As best you can, work your employment requirements while still in your hometown. It will be more difficult to complete them when you're miles away. Also be wary of fake job opportunities that swindle people. Do not pay upfront for the job. Avoid sending money to your employer. If they truly want to hire you, they will spend money to get you there.

How Much To Become A Nurse? What Will I Make As An Overseas Nurse?

There are a lot of questions about becoming a nurse abroad. First of all though, we'll have to start with asking the preliminary ones about becoming a nurse first. Here in Cebu, there are now so many nursing schools. Everybody thinks it's the next "get-rich, go-abroad" opportunity.

So here's the breakdown of how much it will cost you to 'become' a nurse first (from ABS-CBN News)

A nursing college education costs at least P300,000. But that’s not all. After finishing the four-year course, there are fees and other expenses for a series of qualifying exams.

Take the board exams today. Prior to taking these tests, nursing students spent around P10,000-P15,000 for review centers. Hundreds of pesos were shelled out for reviewer materials. They also paid a P900 exam fee.

Those who want to work in the United States, which is the dream destination for many nursing students, have to spend around P19,000-P25,000 to review for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), a standardized qualifying test.

But before they can take the NCLEX, they need to pass the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) and English proficiency tests, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), to secure a CGFNS Certification Program Certificate.

Passing the CGFNS test is one of the requirements for an occupational visa in the US. Taking it means shelling out around $450 or around P19,000. In addition, the IELTS costs around P8,000.

Of course, there’s tuition to begin with, which ranges from P50,000 to P80,000 per semester.

That's a total of half a million pesos just to become a registered nurse eligible to work abroad.

But this is pretty good if you can get the job you want abroad. Nurses in the US with a one-year experience have a median salary of $50,000, or around P2 million. In Saudi Arabia, compensation for staff nurses ranges from $23,000 - $33,000, or around P1 million a year.

So after a year of working, you'll more or less make up for the cost of the entire nursing course. That is of course if you're prudent with the money you've earned. Because it also means foreign rate expenses when you work abroad.