Working abroad: local, foreign or remote — how to choose
There are three quite different ways to work in another country. Each shapes your visa, your contract and your daily life — here is how to tell them apart.
"I want to work abroad" can mean several very different things. Before you polish a CV or start applying, it helps to decide which of three routes you are really pursuing — because each one changes who sponsors your visa, who employs you and where you pay tax.
1. A local hire
You are employed directly by an organisation in the destination country, on the same terms as local colleagues.
- Right to work: usually yours to secure — through a work visa the employer sponsors, or a residence status that already allows you to work.
- Contract: local employment law, local salary conventions and local benefits.
- Best for: people who want to build a life and a long-term career in one place.
The challenge is that many employers prefer candidates who can already work in the country. A clear explanation of your visa route — and how quickly you could start — often matters as much as your experience.
2. A foreign assignment or transfer
Your employer sends you to one of its offices abroad, for a fixed period or indefinitely. Many countries have specific routes for intra-company transfers.
- Right to work: the employer normally leads the immigration process.
- Contract: sometimes your home contract continues with an assignment letter; sometimes you move onto a local contract.
- Best for: people whose organisation already operates where they want to go.
If this is your route, the most useful step is often an honest conversation with your manager and HR team about mobility — long before a role is advertised.
3. Remote work across borders
You work for an employer based in one country while living in another.
- Right to live there: you still need permission to reside in the country you live in. Some countries offer remote-work or "digital nomad" visas; others do not distinguish remote work from any other work.
- Tax and social security: these usually depend on where you live and physically work, not where your employer is. The rules are specific to each pair of countries.
- Best for: people whose work travels well and whose employer actively supports it.
Remote work looks simple and is often the most complex of the three on paper. Always confirm your position with a licensed tax adviser and, where needed, an immigration lawyer.
Questions that decide the route
- Where do you want to be in five years? A long-term home points towards a local role; a chapter abroad may suit an assignment.
- Does your current employer operate where you want to go?
- What is your current right to work there, if any?
- Who else is moving? A partner's career and children's schooling can change the best answer.
- How important is your employer's support with the move?
Where Kaitu helps
Our careers practice helps clients choose the route, prepare a CV in the format each market expects and get ready for interviews, while our residency practice coordinates the work authorisation. If you would like to talk it through, book a free consultation.
