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Want to work abroad? I research and discuss work abroad opportunities for Americans, and share personal experiences about working and traveling overseas.
About Seth Daire
Back in 2003, I decided that I’d like to pursue my longtime dream of traveling overseas. Ideally, I wanted to spend time living in a country, rather than just being a tourist. My funds were limited though, and there were bills to be paid, so if I wanted to take an extended trip, I’d have to have an income.
I quickly learned that Americans, compared to Europeans and other Westerners, had limited options. There were some good options for current or recent students, but I wasn’t a recent student. That led me to look into two different sponsoring organizations: BUNAC and CCUSA. Both offered working holiday programs for Americans up to age 30. So, with them, I had the option of working in Australia for up to 4 months, or New Zealand for up to 12 months.
I emailed BUNAC to ask some questions, and ended up applying for a work visa through them. The process was surprisingly simple and fast. For $500, they got passport stamped with a Work Visa, provided literature which included Lonely Planet New Zealand, and gave me support both before and after I arrived. They set me up with a Hostel for 2 nights, a brief orientation, and access to travel resources.
I had already decided I wanted to live in Wellington, which is the capital, 3rd largest city, and is the 2nd best for jobs. My other motive was to be in the middle of Lord of the Rings central. The Return of the King World Premiere took place in Wellington on December 1st, 2003, and I was right there in the middle of 100,000 people to celebrate it.
My work visa allowed me to take any non-permanent job, for any length of time, as long as my work permit was in effect. Most people on the program from the US are recent students without career experience. As such, most work in restaurants, cafes, hospitality, or similar jobs. The idea with the working holiday concept is to provide an experience for foreign youth and also a labor pool for temporary jobs. Since I had IT and call center experience, I had an advantage in looking for a job.
My first job was in December 2003 and only lasted a few weeks. It was part time doing an outbound phone survey for the Automobile Association (AA). I found a flat through one of the people who worked there, where I ended up living for the duration of my stay in Wellington. It was on the outskirts of downtown, but close enough that it only took me 10-15 minutes to walk most places in town, including to the ocean.
I ended up getting a contract IT job through TMP Hudson working for Fujitsu New Zealand in a department supporting Transpower, New Zealand’s power company. It ended up being a 10 minute walk from my house, and provided a good experience and decent enough income. After about 5 months, my contract was up and I was offered a permanent job with a raise! That meant I had the option to stay for longer than a year. To get a permanent job, you have to be sponsored by a company, and since they have a shortage of qualified IT professionals, it is easier to get approved by immigration. I didn’t have enough reason to stay, but I certainly thought hard about it!
I spent the last month traveling solo on the South Island before returning home.
This website will focus on Work Abroad Programs for Americans. I’ll also reflect on my experiences overseas and what I learned along the way. Feel free to email me if you have any questions or if you have anything to share.
Seth W. Daire
