How to Work in Europe_Work World_Common Sense of Life

Method 1 Method 1 of 2: EU Citizen Work

1 Determine if you are an EU citizen. Several new countries have been added to the EU over the years, so check this list, europa.eu/about-eu/countries/index_en.htm, to identify how easy it will be to work in other EU states.
2 If you are part of 1 of the original EU states, UK, Belgium, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, France or Finland, you should be able to work in an EU state without restrictions.
- If you are part of a newer EU state, or you wish to work in a newer EU state, check the work restrictions with that country. Many original states impose restrictions on workers from newly accepted EU states. They are required to reduce or eliminate restrictions after 7 years in the EU.
3 Request a passport if you do not already have one. No matter your nationality, you should apply for a passport immediately by submitting a form, fees, photographs and fingerprints. If you have dual citizenship, review the EU list to see if you can take advantage of the working possibilities with a passport from an EU country.
4 Search on the European Commission website for jobs, if you are an EU citizen. The European Job Mobility Portal, at ec.europa.eu/eures, lists job openings, tips for living and working in the country and other important information for getting a job outside of your EU country.
- Other sites may have better information about seasonal work. If you are looking for hospitality jobs, go to resortjobs.com or summerjobs.com to look for work.
- If you are looking for fruit picking jobs, you can look for seasonal positions at pickingjobs.com.

Method 2 Method 2 of 2: Non-EU Citizen Work

1 Decide where you would like to work. You should identify areas that you may potentially be hired based on the languages you speak, your nationality and the job you perform. For example, if you speak English and French, you will want to look in those countries and Switzerland or Belgium.
2 Decide how you would like to work. It is no longer very easy to travel to a country and apply for jobs while you are there. Most people should establish their training in their own country and apply for jobs or visas before going abroad.
3 Get a degree in a discipline that is currently in demand in Europe. People with medical degrees, certain engineering degrees, entrepreneurs, investors and certain mechanics may be able to apply for an eased work permit or they may not be required to have a European work permit at all.
- In the UK, investors, entrepreneurs, people with exceptional talent and some graduate students or graduate entrepreneurs can apply for a point-based visa system. For many of these categories, there are a limited number of visas, so make sure you apply early.
- Elsewhere in Europe, countries are either adopting a points-based system, like the UK, that awards a value based upon your skills and experience. This is a response to supplement the skills of an aging population. Many countries, such as Switzerland, specify that a company must sponsor a non-EU citizen. However, for certain positions, they may not be required to offer the job in their country beforehand.
4 Search for international companies to sponsor your work visa. This is the most common path to get a skilled job in a European country, because your company will help you apply for the visa before you move. You can search for jobs by specific companies, or you can go online to job aggregate sites, like Monster, CareerBuilder and Indeed and look for jobs located in Europe.
5 Get your TEFL certificate in your country. Many domestic programs are cheaper and well respected in Europe. Visit websites like eslemployment.com, teachaway.com, languagecorps.com to begin researching positions in EU and non-EU countries.
- If you have an education degree, you can apply for work in international, military and immersion schools abroad. As well as applying online, you may attend international teaching job fairs to interview for a full-time position.
- If you are having trouble finding a full-time job, consider apply to be a camp counselor at an International Camp in Europe. Visit statravel.com/work-abroad-europe.htm to apply for a short-term position.
6 Become an au pair. There are dozens of agencies that hire English-speaking people to be au pairs for at least 3 months in Europe. You must be at least 18 years of age with some experience taking care of children.
7 Request a residence visa for study or living with family. Depending upon the country to which you are applying, you may be able to get limited rights to work in that country. Then, you can apply for permanent residency or a work permit.

How to Work in Europe

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