Travel
Travelling and Working in Europe
If you are like many practical travelers, you might plan to supplement or even completely finance your European holiday by working there temporarily. There are many great advantages to mixing work and travel. You get to see an inside view of the country you're working and living in that you wouldn't see if you were just a tourist. If you happen to vacation in a non-English speaking country, you're sure to practice a new language and learn something substantial from the local culture. What often happens though, is that you'll end up like many other travelers working long hours for relatively little pay. Most of the time you would be unable to save enough for all the things you had planned to do before you go home.
If you would like to temporarily work in Europe, you must do research and plan carefully. You might hear of many travelers picking up casual and sometimes illegal work harvesting fruit, laboring, or helping out in the hospitality industry. However, veteran travelers would discourage you from funding part or even your entire vacation this way. Work until you save up reasonable funds to support yourself for at least a few weeks in Europe and always have a return plane ticket handy. It is always a risk to turn up anywhere without sufficient finances. British immigration officials are especially suspicious of anybody they suspect will work illegally, so never carry references or r?sum?s with you. If you think you may need them, ask someone from home to mail these documents to you once you've settled in Europe.
If you do need extra money, seasonal work like fruit picking and helping out in resorts are usually filled up pretty fast even before the season begins. If you turn up too late, these jobs will most likely be gone. In general, it is not very easy for foreigners to pick up casual work while in Europe. Understand that unemployment rates are high in many regions and because an EU citizen can simply work in any other EU country, the seasonal jobs are often filled the by people from elsewhere in Europe.
Seasoned travelers know that you are better off working in your own country for a few months in order to save up for a relaxing trip in Europe. You also probably receive better pay for casual work in your own country. Working in Spain or Croatia can sound very exotic and appealing but the reality is you're more likely to end up washing dishes for 10 hours a day in a hot kitchen just earning the equivalent of five dollars an hour.
If you are a Commonwealth citizen (Australian, South Africa, New Zealander, Canadian, or South African), you can take advantage of Britain's two-year working holiday visa to mix travel and work. It's available to anyone between the ages of 17 and 27. As a result, there are thousands of travelers working in restaurants, offices, farms and pubs around the country. Accommodation and meals are often part of the deal, so your cash payout might be lower than expected. However if you are interested in working in Britain, the first and you should do is sign up with one or more of the major recruitment companies that can place you in one of the many British vacancies.
Remember that agencies get a lot of feedback from their clients, so you need to be a good and punctual worker to get continuous offers. Another good source of jobs is magazines that can be picked up free from paper bins in the major tube stations of London. You'll need to get them early and start making phone calls on the day they are published because these jobs can go quickly. You can also look in the daily newspapers for a list of recruitment agencies.
Remember that the working holiday scheme is supposed to be incidental and should not use up more than half of your trip. You should also not engage in work that resembles your career back home, otherwise you run the risk of being deported.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Europe Vacation |
Michael Russell
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