For UK engineers, the worldwide market is predominantly focused on the oil and gas and petrochemical industries with comparative consistent demand for engineers with both on and offshore experience to work in areas such as the Middle East, Africa, Caspian Regions and Western Europe.
Establishing where relevant work activity exists is only the first stage. It is essential to determine the level of demand for UK Expats in your target country. For example, there is a flourishing biotech industry in the USA, but demand for overseas workers is very limited because there is already such a large local workforce. There is also a growing trend towards limiting UK Expats throughout the world, in favour of cheaper local and Third Country National workers. Often it is now only the supervisory positions which require a highly skilled overseas engineer.
Overseas work for UK engineers is available on both a contract and permanent basis - and it is the nature of this work; the skills required; benefits and pitfalls that can be encountered; how to go about securing work overseas; the services an agency can offer; and what to expect when returning to the UK - that are all covered within this rough guide.
How do I know I have the necessary skills?
From a professional perspective industry knowledge and experience - specifically in the Oil and Gas sector, is the most important skill requirement. Traditionally, UK engineers have been very highly respected for their qualifications and trusted by clients to complete a job efficiently and effectively.
Most international employers are particularly interested in individuals with a minimum of 8-10 years industry experience, as sourcing personnel from an overseas location is an expensive business. The client wants a highly trained professional that will have a minimal learning curve and can start making an impact on a project immediately. This can only come through industry experience; and coupled with this minimum level of post grad experience is an expectation that workers will also be chartered chemical engineers.
Generally, previous overseas work is desirable (inducing a Catch 22 situation) but with solid, relevant UK experience a UK engineer will still be in demand for employment overseas.
Qualifications and industry experience are necessary traits for an Expat engineer, but language skills are not essential. Obviously, some second or third language ability is advantageous but it will rarely restrict career opportunities overseas.
Professional capability is only half of the picture though, as it takes a particular type of person to fit into the lifestyle of work overseas. Working overseas seems best suited to single people as it often involves long periods of time away from home. Individual lifestyles are important as, depending on the location of an assignment, you must be willing, able and happy to be away from home and be flexible throughout the placement. It is great to have a sense of adventure, but overseas work requires much more than this. You must think long and hard about whether this is the right move for you or not. Many overseas sites are very remote and you will often be confined to a specific location.
Experiencing different cultures and life styles is a big attractor for working overseas and it is important that you assess whether you will be able to adapt to any cultural constraints placed upon you. For example, in Saudi Arabia, alcohol retail and consumption is illegal. Differences such as this and how we live our lives are not always suited to every individual. NES, and other recruitment agencies, will aim to provide as much information and support as is possible before a contractor goes on assignment and visits a new country for the first time.
Benefits of working overseas
Apart from the raised profile of going to work overseas, there are some very real benefits to working overseas. For most engineers the biggest benefit they feel they receive is the opportunity to get involved in the operational side of things and get out of the design office. A good deal of overseas contract work, particularly in the oil and gas sector requires site visits and a hands-on management approach that is often not possible working in the UK.
There is also the associated prestige of getting involved in much larger projects, which is not always possible if working only in the UK. This not only looks good on a CV, but can also be much more interesting with a larger range of tasks and assignments within the projects and the experience that can be gained from working with a multi-cultural, multi-national workforce.
Of personal importance to many overseas contractors is the fact that there is potential for significantly higher pay rates to be achieved. Expat engineers can command a pay rate premium with the package that they receive being commensurate with their skills, qualifications and experience. Pay can also be further escalated if the project location is classed as a hardship area; ie where there may be personal risk involved. Places such as these include Nigeria and Iraq and will involve the use of secure compounds, bodyguards and strict controls on personnel - but will also require increased insurances (usually paid by the client) and increased pay rates to the contractor.
A final key benefit is that of the experience of the assignment itself. The ability to come into contact with different cultures and nationalities and broaden ones knowledge is a key determinant in attracting contractors to work overseas.
There are other secondary benefits that vary between individuals but the ones listed above are the most commonly cited by contractors working or returning from work overseas.
Pitfalls to look out for when considering overseas work
It is important to remember, however, that there are also some pitfalls to be aware of and avoid wherever possible when considering work overseas.
Generally, there is a misconception that all work overseas includes tax-free pay. In fact, there are only a handful of countries where pay is completely tax-free and very often there is a liability to local taxation. The majority of countries will enforce some kind of taxation structure, but this varies from country to country, and in the case of the USA from state to state.
With regards to UK tax liability, the basic ruling is that UK Expats can only spend 90 days in the UK in any one tax year to preserve their status as “non-resident” for tax purposes.
There are other general considerations to working abroad that should be thought about as well – including: work place climate, hardship locations, and how being away from home will impact on family life. Adequate research through speaking to colleagues; consulting with a recruitment agency; and investigating yourself using on and offline resources will all help to build a picture of whether an assignment or location is suitable for you.
How do I go about securing work overseas?
Securing work overseas is a similar, if more complicated, process to finding a suitable contract in the UK. There are a number of reputable recruitment agencies in the UK that have active overseas recruitment teams and solid experience of providing international recruitment solutions to worldwide clients. These should certainly be contacted as one of the first ports of call.
Agencies have access to a broad range of clients and can expedite the recruitment process for contract workers looking to work overseas. The majority of agencies will have an online vacancy database, which can give a good illustration of what opportunities are currently available.
A well-written CV should be registered with the relevant agency/agencies initially, at which point a good consultant should make contact with you to discuss the opportunities that are available. The services provided by an agency will normally include general consultation and advice regarding potential opportunities that match your skill set, experience and qualifications.
Services an agency can offer
When you work through a recruitment agency on an overseas placement, additional services can be expected on top of the standard placement service. The following examples are based on those services provided by or through NES, but are indicative of those available from the majority of reputable agencies operating in the UK:
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Sub-contractors have access to PI/PL insurance schemes.
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BUPA healthcare is often provided and will normally be paid for by either the agency or the client.
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A personal accident insurance scheme may also be provided by the agency.
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Advice on currency queries, inoculations needed and travel advice should all be available from the recruitment consultant handling the placement process
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Country Orientation is a highly valued service that NES provides. Where contractors may not be familiar with a specific country or region, and the agency can offer advice to the contractor prior to mobilization. As part of this, NES arrange an orientation guide who will meet up with the contractor and let them know all about their local surroundings.
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Visas - An agency can often manage the visa process and obtain the relevant work visas for placed candidates, thus reducing the demands placed on the contractor prior to going on an assignment.
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Medical Examinations/Drugs Testing - If the contract stipulates that a Medical Examination/Drug Test needs to be undertaken an agency should arrange for a full test for each contractor prior to mobilization.
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Flights – an agency will coordinate all logistics of mobilization including arranging flight schedules.
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Localised payments – an agency should be able to provide payment in the local currency, to a local bank account or through a third party organisation.
These services will normally be arranged between the client and recruitment company without the contractor having to become involved. Much of this article has been based on specific examples of services provided by NES, but equivalents will generally be available through other reputable agencies within the UK.
Returning to the UK
Having worked overseas, eventually most engineers will decide that they would like to return to the UK and there is often a misplaced concern that recent overseas work experience will have a detrimental effect on employability once back in the UK. If anything, the reverse is true as the diversity of projects and experiences gained make an Expat engineer an attractive prospect for UK clients.
Summary
Overseas employment can be an excellent experience for the well-prepared engineer. Having both a certain sense of adventure and conducting adequate research are prerequisites for experiencing an enjoyable and rewarding placement; and contacting a reputable agency to locate suitable opportunities is a good first step in achieving this.
