Finding employment opportunities abroad

“Working outside my country has always been something I wanted since I moved from my country Kenya to Uganda years ago after my high school and went to university in Uganda. The experience of staying in another country was exciting and a learning one for me,” Collins Mulwa, a teacher living and working in China, says.
Alhough he had a job as a language teacher in Uganda last year, he started feeling it was time to move on. For one reason or another, some people believe working in Uganda is not for them, others are just thrilled by the idea of working abroad. How does one get a job abroad? Although we cannot provide a clear cut way of how one can get a job abroad because there is no one way about it, we share some of what one can do while looking.

Spread the word
“One thing I know about many people who want and plan to go abroad is that they always never say anything about it, until they have finally left – which I think is wrong, because you have no idea how many opportunities you might find if you shared with others, the advice and of course discouragements – but it is all worth it, so spread the word. I was able to get my job because I shared with friends about it,” Mulwa says, adding:“I knew I wanted to work, outside Africa, but I really didn’t know where, or how to even get started. At my former place of work, we had colleagues from different countries, and so I shared with them – on a personal basis about my desire.”

Apply in multinational companies/NGOs
“We all know that these are not opportunities that come everyday, but applying through a multinational company might offer you a better chance,” Catherine Amanya, a Ugandan working in Canada, says. Previously, working with an international NGO in Uganda, she expressed interest to her employers who helped connect her with a sister NGO in Canada, where she works now.
“Applying through a multinational company, for professionals, especially, gives one a base on which to start. You can even be asked to volunteer for the first few months in the company while still here, to test whether you have the capabilities instead of starting totally from scratch. This is, however, challenging for a walk-in and normally easier if one has already been an employee,” Amanya says.

Apply as an intern
“I know a former student of mine who applied in France for an internship placement, and luckily for her, she was granted one. This was after her graduation, and she was just trying out her cards on anything. She went and started working for a fashion house and because she had an African touch that she added to the fashion house she was later retained,” Teddy Musiime, a fashion and design trainer at Tiner School of Beauty, shares.
Applying abroad as an intern gives one more chances to penetrate the job market, it provides one a chance to go abroad at a relatively low cost since some places offer accommodation to their international interns, offers you a real chance of interacting and make useful contacts that can connect you in the future, but also a possibility of being retained by an organisation.

Thoroughly search online
A lot of information is shared on the internet, however, you have to look in the right places to get useful information.
“One can register online with a job agency, they can ask to be notified by organisations and companies anytime there is an opening, or just follow job adverts and apply online,” Ashly Namubiru, a digital manager at Ply Consults, says. She, however, advises people to do this with caution lest they are duped.
“Take an extra eye to do a background check on the organisation employing you before you get excited. If you cannot ascertain the employer’s credibility, do not proceed, because the internet is infested with fake bad people,” Namubiru cautions.

Hire an agency
Employment agents around Kampala are popular for taking people to the Middle East. However, some of these can connect you to markets in Europe, the Americas and other countries.
However, there has been criticism about some of these employment agencies. Some have reportedly taken people into slavery; they are human traffickers, yet others hire out people to oppressive employers and never follow up on them. Others are simply conmen. One therefore, has to be careful while dealing with these agencies.
Nelson Mulindwa, an agent with an employment agency says, “For one to tell a legitimate employment agency in Kampala, it must be registered with the ministry of gender, labour and social development. The ministry ascertains that our work is straight and gives us the licence. One has the right to see that licence or even check with the ministry whether it knows us,” Mulindwa says.
Shining a light on the issue of whether an employee’s travel documents should be confiscated on arrival claim many people who go to the Middle East, Mulindwa says, “Everyone reserves a right of keeping their travel documents, so it is not right, unless one willingly surrenders their documents for purposes of keeping them safe by another.”

Proceeding with caution
Whether going abroad for work through an agent or as an individual, it is, according to information on the ministry’s website, “A mandatory requirement to register with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, so that they are able to monitor and safeguard Ugandans who go to work abroad,” .
On both the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and the Uganda Police Force websites, there is a list of licensed private employment agencies, which have the endorsement of government to do the job, so be sure to look your agent up.
Mulindwa further advises that when looking for employment abroad, especially for professionals, “Clearly know what employment you want or are looking for, and at least two or three countries where you will narrow your search to. It is also important that one knows the requirements for working in each country and start working on processing them,” he says adding that for one who has no contacts abroad, going through an employment agent is easier.