Applying for jobs abroad: a checklist

Updated 2026-10-03

Working abroad can be a great step, and it is also where most of the serious scams happen, because the victim is far away and the rules are unfamiliar. Use this checklist to slow things down and check each point from an official source.

Before you apply

• Find out how people from your country get a work visa for the destination. Read the government’s own immigration website, not a blog or an agent’s summary.
• Check whether the job is on, or needs to be on, an official shortage or sponsorship list, and whether the employer has to hold a sponsor licence. For example, UK employers that sponsor workers must be licensed, and that register is public.
• Look at the salary against the cost of living and any minimum salary the visa requires.

Before you accept an offer

• Get the offer and contract in writing: employer name, job title, pay, hours, location, start date, contract length, notice period and who pays for the visa and travel.
• Confirm directly with the employer, through contact details you found yourself, that they made the offer and will sponsor you.
• Check whether your qualifications or professional registration are recognised there, and what the process costs and how long it takes.
• Ask where you will live and whether the employer is arranging it. Be cautious of housing you must pay for before you arrive.

Money you should and should not pay

• Official visa and immigration fees are paid to the government through its own website, in your own name. You can check the fee on that site.
• Be very cautious of anyone who asks for payment to “secure” a job, to “guarantee” a visa, or to get you “fast-tracked”. A genuine employer or agent cannot guarantee a visa decision.
• In many countries it is illegal or restricted for recruiters to charge job seekers placement fees. Check your own country’s rules and the rules of the destination.
• Never pay into a personal account or by gift card, and never hand over your passport to an agent.

Before you travel

• Make sure you hold the visa itself and that it matches the job, not just a letter.
• Tell someone you trust the employer’s name, address and your contract details, and keep copies of every document in more than one place.
• Know the contact details for your country’s embassy or consulate in the destination.

Immigration rules change. Always confirm current requirements on the destination government’s official site; this guide cannot replace that.