Gaining entry in Italy to work will be a breeze for all citizens of the European Union. You would have to be, however, equal in academic or practical training and language skills with Italian nationals. If you meet all these requirements, you will be given equal status to Italian employees. Your family too will be entitled to benefits for Italian citizens. 

Individuals who do not hail from any of the EU countries might have a tougher time gaining entry. Many job vacancies in Italy are meant only for Italians and EU members. Employers sometimes only recruit non-Italians or non-EU citizens if there is no one else with the skills for the job. They will have to however, avail of Entry Visa for Reasons of Work before they get to Italy. Getting this Visa is really difficult hence many opt to marry Italian citizens or working illegally inside the country.

A consensus among expatriates is that it might be difficult getting jobs in Cyprus if you do not know Greek. It might not be the lack of jobs that would affect you but rather the difficulty in finding a desired position as a non-Greek speaker. If ever you encounter such a problem, there are placement agencies which could provide you help. If you are only still planning on working in Cyprus, perhaps it would be better if you find an employer before going there. Companies in the island usually allow application submissions even though no call for employees has been made. All you need are your curriculum vitae, copies of diploma, certificates, and a cover letter. Nevertheless, do not lose hope if it takes some time because Cyprus' inclusion in the European Union has proved to be advantageous to their economy. 

Jobs Abroad Guides

Canada is one of the world's richest countries. Recognized as the second biggest country in terms of land area, Canada's economy has been rapidly expanding these recent years. Because of this, the country boasts of a continuously lowering overall unemployment rate. Alberta has the lowest unemployment percentage of only 3.6% while Newfoundland and Labrador have the highest at 14.6%. The most prominent industries of Canada include oil, logging, mining, manufacturing, and service; with the last one being the largest among them all. Canada's service industry is comprised of ¾ Canadians and ¼ foreign workers. 

Ads for new jobs in Australia reached more than a quarter of a million each week by May 2007. It is a 40.8% jump from last year’s figures. The combination of a flourishing economy, the lowest unemployment rate in three decades, and a low birth rate have resulted in a serious shortage of skilled workers.  

Dubai, fueled by its oil industry, is growing faster than any other city in the world.  Most available jobs are to be found in that sector and in fact, about 80% of Dubai’s population is foreign oil workers. Jobs, however, can also be found in the booming construction industry and other  sectors. 

The safest option for a foreign worker would be to secure a job before actually going to Dubai . This can be done through the help of countrymen who already work in the city or through employment agencies. Agencies based in major cities such as Paris usually supply managerial level employees while manual workers are recruited from agencies based in their own countries. Make sure that you tap only registered and reputable recruitment agencies.

Though France suffers from some serious labor shortages, the country’s unemployment rate is high, especially among male immigrants (20% versus 9% for locals).   Immigrants who are not EU citizens are not allowed to work as pharmacists, midwives, airline pilots, architects, and in at least 46 more professions and occupations. 

The French usually identifies the immigrant population with social problems such as higher crime rates and lower school standards, and there is still considerable prejudice against foreign workers with religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds different from the French majority.  The newly elected French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, has also promised tougher immigration rules which will effect prospects for jobs in France . 

Prospects are looking up for people who want to relocate and work in historic but vibrant Hong Kong.  Real wages have gone up, although slightly. Unemployment rate is down to 4.3%.  Job vacancies in the city went up by 3.1 percent in the first quarter of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006. 

Japan’s population is rapidly shrinking and ageing. To maintain its labor force at a viable 87.2 million, Japan will have to admit a total of 33.5 million immigrants by 2050.  However, there is strong resistance from one out of every three Japanese at the idea that more foreign workers be allowed inside the country. 

It’s a good time for job-hunting in Singapore. Total employment grew by almost 50,000 jobs in the first quarter of 2007, with services in the lead, followed by manufacturing and construction sectors.  Job vacancies rose to 32,200, a 30% increase from the same period last year. Wages have gone up by 5% and government believes a wage hike is needed to improve declining productivity. 

South Africa is the continent’s largest economy.  Half a million new jobs were created in just one year and 1.6 million jobs over a five-year period.  The trade industry, which employs more than three million people, accounts for 24 % of new jobs; the service industry, which employs 2.3 million people, accounts for 18% and manufacturing, with its 1.7 million labor force, accounts for 13.6%. Unemployment dipped slightly from 26.7% in 2005 to 25.5% in 2006. 

In the space of ten years (1996-2006), the immigrant population of Spain has jumped from 1.37% to 8.75% of its total population, and 10.4% of the country’s total employed population. Within the same time frame, many Spanish jobs have been created, but unemployment remains relatively high at 10.4%. 

Construction and agriculture, personal services, and hotels and restaurants are the sectors that have the most number of hard to fill vacancies. Most foreign workers are, understandably, concentrated in these areas. Spanish employers prefer to hire either Spanish nationals or expatriates fluent in the Spanish language 

From 2004-2006, more than a million foreign workers entered the UK with long term work permits, with the option of staying permanently. About 700,000 came from Eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004, but the rest came from non-EU countries including India. Such large-scale migration has reshaped the country’s population profile. Five million individuals, equivalent to 10% of Britain’s 50 million adults, are now foreign born.  As expected, public opinion is divided on whether the entry of foreign workers has been negative or positive overall. 

Foreign workers in the US are classified as green card holders or guest workers. Green card holders are permanent residents who intend to live and work in the U.S. for good. Guest workers are temporary residents in the U.S. who are in the country either illegally or legally through temporary Work Visas.