76% of Professionals are Ready to Work Abroad—Are You?

This is an expert guest post written by Leslie Strazzulo, a global marketing expert. 

Traveling has become more accessible in at least the last decade. For professionals, this has opened more doors than ever—to explore new cultures where their skills are valued more, or to simply start fresh in a new environment. 

But then, moving across the globe is never an easy decision to make. With so many major changes to consider, you could easily feel discouraged by the amount of paperwork required to make it happen.  

If you’re among the growing number of people who are willing to move overseas, let me share my experience with you as an American who moved to Italy for a promising job opportunity.  

A LinkedIn poll in the Career Success Premium Community 

First, to get insights on professionals who are prepared to move overseas for a job opportunity, I ran a LinkedIn poll in the Career Success Premium Community. This online community is a private network for Premium LinkedIn subscribers created to help members advance in their careers, tackle professional challenges, and find new opportunities. The survey ran for two weeks, ending on May 3, 2025. 

See the poll (premium membership required) 

What the poll tells us about global career trends 

The results show a strong willingness among professionals to relocate for the right opportunity. Of the more than 2,100 participants, an impressive 76% expressed readiness to move abroad for the right job—reflecting a growing openness to career mobility and interest in international opportunities despite the obvious challenges moving abroad for work can present. 

It’s only evident that global career paths are becoming more popular this year.  

Why professionals move abroad for work 

So why are so many ready to embrace overseas work assignments despite the uncertainties and challenges of moving abroad for work? Whether it’s for career advancement, cultural immersion, or better work-life balance, professionals are increasingly exploring relocating for international experiences. Moving abroad isn’t just a dream—it’s a decision many professionals are prepared to make. For me, my decision to move abroad proved to be transformative.  

Now, is working abroad worth it? Take it from a marketing communications professional who worked abroad for 20 years—moving overseas will challenge you in ways you never imagined, but the upside is worth it. To those who are considering making the move, here’s my personal account, which offers a glimpse of what you can expect when living and working abroad.  

My experience moving to another country 

There are several ways to move overseas. First, you can get hired and sponsored by a company, like me. For a quick background, I earned an international MBA through coursework completed in the U.S.A. and Italy. While studying at SDA Bocconi in Milan, I completed an internship with Pirelli. Then the company eventually brought me back a few years later for a full-time job opportunity. 

In larger companies, you can ask for a company transfer, which I’ve seen many colleagues do over the years. You can also explore a self-sponsorship visa for business owners, a start-up visa for entrepreneurs, or a digital nomad visa for those who can work remotely. Alternatively, you can study, teach English or another widely used language, or do volunteer work. 

How I landed a job abroad with sponsorship 

Landing an overseas job often requires sponsorship. For an American wanting to have a full-time work contract in the EU, sponsorship is critical. For me, the key to landing a job with sponsorship is to establish a strong relationship with the company where you want to work. In my case, I had positive work experience interning with Pirelli and was able to deliver success on the job. Pirelli remembered me and invited me to interview for a new position to lead marketing communications in their telecoms business unit. The scope of the job included expansion outside of Italy, and that’s where my prior experience and education helped me stand out from the other candidates.  

The challenges of moving abroad for work 

You’ve finally arrived. Now what? Bureaucracy, visas, and re-establishing yourself can be overwhelming. My experience moving to another country showed me firsthand how patience, preparation, and flexibility are key to successfully transitioning to a global career. Even with sponsorship, the path to becoming self-sufficient can be a long one.  

A mobility agent managed almost every aspect of my move to Italy, which started in January of 2005. There were many hoops to jump through to get my work permit. I had to provide a detailed account of where I lived and worked, submit to background checks, and translate all relevant IDs and documents, such as my transcripts, diplomas, and CV. These were just some of the requirements needed for my work permit.  

Once I was admitted to the skilled work quota, I needed to return home and get a visa from an Italian consulate in the States, which was needed to re-enter Italy. Again, more paperwork and multiple visits to the consulate. By July, I had a work permit, a new bank account, a new tax ID number, and a newly rented apartment.  

Today, in Italy, the quota system is more accessible to non-EU workers. With the adoption of digitalization and quicker processing times, the overall experience has been streamlined to attract global talent.  

1. Building a new community  

Outside of your office colleagues, building your network should be a priority. I’m not the most extroverted person, so this challenged me. Additionally, as I’m used to being alone, I was more guarded when meeting new people. My suggestion is to start with groups where you feel safe. I joined professional associations like the Professional Women’s Network (PWN). PWN Milan makes the extra effort to welcome newcomers and introduce them to a wider network. At their events, you would rarely see a person standing alone. Here, I developed many close friendships that have lasted through the years.  

There are other groups like InterNations that provide a safe place for expats to meet. I also volunteered, went to the gym, and participated in other community activities. Lastly, I stay close to the American community in Milan.  

Integrating into a new country is challenging but crucial. Networking, joining expat groups, and engaging with local communities all help ease the transition. 

2. Being far from home  

This is a tough one. With a time difference of six hours, it can be such a challenge to stay in touch. Here, planning is essential. With those I’m close to, I have dedicated times for when we talk. I also make it a point to travel home two to three times a year. Technology has helped a lot. Now there are so many ways to stay connected—email, chat, video, and through social media. 

But still, around big holidays or missed events like reunions, birthdays, weddings, etc., moments of loneliness can set in. All I can say here is, chin up. You’ll need to make tough decisions and do what is feasible given your commitments, schedules, and resources.  

3. Dealing with new laws and paperwork  

You’re moving abroad. As a foreign worker, all the changes and adjustments can be daunting. From taxes and investments to retirement, understanding your responsibilities and what’s permitted will help you avoid problems at home and abroad. For example, I file taxes in both Italy and the U.S.A. It’s important to note that, as an American, I am taxed based on citizenship and not residency. Luckily, I qualify for foreign earned income exclusion and foreign income tax credits.  

My American network is a great reference point for many financial and legal considerations. Staying in touch with your local consulate helps too. More importantly, consulting investment and tax advisors prior to setting out on your assignment will provide some peace of mind as well. 

The perks of working abroad 

Despite the challenges, moving abroad to work can be a fulfilling experience. It’s a lot of work to get started and settled, but if you embrace it with an open mind and keep learning in the process, it will be worth it. 

1. Gaining a new perspective  

There’s no better way to gain a new perspective than to relocate somewhere new—new people, new culture, new thinking, new everything. The Italian workplace is highly relationship-driven. This was probably my first observation upon my arrival. So, I quickly learned that having face time with management, stakeholders, and your team is critical to success, especially in traditional sectors like manufacturing and telecommunications.  

Another important lesson was knowing when to take a break. While my colleagues were just as dedicated to their jobs as anyone else, they taught me a lot about work-life balance. You are encouraged to use your vacation time and disconnect—something many Americans don’t know how to do (I was one of those Americans.) Believe it or not, your productivity will not go down. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to jump back into work instead of moping around and trying to keep pace with your colleagues who don’t take vacations. 

When I moved from Pirelli to Honeywell, I went from a primarily Italian team to a global community where most projects required cross-cultural collaboration. Big team calls often resembled a United Nations-like meeting. Being based in Italy put me in the ideal time zone for almost any project. Ultimately, the diversity produced innovative thinking that translated into marketing success.  

2. Unlocking opportunities for growth  

My experience working abroad helped me expand my network, develop new skills, and access opportunities I wouldn’t have found otherwise. 

The first was in late 2009, when my business unit at Pirelli was sold. Then, even as Europe suffered through the effects of the global financial crisis, I managed to get an interview with a Dutch technology company in The Netherlands and a French multinational in France. Eventually, I took a job at Honeywell, a US-based Fortune 100 company with offices in Italy.  

These opportunities would not have come to me if I hadn’t left home—developing strategy, executing it, and achieving success across borders helped me stand out against the competition. On top of that, my network grew to include colleagues and business professionals from across the globe. When another restructuring had me back in the job market in 2023, my network helped me connect with a Swiss multinational. 

3. Developing adaptability 

Leaving your comfort zone behind to build a global career encourages adaptability. Whether collaborating across borders or managing global projects, relocation for an international job expands your professional capabilities. 

I’ll never forget the first time I presented on stage in front of a couple hundred regional channel partners from across EMEA. Many only spoke English as a second language, which meant speaking slowly and clearly, using simple language, and avoiding colloquial expressions. The night before, I’m sure I wore a hole in the carpet in my hotel room as I paced back and forth practicing my presentation.  

But whether you’re stumbling through the nuances of a new language or trying to understand the local business etiquette and behavior, a dose of humility will go a long way. You will make mistakes, your colleagues will laugh at you, but you’ll learn and move on. Eventually, you’ll look back and laugh too.  

4. Learning to think on your feet 

To thrive in a global workplace, you need to learn how to make quick decisions when juggling deadlines, team members, stakeholders, and resources spread across multiple time zones. Quick decisions before one region signs off and another one gets up will become routine. If you’re launching a product in a specific geographic market, advance planning and collaboration with the local team on the ground will be essential to your success. The last thing you ever want to hear is “we weren’t aware,” or “we’ve got another launch on the same day.”  

5. Working abroad builds resourcefulness 

Be more self-sufficient when solving complex problems. Technology helps but it won’t be the be-all and end-all. When supply chain problems had us rethinking our go-to market strategy, we rewarded our partner network with a program that offers white glove service and ready-to-go campaigns that made it easy to promote our offering.  Localized campaigns delivered across the globe improved not just our partners’ bottom line, but also our company’s. A multicultural team contributed to the turnaround and the success of the program. 

Ready to work abroad? 

If the opportunity to work abroad comes your way, know that a fresh start in another country requires effort to address the challenges of moving abroad for work. But it can offer cultural enrichment, career advancement, better work-life balance, new friendships, and personal growth that you might never have experienced at home. So, spread your wings with an open mind, embrace new connections, and keep exploring growth opportunities.