Article by Sara Sabin, Founder of ProCircle
If you are an accountant with a bit of a wanderlust, why not combine your passion for travel with your career and try a stint abroad? Use The Cloud and work from a new country. I have listed below the top 6 countries for you to consider, based on what accountancy practices are paying their employees.
The great thing about being an accountant is the transferability of your skills abroad. Unlike law, which is specific to the country that you trained in, accounting standards tend to be international.
How you do it is completely up to you.
You could ask your current employer for a secondment abroad, move completely and get a job overseas, or visit each place one by one sourcing local clients as you go (depending on the country’s visa requirements). The world is getting ever smaller, so time to get out there and explore.
1) Peru
Average Salary: £36,096
Why Peru?
Peru has it all. Beaches, jungle, cities, ancient Incan culture, glorious landscapes and, of course… Machu Picchu.
From Peru, you can also travel easily to many other Andean countries in South America.
Peru’s burgeoning food scene makes Peru a must on any foodie’s whistlestop tour. Lima is the epicenter but wherever you go, there’s something for everyone. Ceviche for fish lovers, over 3,000+ varieties of potato, Cuy (guinea pig) for the adventurous and Pisco Sours for cocktail lovers.
Visa and Permit Information
To become an accountant in Peru you need a diploma recognised by the Asamblea Nacional de Rectores and become licensed with 1 of the 25 regional accounting bodies but there is an express route that allows for traveling accountants from around the world to practice there temporarily for short assignments.
Travelers need a passport valid at least half a year with at least 2 free pages in the visa section when entering Peru. The maximum stay in Peru on a tourist visa is 183 days (per year)! You can’t extend your tourist visa once you entered Peru!
Find accounting jobs in Peru here: www.jobsinlima.com/
2) Brazil
Average Salary: £35,412
Brazilians love a good party! Any excuse to celebrate and socialise, they love it! Brazil offers a slower, more social pace of life. And like many other places in South America, yet more opportunities to eat yummy food – barbecued meat, empanadas, and caipirinhas.
Brazil is made up of diverse landscape, perfect for nature lovers and adventure seekers – explore the jungles, beaches, and mountainous areas. Also, great for city people as you have the thriving cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
The climate of Brazil varies considerably mostly from the tropical north (the equator traverses the mouth of the Amazon) to temperate zones south of the Tropic of Capricorn (23°26′ S latitude).
Visa and Permit Information
For an expat, you will have to land a job in Brazil before applying for a work permit.
There are over 500.000 accountants in the country, so your chances of finding a job are good. Almost 140.000 accountants are based in the city of São Paulo, and for the most part, are involved in the areas of capital goods, civil construction, oil and gas.
Find accounting jobs in Brazil here: = www.jobsinsaopaulo.com/
3. South Korea
Average Salary: £33,924
South Korea is a great place to live for foreigners. It is a mountainous country, so great for hiking in the great outdoors, and although not quite as rich in cultural history as neighboring Japan and nearby China, there is still history stretching back centuries. Koreans love their festivals too! Never seen the cherry blossom in Japan? You can see it in South Korea.
I once again come back to food…. Noticing a pattern here. Traditional dishes such as bulgogi (marinated beef), galbi (Korean BBQ), and bibimbap (rice mixed with vegetables and egg) are part of the staple diet.
Visa and Permit Information
The Visa situation is complex and you will need to look into which one you need. The E-7: Special Occupations does include accountants but it can change to use your initiative.
Find accounting jobs in South Korea here: https://korea.xpatjobs.com
4. United States
Average Salary: £32,508
From East to West Coast, the USA offers something for everyone. Whether you want small-town America or large cities, great canyons or mountains, beaches or desert. You can find whatever suits you. And the opportunities for road trips are endless! Hire an open top Cadillac, take the week off and just drive.
Another huge benefit for anyone coming from the UK is, of course, no language barrier to get over. And the Americans are by and large a friendly bunch.
Visa and Permit Information
There are two types of US visa – Permanent Residence (Green Card) or Temporary Residence. Both types require an employer to ‘sponsor’ the application.
If you want permanent residence, you could apply for an Employment Based Green Card EB-3 for professional workers (with a university degree), skilled workers and unskilled workers (employer/sponsor required).
A temporary visa option is also available – H-1B Visas for Workers in Specialty Occupations, which permit employment of professional level workers by a sponsoring employer. The visa is issued for up to three years and can be renewed another three years (additional renewals are possible in some cases).
Find accounting jobs in the United States here: us.theaccountancyjob.com/
5. United Kingdom
Average Salary: £32,136
Why stay in the UK?
OK, so it’s not technically going abroad. And the weather leaves a lot to be desired, true. But there are a lot of amazing places to discover in the UK.
From the buzzing metropolis and vibrant capital London to the beautiful English countryside, the stunning Jurassic coastline, and the Lake District. Fancy a change of scenery? Why not move to a different part of the country? Many move North for a cheaper living and better work-life balance.
Explore what’s on your doorstep.
Visa and Permit Information
No need to worry about it.
Find accounting jobs in the UK here: www.indeed.com
6. Finland
Average Salary: £26,724
Why Finland?
Finland may be expensive but offers a great standard of living. It’s a modern and safe country with awesome nature (more forest and water than anywhere else in Europe) and the buzzing city, Helsinki, full of stunning design and architecture. In fact, Helsinki was Design Capital in 2012.
Although winter is cold and dark, there are still things to enjoy, not least the saunas (3M+ per capita). And if you fancy meeting Santa Claus, you can always make your way to Lapland. And at the end of the winter awaits the long days of glorious summer. Perfect for exploring archipelagos and lake swimming.
Visa and Permit Information
British nationals may work in Finland without a work permit, but need to register their residence. The Public employment and business services website explains the rules of working life, permits needed and the Finnish working culture.
You must register your EU residence right with the Finnish Immigration Service. This must be done no later than 3 months after entry to Finland. Registration allows you to get a Personal Identity Code which is required by all authorities (tax, health and social services, banks, hospitals etc).
Find accounting jobs in Finland here: www.jobsinhelsinki.com/jobs/finance
