International Services...

How can I gain international experience?

- a guide to gaining international experience for 
Cambrian College students and graduates

It Is a Small World After All

It is estimated that within the next decade one out of every three jobs will require international experience. One of the main reasons for this is that the marketplace is becoming more and more global thanks to various country-to-country trade agreements, increased access to information (e.g., through the Internet), increased mobility between countries, etc.

What are the benefits?

Gaining international experience, whether in or out of Canada, provides a number of short- and long-term benefits and impacts, including the following most direct examples:

Personal Enrichment - form friendships . increase cultural awareness and experiences . be exposed to a variety of perspectives . train and practice in a different language . enhance your awareness of your role as a global citizen . develop coping and other personal skills

Enhanced Employability - become more marketable by gaining additional professional skills . expand your knowledge base and experience . become an asset to employers by giving them a competitive advantage in specific markets

Networking Opportunities - identify/meet potential employers, business partners and clients . establish contacts in the field . learn social and business protocol

Stimulated Entrepreneurial Spirit - identify needs leading to business development ideas . conduct pilot project and environmental scans . gain enhanced understanding of target market . identify market niches

Is international work for you?

For a number of reasons, international work is not for everyone and not everyone is suited for international work. Do you have the personal and professional skills required to be successful at an international project? Aside from the specific technical knowledge and skills relating to your field that you may require to complete the project objectives (i.e., "hard" skills), there are some more fundamental skills (i.e., "soft" skills) that you need to possess or develop in order to get, succeed at, and maximize your international experience.

Do you possess strong problem-solving and conflict management skills?

Are you generally a patient and calm person?

Do you possess the motivation, drive, and commitment required to succeed at this project?

Are you flexible in your work and personal habits and able to adapt to a different schedule, pace and environment?

Are you a team player and do you possess team building skills?

Are you resourceful and able to mobilize resources?

Do you possess strong verbal and written communication skills and an ability and willingness to learn new languages?

Are you self-confident, self-reliant, and self-aware?

Would you generally consider yourself to be modest and not requiring recognition?

Do you possess strong organizational skills?

Do you value integrity?

Are you steadfast and perseverant?

Are you tolerant and respectful of other values and cultures?

Are you ready to have your values challenged?

Are you willing to admit and able to correct your mistakes?

Are you politically and socially astute, with a keen world view?

Are you willing to change, adapt, and adopt new (or old) ways of thinking and doing your job?

Are you able to transfer your skills?

Are you able and willing to adapt to sometimes primitive living and working conditions?

Are you "in tune" with your environment and able to read body language and undercurrents correctly?

Check your answers to the questions in the box on the right. Every experience will be different and you will be faced with a variety of situations, so be sincere with your answers to the questions.

Remember: Your attitude may be the difference between a good and a bad experience. Are you prepared?

Where do I start?

Start by narrowing your search:

  1. List all the countries or cultures that intrigue you, in order of preference.
  2. Gather as much information as you can on these places: find out about the people, culture, geography, language, economy, demographics, political situation, etc., concentrating particularly on your field of study (e.g., What is the health sector like? What is the mining industry like? Are there any fitness facilities?).
  3. If any element of your search makes the country unattainable to you, either remove the element as a barrier or cross the country off your list. For example, if the main language is Spanish and you don't speak Spanish, either 1) learn Spanish, 2) narrow your search to an opportunity that doesn't require you knowing Spanish or 3) avoid any Spanish speaking countries.

Suggestion: start your search with the top 3 countries on your list.

The next step will be to find out the entry requirements for travellers. Do you need a visitor's visa? A work permit? A student authorization?

Visa requirements

As a visitor to a foreign country, you are bound by the immigrations laws of that country, including whether or not you have the right to work or study there. Although immigration laws will be different from country to country, in some cases, Canada may have entered into an agreement to facilitate the entrance of Canadians into these countries. For example, the NAFTA agreement makes provisions for Canadians wishing to work in Mexico or the United States.

In order to find out more about the country's particular visa requirements, contact their embassy or consulate office in Canada (usually in Ottawa or Toronto). Ask for information and forms for the specific visa you would require in your situation (e.g., a work permit visa if you plan on working; a student authorization visa if you plan on studying, etc.). If there are no visa offices of that country in Canada, you may have to contact the consulate offices in, for example, the United States (e.g., the Libyan visa office in New York).

Many countries now have visa information on the Internet. Some basic visa information is also available from the Travel Bulletins issued by the Canadian government's Consular Services. See the reference to this website at the end of this document.

Applications for visas are processed by the visa offices of the country you wish to enter. Instructions will be included in the package you receive. It will usually take between 1 to 6 weeks to process your application. In many cases, the visa is a stamp in your passport which indicates your purpose for entry, any restrictions, and the date by which you must exit the country in question. There is usually a fee for processing visa applications and other documentation may be required (e.g., to prove you have enough money to support your stay in that country; a return ticket; a formal invitation from a company in the other country to do business there or attend a meeting; an offer of employment; etc.).

In most cases, applications for work permits will require that you first have a solid offer of employment and for student visas, that you have been accepted at an educational institution. Details you will need to confirm on such a letter include the length of employment, your wage, the location of employment, etc.

How do I identify these opportunities?

There exist a number of different opportunities for students and graduates to find work abroad. Most commonly, these may form part of a project in which Cambrian is involved, be communicated to Cambrian through our various partners and contacts in Canada and abroad, or be regular job postings offered to students and graduates at community colleges. However, the majority of opportunities will be identified individually by students and graduates doing research and approaching organizations, companies and agencies abroad.

An overview of the four most common types of opportunities are given here, but many more exist. Specific details such as length, wage, etc. will be different depending on the individual opportunity.

Posted Opportunities

All opportunities developed by or communicated to Cambrian International or to the Career Services area are posted in Career Services as part of the regular posting procedures. The information is also communicated to all staff or to appropriate program Deans and/or faculty.

In most cases, there is a deadline associated with the opportunity and students or graduates must apply with covering letter, application form, rsum and reference letters. In some cases, the applicants may be short-listed by Cambrian International at the request of the employer or depending on the particular opportunity.

Government Funded Programs or Projects

More and more, national aid programs and special funds require a youth employment or international experience component to be included in proposals submitted by Canadian organizations and institutions interested in accessing these funds.

For specific information, contact or visit the websites of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), both departments of the federal government.

Also find out if Canada has any trade or exchange agreements with these countries. What kind of aid is this country eligible for? This will identify if there are any special development projects or funds planned for or in execution in these countries.

You should also contact the Canadian Embassy, Consulate or High Commission office for these countries. A list of these contacts can be found on the DFAIT website. It may also be a good idea to contact that country's Embassy, Consulate or High Commission office in Canada. Ask about special programs for Canadian youths or student exchange programs.

If Cambrian International is advised of these opportunities for students, it will post the position with Career Services and forward the information to all staff for posting and/or distribution to students in eligible areas.

An advantage to participating in these programs is that visas and other required documents are usually facilitated and obtained by the coordinators of the project. Another is the country and cultural orientation session usually associated with this type of opportunity.

International Organizations

A number of international organizations have special programs for Canadian youth and students wishing to study, volunteer or work abroad. Some of these programs require that participants pay a registration fee. In most of these programs, participants accompany other Canadians to specific locations, are sponsored by the organization and hosted by an organization or government agency in the other country. Examples of sponsoring and coordinating organizations include: The Students Working Abroad Program (information on SWAP is available locally at Travel Cuts, at Laurentian University); World University Service of Canada; Up With People; etc. A more extensive list of organizations can be found on the CIDA and DFAIT websites and in federal government publications such as Youth Link.

Visas and other required documents are usually facilitated by the coordinating and hosting organizations.

Warning: Do not pay any fee to any organization before thoroughly research it and being assured of its authenticity. Make sure to speak with former participants of the project and find out all you can about the expectations, finances, tasks, etc.

Employers with International Branches/Affiliates

Many of the larger Canadian companies have international branches that you might approach for short- or long-term opportunities abroad. This type of opportunity may be of special interest to those wanting to do a placement abroad as part of their program of study.

Research companies in your field and write to those with international connections. Try to limit the number of companies you write to - remember that it will be important for you to follow up on all your correspondence, therefore the number should be a manageable one.

Canadian companies which are used to placing workers abroad may be able to facilitate the process of obtaining a work visa for you.

Tap into your network!

Do you have family abroad? Friends? Business associates? Do you know someone who knows someone abroad? Are you a member of some association with chapters in other countries?

Don't discount any leads that you may have with your own or someone else's contacts.

What about doing my placement abroad?

If a work placement is a component of your program, you may certainly consider doing this placement abroad. However, you should remember the following:

How much will this cost?

When considering the cost of your international experience or when requesting information from sponsoring agents, consider the following possible costs associated with gaining international experience. Some or all of these items might be covered by the employer or through the project. Find out who will be assuming these costs.

Preparation

Note: This is not an exhaustive list.

Travelling

In-country

Post-trip

Expectations

In order to minimize the chances of having any problems during your experience, particularly if you are participating in a project or accepting a position abroad, you need to find out as much as you can and try to anticipate as many problems as possible.

Some suggestions:

How can Cambrian International help?

It is ultimately your decision to participate in an international experience offered to you. For this reason and to ensure that you are making an informed decision, most of the research must also be your responsibility.

However, Cambrian International is available:

We do one-on-one or group consulting. Just drop in to make an appointment with our staff. Our office is located on the fourth floor in Room 4037. Or, call 566-8101, extension 7609. 

You can also e-mail your questions to international@cambrianc.on.ca.

Are you ready to work?

One final thought: Securing international opportunities is similar to securing employment in Canada: you have to want it and you have to work for it. Don't expect the golden opportunity to drop in your lap without having to put any effort into finding it. Those that do are extremely rare.

You also need to remember that you'll be competing against some of the brightest and the best from a number of countries. How are you planning to stand out? What advantage do you have over all the others? Do you have the job skills and tools to make you shine? What is your plan of action?

Useful Internet Resources

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Sudbury, Ontario
Canada P3A 3V8

(705) 566-8101

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