International Migrants Day: what to consider before migrating

International Migrants Day

18th of December, Migrants Day, recognises the need to fully and effectively protect and ensure the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all persons who choose to migrate.

The reasons why a person decides to leave their place of origin and migrate to start a new life are diverse. Achieving a better standard of living in a more affluent country with better working conditions is the main reason for doing so. However, there are many other factors that push people to leave their countries. These are the most significant:

• escaping from conflict and war zones

• leaving violent environments

• political or religious threats

• fleeing natural catastrophes

• for environmental conditions

Initiatives such as Migrants Day intend to promote collaboration between regions and countries, and raise awareness of the migrant experience. It’s also important to shed light on the difficulties involved and the need to make commitments to safe and dignified conditions.

The New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants, held in 2016, highlighted the positive contribution of emigration for countries with ageing populations and a shortage of workers in certain fields.

Migrants' arrival enables economic dynamism and growth for the following reasons:

• enable the continuity of some trades

• add up as new consumers

• contribute to the taxation of the host country

• bring initiative and entrepreneurial skills

What steps should be taken into account before emigrating?

If you are considering the decision to emigrate, or have already made it, you should take into account several aspects before deciding which country to choose. It's important to consider these issues as they are crucial to achieve the best possible experience.

We'll tell you the 8 steps to consider before moving to another country.

1. Define your emigrant profile and your objectives.

You should honestly and objectively examine all your strengths and weaknesses in order to enhance the former and strengthen the latter, just as you do in business. Acquiring the necessary skills, according to your objectives, is essential for a successful emigration experience:

• make a list of your professional skills

• train yourself in those areas in which you wish to work

• increase the level of knowledge of the language of the destination country

The real possibilities of emigrating depend on complying with the main criteria that host countries consider most relevant when it comes to accepting and approving emigration applications.

2. Are you travelling alone or with company?

If you decide to travel accompanied by your spouse and minor children, your partner should also self-assess and determine his or her competencies and skills to achieve the ideal profile and contribute to the chances of acceptance for the applications to emigrate.

The point system is used to evaluate visa applications in many countries.

3. Age, a fundamental value in many countries

Age is one of the factors taken into account when adding up points to obtain a visa. Many of the traditional host countries operate under this quantitative system.

Young migrants, between the ages of 25 and 45, have the highest age-related points.

However, some countries, such as New Zealand or Canada, have specific programs for workers over 45 years of age. In these cases, the work experience of future migrants and how beneficial it is for the destination country is valued. In addition, older workers can provide evidence of more extensive training.

4. What can you pursue abroad?

It's important to consult the lists of required occupations when deciding to emigrate. Migrant-receiving countries require professionals who can perform the occupations that are needed.

If you meet the requirements and prove you have the appropriate training and experience it will be easier to obtain the placement.

The most requested jobs are:

• fuel industry technicians for fields such as oil and gas

• engineering: computer, industrial, biomedical, systems, civil, chemical, petroleum, telecommunications

• construction experts

• telecommunications and systems technicians

• computer technicians

• marketing technicians

• sales and marketing experts for products, items and services

• medical equipment operation and maintenance technicians

• nurses

• electricians

• masons

• welders

• plumbers

• carpenters

• mechanics

• miners

Collegiate degrees, such as those in medicine or law, need to be certified by the professional associations in the receiving countries. These protocols are sometimes complicated and costly, and graduates must perform jobs related to these disciplines but with lower qualifications after accrediting the required knowledge.

Prior work experience

Proof of qualifications and knowledge is not enough. It's also necessary to provide documentary evidence of the years of experience required. It's important to bear in mind that only experience gained in the performance of a paid activity is useful, not experience gained in unpaid activities such as volunteering.

Each country has its own protocols and requirements, although generally one or two years of experience must be proven within a period not exceeding five years prior to the visa application.

5. Educational background

We have already mentioned that proof of the required level of education is necessary to be eligible for an occupation in a foreign country.

Each country establishes the level of education it requires in the various emigration programs. Whether it's for a trade or profession that requires a certain level of higher education, you must have and prove with the appropriate level of education.

On some occasions, in addition to legalising the degrees in question, they must be Apostilled. The Apostille consists of the validation and stamping of diplomas or degrees by the educational and foreign affairs authorities of the country of origin so that they can be legally recognised in the country to which they're emigrating.

Foreign language skills

This is one of the fundamental requirements if you are thinking of emigrating. Understanding, writing and speaking fluently the language of the country in which you wish to live and work is necessary to apply for a visa.

To demonstrate your level of proficiency and knowledge of the foreign language, you must pass a series of tests to prove your language proficiency.

If you have already studied the language in question but have not practiced it for some time, it's advisable to resume your language study to catch up and refresh your knowledge before attempting to apply for a visa.

6. What's your budget?

It's important to have the necessary resources to start a new life in the country to which you decide to migrate. Countries that accept immigrants require proof of sufficient savings to cover all the costs of the first few months of stay.

As with everything else, each nation establishes its own protocols. Generally, you'll have to prove your financial solvency to support yourself for three to six months while you find work in the country.

It's advisable to find out the cost of living not only in the country where you are migrating to, but also in the city where you plan to settle. For example, the cost of living in Australia, the cost of living in Canada or the cost of living in London will be different depending on the area of the country where you choose to live.

The same is true in the United States. The cost of living can vary a lot from one city to another and to evaluate how much it will cost you to live you must consider different elements such as the real estate market prices in the place you want to immigrate to or the tax rates that apply.

Find out about the special services for immigrants offered by banks in different countries. One of these services is the possibility of opening an account once your immigrant visa is approved. This way, you can start saving in the local currency. This is one of the 10 tips we recommend you follow to save money when moving abroad.

7. Where to migrate?

Deciding where to migrate to live and work for many years of your life is a complex decision. To make it easier for you, you should consider all the steps we have explained and assess where your profile as a migrant best fits.

Your language skills, your education and the work experience you can bring to the table are crucial to your success in your immigration adventure.

Also take into account the requirements of the different countries where immigrants are accepted. It’s easier to emigrate to some places compared to others.

Countries that are easier to migrate to

Some countries demand immigrants on a permanent basis to contribute to the development of the country's production and economy. They are easier countries to emigrate to, as they promote multiculturalism and look for the talent they need by welcoming and helping migrants from all over the world to integrate and become part of their society.

To this end, they develop specific programs aimed at recruiting, selecting and retaining the most suitable people according to their skills. In return, they offer a good standard of living, stability and security.

Some of these countries are Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

Other countries that have been seeking qualified profiles for specialised skills for some years are Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Chile, or Ecuador. In these cases, the most common way is to obtain the visa through a specific employer.

In Europe, Spain stands out as a destination for Latin American immigrants who have the advantage of sharing the same language. Likewise, other European countries can be interesting for immigrants with citizenships from the continent.

8. Ask yourself which documents should I Apostille in order to emigrate?

We have already talked about the Apostille of academic degrees. But these are not the only documents you'll need to emigrate. It's important that you have all of them ready so as not to delay any of the procedures. It is recommended that you do so at least 6 months before starting the application, as some of these procedures may take weeks or even months.

The most common documents that you must translate, register and legalise at the embassy or consulate are:

• personal papers

• documentation for each of your family members if you are travelling with someone else

• medical examination

• police certificate

• demonstration for financial solvency

• academic qualifications

• certificate for language proficiency

• employment curriculum

• letters of reference

WorldRemit on International Migrants Day

Making the decision to migrate is a courageous act that requires a strong determination and will to overcome adversity and seek a better future. The majority of migrants belong to middle-class families who are better educated than previous generations and who aspire to well-paid employment opportunities in countries with strong economies.

Moreover, by settling in one of these countries and earning a higher level of income, most of them allocate part of their income to help relatives who remain in their place of origin. Also, help other relatives and acquaintances who decide to follow the same path.

At WorldRemit we want to give visibility to International Migrants Day just as we always want to help all migrants to improve their lives and the lives of their loved ones. 

Our goal is to make things easier for you by keeping the costs of your transfers low and by making our Customer Service available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and in 6 languages.

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