Secondment (working abroad) info?

(Ellen) #1

Has anyone been sent to work for 6+ months in another Country for their company? I’ve applied for a secondment and just want to know what I should be thinking about, obviously would have to pack up & store my stuff, sell car etc but anything else?
@Gaff @Janie @Ruina
Want as much info as possible before my interview so can ask intelligent questions and figure out pros & cons.

(Running from stupidity) #2

#YOUROCK

yes it is complete, you bloody forum software! #deadset

#3

A lot depends on which country you’re going to. This is crucial.

Massive cultural differences. Depending on which country you’re going to.

(Ellen) #4

Hi Alex, job is in Malaysia (Penang) any thoughts welcome :grinning: Have worked abroad before but was when travelling rather than secondment, so a bit different.

(Robert C) #5

You should check into your tax situation.
If you work in another country for less than a year (depending on the country) you can ask to be paid in that country and pay no taxes in either country.
But, you have to work with a tax accounting firm that can handle the paperwork.
If this type of thing is common in your company, they might already know about it.
This was the case in the early 1990’s - it might have been seen as a loophole and not exist anymore.

You should check into the healthcare situation - is it reciprocal with your country or do you have to buy your own or will the company buy it?

(Ellen) #6

Thanks Robert, will ask about that, that’s the kind of stuff I need to know, had assumed would be paid in UK, hadn’t even thought about medical insurance as not a thing in UK. Have added to questions list.

#7

I haven’t been there but our company has an office there, I’ve had to deal with them. Plus when I was in college we had plenty of students from there and they told me many things …

Not wanting to put a damper on anything but

My advice is brush up on cultural information. There may be plenty of cultural shock for you.

If you know plenty of people from your company out that way they should be able to share more info …

#8

The time flies extraordinarily fast. I had no ties back home (other than family) and fell in love with China on my secondment (from the UK) and before the six months was up, I negotiated to stay out there. Of course, I was due to come back, so it meant converting over to the local company, local pay, everything. Make sure you make the most of your time there – you will be a valuable presence for everyone there, but you’re there to learn as well. Travel whenever you can, Malaysia looks like a great country to tour in general, but it’s also wonderfully located for checking out bits of Asia as well.

The culture will be strikingly different at first and you may even wonder what you were getting yourself into. It will quickly fade as you get accustomed to your new home-from-home and start to enjoy all the difference experiences you go through every day.

While you are gone, will the company be helping you take care of anything? I was still paid through UK payroll and was given some international insurance for any medical issues. For example, when you do return after six months, presumably you’ll need to find somewhere to live. Will they give you temporary accommodation on the returning side so that you can find somewhere without rushing?

Do the company offer any cultural and/or language training? It can come in handy, even though you’re only there six months, to help truly immerse yourself and get familiar with the place you’ll be living for a while.

Check out if the place you’re heading to has any sort of expat community. It can be useful to hang out with people who have the same perspective as you (outsiders, unfamiliar with a lot of the context behind local culture etc) but don’t hang out with them exclusively as some of them can get a bit cynical about things (then why are you there?). Instead use it as a way to find a bigger circle of friends who can introduce you to different things.

Some expat stuff I came across:

Some keto eating in Malaysia/Penang stuff:

I’d be happy to answer more if you have any specific questions. My secondment was for six months back in 2008 and I ended up converting to a local role and staying for another four years before moving to the US. I haven’t lived back “home” now for eleven years.

(Ellen) #9

Thanks Gaff, all good things to consider & ask.

(Janelle) #10

“Secondment” - I learned a new word today.

Mine was to the UK years ago so not much culture shock there - except that people seemed to go on lengthy holiday or medical leave without telling or prepping their co-workers.

I’ve traveled a lot though (student exchange and personal travel) and I think it’s a wonderful way to enrich your life.

(Ellen) #11

Travel is wonderful, I love learning about different cultures.

(PSackmann) #12

Check on the luggage weight allotment you will have and make sure it matches what you’ll be bringing over.
Also, check the current cost of living and compare to any per diem you will be offered, to make sure they’re aligned.
How many turn-arounds will you have to visit family and for how long, compare that to the typical travel time to/from home. Are they fully paid, or just a flat amount? Can you combine them into a longer trip every few months instead of one each month? If not, can you get the cash even if you don’t go?
Second the advice to get with a tax consultant before you go, preferably before you take the position, to make sure you’ve covered all contingencies.
Most important of all, plan to enjoy and take lots of pics

(Allan Misner) #13

Penang is a wonderful location. The island has a higher percentage of Chinese than the rest of Malaysia. It isn’t very big (I was able to drive the island on a moped in one afternoon). Malaysia has a lot of holidays and is a Muslim State (respect their customs, especially Ramadan).

Air Asia is a great way to see the rest of Southeast Asia including Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau, and Sydney and is very inexpensive to fly. I’d encourage you to check out Kuala Lumpur and Langkowei (my favorite part of Malaysia).

Enjoy!

(Ellen) #14

Thanks, I wouldn’t really be taking much other than clothes, would be far too expensive to take my books over. I rarely see family so coming wouldn’t be an issue & friends would love to visit. Will def talk to tax expert and lawyer mate. Yep, if got job would love it & take many photos.

(Ellen) #15

Thanks Allan, Ramadan could just mean more fasting for me.

(PSackmann) #16

I have co-workers who did several years in the Middle East and got these tips from them.
Bear in mind the potential weight of any souvenirs, etc, you may buy while you’re there. Over-estimate the luggage allowance you’ll need and ask for it. As for the turn-arounds, if they normally have them and you don’t plan to go home, then get the cash option included in your offer letter. No sense in leaving cash on the table if you don’t have to. If nothing else, it will help pay for some of your sight-seeing on your off-time.

(Hyperbole- best thing in the universe!) #17

I think pretty much everything has been covered. I basically just dismanteled my life and built a new one here. If and when I leave I’ll so the same again. So I’m not much help!

I also had to look up the word “secondment”.

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #18

Unless you really need the money from it, you might want to leave your car with family or a friend. When we moved overseas to work, we had a friend who was happy to keep my husband’s truck for us, Really came in handy when we returned to the states. We had a few key pieces of furniture that my sister used at her place until we returned. Everything else we sold off. We ended up overseas for 4.5 yrs. It was great to have immediate wheels and basic furniture on our return. We had no jobs to return to, but I lucked out with a temp assignment that paid enough for my husband to find a job he wanted to do.

Go for it, should be an interesting experience for you.

(Ellen) #19

Hmm hadn’t thought about car that way, just thought sell it & pay off last of finance on it so no monthly payments, will have to have ponder on that some more.

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #20

Well, consider if you sell it, when you return you will need a down payment/closing costs for another one. If you like your car it would be wise move to just pay the payments, not a larger payment on return. The truck was paid for, and our friend kept it on his property. Needed an oil change and a new battery after sitting for 4.5 yrs, but otherwise was good to go for us and we really needed it when we returned. We had not considered doing that until our friend suggested it. He had done 3 yrs. in India and was happy to return to his car when he got home.