As stated above, there is a demand for teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) abroad. You need to earn certification before you will be taken seriously by governments and employers. Information on certification for ESL/TESOL/TESL/TEFL is found here. There is also a job board on this site and there is a ton of info to be had by googling “English teaching jobs abroad.” These types of jobs usually don’t pay very well, but if you live frugally you can eat, pay rent, live among the people, see the country and experience the culture. It is an invaluable education which will color every aspect of your remaining life and in many ways set you apart, whether you like it or not, from all of your countrymen who have never lived abroad.
In many countries, once you have a work permit and are in-country, you can work in any capacity for any company or individual you wish. When I first went to Sweden, I met an American who entered on a work visa in order to teach technical ESL to engineers from Volvo and Saab who were slated to go abroad. (I was married to a Swede, so my residency and work permits were pretty much automatic.) Once he was on Swedish soil for a year, though, he could take any job he could get with that same visa. We both later got on with the Swedish Merchant Marine and sailed the Baltic and North Sea for a couple of years. (Good money and a maximum 12% income tax—a special deal for seamen).
I noticed that good, certified cooks were in great demand on these freighters, ferries and North Sea oil rigs. We’re not talking about gourmet chefs here, A diploma from some one-year cooking school usually did the trick. These guys were well thought of by the men. Meals are often the height of your days during long stretches at sea or during an icy Baltic hurricane. Good snacks are very much appreciated. These guys were well taken care of when the men went to shore. The food was very good, especially on the rigs. Fine cuts of beef, the best sorts of fish, shellfish—so purchasing did their part—but a good cook could make it all happen. Captains know morale often depends on food.
Anyway, those are two gateways, or were. Otherwise, I would suggest getting your university degree in an appropriate subject that is in demand abroad. Masters in the field of international finance or international law is good. Getting on with one of the plethora of UN orgs like UNICEF, etc., will get you a ticket all over the globe with a home base in NYC, but you might need a Master’s or your country’s equivalent to do that well. Engineering of any kind is in demand. There is a huge demand for nurses and doctors with orgs such as Partners in Health out of Boston and others. I’m sure there are Canadian equivalents.
The trick is to have a certifiable skill. Nations don’t need or want just another good-humored, fascinating person. They want someone who can assimilate, contribute to maintaining or raising their standard of living and, most importantly, contribute to the tax base. Someone who can walk in with money and a business plan, and provide jobs for their citizens is the most prized immigrant. You get the drift.
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