Working as a consultant abroad: what is it, why would you do it, and where is the best place to go?

What is working as a consultant abroad like?

• As a consultant abroad, you will help companies, governments, NGOs, or organizations improve their processes, strategy, people, systems, or impact.
• Sometimes temporarily, sometimes on a project basis, sometimes as an expat, sometimes as a remote consultant who occasionally hops on a plane. You will be a problem solver, sparring partner, analyst, trainer, researcher, and sometimes even a crisis manager all-in-one.
• Responsibilities: As a consultant abroad, you can do the following:
  • Conduct analyses, evaluations, and problem research.
  • Develop strategies, project plans, or improvement programs.
  • Lead workshops, training sessions, and stakeholder meetings.
  • M&E (monitoring and evaluation) for NGOs and international organizations.
  • Guide change processes within companies or governments.
  • Advise on digitalization, sustainability, efficiency, or organizational culture.
  • Write reports with actionable recommendations.
  • Give presentations to decision-makers—sometimes with a lot of time, sometimes with very little time to prepare or to present.
• Employment conditions: Consultant salaries are generally higher than the local average, especially in large hubs (London, Singapore, Dubai, Nairobi).
• International NGOs often pay per day instead of a fixed salary.
• Larger consultancy firms often arrange things like accommodation, transportation, flights, and per diem.
• Freelance consultants usually work with hourly rates or project prices, which vary considerably from country to country.
• Visa, local registration, or insurance costs are sometimes your own responsibility.
• Accommodation varies. Larger firms sometimes offer hotels or (upscale) apartments. NGO accommodations are often much less luxurious. As a remote consultant, you can decide, and pay for, your work entirely yourself.
• Consulting can range from full-time office work to a lot of travel for work.
• In some countries, paid work requires a valid work permit, residence permit, or equivalent, even as a consultant. Without a permit, working is illegal.
• Development projects often involve working with local governments. This requires extra flexibility and intercultural sensitivity.

What are the reasons for working as a consultant abroad?

• To develop analytical skills: you learn to translate complex issues into clear insights that international organizations can truly use.
• To be entrepreneurial: abroad, you must proactively identify opportunities, build relationships, and find solutions that aren't found in any manual.
• To be results-oriented: organizations expect concrete improvements. Your advice has a direct impact on policy, systems, or people.
• To become environmentally aware: you learn to work in new cultures, with different decision-making styles, regulations, and expectations.
• To build self-confidence: giving presentations to management, leading workshops in other countries, and independently running projects all build up your confidence. 

What skills and motivations do you need to work as a consultant abroad?

• Communication: you must be able to write, present, consult, and ask questions clearly, often in a non-native language.
• Collaboration: you work with local teams, international stakeholders, and multidisciplinary project groups. Planning and organizing: Projects have tight deadlines, different time zones, and varying expectations.
• Professionalism: You represent an organization to clients, partners, and governments, acting reliably and expertly is essential.
• Concluding: You must combine data, conversations, and context to arrive at a realistic conclusion that is both sound and feasible.
• Networking: As a consultant, you not only build solutions, you also build relationships. Abroad, this means actively connecting with local companies, expat communities, government agencies, or NGOs, depending on your field. It's also an important skill for finding new assignments.

What are the best countries and locations to work as a consultant abroad?

• Best countries for consultants who want to work as expats or professionals: Singapore as a regional hub for Asia, many international companies, United Kingdom as the largest consulting center in Europe, UAE for strategy, sustainability, government, technology, United States particularly good for IT, business, and climate consultants. 
• Best countries for NGO, policy, or impact consultancy: Kenya for high concentration of international organizations, South Africa for research, evaluation, policy, social projects, Nepal and Cambodia for many temporary consultancies within NGOs and the development sector, Costa Rica for biodiversity, sustainability, ecotourism, and environmental policy.
• Best countries for starting consultants and young professionals: Portugal with a growing digital sector accessible to internationals, Poland with major consultancy centers and outsourcing hubs, Estonia for digital government and innovation, The Netherlands with many international consulting firms with training programs.
• Best countries for freelance or remote consultants: Mexico for affordable, good internet, large expat community, Thailand where Chiang Mai and Bangkok are popular remote hubs, Spain is strong in digital nomad-friendly cities (Valencia, Barcelona), Canada where there's a high demand for technical and sustainability consultants.

What are the risks of working as a consultant abroad, and are you insured against those risks? 

• What are the risks of working at/as a consultant abroad?
  • Consultants can be held liable: think of advisory errors, data breaches, or incorrect calculations — often not covered by standard travel insurance.
  • Expensive equipment is frequently stolen or damaged: laptops, phones, and external drives pose a significant risk during travel.
  • Medical problems frequently arise from work pressure and long hours: stress, lack of sleep, burnout — not always covered by basic insurance policies. It's not uncommon for trips to go wrong or deadlines to be jeopardized: visas aren't approved on time, delayed baggage, missed flights—sometimes with financial consequences for the project.
  • Consultants often unknowingly work without insurance: professional liability, business liability, and loss of income are not covered by standard travel and health insurance policies.
• Are you insured while working as a consultant abroad?
  • There may be several reasons why you need separate insurance when working abroad.
  • Local employers generally offer limited or no supplementary insurance.
  • There's a risk of accidents, for example, because you're doing work with which you have little experience.
  • During work, internships, or volunteering abroad where you receive compensation or a salary, your own health insurance coverage in your home country may be cancelled.
  • See the pages on: insuring international Insurances for working abroad, for internships abroad, for volunteering abroad, or for expats and emigrants.