Working for placement organisations for placements abroad: what is it, why would you do it, and where is the best place to go?

What is working for placement organisations for placements abroad like?

• Behind almost every internship, working holiday, volunteer placement, or emigration adventure is someone who sets the tone.
• Working for an agency means guiding people before they pack their bags. Not waving goodbye at the airport, but rather: making plans, managing expectations, taming forms, and translating dreams into achievable steps.
• These types of organizations mediate between people who want to go abroad and the parties that make that possible: employers, schools, host families, NGOs, travel agencies, or government agencies.
• The work often takes place at the intersection of advice, administration, communication, and guidance.
• Key aspects of the job include the significant responsibility for providing accurate information, handling peak workloads during certain seasons, and guiding enthusiastic or stressed people.

Responsibilities:

• Advising about working, studying, or traveling abroad.
• Matching candidates with projects, jobs, or programs.
• Supervising applications, files, and intake interviews.
• Coordinating visas, contracts, and documents. Maintain contact with international partners.
• Provide information about expectations, culture, and risks.

Working conditions:

• This usually involves office-based or hybrid work, sometimes partially remote.
• These positions are often full-time or part-time.
• The salary depends on the type of organization (commercial or non-profit) and the type of work (volunteer, internship, job).
• Project-based or seasonal work is sometimes also possible.
• A nice perk is that you sometimes receive discounts on travel, programs, or international training.

What are the reasons for working for placement organisations for placements abroad?

• To feel involved: Contributing daily to life-changing steps taken by others.
• To develop communication skills: Conducting conversations with diverse target groups, from parents to employers.
• To become organizationally aware: Learning to work within complex structures of rules, procedures, and partners.
• To strengthen empathy: Empathizing with doubts, expectations, and cultural differences.
• To develop networking skills: Build contacts with organizations, schools, embassies, and partners worldwide.

What skills and motivations do you need to work for placement organisations for placement abroad?

• Communicate: Explain clearly, listen, and manage expectations.
• Be organizationally aware: Understand how processes, rules, and responsibilities interrelate.
• Plan: Work with deadlines, files, and multiple processes simultaneously.
• Be empathetic: Sensing someone's needs during a stressful preparation phase.
• Be stress-resistant: Remain calm when visa, document, or departure dates become critical.

What are the best countries and locations to work for placement organisations for placement abroad?

• Countries with high international mobility and expat numbers: the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, Singapore.
• Countries with high student, internship, and gap year enrollments: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Spain, South Africa.
• Countries with strong travel, volunteer, and program industries: Thailand, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Peru, Nepal.

What are the risks of working for placement organisations for placement abroad, and are you insured against those risks? 

• What are the risks of working for placement organisations for placement abroad?
  • Mistakes often have serious consequences: An incorrect visa or incomplete file can delay or prevent travel.
  • Work pressure often peaks, especially around departure dates, school holidays, and seasonal changes.
  • Emotional strain often arises: Working with expectations, stress, and sometimes disappointment from clients.
  • Depending on the country in which you work, an unsafe work environment is common: infrastructure, health risks, political instability, and social norms.
• Are you insured while working for placement organisations for placement 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.