If I work in a foreign country, can I get paid in USD if I work for a US company? Should I consider working abroad?

[TopHatFox]

The Opportunity: Currently trying to figure out if I should include international countries in my list of job apps. Now that my Masters in Public Administration is done, I may be able to finish my Masters in Geoscience online, while working as a junior geologist in the US or abroad. SE Asia looks like a lot of fun and is very inexpensive, so I could see myself working there, for example. Australia also is a hotbed for geology work, but that one has less appeal; it's too similar in culture to UK/US/CA.

The Pros: I speak Spanish (fluent), Portuguese (pretty well), French (Intermediate), and English now, so I could really live in any part of South America, US, Canada, Western Europe (Spain, UK, Ireland, Portugal), and any other countries that might speak those languages. I also can get Italian citizenship from an old Italian relative, so I think that grants me access to any EU countries.

The Choice: Still, I don't think there's much point in going abroad aside from fun. The US's currency is still #1 as of 2020, and our taxes are stupendously lower than Europe's. Europe may be more walkable, but Western Europe seems to offer more or less the same college-educated, neoliberal culture. Don't see much point moving there. Eastern Europe has potential though, cheaper and pretty women abound. ^_^ From reading a few recent travel memories, SA seems fairly destitute and unstable, and my parent's left there for a reason. Brazil could be pretty cool though; from what I've read, people are more friendly there. SE Asia seems like the cheapest place, and the most interesting to me since I have yet to really explore anywhere there.

With all of that in mind, is working abroad worth it, or is working in a western US state (the original plan) the best bet? And if I do decide to work abroad, is it possible to find work at a US firm and get paid a median US salary in a foreign country? For example, a US median junior geology salary in Thailand by working for a US firm that mines zinc or tungsten there?

[2Birds1Stone]

Here in Portugal many professional white collar positions seem to be paying $18-30k USD/yr......YMMV

[TopHatFox]

Welp, looks like the USA is it

[thrifty++]

From all of the people I have talked to working abroad, the pattern seems to be, if you are working in a western country you get paid in local currency and if you are working in a non western country you get paid in USD. I think that is likely how it would play out.

This does seem an unusual time to be looking at this though. I don't imagine it will be possible to do this for at least another year. Everywhere has shut its borders.

[Dream of Freedom]

Out west? overseas? interplanetary? You are looking for something and until you pin down exactly what that is no one can help you find it.

[basuragomi]

If your criteria for avoiding a place are poverty, instability, or Western culture, maybe geology is not a good match with your goals.

That being said, if you are fly-in/fly-out you will be paid in USD/CAD/AUD. If you are a university-educated local then you will be prioritized for white collar jobs and paid the same as the expats, but in local currency. A lot of exploration/mining is in incredibly poor and remote areas and local communities will not appreciate an extravagantly-paid foreigner moving in to steal jobs.

There also isn't much to explore when you're stuck on a mine site working 12 hours a day. Depending on where you are you may be prohibited from leaving the mine site due to kidnapping/terrorism/wildlife risks. You will be always a target for kidnapping if you leave the site. A week after my co-worker returned from site in West Africa there was a terrorist attack on a military-escorted convoy that killed dozens of people.

SE Asian exploration/production seems to be dominated by Australian companies besides the megacorps so trying to get in to the relatively few American companies may be difficult.

Most FIFO work from US/Canadian home bases is very much in developing economies - Central America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia. European, South Asian and East Asian countries have their own geologists, as a foreigner with (I'm assuming) no experience you won't be at much of an advantage.

Saudi Arabia or another rich Middle Eastern petrostate may fit your criteria though you will be at an extreme disadvantage compared to local applicants. Are you looking for exploration geology, production or something else?

[Alphaville]

I grew up internationally, in various Latin American countries and the U.S., and now have family living and working in 3 US coasts and 4 continents.

It’s great to travel when you’re young, much better than in retirement. To do it on the company dime instead of going into personal debt is great as well.

Given your chosen profession, the way to achieve this is to hook up early with a large multinational corporation where you can learn the ropes, and then they can relocate you, and you might get great perks when they deploy you—company car and housing, club memberships, “combat pay,” that sort of thing.

I would pick a company rather than a particular location: they would be your new home, they decide where they need you and want to send you, of course you can take your picks.

Not a bad idea to start domestically, where you only need to learn the company culture, and then ask for an international transfer in a couple of years and learn the new local culture, etc.

If you get sent from Florida to Latin America it could be a great thing for you because you’d “get” the culture right away, have the language already, and would be treated as a top level employee once there. Miami, being culturally a Spanish Caribbean town, is the hub of Latin American business, so all roads lead to Miami—and out of it: a lot of cheap international flights out of that airport.

And I wouldn’t look at Europe as more of the same, btw—it’s very different from life in Florida. But good luck competing with graduates from a German school of mines...

So tldr what you’re going to have is a cultural problem: the company culture and the local culture. The quicker you’re conversant in the cultural codes, the better you’ll do.

This all may sound very heretical on this board, but that’s what I’ve seen all my life.

[Ego]

Has this been suggested before?

https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign- ... t-process/

[slowtraveler]

Go read IRS Publication 54. It covers this exact scenario.

[TopHatFox]

Given your chosen profession, the way to achieve this is to hook up early with a large multinational corporation where you can learn the ropes, and then they can relocate you, and you might get great perks when they deploy you—company car and housing, club memberships, “combat pay,” that sort of thing.

I would pick a company rather than a particular location: they would be your new home, they decide where they need you and want to send you, of course you can take your picks.

Not a bad idea to start domestically, where you only need to learn the company culture, and then ask for an international transfer in a couple of years and learn the new local culture, etc.

That's genius! So seek out an Exxon Mobil or other multinational company in my hometown or out west, and then ask them to move me somewhere abroad using the languages and administration/social science background part I have, combined with the solid geology background.

Yes to no direct geology experience, but I do have four years of upward office experience for the government. I'm also taking the ASBOG test, which is the official geology certification here in the US. Sadly I can't take the second version of the test to get my geology license until I have a few years experience.

[CS]

Will the current oil glut impact this work? Doesn't seem the time to go into geology if it's for mining only--and you're not planning on a thirty year career.

[Alphaville]

That's genius! So seek out an Exxon Mobil or other multinational company in my hometown or out west, and then ask them to move me somewhere abroad using the languages and administration/social science background part I have, combined with the solid geology background.

Yes to no direct geology experience, but I do have four years of upward office experience for the government. I'm also taking the ASBOG test, which is the official geology certification here in the US. Sadly I can't take the second version of the test to get my geology license until I have a few years experience.

Yeah but key here is you have to like Exxon Mobil or whatever you pick, and then the oil industry in general, and you can move within it.

This is not my idea, but just how many of my family members have done it: each in different industries, but all within a multinational structure. Your local branch/project/factory gets closed, you get offered a post elsewhere, and so forth.

One uncle (well, a much older cousin) used to be based in a European country and travel through the continent visiting different plants for the same company. Another worked in England, made money and bought property there, and retired to a warmer island using geoarbitrage. My brother is currently in his 4th Latin American country now; at one point he was offered the chance to be based in New York but chose a Central American location instead because he likes his big house, and having maids, and his wife does not have to work there and can look after the kids and do social stuff. Más vale ser cabeza de ratón que cola de león, as the saying goes, hahaha.

Per Ego’s link, the Foreign Service might also be great for you, given your government experience, but maybe you’re trying to get away from that into more technical less political work.

But technical work also needs a political interface, so maybe that’s where you can offer value to a big company, and although I don’t know your industry I’d encourage you to find some mentors there, so it’s not all speculation. Internships maybe? Make some connections. I have relatives in the oil industry but they’re engineering types and based in Texas.

The one thing I’ve learned about work in this life is that the more you do something, the more you tend do it. So try to get your foot in the door quickly.

[TopHatFox]

Geology is a pretty large field, I don't necessarily need to work in a mine or a oil rig. There's lots of work in hydrogeology or environmental geology too. It is an in-demand field that is interesting and well-paid according to the BLS. Tons of geologists work for governments too, so I can at least put the MPA with an international focus I got to some use:

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-a ... ntists.htm

Now that my time is freed up, I'll just start applying to government geology jobs in Miami, parts of Utah, and parts of CO, and see what sticks!

[theanimal]

I have a few friends who were geology majors. The money is in oil and mining. Even if you're on the environmental side, the best paying jobs are at mines. You can also look at the BLM as they have environmental review for mining claims on BLM land, but if you're looking for the money I think you'll have to work at a mine or oil site. One of my friends started with BLM doing inspections and review before transitioning to the environmental dept at a gold mine. Within 2 years he's gone from 60 to over 100k. Jobs are plentiful once you're in and show that you're a good worker as most don't stick around long and character is poor. The bar is low.

[take2]

This is not my idea, but just how many of my family members have done it: each in different industries, but all within a multinational structure. Your local branch/project/factory gets closed, you get offered a post elsewhere, and so forth.

I did this for a while but in heavy civil construction, not oil. Bounced around domestically and then internationally on different projects. I second Alphaville - it’s a great way to live for free as long as you don’t mind adjusting your lifestyle.

I would just caution that this isn’t something that you sign up for on day 1. Usually you’ll get staffed locally for a few years before you prove yourself and the opportunity arises. This is generally easier if you’re entry-level as the company is willing to train you and you’re still relatively cheap. You also might not get the opportunity but I suppose that can be mitigated if you’re only looking for high probability companies. As Alphaville said this is usually loyalty-focused; i.e you stay with the company and go where the work is.

Some companies will also go for more experienced hired guns on an as-needed basis but they will likely not move them around and just work on a project basis.