Here's How You Can Actually Make Money While You Travel

It's possible if you follow these steps.

Leaving the U.S. to work overseas is an amazing, life-changing experience.

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Not only are you exposed to a whole new culture, you can come away with an entirely new perspective on life — all without going broke.

But finding a job can be tricky. You can't just get off the plane and say, 'I'm here! Time to find a job!'

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That's because most countries require you to have a visa, or a work permit. It can get complicated.

Most American travelers have two main options: Find a job that is targeted toward travelers, or get a ~working holiday visa~ so that you can get a regular job in your city of choice.

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Basically, getting a work visa means you can stay AND work legally in certain countries for an extended period of time — generally about six months.

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In other words, you can make money while you travel. All without working under the table, illegally.

Working holiday visas are only available for people ages 18 to 30, on average — so now really is your chance to take advantage of this amazing option.

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NOW. OR. NEVER.

As an American, you can get a working holiday visa overseas in five countries: Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and Ireland.

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All you have to do is apply and pay the application fee, which varies per country. (Many other countries have more working holiday visa options for their residents, but the U.S. actually doesn't offer a working holiday visa of its own — so it's harder to get agreements with other places when the deal is not reciprocal.)

Of note: Each country has slightly different rules about their own working holiday visa programs, and some visas are a lot harder to get than others (South Korea, for example, is pretty difficult). So be sure to do your research before you go.

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Here's all the info about each country's specific program:

Australia

New Zealand

Singapore

South Korea

Ireland

Overall, it's easiest to go to Australia on the work visa program, because they have the least amount of restrictions.

Annie Daly

Annie Daly

Annie

It's easy to find a job when you get there, but if you want to get one ahead of time, you can do so through companies like Alliance Abroad, a group that helps set you up with a local gig before you go down under.

Annie Daly

Annie Daly

They have connections in cities all over Australia, and will hook you up with a paid job, usually in the service industry or in the business and events industry. Salaries are fairly low, so you still have to be conscious of your budget, but it still works.

Getting a work visa for the other countries is feasible, too — they just have a couple more restrictions than Australia.

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For instance, the age limit is only 18 to 25 in Singapore (it goes up to 30 in other countries). And in South Korea, the age limit is 18 to 30 — but you have to go within one year of graduation, or when you're a post-secondary (grad school) student.

In any case, working overseas is an ~amazing~ life choice that will probably change you forever.

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Plus, companies in America like to see people with international experience on their resumes — so it's basically a win-win.

Well, what are you waiting for?

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