So, the application was accepted, the interviews are over and you’ve got your dream job. There’s just one catch, it’s on the other side of the world.
This might not sound like an everyday situation, but it’s becoming more and more common for employers to look further afield in their search for talent. Despite the rise of digital and distance working due to the covid-19 pandemic, some roles require a physical presence, and ultimately, your job may not always be where you are.
Some employers will offer help with relocation if taking on your new post means that you can’t remain where you are or work remotely. While this will help you to work out just how viable a move of this nature would be financial, it’s a situation that still has a large potential for stress. Quite apart from adjusting to a new job and all the issues that can bring, such as first day nerves, learning to work with a raft of new people, and getting used to the flow of a new business; you also have all the pressures of a major house move.
While there are some people out there who may feel like they have it all under control, it’s important to remember that a house move is more than just the planning and the travel. Moving house, let alone moving to a new country entirely can be emotionally, mentally, and physically draining if you attempt to do it alone. Luckily there are other options for those of us who don’t want to deal with the stress of this situation without the assistance of professionals.
A ‘relocation concierge service’ is designed to make situations like this easier to manage. They offer support at several levels depending on what you need. They can assist with the legal aspects of moving to another country, such as helping you to ascertain the correct visa for your needs, and assisting you with the application process to obtain it or a spouse visa for your partner… Additionally, they can ensure that you know all the next steps and any pertinent information once you have secured your visa.
Aside from the legal process of switching countries, however, services like this can provide massive value in ways that have a more direct effect on your day-to-day life, as well as your ability to find your feet quickly in your new home.
They can help you to search for properties, whether you’re looking to rent or purchase and help you arrange the services such as gas, electricity, and internet so you don’t need to spend time waiting for the activation of vital amenities. They can also source furnishings and set up your new home so that it’s ready for your arrival.
Their removal services can also be invaluable when you need to hit the ground running in a new location. Why spend time carrying boxes of your things to and from a removal truck, when someone else can ensure the whole process is carried out smoothly? This also has the benefit of allowing you to reach your new home without the physical exertion of the actual manual work that’s involved in packing your possessions and actually transporting those boxes to a new location. Given that the house moves in question are transporting items overseas, this could well involve multiple instances of packing and unpacking boxes into different forms of transport before ultimately carrying your possessions into your new residence. The physical load this would add to your move would naturally increase the amount of time needed for you to recover and in this way, a concierge service can save you the time and money that this recovery period may otherwise cost you.
Concierge service of this nature is designed to be comprehensive. Its aim should be to ensure that you feel able to simply step into your new home as easily as you walked out of your old one. To do this they can also take into account the acquisition of a new driving license (if your old one won’t entitle you to drive in your new country) as well as help you to ensure that you find a healthcare provider.
So in summary, a relocation service can work with you to ensure that your house (and country) move goes as smoothly as possible. They can work with immigration lawyers to procure the correct visas for you and your family and make sure that your new life is ready to move into.
Naturally, all of these services have an associated cost but relocation services are designed with you in mind, so through consultation, you can decide what support you need, and what you might prefer to do yourself. That way you can be sure that you’re able to access the level of support you require with your home move, while also being certain that you can remain within the budget you can allow for the process to be carried out.
Whatever level of support you need to make your move a comfortable one, you can rest assured that a professional service such as this exists to help make that big step a little bit easier.
Imogen Loveday is a writer for the Immigration Advice Service.
