Want to Work Abroad? Here’s What You Need to Know About Visas
If you’re exploring work abroad, navigating the visa process is one of the most important, and often most complex, parts of the journey. Every country has its own immigration rules, and those rules can shift quickly. That’s why there’s no one-size-fits-all visa process within Global Marketplace Multipliers (GMM), and why we encourage each person to take a proactive, localized approach.
In most cases, a visa is tied to a job offer. That means your employer is often the one sponsoring your visa application, handling documentation, and sometimes covering legal fees. If you’ve already secured a job, your employer should be your first stop for visa-related questions. Many companies also have access to services to guide the process.
However, if you’re pursuing work independently or seeking a visa not tied to a specific employer, things get more complicated—but not impossible. Here’s how to move forward:
Start with research. Look into the visa categories available for your country of interest. Use online resources geared toward expats and international workers, but always confirm information with official government websites.
Ask around. Reach out to people who live in that country, or have in the past. Ask about their visa journeys and what they learned. The goal isn’t just answers, but connections: they might introduce you to others who can help.
Plan for costs. In some cases, visa processes require legal help, especially when no employer is involved. Budget for possible fees beyond government application costs.
Keep in mind: even those living in-country may have limited insight, since visa rules vary by profession, passport, and visa type. Don’t expect others to solve this for you, but do pursue wise counsel and trustworthy referrals.
If you’re in the process of becoming a commissioned GMM and we know someone with helpful insight in your destination country, we’ll gladly connect you. You’re not alone in this. But ultimately, visa access will take initiative, patience, and creativity—just like the rest of your calling. If you want to dive deeper, check out this out: “Unexpected Countries with Visa Access for Americans and Canadians”.
Ready to take next steps, contact us at gmm@gponline.org.