Selling point: As much work as you want
Sticking point: Rather reminiscent of London
Money £££
Lifestyle ooo
Work balance oo
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience: £35,000-50,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience: £35,000-45,000
Engineer, five years' experience: £25,000-38,000
"Ireland is currently building more houses a year than the whole of the UK and this is obviously leading to a massive demand for people with residential experience," says Shane Little of Hays Montrose's Dublin office. In fact, the residential sector is so buoyant that it has absorbed surplus capacity created by a slowdown in the former Celtic tiger's commercial and industrial sectors.
However, housing specialists considering relocating to Dublin should think carefully before taking the plunge: "The reality is that the cost of living in Dublin is on a par with London and income tax is higher, so the English pound doesn't really go that far," says Little. However, he does say that prices outside Dublin are "considerably cheaper". As far as quality of life goes there are a few real differences between Dublin and London: the Guinness is, in reality, exactly the same but the atmosphere is slightly more relaxed.
Caribbean
Selling point: Weather, beaches, music
Sticking point: Long working week
Money ££££
Lifestyle ooooo
Work balance o
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience: £32,000-36,000 tax free, free accommodation, car, flights, medical insurance
Project manager, 15 years' experience: £32,000-38,000 tax free, free accommodation, car, flights, medical insurance
Engineer, five years' experience: £25,000-38,000 tax free, free accommodation, car, flights, medical insurance
If you want to work in a proper holiday destination, then the Caribbean is a top choice. The islands of Bermuda and Trinidad are hot as far as work goes with high government spending on infrastructure and a shortage of UK-trained QSs. "Go for it," says Kevin Flynn, Hays Montrose's recruitment consultant for the Caribbean. "You may not have the chances for fast promotion, the hours are 45-50 over a five-and-a-half day working week, but English is the main language and travel to work will only take about 20 minutes, which means there is much more personal time available and there are lots of recreational activities with which to fill it for both you and your family."
New Zealand
Selling point: Scenery, dancing with hobbits
Sticking point: High cost of living
Money £££
Lifestyle ooo
Work balance oo
Project manager, 15 years' experience: £31,500-56,000
Engineer, five years' experience: £21,500-31,500
There is "a bit of a boom" in Auckland at the moment in both general construction and civil engineering projects, says Alex Powell, recruitment consultant at Hays Montrose's New Zealand office. But if you fancy a slice of action Down Under, work out your finances carefully. "The cost of living isn't that far removed from the UK, but salaries are definitely less," he warns.
France
Selling point: Food, weather, transport
Sticking point: You need fluent French
Money £££
Lifestyle oooo
Work balance oo
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience: £24,000-33,500
Project manager, 15 years' experience: £40,000-53,500
Engineer, five years' experience: £27,000-35,500
The south-east of France and the Paris region are active areas for the French recruitment market with 60% of projects located in Paris, Lyon and Marseille, mainly on the high-speed train route linking Paris to Marseille. Project managers and technical managers in the housing, retail and hospital sectors are particularly sought-after at the moment. The drawback is that you need to speak fluent French.
Iberia
Selling point: Mediterranean lifestyle
Sticking point: It can be hard to find work
Money £
Lifestyle oooo
Work balance oo
Project manager, 15 years' experience: £23,500-50,000
Engineer, five years' experience: £10,000-20,500
The Portuguese construction industry is in wallowing in an economic downturn. And with Euro 2004 over it is unlikely there will be any significant cash injections to stimulate the construction sector. However, there are some niche areas such as sanitation and the environment where there is still a lot to be done to bring Portugal in line with European Union standards. Despite the relaxed lifestyle, the hours of work are longer.
Canada
Selling point: As much work as you want
Sticking point: Some professions better rewarded than others
Money £££
Lifestyle ooo
Work balance oo
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience: £28,500-39,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience: £35,000-49,000
Engineer, five years' experience: £18,500-24,500
This country's residential and retail sectors are booming. The big development this year is a waterfront development in Toronto, which is a mixed-use scheme, the construction of which is scheduled to last for five years. The first phase will have £131m spent on environmental development work, £164m on transport and £194m for the commercial and industrial development of the site.
There are vacancies for estimators and quantity surveyors, particularly those with high-rise residential experience. "The cost of living in Canada tends to be more competitive," says Rowan O'Grady, of Hays Montrose in Canada. She recommends visiting Canada for a holiday "to see what it has to offer" before relocating.
Netherlands
Selling point: Relaxed lifestyle
Sticking point: Slow economy and you must speak Dutch
Money ££££
Lifestyle oooo
Work balance oo
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience: £38,500-53,500
Project manager, 15 years' experience: £43,500-60,000
Engineer, five years' experience: £23,500-30,000
With the Dutch government on an economy drive many large civil engineering projects are on hold; many of the vacancies that do exist are for engineers to run completed buildings. "The facilities management market is the best," says Philip Drabbe the Hays Montrose's Dutch consultant. For those who fancy a stint in land of the tulip, the good news is Dutch companies like the UK work ethic; the bad news is that "it is very, very important to speak and understand Dutch".
Middle East
Selling point: Tax free salary, interesting location
Sticking point: Heat and long working week
Money £££££
Lifestyle oooo
Work balance o
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience: £32,000-38,000 tax free
Project manager, 15 years' experience: £36,000-45,000 tax free
Engineer, five years' experience: £20,000-26,000 tax free
Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE and Doha in Qatar are rapidly developing their tourist industries in an effort to prepare for the day when the oil runs out. Saudi Arabia is still busy but because of the mounting risk of terrorism, it is difficult to fill positions.
Hours are generally 45-50 a week over a five-and-a-half day working week, but it is easy to get to and from the office, so travelling time is minimal. With most local currencies linked to the US dollar, salaries for UK ex-pats are down 20% over the past 12 months.
Despite these downsides Raj Sharma, Hays Montrose recruitment consultant for the Middle East, says you can benefit from a multicultural lifestyle and a host of recreational activities. "All who have worked there have very positive things to say about the place," he says.
Czech Republic
Selling point: Exciting times
Sticking point: You have to speak Czech
Money £
Lifestyle oooo
Work balance ooo
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience: £15,000-17,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience: £16,000-20,500
Engineer, five years' experience: £10,000-12,000
As one of the 10 new entrants into the European Union and located bang in the middle, the Czech Republic is experiencing a boom in the construction of distribution depots. And low interest rates means that more people are buying their own homes, boosting the residential sector. What's more, the retail sector is also thriving.
There is a shortage of M&E engineers, architects and civil and architectural technicians. That said, the ability to speak Czech is a must and salaries are much lower than in the UK. "Unless you speak Czech and are willing to work for a third of your UK salary, don't move to the Czech Republic," says Triona Callaghan of Hays Montrose. But on the other hand, if you want to experience life in a country that is undergoing massive economic and cultural change, this is the place to be.
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