But make no mistake – despite the sunshine and beaches, working abroad is no holiday. In some places you'll have to make do with a one-day weekend. On the other hand, international experience won't do your promotion prospects any harm – assuming you ever want to come back. However, you might well decide that working abroad and spending a fortnight's holiday in Britain every year is better than the other way around.
Dubai
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£32,000-38,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£38,000-40,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£25,000-30,000
Of all the world's construction hotspots, Dubai is probably the hottest of all. "There's a lot happening, with some really major projects being planned, along with lots of high-rise flats and hotels," says Jonald Vos of Hays Montrose. "It's a new city; work only started 30 or 40 years ago." So the nouveau riche emirate has a lot of catching up to do in terms of buildings and infrastructure, and when you have several generations' worth of proven oil reserves, money is no object. According to Gulf Construction, "new developments focus on higher quality, not only in the type of construction materials but also in design for an upscale lifestyle". Nothing symbolises this better than the Burj al-Arab hotel (pictured opposite) in the glistening Jumeirah Beach resort. The hotel is the world's tallest, and also the most luxurious: it's unique six-star rating means guests pay up to £10,000 a night, not including mini-bar.
Vos says that, with plenty of competition from well-established locals, expats need to offer something special. To set yourself apart, you either need a masters degree or above, or specialised major project experience such as high-rise building or tunnelling. Project managers and QSs are very much in demand. The workload is considerable: 45 hours a week spread over five-and-a-half days, with a weekend starting Thursday lunchtime.
The hard work certainly pays off, though: salaries are tax-free, and since your employer also pays for a car and accommodation, you can blow two-thirds of your salary on entertainment and still have plenty left to top up your pension fund. And in Dubai, unlike other Gulf states, entertainment is encouraged: expats and locals party together in glitzy nightclubs, and Vos says the authorities are relaxed about alcohol, at least by Arab standards. "You can get every kind of alcohol in hotels, and you can also get licenses to buy a certain amount per month for private consumption, which is more than enough for the whole family to get drunk on."
If your family is below drinking age, then Vos recommends checking out the local schools before you commit to working there. Several cater for expats with a western curriculum, but fees are in the £5000 -10,000 range. Vos says: "There is a very good expat lifestyle. There's quite a community, they live in the same area, and it won't take you more than 10 or 15 minutes to get to work." The idea of living in an expat community is less appealing after the recent Riyadh bombings, which killed dozens and showed that clusters of foreigners are targets for terrorists. But Vos insists: "Dubai is safer than Saudi Arabia." In fact, he says it resembles another country altogether: "Nothing is done in a small way, everything's big – just like America."
Of course, the big question is: where's the best place to go? Would you earn more in Australia or the Caribbean? What are the working conditions like in Dubai compared with France? So here's our 2003 guide to getting away from it all, courtesy of international travel – sorry, recruitment – consultant Hays Montrose.
Australia
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£28,000–36,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£44,000–60,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£26,000–36,000
Hays Montrose consultant Matt Underhill has two words of advice for any Brit thinking of going to work Down Under: "Why wait?" He says the contrasts with Britain are very appealing: "Sea, sun, surf, cheap beer, no traffic jams and winning sports teams!" We could quibble about the England rugby team's recent triumph in Melbourne – but still, point taken.
Underhill's enthusiastic sales pitch probably has a lot to do with the state of Australia's construction industry. He says: "All areas of Australia are busy with construction work. The residential boom across the country has since been supplemented with an influx of commercial work and the release of public funds." But the outbreak of Sars and the war on terror, especially the Bali bombing, have made it harder to attract workers in from overseas. Project managers are particularly scarce, and their salaries have risen over 10% this year. QS salaries are on the up, and there's a lack of good civil engineers. What's more, the pay in Australia is at least as good as it is in Britain, and the Australian dollar is riding high.
So what do you need to get a job out there? Local knowledge helps, since you'll be working with local clients, not British ones. Expertise in industrial relations and occupational health and safety also help. And lightweights need not apply – you've got to be able to consume a keg of Fosters without coming the raw prawn.
China
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£33,000–38,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£42,000–46,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£25,000–30,000
China offers a total contrast with Britain, in both professional and lifestyle terms. Whereas life in Britain is controlled by strict adherence to contract law, Chinese culture places more importance on personal relationships. That's especially true in business – relationships must be cultivated over the years, and signing a contract with somebody you've only met three times doesn't mean the deal is done.
The top three cities – Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai – were hardest hit by Sars, so demand for professionals has shifted to more remote areas. Project managers are particularly in demand.
Since the handover of Hong Kong, you are less likely to be working for a British client. But there is a massive amount of foreign direct investment, and you might well find yourself working for a joint venture between a Chinese company and a Western partner. It is good to work for these joint ventures, as they offer international terms and conditions and contact with the expat community. QSs and engineers typically work a six-day week, and all expats can expect free accommodation, free plane tickets and 30 days' annual leave.
West Indies /Caribbean
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£30,000–35,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£38,000–42,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£25,000–30,000
If you want to work in a holiday destination, the ever-popular Caribbean is an obvious choice. There's not much hotel work these days, but that's more than made up for by a boom in luxury villas, so the market should appeal to anyone with a taste for high-end housebuilding. Clients are looking for QSs above all, and they prefer expats to be single, since good local schools are hard to find and spouses tend to get bored – even paradise can be monotonous after a while.
France
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£36,000–50,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£50,000–71,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£21,000–32,000
France offers some of the highest international salaries, a short working week, good quality of life, and it's right on Britain's doorstep. The downside is that taxes are high and you need to know the language. Hays Montrose reports placements are down on last year – so if your French is a bit shaky, forget it.
Nicholas Long of Hays Montrose's Paris office says: "Anglo Saxon investors have put less in the French market. About 90% of work is with local clients. Working hours are shorter, and it is no myth that the business world stops in August." He says project managers with experience of the retail industry are sought after, because "even when times are hard, rich wives still shop in Louis Vuitton!"
Canada
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£31,000–40,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£33,000–53,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£22,000–31,000
Egypt
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£30,000–40,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£38,000–42,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£24,000–28,000
Ireland
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£32,000–50,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£39,000–54,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£21,000–32,000
New Zealand
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£23,000–30,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£30,000–40,000
Portugal
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£20,000–30,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£37,000–45,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£18,000–22,000
Spain
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£34,000–47,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£43,000–51,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£17,000–26,000
Thailand
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£30,000–38,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£38,000–45,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£25,000–30,000
The Netherlands
Quantity surveyor, 10 years' experience
£27,000–36,000
Project manager, 15 years' experience
£36,000–43,000
Engineer, five years' experience
£18,000–21,000
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