Wanna Be an Exprat? - Best Opportunities

I decided to write this blog for wannabe exprats - not expats - exprats!! There are 101 reasons why you want to make the major decision to leave your native country and work overseas. But I can tell you there is only one and that is MONEY! As a British exprat, it was the only reason I decided to work abroad and that was in April 1980, when I took up a job with ARAMCO in Saudi Arabia. Back in the early 80s, the Middle East was where one could make big money in a relatively short space of time. Yes, you could go work in S.E. Asia - great, but the money wasn't there. So, this is the Autumn of 2010 and I thought I'd research where are the best locations for the budding exprat, and guess what? Well, read on . . .

The Middle East region was recently named the top financial location for expatriates, according to a survey by the HSBC Bank International. That survey ranked Qatar as the second best place for exprats to earn and save money amid the global economic crisis, followed by Saudi Arabia in third place and the UAE ranked fifth. Only Russia scored higher, with a greater number of exprats saying they saved more, had a higher annual salary and a greater disposable income. However, one has to bear in mind that certain industries pay higher wages and rates than others, and when it comes to the Middle East, we are talking oil and construction. If you think you'll make tons of dosh as a financial advisor in the Middle East, then think again - you won't!

So what are the figures and how much can you realistically save? A Process Engineer in the oil and gas industries will enjoy a monthly salary of about $8000.00. However, this can be doubled for short-term contracts and 'rotation' schedules. Senior oil and gas managers can earn $17,000.00 / month with drilling engineers and reservoir engineers basically naming their price. It is not unusual for a senior reservoir engineer to bank $300,000 / year!!

I hear you say, all fine and dandy, but what are the costs of living? Unless you are on a per diem, you will have to basically pay as you go: accommodation, transport and daily costs. Again, depending on your location, this could mean anything up to 25% of your earnings. So take that into consideration.

For further information, I advise you to visit http://www.expatnetwork.com for further information, one of the best exprat sites on the 'net!