You thought you would be leaving next month, but now you find yourself waiting with your bags packed, a visa delayed, financial resources dwindling, and morale at rock bottom. It’s not easy to stay afloat when the future seems increasingly uncertain. However, postponing an international mobility plan has its positive side.
When your plans take longer than expected
Various factors, such as finances, foreign laws, and unforeseen events, can cause your plans to move abroad to be postponed.
Bureaucracy and administrative delays
Depending on the type of visa and the destination country, processing times may vary. Add to this delays due to backlogs in immigration services, staff shortages or economic conditions, and the health crisis has been hard on many would-be expats, depriving them of their dreams. International students found themselves stuck in their home countries, forced to take online classes from their intended host country. The workers had to postpone their plans.
Insufficient finances
How can you consider moving abroad when your initial capital is no longer enough? You may have raised the necessary amount only to discover that the government of the host country has raised the minimum income threshold to qualify for the visa, as is the case in countries such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Another possibility is that an unexpected emergency has forced you to dip into your expatriation budget.
Stricter immigration rules
What happens when the laws of the host country make the transfer difficult? Countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Finland and France have tightened their immigration laws. This includes restrictions or elimination of family reunification opportunities, higher income thresholds and shorter visa durations.
Endless waiting lists
People applying for the Working Holiday Visa (WHV) in Canada will tell you that patience is crucial and that you should not lose hope after the first setback. Despite its popularity among expats, the country has implemented a lottery system. Immigrating to the United States is equally difficult; some nationalities may wait months or even years due to quotas.
Understand the advantages of delaying moving abroad
At first glance, it is difficult to see a delayed transfer positively. Time is not on your side and the delay disrupts all your plans. However, it is possible to consider the delay of expatriation positively.
Save more money
You can never be too prepared. You may be a master planner, with everything perfectly organized for your move abroad. However, the current era is full of financial uncertainties: inflation, economic recession or real estate crisis. Postponing your move gives you more time to save money and deal with the economic climate and possible immigration reforms.
Improve your language skills
You were going to leave with beginner or intermediate level language skills; Now, months or years later, you can leave smoothly, potentially accessing better job offers and higher salaries and integrating more easily into the foreign country.
Improve your professional skills
What level of knowledge did you plan to have when you moved abroad? You could take advantage of the extra time to improve your professional skills. Take a skills assessment, enroll in a certification course, and build your professional network. You may have planned these steps after your move, but consider this career reset as part of your plans. The money invested in your training will be savings for future expenses abroad.
Perfect your project
If the move takes longer than expected, take advantage of the time to get to know the host country better. There is always room to improve and perfect a plan. Have you already chosen your accommodation abroad? Are you familiar with your future neighborhood? Depending on your project, there may be more attractive options elsewhere (for example, accommodation near your future university or workplace).
Build and enrich your network of contacts
Take advantage of the extra time to master the language of the host country or perfect your knowledge. Also take advantage of the opportunity to build or enrich your professional and personal networks. Participate in online forums during your job search. Make friends in the host country and contact organizations that support foreigners, not only to speed up your procedures, but also to establish contacts in the country of expatriation.
Maintaining trust is the key
Of course, these tips do not hide the frustration. Seeing your project postponed indefinitely is disheartening, and gives the feeling that life has come to a standstill, subject to the whims of the economy or immigration policies. Don’t face your disappointment alone. Be accompanied by people who support you. Talk to trusted friends and family.
However, protect yourself from unnecessary comments like “How is your project going?” or “Aren’t you gone yet?” or “At this rate, you may never leave” and “It may be better to give up and stay here.” Some people may not realize that their comments are hurtful and think they are offering helpful advice. Filters the noise. You don’t have to be up to date every week. Stand up to intrusive questions and comments. Protect yourself and your project. Surround yourself with the right people. A delay is not a stagnation or a definitive paralysis. Keep planning and stay motivated.
