Europe

Europe is a great destination for career breakers who want to work abroad but are too old for working holiday visa schemes. It's also a great place for those wanting to brush up on their language skills, and there are lots of language and culture courses to choose from.

What?
Why?
How?
Facts for the career breaker
Top Europe tip

What?

Europe is the world's second-smallest continent in terms of area, but the third-largest in population. 25 nations make up the European Union, which means you can work in those countries without needing a work visa.

A diverse continent, Europe has long been popular with gappers going inter-railing and criss-crossing countries by train. No longer the preserve of teenagers and students, travelling across Europe is a viable option for career breakers, whether you're working, studying or just experiencing it.

Why?

You can work in EU countries without a permit (if you are a British citizen).
Europe is a great place for seasonal work - both summer and winter. Resorts always need helping hands on ski lifts, in hotels, beach bars etc. If you have any relevant experience and have a command of the language, it is an easy work abroad option.
If you are sporty or just generally active, you can work at summer camps in Europe.
If you're interested in learning a language, you can do it in the country it's spoken. Many language schools offer cultural immersion, where you stay with a host family so you are speaking the language all the time. This is a great career break option if speaking a second language will help your promotion prospects.
There are lots of other cultural learning opportunities in Europe, such as art history in Italy, cooking in France or dancing in Spain.
Volunteer opportunities are available in Eastern Europe.

How?

Inter-railing is the traditional way for gappers (young or not so young) to get around Europe. You can also take coaches from place to place.

However, if you're going to one place, for example to work, it makes more sense to fly, and of course it's cheap.

If you're planning to work in Europe, it's advisable to get a feel for what is available before you go, or go with a British company who will organise your placement. There are a lot of job sites online which have temporary jobs in Europe and you can also ask people who have done it for advice.

Facts for the career breaker

If working in Europe, try to be flexible about the sort of work you are willing to do. Having relevant experience and speaking the language will set you apart from other job-seekers in what can be a competative market.
Even if you don't need a work permit, you may need to do other paperwork (particularly if you're staying for more than 3 months). See our paid work abroad page for more information on working in Europe.
It's worth learning the language even if you're only there for a short time. You can do short language courses while you're there, or learn some in the UK before you leave.
Career breakers travelling in Europe are generally fairly safe - however, the cities suffer from the same sort of crime that our own do. Take the same precautions you do at home.