In terms of education in Qatar the nation is an incredibly forward thinking country and one that believes in both nurturing the talent of the individual and that all children have an absolute right to a free and quality education from kindergarten level right through to university and beyond.

This belief led to the creation in Doha of Education City which is a unique initiative from the Qatar Foundation created to serve the educational needs of future generations and which is a physical campus that covers over 2,500 acres and houses a wide range of international university branches as well as locally established educational institutions in a variety of disciplines.

Qatar is emerging as one of the most exciting locations for those looking for well paying careers in the Gulf region because not only is Qatar a country in which international expatriates can enjoy an excellent standard of living, it’s a country where property ownership rights are softening, where the attitude towards foreign workers is improving and where there are currently many vacancies for good jobs in Qatar.

Employment sectors with vacancies for overseas workers are broad and range from the ubiquitous oil and gas industry requirements for everything from managerial staff to engineers, the medical and education sectors, the finance and banking industries, high tech operations to government run companies.

The entry and actions of foreigners in Qatar are strictly controlled and monitored by Qatari government officials; generally speaking holders of full British passports or individuals who are GCC resident are permitted entry into Qatar but for nationals of all other nations advice should be sought from the nearest Qatari embassy before travelling to the region.

Those who are planning on living and working in Qatar have to be aware that certain procedures have to be followed to gain the relevant entry, residence and work permits and it is usual for all employers of foreign nationals to employ a ‘runner’ or ‘fixer’ to wade through the mountains of red tape and handle the form filling and queuing in order to get the official papers in place for the employee in question and their family as well to enter, reside and work in Qatar.

Primary and secondary level education in North Cyprus is free and from the age of seven to fifteen schooling is compulsory.  There are enough schools, places and teachers to enable all children who apply themselves to have a good standard of schooling, furthermore funding for the education system in TRNC is strong.

For expatriates in North Cyprus there are various international school options that they can access on both sides of the green line - however those who wish their children to study for A levels or the international baccalaureate for example will have to school their children in the Republic of (south) Cyprus, in local Turkish Cypriot schools where all teaching is through the medium of Turkish or they will have to send them away to boarding school.

The economy in North Cyprus was relatively static between 1974 and 2004 when the Turkish Cypriots voted ‘yes’ to the terms of the Annan Plan for the peaceful reunification of Cyprus and the whole of Cyprus joined the European Union.  Although the terms of the Annan Plan were not accepted by the Greek Cypriot Republic of (South) Cyprus the international community has continued to soften its approach towards TRNC since 2004 in a bid to improve the economy of the island and the lives of the people living in North Cyprus. 

As a result, since 2004 the economy of North Cyprus has been rapidly expanding and many new businesses have opened creating employment opportunities and today those looking for jobs in North Cyprus in industries such as tourism, education, agriculture, construction or the service industry will find there are an increasing number of openings.

The Northern third of the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus is the Turkish Cypriot administered area and the majority of those living and working in North Cyprus herald originally from this area, the Turkish mainland or the United Kingdom. 

In 2004 the economy of North Cyprus finally awoke from enforced reverie that followed the 1974 Greek Cypriot coup d’etat and the ensuing Turkish invasion which resulted in the international community isolating the de facto state - and since 2004 Northern Cyprus has begun welcoming an increasing number of international citizens to its developing and emerging nation.

Until 1951 education in Nepal was not available to everyone, rather it was restricted to the ruling families and their close counterparts.  Since 1951 things have changed radically and to this day the Nepalese government is continually committed to the improvement, development and expansion of education in Nepal.

A lack of funds, parts of the country that suffer from inaccessibility and a nation that is intrinsically poor with citizens who cannot afford to send their children to school however restricts the government’s effort which is why many expatriates living and working in Nepal are actually assisting with educational programmes.

Nepal currently ranks around the twelfth poorest country in the world with almost one third of the nation’s population existing well below the poverty line; therefore it is unsurprising that the majority of jobs in Nepal for international citizens are in the fields of aid agency and relief work as well as in governmental and non-governmental assistance postings, there are also some teaching positions available and a great many opportunities for volunteers.

However the nation suffers from some security issues, it has restricted accessibility and it is quite susceptible to natural disasters therefore many charities and aid agencies have difficulty attracting key personnel despite the fact that the nation is stunningly diverse and beautiful and that the majority of Nepalese citizens are hugely welcoming.  Having said that, those international citizens who do commit to Nepal find a warm welcome and a fantastic way of life awaits them and most are reluctant to leave if the time comes.

At first glance getting in to Nepal to travel around and explore or to live and work seems quite easy because Nepal prides itself on giving visas to everyone irrespective of their nationality.  However, in reality the fact that there are so many visa types that one can apply for to enter Nepal depending on the reason and duration of stay makes the process a little more complicated than at first glance.

Anyone planning on living and working in Nepal for any length of time should contact their nearest Nepalese Embassy to find out about the current rules and restrictions in place and about which specific visa type they should best apply for entry under.  Alternatively, for those who enter Nepal on a simple tourism visa (which are issued at any port of entry upon arrival in the country) the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu can amend, alter, issue and reissue all types of visa. 

Morocco was not traditionally considered to be a strong employment market for international citizens; rather it was a popular destination on the hippy and backpacker travel trail!  However, recently as the profile of the nation has increased, the interest from investors and tourists has intensified and more expatriates are finding jobs in Morocco in sectors as diverse as property and catering.

Other popular employment sectors for expats are teaching; there are many TEFL vacancies in Morocco for example and general employment postings are available in international schools around the country.  Aid and voluntary organisations also run education, environment and social development programs in Morocco and take on international volunteers and employees - and then of course there is the occasional expatriate who finds a professional position in a field such as banking and finance or medicine for example.