London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026

Working abroad: 'The pandemic just made it harder'

Working abroad: 'The pandemic just made it harder'

When maths teacher James Prodger left the UK with his wife and toddler to work in Singapore a couple of years ago, he envisioned a stint abroad peppered with exciting holidays in Southeast Asia and regular trips home to see family. Then, of course, the pandemic put paid to those plans.

"Covid-19 really put a spanner in the works for us," he says. "We were always intending to come here with the intention of being able to go home every six months."

"We went home three times in the first year and then we had friends due to come out for a holiday in Bali, but all those things we were looking forward to just disappeared."

For many people working abroad, the pandemic has forced a rethink about how - and where - they choose to live. Those used to flights home available at the click of a button now face travel restrictions and often, costly periods in hotel quarantine.

That's changed the equation for those already working overseas, as well as for those considering a future career move outside their home country. It's also prompted questions about sustainability. Is it environmentally sound to live on the other side of the planet, if you can only make it work with regular, long-haul flights home?

Vietnam's success at controlling the spread of Covid-19 has made it a more attractive country to work in

Andrew Wigford runs Teachers International Consultancy, which recruits teachers to work in schools in 80 countries around the world.

He recently surveyed 250 British teachers who are either working abroad already or have expressed interest in doing so. He says a growing number of respondents are interested in working in countries where Covid-19 appears to be under control.

"Vietnam, Thailand have been very good at controlling the virus," he says. "They've become more of a focus. Teachers who had never thought of working in those countries started thinking about working there."

And he says, some teachers - particularly those who are new to international work - have been thinking twice about whether they want a career abroad at all.

"What we're still finding now is quite a few teachers are moving back towards the UK as a result of the pandemic. Some of our European schools have seen a rise in applications, as people look to be closer to their families."

Some countries have also tightened restrictions on working visas because of Covid

The Singapore-based consultant says the pandemic has had other unexpected consequences for the international teaching sector, with some countries tightening age restrictions on working visas.

"International teachers in Qatar used to be able to apply for jobs up until the age of 60," he said. "Now it's 50."

Australian teacher Sam Trelly recently decided to give up her job in Singapore and return home to Melbourne. She spoke to the BBC during 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine, time which she says was mostly spent playing a purpose-bought Nintendo Switch.

"If it wasn't for Covid I probably would have looked at another country," she said. "The only one that seemed a safe option was actually Vietnam.

"But in the end, the uncertainty around travel and border restrictions loomed large. "My brother had a baby back in Victoria. My grandma hadn't been very well. I definitely felt that option to go home for a visit wasn't there like it would normally be."

Australian teacher Sam Trelly recently decided to give up her job in Singapore and return home to Melbourne


For James Prodger in Singapore, the thought of being unable to get home quickly for a family emergency, fills him with dread.

"A major consideration for us is our parents. My wife's parents, they are in their 70s," he said. "What happens if one of our parents gets ill? That's always in the back of our minds."

The pandemic has also changed the way some migrants feel about living and working in the UK.

Alex Dreisin, an economist from New York, moved to London in 2008. She has since found a partner, bought a house and had a baby. Although her parents were able to visit the UK to meet their new grandchild in early 2020, the pandemic has prevented Alex and her family from taking any further trips across the Atlantic.

She says the coronavirus crisis hasn't changed her mind about living overseas but it has made it harder.

"I don't think Covid necessarily changed anything about being an expat - it's magnified the challenges that were already there," she says.

"What was a pretty straightforward seven-hour flight to New York now just feels a lot more complicated and while video chats have been good to get us through, we're all really looking forward to some hugs!"

James Prodger and his family had been looking forward to lots travel while living in Singapore

As vaccine rollouts gather pace around the world and borders start to reopen, there will be a rush to book flights - not just from holiday-makers desperate for some sun, but also from those who haven't seen their families for months or even years, outside of a screen.

James Prodger and his family will be among them.

"Singapore's great," he says. "But it's not great when you can't leave."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Italian Police Arrest Man After Alleged Attempt to Abduct Toddler at Bergamo Supermarket, Child Hospitalised With Fractured Femur
Reform UK Appoints Former Conservative Minister Robert Jenrick as Finance Chief
UK Unemployment Rises to Highest in Nearly Five Years as Labour Market Weakens
Rupert Lowe Advocates for English-Only Use in the UK
US Successfully Transports Small Nuclear Reactor from California to Utah
South Korea's traditional sand wrestling sport ssireum faces declining interest at home
Japan outlawed Islam
Virginia Giuffre accuses Epstein of trafficking to powerful men for blackmail.
New Mexico lawmakers initiate investigation into Zorro Ranch linked to Jeffrey Epstein
British Tourist Arrested at Hong Kong Airport After Meltdown and Vandalism
The Spanish government has ordered prosecutors to investigate platforms X, Meta and TikTok for allegedly spreading AI-generated child sexual abuse material
European Commission Plans Purchase Incentives Limited to Vehicles Manufactured Largely in the EU
French District of Pas-de-Calais Introduces Immediate License Suspension for Drivers Using Mobile Phones
Volkswagen Targets €60 Billion in Cost Reductions as Sales Decline and Global Pressures Intensify
Nigel Farage Names Reform UK Frontbench Team and Signals Zero Tolerance for Internal Dissent
Qualcomm to Withdraw UK Lawsuit Over Smartphone Chip Royalty Dispute
Major UK Banks Explore Domestic Card Network to Rival Visa and Mastercard
Cold Health Alert Issued Across UK as Temperatures Drop Sharply
Nine-Year-Old Becomes First Child in UK to Undergo Groundbreaking Leg-Lengthening Surgery
UK Workers Face Stagnant Incomes and a Softening Labour Market as Unemployment Climbs
UK Passport Rules Tightened for British Dual Nationals Under New Travel Guidance
California Deepens Global Climate Alliance with New UK Pact and Major Clean-Tech Investment Drive
UK Supreme Court Tightens Rules on Use of ‘Milk’ and ‘Cheese’ Labels for Plant-Based Products
University of Kentucky Postpones Feb. 19 Law Enforcement Training Exercise in Lexington
‘The only thing illegal is Keir Starmer handing these islands to a country like Mauritius!’
JD Vance says Germany is “killing itself” by taking in millions of fake asylum seekers from culturally incompatible nations.
UK Markets Signal Opportunity as Starmer Confronts Intensifying Political Pressure
Trump Criticises Newsom’s UK Climate Pact, Defends Federal Authority Over Foreign Engagements
UK’s Top Prosecutor Says ‘No One Is Above the Law’ as Police Review Claims Against Ex-Prince Andrew
Businessman Adam Brooks weighs in on the reports that the US is set to help Hamit Coskun flee the UK, over free speech concerns
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi Releases 3.5 Million Pages of Jeffrey Epstein Case Files
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Comment on European allies report blaming Russia for killing late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny using toxin from poison dart frogs
Eighty-Year-Old Lottery Winner Sentenced to 16.5 Years for Drug Trafficking
UK Quran Burner May Receive Asylum in the US Amid Legal Challenges
Rubio Calls for Sweeping U.N. Reform, Saying It Has Failed to End Wars in Gaza and Ukraine
10,000 Condoms Distributed at Winter Olympics 2026 Athlete Village Depleted Within 72 Hours
Poland's President Advocates for Evaluating Independent Nuclear Weapons Development
Prince William Meets Saudi Crown Prince as Epstein-Andrew Fallout Casts Shadow
Starmer Calls for Renewed ‘Hard Power’ Investment at European Security Summit
UK Police Establish National Taskforce to Handle Domestic Epstein-Linked Allegations
UK Court Rules Ban on Palestine Action Unlawful in Major Free Speech Test
UK Faces Prospect of Net Migration Turning Negative as Economic Impact Looms
Mayor of Serdobsk in Russia’s Penza Region Resigns After Housing Certificates Granted to Migrant Family Trigger Public Outcry
Pentagon Reviews Anthropic Partnership After Claude AI Reportedly Used in Operation Targeting Nicolás Maduro
President Donald Trump and Hip-Hop’s Political Realignment: Pardons, Public Endorsements, and the Struggle Over Cultural Influence
China’s EV Makers Face Mandatory Return to Physical Buttons and Door Handles in Driver-Distraction Safety Overhaul
Goldman Sachs and DP World Executive Resignations: Elite-Reputation Risk and Corporate Governance Fallout From the Epstein Disclosures
‘Amelia’: The UK Government’s Anti-Extremism Game Villain Who Became a Protest Symbol
Peter Mandelson Asked to Testify Before US Congress Over Jeffrey Epstein Links
Walmart's Earnings and UK Economic Data Highlight Upcoming Financial Trends
×