Overview of jobs for foreigners in Myanmar

There is no denying that Myanmar is a fascinating place to be, especially at this time in history. People come to here for a variety of different reasons. Some come as tourists, and simply fall in love with the country and its people. Many come for business opportunities, some come to study the culture, and some are sent here on assignments, contracts and projects. However, regardless of the motivations, and different occupations and skill levels, there are plenty of jobs for foreigners in Myanmar. Expat jobs in Myanmar may be in a professional capacity, such as in big banks, management consultancies, IT departments and real estate. However these jobs for expats in Myanmar tend to be more at high management level as the salaries for foreigners are considerably higher, meaning that companies are trying to prioritise “breeding from within” and training Myanmar nationals for these positions, meaning that many jobs are often being offered to foreigners on a consulting basis rather than full time. There are also many NGO’s and non-profit jobs for expats in Myanmar. Some of these roles are filled by people who wish to be in Myanmar, and others are a result of people being assigned here. NGO’s may be based in urban centres such as Yangon or out in the field. There are also many jobs for different types of engineers, who will also often come to work on projects, whether they be building or civil engineering and infrastructure projects. Other jobs for foreigners that are extremely popular in Myanmar are those in a teaching capacity. There are jobs at many schools, especially the international ones, which require teachers for all subjects as well as English. English tutoring is also extremely popular. Coming with the influx of expats and the booming tourism industry is a demand for some western comforts, so many high end restaurants and bars have been opened by expats in order to cater to foreigners in Myanmar, but again the jobs for expats in hospitality in Myanmar are more high management as Myanmar nationals are being trained in most positions.

Career advancement for expats in Myanmar

Myanmar opened up to the world in 2011. Technological advancements together with the reforms in the recent years encouraged its progress and transition towards a democratic society. For many of these advancements, foreign investment and expertise from the international community is required. Thus, there are job opportunities across most industries in Myanmar, within urban centres such as Yangon and throughout the land, even in rural communities. Under most circumstances, to obtain a job as a foreigner a relevant degree as well as expertise is normally required. Especially in the fields of telecommunication, engineering, Human Resources, accounting, NGO’s and non-profit. Many of these roles exist in international companies, and some of these expat jobs will be filled by people on secondment who are specifically brought in to set up the branch, and train Myanmar nationals in their positions. For teaching jobs, under some circumstances a degree in education is required (especially for full time roles in the international schools) but often internationally recognised qualifications such as TEFL will suffice. There are also volunteering positions available which may not require any formal qualifications, and they provide wonderful experience. There are also jobs for foreigners in Myanmar in the media and communications industries. For example at magazines, newspapers, and websites. Jobs such as content writing can be carried out in a full time or freelance capacity. It is fair to say that Myanmar is a dynamic and affordable country, and for those that wish to live here as an expat, there are many diverse opportunities.