NEETs, short for “Not in Education, Employment, or Training,” refer to young people under 30 who are neither studying nor working. Many may feel trapped in a cycle they cannot escape, especially if they lack the skills and experience needed to break into their country's workforce. A stint abroad could provide the right opportunity to break free from this stagnation.
One-fifth of the world's youth are NEETs
The International Labor Organization's (ILO) Global Employment Trends for Youth 2024 report contains data from 2023. The good news is that global youth unemployment has dropped to 13%, one of the lowest levels seen this century. Only three regions, namely the Gulf states, East Asia, and Southeast Asia, have seen a slight rise (less than 5%) in youth unemployment.
However, alarmingly, 20% of young people remain neither in education nor employed. The groups most at risk reflect broader economic and gender inequalities, as young women and youth from the Global South comprise the majority of NEETs. Only 10.4% of under-30s in the Global North, that is, in North America, Europe, and some parts of Asia-Pacific, such as Australia and Japan, are not actively studying or working. Meanwhile, 28.6% of youth from low-income countries and 23.1% of them in lower-middle-income countries (e.g., India, Egypt) are in that limbo. 30% of all young women worldwide are NEETs, with many trapped in unpaid or poorly paid informal work.
The report highlights the challenges faced by both NEETs and non-NEET youths:
- There is a shortage of decent, well-paying, and secure jobs in their home countries.
- A gap exists between their level of education and the job opportunities available in their country's labor market. This is particularly evident in high-income and upper-middle-income countries, where many young people are overeducated. Despite having advanced degrees and valuable skills, they cannot fully realize their potential due to a lack of suitable positions.
- Rising anxiety among under-30s about their job security.
- Africa is poised to confront a major demographic challenge as the home of the largest population of under-30s in the world. By 2050, there will be a projected 76 million young people on the continent. They might face unemployment or underemployment, and this will drive many to expatriate to countries that are experiencing a decline in their youth demographics. This is already the case in countries such as Nigeria, where large numbers of highly educated young people are choosing expatriation.
The skills, resilience and network that NEETs gain from moving abroad can set them apart
Develop new skills or apply their underused skills to a new market
Young people who lack skills to join their home country's workforce can gain them by spending time working abroad. Beyond the specific skills taught by the job itself (e.g., cooking skills for those working as line cooks), there are invaluable soft skills inherently tied to the expat experience: foreign languages, cultural awareness and intercultural communication, adaptability, and time management, among others. When they move back home, these skills will make them stand out in the competitive job market from other locals who have never worked abroad.
NEETs may have been unsure of their vocation back home. This might have made them feel lost in life and unmotivated. Being thrown into a new job abroad could help them discover an unexpected passion for fields like education or agriculture, for instance, by teaching English as a second language or working as a farm helper. The new environment and experience might even spark an entrepreneurial idea in their minds.
Another possibility is that NEETs already have skills, but these skills are oversaturated in their home country's market. For instance, India has a surplus of engineers. Even among engineering graduates of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), only 60% managed to secure job placements in 2024, reports The Times of India. In the same year, only 10% of new graduates were able to find engineering jobs within a year. In contrast, other countries like the Netherlands and Australia are suffering from a shortage of engineers. Indian engineers who are unable to find work at home could move to countries like these to gain work experience. At home, they are likely to remain NEETs, but with the right opportunity, they could move where their skills are needed.
Expand their network beyond familiar circles
Months or even years of staying at home might have isolated NEETs. Networking has been shown to be just as important as education, skills, and experience when it comes to finding job opportunities, with some experts even suggesting that up to 80% of jobs are found through networking. NEETs from underserved communities (e.g., those living in geographically isolated areas and women from ethnic minority groups) often face even greater challenges in accessing networks that could connect them to good job opportunities.
A stint working abroad could help them expand their network. For example, even just working as a waitress on a cruise ship might give them the chance to connect with colleagues and guests from all walks of life. Working in a highly cosmopolitan expat destination, such as the capital city of a big country, can help young workers build a diverse, multinational network. They may develop professional connections that their isolated self back home could never have imagined a few years ago.
Grow more confident
At home, years of unemployment may have worn down the self-confidence of NEETs. They might feel ashamed of relying financially on their families or the state and believe they're falling behind friends who are working or studying. This shame, combined with depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, can trap them in a vicious cycle, leaving them unmotivated to search for local job opportunities. A 2022 study by the Learning and Work Institute and The Prince's Trust in the UK found that NEETs experience higher levels of mental health problems than their peers in employment or education.
Working abroad can be a way for them to break out of this cycle. A fresh start in a new environment, free from the judgment of family and old friends, can reignite their motivation to work. Overcoming challenges in a foreign country can boost their confidence and sense of accomplishment. Cooking for yourself, cleaning your own studio or room, navigating public transport abroad, and learning a new language can all make these young people feel empowered. They will no longer be scared of taking on responsibility.
Working abroad for NEETs: zero-cost starting options
Moving abroad is not always easy for NEETs. It requires financial resources to cover initial expenses like an outbound plane ticket, course fees, and rental deposits. For NEETs from high-income countries, even modest savings in strong currencies give them an economic advantage, as they are able to afford opportunities slightly more easily in lower-income countries.
Working holidays
Reciprocal Working Holiday agreements tend to exist mostly between Global North countries, which does not make them an option for NEETs from the Global South. These agreements allow young citizens of each country to spend 6-12 months gaining work experience in the other. For instance, the Working Holiday visa in Australia is open only to NEETs under 35 from a list of European countries and a few upper-middle-income Asian countries.
Furthermore, Working Holiday visa application fees can be steep, and applicants must provide evidence of sufficient savings to cover their initial months abroad. If NEETs are living off their families or unemployment benefits, they may not have these savings. The Australian Working Holiday visa, to give an example, requires at least 5,000 Australian dollars (or 3,100 US dollars) in savings.
What about NEETs from the Global South or NEETs in the Global North who come from underserved communities and do not have savings? Fortunately, some pathways exist that can allow them to work abroad for the first time without spending anything (or much) as initial costs. Here are some ideas:
Work on a cruise ship
Entry-level positions on cruise ships often have minimal entry requirements, making them an accessible option for NEETs without degrees or even high school diplomas who do not qualify for more competitive work visas abroad. As detailed by the jobs platform All Cruise Job, the requirements are usually being at least 21, speaking English, having a passport, and passing a medical exam and safety training. The safety training is often provided by the cruise company itself. If NEETs know additional languages, including their mother tongue, this can help them get hired more easily.
For NEETs seeking a first service role outside of their home country, working on a cruise ship can be a great opportunity. On board, they can work as waiters, bartenders, deckhands, housekeepers, or line cooks. While it's not a traditional expat experience, and being at sea for months on end can be grueling, it provides a dynamic and adventurous way to gain work experience, earn money, and explore the world at the same time. When cruise ships stop at different ports, employees can usually disembark and explore the location for a few days.
Some cruise ship jobs, such as food service positions, offer an annual salary of only around 23,000 US dollars. While this might seem modest, it can be a significant improvement for young people who previously had no income at all or for young workers from developing countries, where the exchange rate makes this salary more valuable in their local currency. Cruise ship workers can also boost their earnings through tips and gratuities from guests onboard.
Be an au pair for a family abroad
Au pair programs provide young people with the opportunity to care for children and assist with light housework while living with a host family abroad. During these 6-12 months, in return, they receive accommodation, meals, a stipend, and additional compensation for the domestic work. While living with the family, they also learn about the local culture and can even pick up the local language, which can become an employable skill.
These programs are an accessible expat experience for NEETs without many qualifications or much experience. Typically, all that is required is a high school diploma and basic English skills. While participants may need to pay for a visa and plane ticket, there are no additional expenses to worry about.
Most programs set the age limit at 18 to 30, but some families may prefer au pairs no older than 25-27, and others may accept older teenagers (16–17) with parental consent. Before moving in with the host family, the au pair agency provides participants with childcare training. It is crucial to find au pair placements through trustworthy agencies. Although some matching platforms, such as Au Pair World, can be reliable, it's always safer to have an agency thoroughly vet the host family.
The US Department of State has a special au pair program called BridgeUSA. It is open to 18-26 year-olds from anywhere in the world, with the requirement that they must also complete 6 credits worth of courses at a post-secondary institution in the US during their stay. That is roughly equivalent to two semester-long academic modules. In the past years, BridgeUSA au pair participants have come not only from the Global North but also the Global South, especially from South American countries like Colombia and Brazil.
The ALMA program for EU citizens
ALMA, which stands for “Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve,” is an initiative by the European Union to provide training and a work placement to NEETs within the union. ALMA offers a tailored training program to these young Europeans in their home country, followed by a 2-6 month work placement in another EU country. During the placement, participants are guided by a mentor. Afterwards, they continue to receive support to find work using their newly acquired skills.
The EU funds all aspects of this experience, from the plane ticket to health insurance to accommodation, so that the young participants do not have to spend a cent. NEETs cannot apply directly to the program. They must first contact an organization like an NGO, school, or job center in their home country that works with the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the EU body that funds ALMA. For more information about who to contact, NEETs can send an email to EMPL-ALMA@ec.europa.eu.
Join another country's armed forces
Did you know that some countries allow non-citizens and non-residents to enlist in their military? If you're young, physically fit and open to the idea of becoming a soldier, this can be an interesting pathway to working abroad. Serving in the military often allows expats to gain permanent residency or citizenship more quickly than other expats.
The Foreign Legion (“Légion Étrangère”) of the French military accepts recruits from any country in the world, not just from within the EU. There are no education requirements (not even a high school diploma) nor any French language requirements. Recruits must simply be aged between 17 and 39, be literate in their native language, and have a passport. French classes are provided to them during their military training in case they don't speak it. After 3 years of service, this expat soldier (called a “légionnaire”) can apply for French citizenship.
The Spanish Armed Forces accept new recruits from multiple countries that used to be part of the Spanish empire. NEETs between 18-29 from Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela can enlist in the Spanish army. However, restrictions apply to the positions they can occupy in this army and the duration of their service (i.e., it might be difficult to get contracts longer than 6 years).
The militaries of Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg enlist soldiers from other EU or EEA countries. Meanwhile, in Asia, the Indian Armed Forces accept young recruits from Nepal and Bhutan.
