Global Employment Initiative (GEI)

THE GLOBAL EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE, (GEI) is designed to help family members with career development and identification of employment opportunities. GEI establishes global partnerships with multinational corporations, organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide family members of U.S. direct-hire employees serving abroad with the contacts necessary to develop and sustain their career ambitions. Global Employment Advisors (GEAs) assist Foreign Service family members in finding employment in the local economy by building networks of potential local employers and providing coaching, workshops and other career development services. Currently, GEI services 65 posts through 17 GEAs who provide in-country and regional support.

Contact FLO's Employment Team or schedule a conference call to help you understand the mapping and resources of this valuable employment support site. Email us at FLOAskEmployment@state.gov.

Download the GEI brochure here


GEI SERVICES OVERSEAS ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO CATEGORIES

  • In-Country GEI Offices are located within the U.S. mission and are represented by a full-time or part-time Global Employment Advisor (GEA). GEAs provide regular program services on-site, including local economy networking, job placement assistance, and career development services, to the family members of USG employees assigned to these U.S. missions.
  • Regional GEI Services are extended to areas where the relative size of the U.S. missions, the opportunities for local economy employment, cultural, and geographic characteristics are similar. Regional GEAs provide regular program services to family members at U.S. missions remotely (via email and phone) and have a designated number of on-site visits throughout the year.

IMPORTANT ISSUES TO KEEP IN MIND: REGARDING EMPLOYMENT ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY

  • Chief of Mission approval - Any family member who accepts a position on the local economy must obtain a work permit (where applicable) and notify and receive approval from the Chief of Mission before they can start work.
  • Cultural awareness - Different countries have different behavioral customs, dress codes, and hierarchical dynamics in the workplace. Individual countries even have different resume requirements. Family members should be aware of the cultural “norms” before sending out their resumes and scheduling interviews.
  • Language requirements - Jobs on the local economy in your host country may require family members to speak, read and/or write in the local language.
  • Local salary levels - In many countries, local salaries are lower than U.S. salaries, and family members should consider this before they search for jobs outside the Mission.
  • Local taxes - Family members might be required to pay local taxes.
  • Security concerns – Family members should consider safety of their environment and take proper precautions (e.g. if safety is an issue when commuting to work it might not be wise for family members to work on the local economy).

WORK PERMITS: BILATERAL WORK AGREEMENTS AND DE FACTO AGREEMENTS

Foreign Service family members seeking employment on the local economy overseas need to be aware of the work permit regulations in their host country. Eligible family members (EFMs) can apply for a work permit upon arrival at post and HR will assist with the application process. Under a bilateral work agreement (BWA), EFMs do not need to have an offer of employment first. However, requirements for work permits may vary based upon the specific BWA with the country of assignment. For more information on bilateral work agreements, click here.

In countries where bilateral work agreements do not exist, family members may still be able to obtain work permits. Unlike BWAs, de facto agreements are not official treaties and are subject to change at any time. Under a de facto work agreements, EFMs are typically required to have an offer of employment prior to requesting a work permit and there may be some restrictions on the permitted fields of employment.

THIS MATERIAL IS SPECIFIC TO FOREIGN SERVICE EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES


-GEI brochure  [889 Kb]

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