Working abroad

[u/Fun_Formal2435]

Hi all,

London based planner here with just shy of a decades experience. I am eager to move abroad and want to know if others have successfully moved and worked as a planner (without having had experience in that country). I've worked in consultancy and as the government and the Greater London Authority but fancy a few years abroad. Eager to hear about others experience in getting work/ securing job offers before a move. Essentially I am open to anywhere but I want to work in this field so I would like to hear about others experience in securing roles.

I am working towards chartership at present!

[u/AitchyB]

I’m in NZ and we have quite a few English planners, and kiwis work in planning in the UK in droves so it should be possible. I’d think you’d need to be in the country with a valid visa to be considered though.

[u/Pajmans]

I certainly knew one UK based DM planner who moved to Australia and is working in Melbourne, so I assume it's possible in the sense that UK qualifications and experience can be applied abroad, at least in Australia. My hunch is that Ireland, Australia, and NZ probably have planning systems more similar to ours (but I couldn't say that with great certainty except for Ireland: the RTPI represents Irish planners too) while North America (Canada and USA) and continental Europe differ more, and UK planning experience would be less relevant.

[u/Exe-volt]

You'd probably have a pretty easy time with the US if you're not going to one of the really big or super in demand cities. My coworker is from a state with infinitely more complex laws and was top pick from the moment she applied because all we normally get are small town planners who are looking to break into city planning. We also had one who was from the Caribbean who was still on a visa.

The difficulty will be getting them to help with the visa rather than skills or knowledge.

[u/ppizzzaaa]

MRTPI is only really recognised in anglophone commonwealth countries, so that rules out most of Europe, unless you have architecture or engineering as a first degree (but even then brexit has taken away the equivalency of UK degrees that would have enabled you to register as planner in other European countries, so you may have to double check that too) — edit, just to add RTPI isnt great on providing advice on this, so your best bet is writing to the equivalent body in the county you’re considering

[u/LongjumpingFinger115]

Canada is tricky as most private sector jobs will require you to be registered w the CPPI. There's no equivalence to RTPI but your decade of experience will fast track you to just having to do the exam. You can also work towards that at your new job. I would buckle up if you're thinking US/CA because there's a whole new level of government you'll need to be aware of. It's less of nationally based strategy and more provincial/state and municipal.

Planning laws will differ from state to state/or province to province; there's is a wealth of towns and medium sized cities that would have you. There's a lot more jobs this way as the cities are better funded so a council might have urban designers, dm planners, heritage planners, policy team, and planning researchers. Working for a provincial government or the various arms length agencies (e.g. Waterfront Toronto) could also work. All the best!!

[u/VancityPlanner → u/LongjumpingFinger115]

There are some factual inaccuracies in this post. With respect to the Canadian context, maintaining RPP/LPP (Registered/Licensed Professional Planner) designation with the provincial or territorial association and the Canadian Institute of Planners (which is generally equivalent to the RTPI as the professional association for planners, with some specific caveats) for either private sector or public sector jobs is very region-specific.

[u/organisedchaos98]

I am an Australian Planner looking at moving abroad to UK for Planning role. Wonder if there is some sort of exchange we could do?

[u/Fun_Formal2435 → u/organisedchaos98]

haha, I work with loads of Australian planners. You'll be fine getting a job here

[u/organisedchaos98 → u/Fun_Formal2435]

😂 Do most of them have the job lined up before moving?

[u/Fun_Formal2435 → u/organisedchaos98]

Nope, most come and do contract work in London and then secure permanent roles. I think quite a few places are still willing to chip in for the visa! Do you know if there's any chance of sponsored roles in Aus? I'm assuming not.

[u/organisedchaos98 → u/Fun_Formal2435]

I think sponsored positions are unlikely. I work in local government and most positions they require you to have a visa already, but may assist with visa extensions etc if you have been in the role a while and your visa is expiring. I think sponsored roles are more likely in the private sector, maybe for some big urban planning / architecture firms