Social Work Jobs Abroad: Salary, Demand and Opportunities

Planning to build a thriving career in social work abroad? You’re certainly at the right place then! In this blog, we are going to talk about social work jobs abroad in detail. Not only will we discuss the most prominent jobs after social work courses abroad, but we will also discuss the growth prospects.

Besides, we will cover salaries, demand across top study abroad destinations and how to plan your career in social work. Lastly, we will also tell you which countries are the best to pursue social work courses abroad. On the other side of this blog, you will have complete clarity on building a highly successful social work career overseas.

So, let us get started without further ado! Firstly, let us walk you through a list of top social work jobs abroad with their salaries.

Prominent Careers in Social Work Abroad

Child Welfare Worker

Their essential job role involves working towards child protection and facilitating the safe adoption of children. The role will also include working towards the welfare of children displaced by wars of those affected by natural calamities.

Needless to say, children deserve a safe and sustainable future. What is also true is that the world in its present state is plagued by wars, natural disasters and ever-increasing crimes against children. Hence, there is a genuine need for people to work in this field from the virtue of social work.

Speaking of employers, there are various regional, national and international child welfare agencies working around the globe. Adoption agencies or services also hire child welfare officers or workers. Lastly, global organisations like UNICEF also employ child welfare specialists.

Average Salary

The average annual salary in Canada is around CAD 70,000 (SalaryExpert)
The average annual salary in Australia is around AUD 65,000 (SalaryExpert)
The average annual salary in the UK is around 35,000 Pounds (SalaryExpert)
The average annual salary in the US is around USD 55,000 (SalaryExpert)

It is preferred that you have a Master of Social Work degree to be suitable for child welfare specialist roles.

Humanitarian Aid Social Worker

Another prominent and unfortunately booming career is that of a humanitarian aid social worker. Why I say it is unfortunate is because the ongoing conflicts, wars and calamities have left so many people at the mercy of humanitarian aid.

This role typically involves working in areas affected by disasters, conflict zones and areas of high refugee influx. Humanitarian aid social workers not only coordinate efforts in terms of aid but also work to protect those displaced from trafficking and exploitation.

However, although self-explanatory, this is one of the social work jobs abroad that isn’t going to be about luxury, comfort, or convenience. As a humanitarian aid social worker, you will most likely find yourself working in dejected situations amid a tough environment. You may end up working for international organisations like the United Nations, UNHCR and so on.

Average Salary

The average annual salary in Canada is around CAD 50,000 (Glassdoor)
The average annual salary in Australia is around AUD 100,000 (Glassdoor)
The average annual salary in the UK is around 25,000 Pounds (Glassdoor)
The average annual salary in the US is around USD 60,000 (Humanitarian Careers)

Substance Abuse Counsellor

While the demand for a humanitarian aid social worker is specific to trouble areas, the demand for substance abuse counsellors is more global. Again, it is unfortunate that more and more youngsters are getting drawn towards substance abuse.

Substance abuse counsellors work in rehabilitation settings and de-addiction setups to support the affected. You can either work for a rehabilitation clinic or for an NGO that is committed to making a positive impact.

In fact, it is a pretty good profession to be in if we speak about social work jobs abroad. You’d be working towards saving and empowering the youth, the change makers of tomorrow.

Average Salary

The average annual salary in Canada is around CAD 65,000 (Glassdoor)
The average annual salary in Australia is around AUD 65,000 (Glassdoor)
The average annual salary in the UK is around 25,000 Pounds (Glassdoor)
The average annual salary in the US is around USD 48,000 (SalaryExpert)

CSR Consultant

Are you looking for a perfect blend of social work and a corporate culture? If supporting humans in distress is not your thing, or if you feel rehabilitation settings aren’t for you, this may be your perfect fit.

All corporate houses have their corporate social responsibility obligations to meet. In fact, businesses with purpose are looked at with a positive perspective in the modern world. Consumers are more interested in brands that are also committed to making a positive impact on society or the environment. Hence, it’s also a part of companies’ efforts to stay relevant and competent.

As a corporate social responsibility consultant or counsellor, you help companies plan and coordinate their efforts towards sustainability and community. You help businesses find unique avenues for their corporate social responsibility commitments. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

You can either be employed as a full-time consultant with an organisation, work for CSR consulting services or work as a freelancer.

Average Salary

The average annual salary in Canada is around CAD 45,000 (Glassdoor)
The average annual salary in Australia is around AUD 75,000 (Enable.Green)
The average annual salary in the UK is around 39,000 Pounds (Glassdoor)
The average annual salary in the US is around USD 64,000 (Zip Recruiter)

Healthcare Social Worker

Healthcare social workers work in healthcare settings to support patients and their families with formalities, administrative work and counselling. They help in effective coordination and communication between families and medical teams.

Besides, healthcare social workers also coordinate discharge routines and long-term care. As a healthcare social worker, you work as part of the medical team to improve the efficiency of the entire healthcare system. There are often some information, procedural and knowledge gaps between patients or their families and medical experts. As a healthcare social worker, you fill this gap.

Speaking of scope, a lot of first world countries now have added pressure on their healthcare systems. This is mainly due to population growth and the influx of immigrants. At the same time, developing countries are now on the path to building strong healthcare systems to put in place. Having said that, the scope of growth for this profession seems bright for the next 10 to 15 years at least.

Average Salary

The average annual salary in Canada is around CAD 58,000 (Glassdoor)
The average annual salary in Australia is around AUD 73,000 (Glassdoor)
The average annual salary in the UK is around 50,000 Pounds (SalaryExpert)
The average annual salary in the US is around USD 58,000 (Glassdoor)

So, now you certainly have a great idea of which careers are among the promising when it comes to social work. You also have an idea of the average salaries across study abroad destinations.

Next, let me tell you some of the best universities across the world where you can pursue social work courses abroad. Attaining education from these universities will enhance the chances of getting into high-paying social work jobs abroad.

Universities You Should Aim For To Study Social Work

Here’s a list of top universities (in no particular order) where you can pursue social work courses abroad. The list features the top universities to study in Australia, Canada, the US and the UK.

London School of Economics (United Kingdom)
University of Toronto (Canada)
University of Sydney (Australia)
University of Melbourne (Australia)
University of Michigan – Ann Arbour (The United States)
University of British Columbia (Canada)
Monash University (Australia)
Columbia University (The United States)
University of Bielefeld (Germany)
National University of Ireland, Galway (Ireland)

Next, let’s talk about the best countries where you can pursue social work courses and social work jobs abroad. Given below is the list in no particular order.

The United States of America
The United Kingdom
Australia
Germany
Canada

So, that’s all about it! Now you have a fair understanding of social work jobs abroad and the salaries. You also understand which universities are best suited to pursue social work and which countries have the best prospects. If some doubts remain unanswered, you can also reach out to us for career counselling and study abroad assistance.

Our expert counsellors will help you define what is best suited for you, both in terms of choosing a career and choosing the right institution. It is always better to look at future possibilities from the viewpoint of credible information. We’d make sure that you have access to the information that empowers your decision-making.

Author Bio : Shivam Garg

As an entrepreneur working in the domain of education with the vision of empowering young learners to be future leaders, I love to share my insights and views quite passionately through my pieces of content which too are aimed at bringing a positive difference. With 10 plus years of experience entrepreneurship, mentoring and writing, there is a lot I have to share with the youngsters around.

shivam.garg092@gmail.com

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