What is the easiest way to travel and earn money?

For most people, keeping a remote job or freelance clients they already have, then checking the visa rules for each country. Teaching English and working holiday visas are common alternatives for people without remote income.

Can I work in another country on a tourist visa?

Generally, local work requires a work visa or permit. Whether remote work for a foreign employer is allowed on tourist entry varies by country. Check the official immigration source before you travel.

Do I need a degree to teach English abroad?

Some countries and employers require one and others do not. Requirements vary by country, school and platform, so check each employer and the official visa rules.

Which countries offer working holiday visas?

Australia, New Zealand and Canada are well-known examples, and many other countries have bilateral programmes. Eligibility depends on your nationality and age; check the official programme pages.

How to Travel Abroad While Earning Money: 6 Real Routes

Updated October 18, 2026

If you are wondering how to travel abroad while earning money, there are more options than there used to be, but each one comes with its own rules about visas, tax and what kind of work you can do. This guide compares six real routes, from keeping a remote job to teaching English or taking a working holiday, and explains what to check before you rely on any of them. If remote work is your route, start with the live remote job board, which shows each employer's stated location rules.

Disclosure: this page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them Weightless may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what we write.

Route 1: Keep or find a remote job

A salaried remote job is the most stable way to earn while travelling, because the income does not depend on finding local work. The catch is permission: your employer must be willing to have you work from the countries you visit, and that usually depends on where they can run payroll or contract with you. Many listings name approved countries for this reason.

If you already have a remote job, ask in writing whether working from abroad is allowed, for how long, and from which countries. If you are looking for one, focus on remote jobs open outside the US and worldwide roles, and read digital nomad jobs for the job types that travel best.

Route 2: Freelance or contract for clients back home

Freelancing gives you the most control over where you work. Writers, designers, developers, marketers, translators, bookkeepers and virtual assistants often work this way. The trade-off is that you handle your own tax, invoicing, insurance and gaps between clients.

Build the client base before you leave if you can. Arriving abroad with no clients and a short visa is a stressful way to start. Our guide to remote pay, taxes and getting paid explains what changes when you invoice instead of receiving a salary.

Route 3: Teach English online or abroad

Teaching English is one of the oldest ways to fund travel. Online teaching lets you work from your laptop for students in other countries; teaching in a school abroad usually comes with a work visa sponsored by the employer, and sometimes housing. Requirements vary by country and platform: some ask for a degree, a teaching certificate such as a TEFL, or a particular passport.

Read our page on how to teach English online. For direct-hire classroom and online teaching roles, our sister site ESL Careers lists English-teaching jobs and is free for teachers.

Route 4: Working holiday visas

Several countries run working holiday programmes that let younger travellers from partner countries stay for an extended period and take local jobs. Australia, New Zealand and Canada are well-known examples. Age limits, eligible nationalities, quotas and conditions differ by country and change, so read the official pages: Australia's Working Holiday visa, New Zealand's Working Holiday visas and Canada's International Experience Canada.

A working holiday is usually about local work such as hospitality, farm or seasonal jobs, not remote work for a foreign employer, although some people combine both where the visa allows it.

Route 5: A digital nomad visa or remote worker permit

If you already earn remotely and want to stay somewhere for months rather than weeks, a digital nomad visa can give you a clear legal basis to live there while working for employers or clients abroad. These programmes typically ask for proof of remote income, health insurance and a clean record, and generally do not let you work for local employers. Our guide to digital nomad visas explains how they work and links to official sources.

Route 6: Seasonal and location-based work

Some travellers earn with work tied to a place: seasonal jobs at resorts, crewing, tour guiding, au pair placements, or work exchanges where you trade hours for accommodation. These usually need the right visa for the country, even when payment is in kind. Be wary of informal arrangements that would have you working without permission; the consequences can include fines, deportation or bans on re-entry.

Comparing the routes

Ask the same four questions of each option:

Legal basis: which visa or permit allows this work in the country I will be in?
Income stability: what happens if a client leaves or a contract ends?
Tax: where will I owe tax, and who handles it? (General information only; see digital nomad taxes and banking.)
Time zone and hours: can I do this work at sensible hours where I will live? See remote work time zones.

Which route fits your situation

The right route depends mostly on what you already have. Match your starting point to the most realistic option rather than the most appealing one.

You have a remote-friendly job now: ask for written approval to work abroad first. It is the fastest route and keeps your income steady.
You have a skill clients pay for, such as writing, design, development or bookkeeping: build two or three freelance clients before you leave, then travel slowly.
You are a native or highly fluent English speaker without remote experience: teaching online or abroad is often the most accessible start. Check each country's requirements for degrees and certificates.
You are young and from an eligible country: a working holiday visa lets you take local jobs and test life abroad with lower risk.
You already earn remotely and want to settle for months: compare digital nomad visas, and choose a time zone that suits your working hours.
You have none of these yet: stay put a little longer. Use remote jobs with no experience to get a first remote role, and travel once it is stable.

Keep your earnings safe on the road

Earning abroad means more scam risk, not less. Job offers that promise easy money for travellers, ask for upfront fees, or want your passport details before a contract are red flags. Read our remote job scam checklist and what to verify before accepting a remote job.

Then set up the practical side: two ways to pay, a way to receive income in your currency at a reasonable cost, and an emergency fund. Use the cost-of-living calculator to see how far your income goes in the places you are considering.

Browse remote jobs for this

Live listings on Weightless, each showing who the employer says can apply, advertised pay where stated, and working hours.

Before you rely on income abroad

You know which visa or permit covers the work you plan to do.
Your employer or clients have agreed in writing to you working from abroad.
You have checked the official immigration page for each country.
You have an emergency fund in case income stops.
You know where you will owe tax and have asked a professional.
You have checked any job offer against scam red flags.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest way to travel and earn money?: For most people, keeping a remote job or freelance clients they already have, then checking the visa rules for each country. Teaching English and working holiday visas are common alternatives for people without remote income.
Can I work in another country on a tourist visa?: Generally, local work requires a work visa or permit. Whether remote work for a foreign employer is allowed on tourist entry varies by country. Check the official immigration source before you travel.
Do I need a degree to teach English abroad?: Some countries and employers require one and others do not. Requirements vary by country, school and platform, so check each employer and the official visa rules.
Which countries offer working holiday visas?: Australia, New Zealand and Canada are well-known examples, and many other countries have bilateral programmes. Eligibility depends on your nationality and age; check the official programme pages.

Sources

General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by country and change; check current official guidance.