Left The Acting World to Settle in Canada, This Ex-Child Actress Shares Tips for Indonesians Planning to Move Abroad
JAKARTA, December 18, 2024 – The allure of higher salaries, better opportunities, and the prestige of living abroad continues to inspire many Indonesians. As of September 2023, over 2.2 million Indonesians live abroad, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, settling in a new country comes with significant challenges, from navigating visa processes to managing finances.
In conjunction with International Migrants Day on December 18, Wise, a global technology company building the best way to move and manage money internationally, spoke with Gisela Cindy, a former child actress now residing in Canada. Gisela left the entertainment industry in 2012 to pursue higher education in Canada, and has been residing there ever since.
Before moving abroad, it’s crucial to do research and understand the cost of living in your destination country, particularly accommodation costs, which often take up a significant portion of the budget. For those moving through the work visa route, understanding these costs is also important to help you be more selective when applying for jobs abroad, ensuring the salary will cover your living expenses.
“When I decided to move abroad, it was quite spontaneous, and honestly, I didn’t do much research about life in Canada. I was lucky to have an Indonesian friend in Canada and an international education agency in Indonesia that helped me find a place to live and handle administrative processes,” said Gisela. “But not everyone’s journey may be as smooth. It’s better to do thorough research about the cost of living here to get a clear picture of how much initial funding you’ll need.”
Gisela began her journey of moving abroad by pursuing higher education in Canada. Although this can be expensive, her status as an international student allowed her to work while studying, which helped her secure a full-time job and eventually qualify for permanent residency.
One of the processes of obtaining permanent residency in Canada is based on a points system called Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Factors such as education, work experience, language proficiency, and job title contribute to the points you accumulate.
“The higher your job title and the more experience you have, the more points you earn,” explained Gisela. “After gaining one year of full-time work experience, I was eligible to apply for permanent residency and successfully obtained it.”
In addition to higher education, Indonesians should also anticipate the need for foreign language certifications and courses, which can incur additional costs before moving abroad.
If you plan to send money internationally, such as to the local bank account you’ve opened in your destination country, it is important to choose a provider which offers the
“My family used to send me money from Indonesia through traditional providers, but the transfer fees were extremely high. On top of that, I realised that the exchange rates were marked up. Then I found Wise, which offers low fees and transparent exchange rates. I’m also able to track the exchange rates on the mobile app, and get rate alerts in real time, which is helpful whenever I need to send money overseas,” Gisela shared.
Through her personal experience, Gisela hopes these tips will guide Indonesians planning to work or settle abroad, helping them better prepare themselves for the challenges they face and ultimately achieve success in their destination countries.
About Wise
Wise is a global technology company, building the best way to move and manage the world's money. With Wise Account and Wise Business, people and businesses can hold 40 currencies, move money between countries and spend money abroad. Large companies and banks use Wise technology too; an entirely new network for the world's money.
One of the world’s fastest growing, profitable tech companies, Wise launched in 2011 and is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker, WISE.
In fiscal year 2024, Wise supported around 12.8 million people and businesses, processing approximately £118.5 billion in cross-border transactions, and saving customers over £1.8 billion.