Working evening and weekend shifts abroad: what you get in return

Quick Answer

• Some jobs abroad work in shifts, such as customer service, content moderation and online croupier roles, and these can include evenings and weekends.

• You usually get your rota a few weeks in advance, so there’s plenty of time to plan ahead.

• Work a Saturday, and you get a day off during the week in return.

• Free mornings and midweek days off leave time for markets, beaches and trips without the crowds.

Which jobs abroad have evening and weekend shifts?

Evening and weekend shifts are most common in jobs that follow other people’s free time, such as customer service, content moderation and online croupier roles. In these jobs, shifts are simply how the week works, so it helps to know what that actually means for your free time. Some roles stick to fixed daytime hours, others rotate between early and late. A late shift might run from around 14:00 to 22:00. Every vacancy is different, so it's always worth asking one of our recruiters before you apply. 

Why do customer service teams work evenings and weekends?

Shifts often fall in the evening and at the weekend, because that’s when most people have time. Someone in Utrecht or Hamburg calls about a delivery question after dinner, online casino players mostly log in during their free time, and social media platforms never close, so someone has to keep an eye on them around the clock.

The time difference can work in your favour. Portugal is an hour behind the Netherlands and Germany, so if a customer line closes at 22:00 Dutch time, you're done at 21:00 in Lisbon.

What do you do with a free morning abroad?

On a late shift, your day doesn’t start with an alarm and a crowded tram. It starts with coffee on a terrace while the city wakes up. After that, there’s time for a market like Atarazanas in Málaga, with fresh fish and fruits that are at their best in the morning. In summer, the morning is also the only time the beach is pleasant before the real heat kicks in.

Free mornings are also when the gym is empty, a Spanish or Portuguese class fits in easily, and you can run errands without rushing. And in Spain, finishing at ten doesn't mean missing dinner. Many restaurants only fill up around that time anyway. 🍴

I love strolling through one of the many flea markets in Valencia. They’re only during the day, so on a late shift I can take my time and still grab lunch with a friend before heading to the office.

Curious which roles fit your rhythm? Our jobs in Spain are a good place to start, with Valencia as the city where many people start their life abroad. Prefer the Greek sun? With jobs in Greece in Athens or Thessaloniki, your free morning starts with a frappé on a terrace, followed by a swim in the sea.

Why is a day off midweek better than a Saturday?

Because everyone else is at work, most places are way calmer. The places that are packed on a Saturday are quiet on a Wednesday. The fairytale town of Sintra near Lisbon, an Athens beach with room for your towel, a museum where you can actually stand in front of the painting. 🏖️

It's cheaper too. Flights and short trips midweek are often less expensive than at the weekend, so two days off in a row midweek can easily become a short trip to a Greek island or the Algarve. And the practical side matters more than you’d expect: banks and the tax office are mostly open on weekdays only, and a dentist appointment is much easier to fit in on a free Tuesday morning. With a weekday off, you sort it all out without taking leave. 

How do you keep a social life when you work shifts?

Keeping up with your social life might be easier than you think, because your colleagues work the same kind of rota. The people you meet at work are often the ones who are also free on a Tuesday afternoon, and that's how a lot of friendships abroad start.

It does take some planning, but shift work doesn’t mean all your weekends are gone. You’ll still have plenty of free Saturdays and Sundays for a birthday or a night out with friends. Many people keep one fixed thing in their week, like a sports club or a language course, and plan trips as soon as the new rota comes out. Curious about ways to meet new people abroad? Read our tips on making friends abroad.

When the new rota comes out, the first thing we do is check who’s free when. By the end of the day, we’ve usually planned our next day trip.

Is working shifts abroad right for you?

It suits you if you like variety, enjoy a slow start to the day or love having the city to yourself on a weekday. Early birds often like early shifts, night owls prefer late ones, and many people find out abroad that they like both.

It's less of a match if your weekends are fixed, for example with a sports team you play for every Saturday. If you have doubts, ask our team about the working hours of a specific job before you apply. We'd rather have you know what to expect than be surprised after you've moved.

Ready to swap a Sunday for a Tuesday at the beach?

Evening and weekend shifts sound like a sacrifice until you're on an almost empty beach on a Tuesday morning. Have a look at all our vacancies abroad and find a job that fits the life you want to live. 🌊