Working in Washington DC

The largest employer in Washington DC is the US government. Around a sixth of Washington DC works for the federal government and a number of top area industries are closely related, including defence contracting, lobbying, non-profit centres and publishing.

One benefit of such close knit ties with government is the resilience to economic turndown that accompanies the relationship.

That being said, professional and business services are increasingly replacing the federal government as top employers.

Foreigners are unlikely to get a job working for the US government, but many expats work closely with its agencies and are employed by overseas companies or foreign governments. Almost every country has representation in Washington DC, making for a diverse expat community.

Expats in Washington DC can find work unrelated to government through top industries in DC such as scientific research and finance. The cost of living is one of the highest in the US and wages should be adjusted to compensate relocated expats.