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. Increasingly, professional and business services are replacing the federal government as top employers. Yet, with such a percentage of the economy tied to governance, the city tends to be resilient to economic downturns.

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.

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