Overseas Experience (OE) is a New Zealand term for an extended overseas working period or holiday. It is sometimes referred to as "The big OE", in reference to the extended duration of the travel: typically at least one year, and often extended far longer. It is however generally expected that the person returns after a few years with work and life experience and a wider outlook. This is considered important to career development, especially among professionals.
From the 1950s, OEs were often centred on London, and were described as "going home", a "working holiday", or an "overseas trip", until the term OE was popularised by New Zealand cartoonist and columnist Tom Scott in the mid 1970s.[1][2][3]