American in Paris for 1 year working as a Senior DevSecOps Engineer (or whatever they want to call us).
Went from 225kUSD/yr in usa to 95kEUR in Europe (most senior devs are lucky to get 75k, paris tech salaries are lagging behind London, AMS and Berlin. I felt like I was getting underpaid until I figured out (awkwardly at a dinner) that i make more than a lot of doctors and government ministers.
Plus the healthcare, subsidized transit, subsidized lunches 20 days a month and TRUE vacation means I'm never going back to the states.
All that being said, I'm bouncing to Berlin for a higher salary and a roughly 30 percent drop in cost of living compared to Paris.
Check out jobbatical.com
Amsterdam is a hot scene, Berlin is hot and affordable, dont come to Paris unless you really speak French and or have deep Fintech/banking tech background.
Left the states a few years ago. After a 2 years stint in Toronto at a startup I now work for a Swedish development agency in Gothenburg.
6 weeks of paid vacation, great public transit, and affordable housing all mean I'm never going back to the states. If your considering moving to Europe, I'd highly recommend it. Salary isn't everything in life.
For some reason the UK Tech Nation visa isn't filled in. Proper name is Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent). Tech Nation are the 'designated competent body' for the tech specialistaion - it's a generic visa for specialists who've been endorsed by a body in the UK from their industry. It cost something like £600 all up for the actual fees, then they sting you with an NHS surcharge which is now £400 a year I think - another gift to immigrants from Mrs May. They only give about 400-odd of them a year.
I've got the visa, I feel like the requirements for this visa should mention that putting together the application process was a shitload of work because it goes to a panel of industry people to be assesed, so is much, much harder to get than a lot of the other ones which are more criteria based. Really, if you want it, you need to convince the panelists that you'll add value to UK tech somehow, beyond just being an employee.
Oh yeah, can't edit my comment, but you've got the cost wrong. It's a two part application process, so when you apply to get endorsed, it's £456. Then, once you've been endorsed, you can apply for the actual visa using the endorsement you got from tech nation. That's £156. It used to be £268 for each stage, so split 50/50.
I'm also very confident there's only 400 a year. 2000 is the total for all the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visas, across all industries and disciplines - so engineering, art, music, etc etc.
I have a Danish startup visa and happy to answer questions.
One thing re funding I wish I understood before I moved here: Europe has no favoured state laws which prevent governments from unilaterally propping up local companies, startups are no exception. However, there is a "no one cares" de minimus limit of 200k euros. Any published funding accompanying a startup visa will come out of this amount, and in practice there are many other schemes to receive money up until the 200k limit. Beyond that you start applying for European wide funding schemes. I'd choose your destination on other factors, since all state money is subject to the same limit.
It's strange when I think about it that I could tell you quite a bit about the US immigration and visa system (and I've never even used it apart from a J-1 years ago) but I have absolutely no idea how my own country the UK does immigration and visas.
I don't think it's that strange at all: information about your native country's visa system is almost entirely irrelevant to you. I also don't know what's on my country's citizenship exam because I'll never have to take it.
Another avenue to consider is that Ireland allows citizenship by registration for anyone with a grandparent born in Ireland. It’s a pretty easy process if you qualify, and isn’t a visa, you are immediately recognized.
There are some gotchas. The US doesn’t acknowledge dual citizenship, and I believe you must travel in/out of the US with a US passport. If you have a US security clearance or wish to obtain one, you will have a problem as well.
The main problem with maintaining US nationality is taxes. There are exemptions up to a certain limit, but you still have to file and potentially pay taxes to two countries.
Missing from the Dutch Highly Skilled Visa is that there is also an income requirement based on age. I don't recall the exact numbers but if you are 35+ the income requirement is significantly higher. In any case, the required level would not be a problem for most tech workers.
It's important to note that if you qualify for The Dutch Highly Skilled Visa you will typically also qualify for the great "30% rule" tax exception, this means that you get 30% of your income tax-free for 5 years, and the other 70% will fall mostly in the lowest tax bracket. (Ostensibly to help you move, but in practice really to make The Netherlands more competitive for highly skilled migrants)
To qualify you need a salary of €54K (lower if you're under 30), which is pretty easy to get in the tech scene so it's not uncommon for startups in Amsterdam to have all their foreign workers making more than their native Dutch colleagues.
While Israel is a very unique cultural blend, I would call them more European than Middle Eastern. And for immigration culture is arguably more important than geography.
Don't really know much about Israel other than what I see in the news. What is an example of someone who would move there who isn't already entitled via religious connections?
The information for Ireland isn't entirely accurate. There's two separate lists for the availability of the Critical Skills Employment permit and the second list requires a minimum annual salary of €60,000[0]:
Occupations with a minimum annual remuneration of €30,000 for a restricted number of strategically important occupations contained in the Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List. A relevant degree qualification or higher is required.
All occupations with a minimum annual remuneration of over €60,000, other than those on the Ineligible Categories of Employment for Employment Permits or which are contrary to the public interest.
For Sweden, the employment link referenced is for self-employment. The details around regular, full-time employment can be found on Migrationsverket's site[1].
Ireland has a working holiday visa that lets students and recent graduates come live and work for a year with basically no restrictions (no need for work permit, etc.) It's the only EU country I know offering such a fantastic opportunity, at least for US citizens (Canadians, South Koreans, etc. have more options)
It's fantastic for someone who probably could get their foot in the door but needs to be physically present in the place to get started. Interviewing from another continent is 100x as hard.
Anyone have advice for junior SWEs? I will have a year of co-op experience by the end of 2019, and was thinking of applying from the US to work in Germany or the Netherlands for full-time junior positions.
I'm not familiar with the immigration system of too many other countries. But for the UK this is masking a lot of major differences between visas. For instance, the Tier 2 visa requires an employer to sponsor it. The visa is then tied to that job. That employer needs a license, et cetera. Whereas the tech nation visa allows someone to come to the UK without a job and look, and then change jobs easily.
I’m in the process of applying for Spanish Highly Skilled visa and the company told me that university diploma is required. I wonder where the author of the document got his info on that visa, to make sure whether it’s required or not.
I think details on issuance times are needed, some of those can easily be taking half a year or more to get, other are known to routinely miss advertised times (blue card)
[+] [-] xacaxulu|7 years ago|reply
All that being said, I'm bouncing to Berlin for a higher salary and a roughly 30 percent drop in cost of living compared to Paris.
Check out jobbatical.com
Amsterdam is a hot scene, Berlin is hot and affordable, dont come to Paris unless you really speak French and or have deep Fintech/banking tech background.
[+] [-] woahitsraj|7 years ago|reply
6 weeks of paid vacation, great public transit, and affordable housing all mean I'm never going back to the states. If your considering moving to Europe, I'd highly recommend it. Salary isn't everything in life.
Happy to answer any questions
[+] [-] te_chris|7 years ago|reply
I've got the visa, I feel like the requirements for this visa should mention that putting together the application process was a shitload of work because it goes to a panel of industry people to be assesed, so is much, much harder to get than a lot of the other ones which are more criteria based. Really, if you want it, you need to convince the panelists that you'll add value to UK tech somehow, beyond just being an employee.
Also, don't be like this guy if you don't get it...https://www.technation.sucks/
[+] [-] jpatokal|7 years ago|reply
Man, somebody's got an axe to grind...
[+] [-] te_chris|7 years ago|reply
I'm also very confident there's only 400 a year. 2000 is the total for all the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visas, across all industries and disciplines - so engineering, art, music, etc etc.
Details here: https://www.gov.uk/tier-1-exceptional-talent
[+] [-] vram22|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] 0xfaded|7 years ago|reply
One thing re funding I wish I understood before I moved here: Europe has no favoured state laws which prevent governments from unilaterally propping up local companies, startups are no exception. However, there is a "no one cares" de minimus limit of 200k euros. Any published funding accompanying a startup visa will come out of this amount, and in practice there are many other schemes to receive money up until the 200k limit. Beyond that you start applying for European wide funding schemes. I'd choose your destination on other factors, since all state money is subject to the same limit.
[+] [-] new_here|7 years ago|reply
- Do you have an opinion on the Copenhagen tech scene? Companies, talent, access to funding etc.
- How've you found integrating with the Danish culture?
- Any suggestions for how to build your network there?
[+] [-] gonsanchezs|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] chrisseaton|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ForHackernews|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gonsanchezs|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Spooky23|7 years ago|reply
There are some gotchas. The US doesn’t acknowledge dual citizenship, and I believe you must travel in/out of the US with a US passport. If you have a US security clearance or wish to obtain one, you will have a problem as well.
[+] [-] superhuzza|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gonsanchezs|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] wongarsu|7 years ago|reply
From my understanding the US just pretends that you are only a US citizen. Which doesn't sound like a problem.
[+] [-] kalleboo|7 years ago|reply
This is true for every country I've heard of (if you hold citizenship for that country you're supposed to use that passport)
[+] [-] digianarchist|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] cr1895|7 years ago|reply
How is that a gotcha?
[+] [-] fooblat|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] speleding|7 years ago|reply
To qualify you need a salary of €54K (lower if you're under 30), which is pretty easy to get in the tech scene so it's not uncommon for startups in Amsterdam to have all their foreign workers making more than their native Dutch colleagues.
[+] [-] gonsanchezs|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] CalRobert|7 years ago|reply
If you're a US citizen, you've got ~$7500 in savings, and can employ yourself, you can live and work in the Netherlands.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DAFT
I emailed this guy a few times and he was always happy to answer questions - http://shawnindutch.com/
[+] [-] johnchristopher|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gonsanchezs|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] wongarsu|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jjgreen|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] 0xfaded|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] aerodog|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|7 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] renholder|7 years ago|reply
Occupations with a minimum annual remuneration of €30,000 for a restricted number of strategically important occupations contained in the Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List. A relevant degree qualification or higher is required.
All occupations with a minimum annual remuneration of over €60,000, other than those on the Ineligible Categories of Employment for Employment Permits or which are contrary to the public interest.
For Sweden, the employment link referenced is for self-employment. The details around regular, full-time employment can be found on Migrationsverket's site[1].
[0] - https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Emplo...
[1] - https://www.migrationsverket.se/English/Private-individuals/...
[+] [-] gonsanchezs|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] CalRobert|7 years ago|reply
Ireland has a working holiday visa that lets students and recent graduates come live and work for a year with basically no restrictions (no need for work permit, etc.) It's the only EU country I know offering such a fantastic opportunity, at least for US citizens (Canadians, South Koreans, etc. have more options)
https://www.dfa.ie/travel/visas/working-holiday-visas/
It's fantastic for someone who probably could get their foot in the door but needs to be physically present in the place to get started. Interviewing from another continent is 100x as hard.
[+] [-] bjs250|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] based2|7 years ago|reply
https://translate.google.fr/translate?hl=fr&sl=auto&tl=en&u=...
https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16922
[+] [-] mebassett|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Raed667|7 years ago|reply
Email is in my profile.
[+] [-] superwayne|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jve|7 years ago|reply
Cost: 100Eur
Family: Yes
Must be board member
Requirements: Not employed at other company or member of another board. Within 6 months 30'000 Eur investment, 18 months another 30'000;
[+] [-] akaralar|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tyteen4a03|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] baybal2|7 years ago|reply