Finding a job abroad: a digest of useful materials for potential IT expats
The question of finding a job abroad in the current unstable economic situation in Russia is facing many IT specialists quite acutely. A recent survey by Innopolis City Hall and the HeadHunter recruitment portal showed that about 13% of Russian IT professionals are ready to become “labor migrants.” But is it so easy to find a job abroad and is it so much “better” than “here” - in order to deal with this I studied a lot of interesting materials. I will not advertise my opinion, I’d better share a useful digest of materials about finding work in different countries and solving problems and questions that arise along the way.
Which country to choose?
A survey of Innopolis and HeadHunter identified the TOP of the "dream country." The leaders in the list are the USA, Germany and Canada. The most common reasons for moving are the desire to receive higher wages and grow in service, as well as the desire to improve one's own standard of living or the social and living conditions of the family.
People from Russia and the CIS countries often draw up their own ratings of the countries most attractive for moving. If thoughts about moving more and more often, but there are no concrete ideas about exactly where to emigrate, you can take a closer look at the following countries:
Germany
One of the most popular areas of labor migration for IT professionals is Germany. The reason for the increased attention of people moving to this country is the high demand for IT specialists and a simplified system for obtaining a residence permit for highly qualified specialists.
Here are some guides for moving to this country:
- “ Is it worth the developer to look for work in Germany: the pros and cons ” - here you can find out about the conditions for obtaining a residence permit under the program for highly skilled migrants (Blue Card EU) and the “economic” aspects of moving (the material was originally published on VC.ru, but then it was supplemented with information from comments on the website of this publication).
- “ Relocation to permanent residence in Germany ” - the main ways to obtain a residence permit and a list of documents required for relocation
- It is also useful to look into the blogs of expatriates: “ How does IT professionals leave for Germany ” , “ Moving an IT-employee to Germany from A to Z ” to get the most complete picture of the moving process and social features of the country.
With the support of the German government, the useful website Make It Germany was launched with general recommendations for people moving.
Canada
Migrant IT specialists formally ceased to be in demand in Canada: IT specialties were excluded from the list of the state-owned migration program “Qualified Specialist”. However, despite the difficulties in finding a job, domestic IT specialists choose Canada to move, trying to increase income and improve living standards.
You can find out about the features of the labor market in the IT field in the country of maple leaf in the blog of Konstantin Izmestyev “ How to live in Canada? " . A lot of useful information can be found in the blog of domestic expatriates Leaveforcanada .
A detailed guide on preparing to enter the country " How to move to live in Canada " is on wikiHow - this material will be useful to everyone who has reached the stage of collecting documents.
Netherlands
Over the past ten years, demand for qualified IT professionals in the Netherlands has remained one of the highest in Europe. Experts note a huge number of relevant vacancies for IT professionals in the Dutch labor market. Those who value home comfort, urban amenities and a rich cultural life (and no, we are not talking not only about the red light district and coffee shops) are moving here.
- A detailed guide to moving to the Netherlands from the authors of a similar guide to migration to Germany - “ Why should a developer move to the Netherlands: income, taxes, residence permit ” will help to get acquainted with the price level, the peculiarities of the Dutch mentality and the procedure for obtaining a residence permit under the Kennismigrant program .
- A lot of useful information about finding a job and collecting documents can be found in the blogs of those who moved:
- “ Moving through the eyes of an IT specialist ” , “ Invitada ” (all about life in the Netherlands), “ Taste of the Netherlands ” , “ Holland is a country where you want to live and work . ”
- Those who are interested in moving to this country should take a look at the website of the Breaking Dawn Communication Center for Russian-speaking Migrants in the Netherlands , where you can ask experienced expats any question related to moving, looking for work and housing in the Netherlands.
Norway
Norway regularly tops the rankings of the countries with the best living conditions thanks to economic prosperity and successful social policies of the government. Labor immigration to Norway is not an easy task, but IT specialists are in high demand in the local labor market.
Useful resources for those who are thinking about labor emigration to the Scandinavian kingdom:
- " Aytishnaya Norway " - the story of Opera Software staff about the reasons and advantages of moving to Norway roem.ru.
- The guides “ Emigration and moving to permanent residence in Norway ” and “ How to leave for permanent residence in Norway ” will help in finding a job and collecting documents for obtaining a residence permit.
- A blog of an expat who has successfully settled in the country and recommends relocation - “ How IT Workers Work in Norway ”.
USA
The United States leads the list of countries most attractive to CIS IT professionals. Domestic IT professionals are attracted by a decent standard of living and one of the highest salary levels in the world. So, “managers of computer and information systems” are included in the TOP 25 of the highest paid specialists in the United States. However, most companies provide work only to those who have already managed to obtain permission to work in the country. Jobs in the United States can be a daunting task even for a highly skilled migrant.
Some useful resources for those who decide to follow the "American Dream":
- Guide to obtaining work permits and the subsequent search for vacancies " How to move to the United States if you are an IT specialist . "
- Life hacks from an emigrant working for a Russian IT company remotely while living in America “ How to IT people move to America: 6 life hacks from Alexander Patsay from Parallels ” .
- Tips for finding and getting a job in the USA “ How to get to America? (USA for IT specialist) ” , “ Work for a programmer in the USA: 5 simple steps . ”