Getting an IT Job in Europe as an American 187
IvanHo asks: "I'm looking for success stories, hints, tips and tricks from any Slashdot readers with U.S. citizenship that have managed to find gainful employment in Europe. For various reasons, my wife and I would like to spend a couple years working in Europe -- preferably Southern Europe. For the last couple months, I have been applying for IT positions there with no luck. Although, my wife grew up in Rome and her family is there now, she is a U.S. citizen, so that well trodden route to a work permit is unavailable. Any advice? I'm trying to avoid incorporating and transferring myself if possible."
"My resume is fairly strong and I've had a couple companies express interest until they realized that I would require sponsorship to work in the EU. Given the number of H1 folks I work with day in and day out, I'm starting to wonder if it isn't harder to get a visa to work in Europe than it is here. I've noticed that even American companies are posting prior right to work in a country as a prerequisite for employment. Language is a possible problem, but I do know a couple European languages beyond English -- Portuguese and French."
I did this, but not in Europe. (Score:5, Informative)
All my life I'd wanted to move to Australia, but hadn't been too proactive about it. I met a girl online back in 1999 who was from Australia, and in addition to her being extremely freaking cool, she lived in Australia. So I decided that if things kept going well with her that I'd move there. The did, so I did. Before I moved though, I got in touch with some immigration folks there, folks that run businesses for the express purpose of migrating in folks that wanted to live in Australia. His main modus operandi was marriage, but I wasn't ready for that just yet.
I poured myself over newsgroups about immigration into Australia, reading every post, answering questions where I could, etc. I learned a hell of a lot in a very short amount of time. I decided that my best bet was to just go there and try to find work after I got there. I was lucky enough to be hired by Yahoo! a couple weeks later. They sponsored me on what was to be a class-457 Business visa, that allowed me to work for one employer and live in Australia. My visa was for 2 years, but could easily be extended, and only cost me AUD$150 (my employer paid for most of it).
After I lived in Australia for a while (this part you'll be interested in) I found out about places that act as temp-agencies for out-of-countrymen. They would sponsor you, and they would pay you, but you would be hired out to various places for 6 months to a year at a time. You were in constant employment, but your gigs were short. I think this could be an option for you, especially if you can speak Italian.
Hit the newsgroups, read read read read read read all you can about immigration law, find some immigration lawyers and suck every word out of them that you can before they want money, and just live and breathe the Italian immigration process. Soon folks will approach you with options that I've not experienced and that neither of us have imagined. There is a way, I guarantee it.
Your wife, unless Italy disallows it, could become a dual-citizen. She could become a citizen of Italy and the US, with all the privileges of each and zero downside. Since you're married to her you could get two passports as well, and live in each country as long as you wished, with or without a job. This is probably the most robust option, but would probably take the longest time to set up. If you're patient, and dual-citizenship is an option, I would go this way.
I know this post is all over the spectrum, I'm not a good writer. But I hope something in here has given you an idea. The only thing between you and Italian employment is time. You'll get there if you really want to.
Re:Military (Score:4, Informative)
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Re:I did this, but not in Europe. (Score:2, Informative)
My understanding is that the US will not tolerate you becoming a dual-citizen, you have to rescind your US citizenship when you become a citizen of another country. The only way to become a dual-citizen where one nationality is US is to either be born there or to have one parent a citizen of the US. But I'd be happy to be put right on this!
Re:try like hell to get hired by a US company (Score:3, Informative)
I looked in to working in Europe, and gave it up. Asia is a far better business environment. Basically, to work in Europe, you have to be a rich expat type, with executive housing lined up, saunas and squash courts, the whole expat package. It's not something that you can just decide that you want to do, and get a plane ticket. Not saying it can't happen, but Asia is far more accepting of, ahem, "pedestrian" types such as myself.
Re:take advantage of EU (Score:3, Informative)
I know of an American who got a Canadian passport somehow, just so that she could benefit from Australia's 1 year Work-Vacation program, which does not include the US.
It's not an easy task. (Score:4, Informative)
Clean up your CV, add fluent languages as skills, etc.
Step 1 is finding a company willing to handle the paperwork and costs involved. Other markets might be better, but it took me over 5 months in Hungary - mainly because I don't speak Hungarian, but also because I'm American.
Once this is done, there is usually a waiting period where the company must present the position to the government to see if there is someone suitable within the country to fulfill the position. This, at least in Hungary, can take up to 60 days before the final decision to award a work permit can take place, possibly adding to the length of time. My work permit required my Passport, diploma (HS or College), paperwork showing residence, offer letter and some other work provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers (they were handling the entire affair with IBM).
Step 2 is aquiring a Work Visa or some other kind of visa that will allow you to work in the country. This usually requires that a work permit already be issued.
Step 3 then involves the rest of the paper work - Social Security Cards, Temporary and Permanent Housing Card, Tax ID Card. I've been legally employed since September 1 and have been given the Tax ID Card and the Temp Housing Card. I need the Permanent Housing Card before I can be issued the SS Card even though I'm already paying Social Security.
In all, from Interview 2, when they took all my documents, to actual hire date, it took 7 months and I'm still not completely done.
I will have to go through this again in July/August (it is supposed to be easier the 2nd time around), as the first work permit is issued for 360 days and my Work Visa expires the day prior to my hire date anniversary. My second permit & visa will be issued for 365 days. I've been told that after 2006, I will be able to obtain a work permit that will be valid for 5-7 years, afterwhich I need to obtain something similar to temporary citizenship.
Experiences in other countries, particularly those that have been EU states for some time will probably have an easier time (maybe, I'm not sure), however I will say that it has been one of the most difficult hirings I've ever imagined having.
On second thought, my fiancee (the reason I'm here in the first place) is going to have an even more difficult time getting permanent residence in the US after we're married, so maybe it's not too bad afterall.
Re:try like hell to get hired by a US company (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Anti-Americanism is bullshit (Score:2, Informative)
"I'm sick and tired of all these god damned Americans trying to do whatever they can to get themselves into my country!"
6+ hours later, talking to the Vice Ambassador and Ambassador via phone, we got an apology and the paperwork.
Also, it's not all pretty roses in general. Many people give you weird looks if you just look American and will have fevered attitude because of it, without saying a word. Granted, there are times that your statemnet might be correct, but please - don't count it as bullshit when it does actually happen.
Re:take advantage of EU (Score:3, Informative)
Some Real Info (Score:3, Informative)
Anyway, being only English speaking (but working on my Dutch
You don't say what your occupation is, I'm guessing you're IT as well, but if you or your wife were a teacher or a nurse or a doctor, then you could write your own ticket to just about any country on the planet. Check out the other Shortage Occupations for the UK to see who can be fast-tracked.
If you insist on Southern Europe, language is a HUGE problem, if you don't speak the local, don't expect to be welcomed with open arms. Pick a country, learn the lingo, visit their embassy to quiz the staff, and keep your eyes open for any opportunity that comes your way, not just normal work (charity volunteer, study programs, etc).
As I used to joke with a mate of mine who scored a Greek passport through his parents, an unemployable goat-herder from the Greek islands can move anywhere in EU he likes to beg on the streets, but a highly skilled, motivated, committed, tax-paying, law-abiding want-to-be-a-citizen like me can't even get a foot in the door...
John.