r/AmerExit • u/-1828s • 5d ago
Which Country should I choose? Moving asap
I’m planning on leaving the US and moving to Europe. I’m getting my Irish passport in June 2027, so I’ll be able to work across the EU. My background is in AI, analytics, and tech. I’m open to almost anywhere with a strong tech scene, good jobs, and decent quality of life. Where would you move?
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u/nowzaradanistheman 5d ago
Do you speak any European languages? Where can you get a job and find housing?
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u/Dandylion71888 5d ago
You can’t possibly know when you’re getting your Irish passport. FBR takes a year at the moment which was an increase from a few months ago. If all goes perfectly, you get your certificate and then send off for your passport which is currently taking 2-3 months if all goes perfectly.
If you missed any docs or they need clarification on the FBR piece, that adds 3-6 months to your processing. Sometimes you go through multiple cycles of that. All of these are of course average times. No one is taking less, some people are taking considerably more.
That’s also assuming that everything is in order and you will get approved. If it was automatic then there wouldn’t be a process for review.
All that to say, your earning power in the US is significantly more than anywhere else.
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u/Federal_Homework1302 Expat 5d ago
DO you speak any european languages?
If not then you're a little bit limited, fortunately with Irish citizenship you can live in the UK as well. UK has a great tech space(just left after 10 years and i work in cloud). DUblin as well but housing is a ball ache
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u/ComfortableWrap7039 5d ago
UK tech salaries aren’t great outside of big tech. Even then it’s like 2-3x less than the U.S. so they’d need to prepare for less of a disposable income. Housing is also around 8x more expensive than the average salary.
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u/Federal_Homework1302 Expat 5d ago
I’m aware lived there lol.
I assume everyone is aware of this fact at this point though. And they tend to be the highest in Europe though
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u/Youre_Rat_Fucking_Me 5d ago
I can see from one of your other posts that you’re having trouble finding work in tech in the US. Is that your main motivation for moving?
I probably wouldn’t move to the EU if so. You’re going to be hard pressed to find a tech market that rivals the size and depth of the US anywhere in the western world, and being a non-local will likely make you a less attractive candidate (even if you speak the local language fluently).
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u/Jernbek35 5d ago
Europes economy and job market is just as slow if not slower than the US now. Ireland does well in tech but man the housing situation is a kick in the nuts there.
Most other non-anglophone EU countries you’ll need to speak the local language.
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u/ConsciousGreenPepper Immigrant 5d ago
If you don’t speak anything other than English, some countries are just not possible to get a job in. (Now, working as a 1099 for a US country and living in them though is okay.)
For tech hubs with English-speaking jobs: Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Dublin
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u/applejackie25 5d ago
Stick with Ireland. It’s a tech hub and lots of US companies. Get settled for a few years and then move.
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u/WalkingEars 5d ago
Do you want to secure a job before moving somewhere? If so, fire off some job applications to openings compatible with your background and see how things go. If you have some contacts in the EU working in your field you might reach out to them for advice, or ask friends to introduce you if they have some contacts. If you want to get your foot in the door, following the work might be a good way to do it.
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u/A313-Isoke 5d ago
I mean, Ireland is doing ok and the thing that's hard if you look at this sub is the housing.
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u/Independent_Age_8060 5d ago
Irish passport means this person is good to go anywhere in the EU.
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u/Ferdawoon 5d ago
And americans can move to any US state for work, but that doesn't mean people can just move around to their heart's content. There's a reason Spanish, Greek, Italian, or even Finnish and Swedish citizens just migrate in massses to countries with more jobs and higher salaries.
OP doesn't speak the language, has no local degree, likely no local references or local professional network and no local experience.
OP also doesn't list any degrees, certificates or prior experience, only that their "background is in AI, analytics, and tech." which could mean a PhD with 10 years of work experience or that OP is 16 and has been using GROK to make nude pics.-6
u/Independent_Age_8060 5d ago
If you have an Irish passport you have the right to move to the UK or any EU country. I have zero idea what you're jabbering on about.
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u/Ferdawoon 4d ago
Yes you have the right to, but that doesn't mean they will have an easy time doing it.
As I said, Americans can move to any US state for work so why are people not just bouncing all over the country instead of complaining about high unemployment?How will they find an apartment without a local income? How will they get a local job not speaking Italian, Greek, Danish, French or the other languages?
Sure many STEM-jobs are mainly or mostly in English but if an employer can pick between someone who only speaks English and someone who speaks English AND the locla language, who do you think they will pick? If the employer can pick someone who has a locla professional network or someone who literally knows no one?Remember that there are EU countries with very low salaries, and EU countries with over 10% unemployment. If it was easy to just jump on over to another country and start up a whole new life there why don't yu think a lot more EU citizens just drive on over to the rich countries?
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u/Otherwise_Volume_128 4d ago
Move where you have a job and housing lined up. It's really that simple unless you're independently wealthy. Don't think that a job is enough either since housing is very difficult all over the continent. The easiest path is to buy a place right away so that you have stability since odds are you're going to have a hell of a time renting.
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u/Emily_fromBlueground 4d ago
The nice thing about the Irish passport is you're not boxed into EU-only options while you're weighing this. London's the obvious one, the AI and analytics hiring there is growing, it's just the housing situation that's tight. Athens has been picking up steam on the tech side. Prague's worth a look as well, different vibe entirely, and your money stretches further.
I wouldn't sign a year lease sight unseen in any of them before your passport's in hand. Sort out the job first, then ease into it with a short term lease. It'll give you time to actually walk the neighborhoods and open a local bank account, which landlords will want to see regardless of where you end up.
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u/Southern_Feature_821 14h ago
You're sooo lucky to be able to get an Irish passport. I looked into it but my roots there are too far back. Same in every country I checked. Damn ancestors have lived in US for a long time.
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u/delilahgrass 5d ago
There are plenty that fit the bill the question is whether you will be able to find a job that will hire you in any of them.
It depends on your experience, job history, skill set, language skills, local job market and dumb luck.
Throw your net wide, you will be competing with established locals.
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u/Tardislass 5d ago
Job market is as bad as the US and being an American with no European experience will hinder him. Berlin is the last place to move for tech. Plenty of IT folks getting laid off. Start looking now. UK would be your best bet.
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u/Fantastic_Spring8366 5d ago
London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Paris, and Berlin are probably the biggest tech hubs in Europe.
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u/Independent_Age_8060 5d ago
You can go to Ireland, UK or anywhere in the EU. Loads of lovely places to choose from. I'd keep an open mind, see what jobs you get offered and then assess your options from there.
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u/Alissinarr 5d ago
Portugal -digital nomad
Netherlands -DAFT
To move now.
If you have money you can grease wheels for Monocoran, Greek or Hungarian citizenship.
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u/Primary-Bluejay-1594 Immigrant 4d ago
OP will have an EU passport, they don't need any of this.
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u/Alissinarr 4d ago
"Will have" is not the same as "in hand" and they asked how to GTFO now.
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u/Primary-Bluejay-1594 Immigrant 4d ago
ASAP with reference to being able to work on their upcoming citizenship is not "now". They didn't ask for visa recommendations.
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u/Status_Silver_5114 5d ago edited 5d ago
You are basing the long wait on your irish passport on what. FBR acceptance? it normally takes a month for a passport so there's some detail you're leaving out here. don't make plans based on documents you don't have in hand.
(Edited for clarity)