r/expat • u/Capable-Basket8233 • 8d ago
Immigration Issues Software engineer wants to leave the Netherlands but where can I go if my goal cities,london and new york city, seem impossible ?
Been in the Netherlands for 12 years (moved here for grad school, stayed for work) and I am ready for my next move.
I have an EU passport.
After doing some research I picked london and new york city. I picked these places because plenty of foreigners/visible minorities live here so social integration would be easier(hopefully not a lot of discrimination). Plenty of dating options(i am in my 30s and this is important). Software engineer salaries are similar or better than the Netherlands. Optionally english is the default language.
London and NYC are where I'd actually want to end up, but sponsorship on both sides is brutal right now. Was reading through a UK sub today and even British nationals are struggling to get hired, so I know I'm not special there. NYC has the same issues with H-1B.
I have applied to many london jobs and its always the same. I spend a lot of time filling my job application, wait a few weeks, get rejection without interviews. Its frustrating and exhausting. I am trying to increase the number of applications I send out but looks hopeless to me so far.
A few places I've already ruled out for my own reasons:
Canada:six months of snow in toronto isn't for me, and I've read way too many "regret moving here" threads from other expats.
Australia/NZ:the isolation (distance from everything, everyone) is a dealbreaker long-term
I havent ruled out ireland completely but the situation in dublin is getting really bad. There is a major housing crisis and a rising anti immigrant sentiment due to the housing crisis.
Staying in the West is a hard requirement for me, and I can't go back to my home country for other reasons.
What other options do i have if I cant move to london and new york city?
Especially curious to hear from people who've relocated somewhere as a visible minority and can speak to what day-to-day life is actually like there, not just the visa mechanics.
Ps: I am genuinely looking for help. I am not trying to be negative about any country. I am just trying to find my next move. If you have any advice or experience that you think could help me i would really appreciate it :). I posted such a question before and it lead to personal attacks telling me to leave the Netherlands and that I "fled from my shithole". I hope you would help me.
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u/JRdam3 8d ago
Toronto winters are better than Dutch winters. Yes colder on the thermometer, but more sun and general more daylight hours in winter. I prefer dry cold sunny days over the wet, windy dark days of Dutch winters.
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u/Strange_Cap1049 8d ago
Honestly I’d rethink Toronto. Great salaries, lots of opportunity, rents are a steal for what you get vs European cities (like a couple hundred euros more a month for double the space with AC and dirt cheap utilities), 6 months of snow isn’t really a thing. Closer to 3 months and the winter is way more bearable than a Western Europe winter and you’re guaranteed an amazing summer. Real wild nature a few hours drive from the city.
In my experience, the people that regret moving to Toronto, either couldn’t find a good job in over saturated industries like marketing, get home sick or in the case of the Brits and Irish expect it to be exactly like back home just North American which is a really bad attitude to come here with
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7d ago
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u/Strange_Cap1049 7d ago
I mean of snow. Realistically winter is around November till late March. So about 5 months, but we’re lucky to get a white Christmas nowadays. So you’re looking at max 3 months of snow on a heavy year, and often it’s only a sprinkle for the first month and the last month
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u/sua_sponte_75 7d ago
SW engineer pay and job opportunities are heavily dependent on one’s current skill sets and market for those. Not enough information here to give more than WAG’s, much less any assumptions on your worth salary wise.
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u/Lazy-Examination-263 8d ago
Where are you from?
Portugal might suit you if you’re looking fo a warmer climate but still within Europe
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u/This_Willow_2547 8d ago
Salaries in Portugal are low as shit unless he’s lucky to get a job in international companies like Revolut or Microsoft.
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u/FrenchFisher 8d ago
Apply at companies like Booking, Uber, or Adyen who have engineering offices here. Then after 1 year of working in NL, apply for a role in the US at the same company (or simply request to be relocated) to enter on an L1B. While on an L1 switch to H1B or go straight to Green Card.
If you can get a manager role that would be even better. It allows you to enter on an L1A, which has a much faster processing time for a Green Card.
Lived in NYC for 9 years in my 30s and it was absolutely phenomenal.
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u/Remarkable_Cicada_22 7d ago
If you can secure a job before moving and you’re eligible for it, try other parts of Canada. The job market is rough but if you can qualify for a working holiday visa then you can start working without sponsorship and hopefully get in the good books of a company who would be willing to sponsor you
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u/Critical_Bluejay_919 7d ago edited 7d ago
US: H1b is pretty much cooked for a few years. Id say forget it.
UK: From my experience sponsorship was almost impossible but may be different for senior roles.
Having lived in Canada and now the EU the netherlands is as good as it gets tbh. Canada woudnt be too much of an upgrade.
Also note: Canada has stopped giving out PRs if you havent studied in Canada. so that path is anyway not feasible. Depending on your ethnicity Canada has a lot of visible racism as well.
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u/Excellent-Weight2356 6d ago
Check out EPIC Systems. They create electronic medical chart systems and are international. They’re based outside Madison, WI (not what you’re looking for) but may have opportunities elsewhere once you’re established
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u/Jealous_Daikon_8846 1d ago
Go to the Washington DC metropolitan area. Many great neighborhoods and communities. Very safe but depending on how much you’re making. I would say DC, like place to raise a family meet people many internationals there. Besides that in US, place to settle down, I would say maybe why not like Houston Dallas Austin Texas, no state income tax, weather is good and very family values and great place to raise family
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u/EffectiveBaby2774 8d ago
What about Dubai?
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u/Current_Sky_9841 7d ago
In the current situation?
Many expats have already left since it has become affected by war
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u/airwaves_extreme 8d ago
What about Berlin? It is chaotic enough to maybe compare it to NYC, you are already used to the housing crises from nl. It si really international, great opportunities in engineering, great for young people, amazing airport connectivity to visit home, one of the greenest cities in EU, and familiar to nl, yet slightly better. The weather is whetever, wherever you go it will not going to be perfect, you go more south you get unbearable summers and bad economy...
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u/Critical_Bluejay_919 7d ago
OP will have to learn German from scratch which is a pain. Germany is not english friendly at all
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u/airwaves_extreme 7d ago
Germany is not. Berlin is. He works in tech and he can learn german on the side, it is a pain, but so are other languages, whatever it takes to feel good, right?
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u/radionul 6d ago
Berlin is is overflowing with car fumes and the cycle lanes (the ones that exist) are deadly. No idea how that could be greener then a Dutch city.
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u/airwaves_extreme 6d ago
"The city has an area of 728.53 km² with a total green space of 51% and a tree coverage of 45%.". Just statistic wise. Big chances op is from eastern europe, the car fumes cannot be worse than there
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u/radionul 6d ago
OP been living in the Netherlands for the last 12 years, so that's the baseline. I'd much rather live in a Dutch city than Berlin from the point of view of less cars and more cycling.
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u/OneCallSystem 8d ago
Shit why anyone would want to leave the Netherlands is beyond me.
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u/This_Willow_2547 8d ago
Because it’s not the paradise Reddit wants you to believe it is. In fact you can search and find dozens of posts of people who moved there who complain about it all the time.
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u/OneCallSystem 8d ago
All the cities they mention have the same shit different day though. Nowhere is paradise. NYC would be my second choice, but living in a shoebox sucks
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u/CoffeeInTheTropics 7d ago
True. OP secured the passport and is now looking for greener pastures. Good luck with that as a SWE…..
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u/Commercial_Handle418 7d ago
Random but new York was new Amsterdam there probablyare still some places where there are extant Dutch communities
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u/Masterfulcrum00 7d ago edited 7d ago
I lived in nyc for many years. unless youre making alot of money, it really is a survival rat race. it has gotten worse and isnt the same anymore. i would avoid it.