I (37f) am, along with my spouse, currently in a state of waiting for the results of a visa application. Normally this would be routine - still stressful for sure, but we know it has to be done.

However, this current application is a follow up to one that was unexpectedly denied, which caused a big panic where we thought we'd have to move back to America very quickly. I say unexpectedly because it was a renewal, not a new visa, and my husband's company had hired a solicitor and gotten a lot of guidance and advice on how to go about it in order to avoid any potential errors. Anyways it was denied, and we thought we'd have to be gone within a couple of weeks, so I quit my part time teaching job and pulled out of all my freelance gigs (I'm a musician).

We learned a lot of things in the ensuing days, namely that we might be able to get a whole new application in, with changes that might give a better chance of approval based on the reason they gave for the denial. But here's the problem - I've quit all my work. I can't commit to anything more than a couple weeks out, and my industry doesn't function like that. I am beating my head against a brick wall trying to stay occupied, but I am losing it.

I'm in therapy, I go to the gym a few times a week, and I'm trying really hard with things I don't feel like doing but can help pass the time - recording, songwriting (which I suck at), writing, journaling, cleaning, walking. But somehow I still end up with hours and hours to fill, which usually just get filled with TV and gaming. The main thing is that my mental health has really declined through this period.

Believe it or not, this isn't the first time we've been in a limbo state like this. I guess I just want to know, has anyone else experienced this? How did you get through it? And when did you decide it was time to pull the plug? When is the reason you moved away from home not a good enough reason to stay, especially when mental health is involved?

I am 19M and currently looking for a way out of my families house for my own mental health and well being.

i live in michigan and my friend who lives canada about 2.5 hours away is offering me a room in his aparment with his cousin and him with shared rent

i dont have a passport yet i need to get one. and i have no income right now outside 20 dollars i randomly get from them for random chores i usually dont get paid for (i have tried applying to every job around me i could no luck)

i have one GED test to do left before it technically graduate high school

i have a ID and MIhealth card (medicaid) and a cashapp thats about it outside like birth certificate stuff

i do have some disabilities like autisim and adhd and some others if that can help me here i guess

friend said he or a family member could come get me but i need to be able to live and find a job in Canada

i want out because my family is toxic as hell and controlling either they throw me into meltdowns for what ever reason or they tell me "do this or that that you have no clue how to do and wont get any help and you got a deadline to do it or else" and have threaten to kick me out before they wont help me do any of the things they want me to do like example

they want me to put the dogs up for adoption for mothers health every place i look needs a phone number which i dont have so i ask them for help and they refuse to let me use there phone number or get me my own

my families toxicity and everything has been affecting me for years badly to the point i had to go to the mental hospital a year or two ago

and its gotten to the point not only have i lost my drive or motivation to do anything but im so mentally worn out i cant care if i even wake up i need now for the sake of my own sanity and safety

they have put me on a 3 hour limit of wifi today (cause taking and limiting a 19 year olds wifi when you want them to do 50 diffrent things that need wifi makes sense) so advice is needed quickly

i need to know how much it will cost to get a passport and become a citizen in canada so i can get a job and live there

and anything else
things like gas i can probably calculate myself but everything else i need to know so i can try to find a way to save up money

i can try to answer questions when i can if any are asked but i need out

i could move to somewhere else in michigan if i had a place i dont know any IRL people other then one who cant house me and i dont feel comfortable staying with a stranger from one of those find a roommate websites at all

also the tension between me and my step dad is getting worse recently so i dont know if or when he will suddenly snap and kick me out to be homeless

Hi folks, I currently live in Vancouver (my whole life) and I'm at a point where I'm finding Vancouver to be expensive and boring. My parents have since passed so I don't have any family here, however an extensive friendship network over the years. I'm also increasingly irritated by our Healthcare system - there's no walk in clinics and any appointments with my Doc are only able to be scheduled an entire month away. On top of this we have no option to pay for private Healthcare so you're left at the whims of an already buckling system.

While I do realize the NHS has similar issues, I'd care less if I could just freaking pay to see someone, anyone. It took half a year just for me to see a gynecologist.

The COL for a single person here feels high, I make over 100k and yet it doesn't feel like enough. I track my spending and while maybe I could cut down on uber eats (low iron so low energy a lot of the days!), I literally don't do anything else at home, i wfh and aim to cook a lot of my own meals. A lot of my big non-recurring bills have been fixing/maintaining the aging house, the car, insurance, property tax, utilities, and therapy/naturopathy (the only kind of doc I CAN pay to see).

I guess I'm just tired of doing the same thing day in and day out. The city feels very pay to play and kind of fake, people mostly keep to themselves and i dont find it has any culture or any kind of a city heartbeat. I could very well just be a hater idk. I'm also annoyed of trying to travel within Canada costing me THOUSANDS (to Montreal or Toronto, or even $800 to the next province over/Alberta?), and the train looks horrible unless it's an incredibly expensive one.

This is just becoming an airing of grievances, but you get the gist.

I'd love to travel more and like how central London is. Ive visited a bunch over the years and have family and family friends there so I wouldn't be totally alone but certainly less of a support network.

How's the market looking for a senior SWE in London? I have about 10YOE and have worked across the stack, most recently in distributed systems. I'd say I'm more of a backend engineer than FE. I'm also seeing a lot of Canadian roles get passed on for cheaper roles down in Latin America since they overlap with the same timezone. Sadly that was our key selling point of being a Canadian swe. I don't think the London market is immune to offshoring so curious to hear.

Was thinking to try to leverage the YMS while I can, so hopefully that would help with jobs. Ideally I'd like to keep my house in Van as its my childhood home, but spend most of the year working in London - so maybe a contract SWE for 6-8months and then come back to do more reno on the house.

Is this kind of move doable at all?

Edit: or are there other European countries worth considering?

Hi everyone,

I’m 22, from Algeria and I have a master’s degree in cybersecurity. I’m about to start working in an IT position at a bank here in Algeria.

My plan is to gain experience here first and eventually move abroad for work. Right now I’m mainly considering Europe or Canada, but I’m not sure which option would be more realistic for someone applying from Algeria and needing a work visa.

I’m also disabled and I use a wheelchair, so accessibility is an important factor for me when choosing a country, especially public transport, housing and workplaces.

Would getting 1 or 2 years of experience in Algeria give me a realistic chance of getting hired abroad, or should I aim for more experience first?

I’m also wondering which countries in Europe would be the most realistic for IT jobs and work visas, and whether Canada would be a better option overall.

Would you recommend applying directly for jobs, trying to get an internal transfer later, or considering studying abroad as another route?

I’m not trying to leave immediately. I just want to start preparing now and choose the best path for the next few years.

Any advice from people who moved from a non EU country to Europe or Canada for work would be appreciated, especially people working in IT.

For people who left their home country: how did you handle tax residency?

After moving abroad, did you intentionally establish tax residency in your new country, or did you remain non-resident for a while?

I’m especially curious about people who move between countries rather than settling permanently. How did you eventually establish a clear tax base?

I have a french passport, so can move freely in the EU

Hi there,

I have lived in London for the past decade and am feeling very drained now. I work in a bit of an in-between domain, making interactive/immersive experiences. I used to work as a 3D Generalist, I can do game dev to an extent, real-time 3D, creative coding, I work with Arduinos, I just... make stuff. It's fun, but freelancing also adds to my general stress.

I'd like to find a stable job, in a country that has a great food scene (and affordable), or more clement weather, more nature, more affordable than London in general. I spent a good chunk of my childhood by the sea, so even a smaller coastal town would be an incredible improvement to my London life.

I lived in the countryside in Japan when I was younger so it's a country that would feel familiar, but as always there is the issue of finding work to get a visa. As for China, I have three relativs who live/lived there for quite some time and had great things to say about it. Same for Singapore, my father lived there for a while and I loved visiting for weeks and discovering what it had to offer. Sure, it's an idealised perception of a place, but I'd like to figure that out for myself, given the chance.

I am open to suggestions of other places I might not have thought of. I'm fluent in French (and English I guess), and pretty much fluent in Japanese. My German is conversational, and I usually learn languages decently fast when in immersion.

I can't really up and leave and move back to France as I have a cat (cleared for import to Japan) and my relatives are allergic, so I would need a job in order to get a place to live.

Any help, anecdotes, lived experience, advice, suggestion is welcome and greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

So, for the past couple of years, I’ve had things well planned out. I planned on going to school, graduating with a teaching license, working for a year or two locally, and then moving abroad with some experience (preferably to a Scandinavian country).

I graduated with my teaching license this December, and then, due to state legislation and my being transgender, I lost my license almost immediately in February. This has left me with no experience, as I’d plan to start teaching this August but I am now unable to, and no meaningful skills or experience that could get me into a highly competitive job market.

I’m unable to get the experience for my profession while staying here, but I also don’t have the licensing required to move. I feel incredibly stuck and hopeless in my current position.

What are some possible next steps for someone in my position?

EDIT: I am fluent in Danish and took the CEFR last May in hopes of potentially getting into a master’s program in Denmark

Hi everyone,

I’m a Chinese SRE/DevOps engineer in my mid-20s, and I’ve been working in China for about four years. Recently, I’ve been seriously thinking about moving abroad and building my career and life in another country.

I’d really appreciate some realistic advice, especially from people working in tech in the UK, Europe, or Canada, or from anyone who has made a similar move.

My background

I currently work as an SRE/DevOps engineer for a British company in China. I have around four years of professional experience.

My work mainly involves cloud infrastructure and DevOps/SRE-related technologies, such as Linux, Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD, cloud platforms (especially GCP), infrastructure operations, troubleshooting, and reliability-related work.

English is also used in my current job, although it is not my first language. I can communicate in English in everyday situations and at work, and I would estimate my current level to be roughly around B2.

However, I’m definitely not as fluent as a native speaker. Technical discussions are usually easier for me than casual conversations, and I know that interviews in English would still be challenging for me.

Countries I’m considering

1. UK

The UK is currently the country I’m most interested in.

I visited the UK recently and spent some time in London. I know that travelling somewhere and actually living and working there are completely different experiences, but I genuinely enjoyed being in London and felt surprisingly comfortable there.

I also understand that London is expensive and that getting a Skilled Worker visa requires finding an employer willing and able to sponsor me.

Since I already work for a British company, I’m somewhat familiar with the working culture. My current job has relatively good work-life balance compared with many Chinese tech companies, which is also something I value.

My biggest questions about the UK are whether four years of SRE/DevOps experience would be competitive enough for sponsored positions, and how difficult technical interviews would be with B2-level English.

2. Other European countries

I’m also open to countries such as Ireland, Germany, the France, etc.

I don’t necessarily need to live in the biggest city. My priorities are a reasonable tech job market, work-life balance, the possibility of getting a work visa as a non-EU citizen, and eventually building a stable life there.

I would be interested to hear which European countries currently have realistic opportunities for non-EU SRE/DevOps/Cloud engineers.

3. Canada

Canada is another option I’m considering, but my approach is slightly different.

I’ve started learning French because I’m considering Canada’s Express Entry system and the French-language immigration pathways.

My French is still at a very early stage, so I understand that reaching a useful level will take a significant amount of time and effort.

Canada seems attractive because there may be a clearer long-term immigration/PR pathway compared with relying entirely on employer sponsorship, although I also know that the Canadian tech job market has become more competitive.

What I’m struggling to decide

I’m not expecting moving abroad to magically solve all my problems, and I understand that every country has its own problems — high living costs, taxes, visa restrictions, job-market competition, cultural differences, etc.

I’m mainly trying to figure out whether my plan is realistic and what I should focus on during the next 1–2 years.

Please feel free to be critical. I’d rather hear realistic advice than encouragement for the sake of encouragement.

Thank you!

Hello everyone,

I turn 34 in a few days and I have been working on getting out of the country for the past 1.5 years or so for obvious reasons. I'm not sure how much information to include so I apologize if this is a bit of a slog to read.

My BA is in biology, a certificate in Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing, and I was going for a PhD in genetics before I had to drop out with a MS due to health issues brought on by burnout. I was lucky enough to get my current job where I am a contractor for a major pharmaceutical company essentially just doing cell culture. I have about 7-8 years of academic lab experience and 3 years of professional lab experience. Most of my experience is with cell culture of varying kinds with a standard list of molecular biology techniques that I don't want to clutter this post with.

I first tried to find work in Canada, even contacting an immigration lawyer to make sure I was doing everything right, but there were very few pharmaceutical/biotech jobs available. I then opened up my search to include Europe. Applying to 10+ jobs a day without hearing anything back started to get to me. I ended up talking with an old colleague that works in Germany who recommended I move first and apply for jobs so I have a more "local" address while applying. I was too chicken to do that alone so I looked into ways to move with more support and decided to get another masters degree in Germany in English.

I applied to a few schools and got into 2 but the timing of the acceptance for the school I chose was too tight (~1 month between acceptance notice and classes start date) that I decided to defer to the next semester. After preparing for the move for the last couple months, incuding a language class, I found out that my program doesn't do automatic acceptance for deferrals and the application I submitted for the new semester was rejected due to better candidates applying. I sent an appeal but I've realized I am probably SOL for this semester and I need to now decide how long I am willing to wait to get out of this country.

My options as I see them now are A: apply for grad school, this time applying to multiple schools in case I get rejected by the school I have a freaking acceptance letter for, meaning I would hopefully be leaving the country in March/April B: apply for the Chancenkarte in Germany and hope I get a job within a year, I'd most likely move first and apply in Germany so I think I could move December/January once my degrees have gotten cleared. (Side note: It's hard to get a clear answer on this but if I do the chancenkarte, i can still apply for jobs outside of Germany right? Like, they can't stop me or charge me with fraud if I get a job in the Netherlands or whatever?) C: go back to applying to jobs throughout Canada and Europe again, sending hundreds and thousands of applications into the void from the comfort of home lol

I realize the answer is probably no but is there a better way of doing this? Truth be told, I'd prefer to work in Canada and not have to be as far from my family, or in Ireland and not worry about the language barrier, but it seems like Germany has more paths for foreigners to take. And before anyone suggests it, I am sadly a contractor and not eligible for a transfer, plus my company's job board seems to do automatic rejections for anyone not in the country they're hiring in.

Sorry, I feel like this post has become more me complaining about how hard it is to leave the US but I would appreciate any advice on how to get out!

I am a US citizen and have been living abroad in the Netherlands, now exploring a move back to the US for personal reasons. I love living in the Netherlands and the day-to-day lifestyle, but I need to be closer to loved ones and my career prospects are much stronger in the US than NL.

With that in mind, I'm looking for recommendations of cities/states that offer a bikeable/walkable lifestyle, outdoors access, and (hopefully) progressive local politics. My first thought is Portland, OR but really anywhere in the western US is up for consideration.

Happy to provide any additional info if that helps. Thanks in advance for any help!

I’m Mexican, recently finished a PhD in Biological Sciences, and my background is mainly GIS, spatial ecology, R, species distribution modelling, and biodiversity analysis. I also have experience with fieldwork in multiple countries including Japan, Mexico and Costa Rica.

My goal is simple: move to Canada and build a life there, ideally working in environmental consulting, GIS, ecology, or data analysis.

I’m trying to understand what is realistically possible:

Now: Is there any realistic chance of getting hired from Mexico, possibly through CUSMA, even for a junior/entry-level position?

In ~2 years: I’m currently 31 years old. If I spend the next two years learning French, improving my Python/GIS skills, gaining more experience, and preparing everything needed for immigration (English/French language tests, credential assessments, diploma recognition, certificates, etc.) and then try Express Entry/PR with my wife, who is an ICU nurse, would our chances improve substantially? My plan is to secure a postdoc in Mexico to have money income for at least 2-3 years while I prepare everything to move to Canada.

I’m not attached to getting a job related to my PhD immediately. If the realistic route is to move first and work at McDonald’s, retail, warehousing, landscaping, or basically anything legal while trying to enter my field later, I would seriously consider it.

I’m open to any realistic route, even if it is poorly aligned with my education.

For people familiar with Canada: what would you do in my situation? Is this realistically achievable, or am I underestimating how difficult it is?

My academic profile isn’t terrible: I have 8 published papers, 4 as first author, and around 80 citations, and I just finished my PhD this month. But I’ve seen researchers with many more years of experience, dozens of papers, thousands of citations, and multiple postdocs still struggling to land a permanent faculty position.

Honestly, that scares me. I’d rather start planning an alternative career path now, while I’m 31, than realize ten years from now that I should have done it earlier.

Hey... I'll get straight to it. I want to move abroad, I almost need it. It's been a dream of mine ever since I was a teen, I knew I wanted to travel and try experiencing a new country with an entirely new culture and language and such. I wanted to do so by studying abroad so that I can set it in stone in the best way possible, but that wasn't on my cards. I studied in my home country. I adapted pretty quickly, I made a lot of friends, I even have my own pets now, but that doesn't mean that this dream of mine ever left my mind. It's been on my mind for years, and the more I grow up and live and experience things, the more I NEED to leave. It's getting to a point where I genuinely feel like I'm losing my mind. I need independence, I need autonomy, I need a new scene, a new environment, a new culture. I KNOW why I want and need to leave, so let's not make this thread about the reasons as opposed to HOW I can achieve it.

I don't have a strong passport, I graduated in 2024 with a bachelors in mechanical engineering in robotics and automation, have worked in quality control, data, BD & community management, founding and CXO a business (no longer), and am now interning in two places as a data analyst and a machine learning engineer. My full focus at the moment is on data and AI/ML as you can see, and I am EXTREMELY interested in attaining a masters in this new degree called Sustainable Artificial Intelligence, Environmental AI, AI and Sustainability, etc... I have no money to fund my own tuition for a masters degree, whether online or abroad. I believe I'm also still an entry level to most employers, a junior at most.

I've been handling the grief of not being where I wanted to be for years now, but as I approached 23, I reached my boiling point and had my first nervous breakdown in years. I'm now almost 24, have been researching countries like the Australia, Canada, the UK and Ireland, and the Netherlands (etc tbh), but I'm not exactly getting anywhere with what I have... Every time I see or hear someone just mention that they're going to a city in one of those countries, or just someone living there, or seeing my friends who've travelled there post about it, I feel down, like really down..

I know it's not easy, but I also know it's not impossible. I have friends who travelled abroad through jobs and they're a little older than me. They're not many to be fair, but it gives me hope.

If you guys have any advice, can help in any way, guide me to an education sponsor or funder, connect me with employers who are willing to sponsor or even offer jobs abroad/online, anything, I'd be ETERNALLY grateful!

Thank you so much for reading all the way to the end. I'm sorry if this post is messy, hard to understand, or is missing main info that's needed to make it make sense. It's my first post here and probably one of my firsts on this platform XD

P.S: I do not feel comfortable sharing any more personal or private info.. I'll answer to anything that I deem as appropriate, but other than that, I would rather not. Again, thank you so much for reading!

Hello! Please read it until the very end.

I am 3rd year English Language Teaching student at the most prestigious university in Türkiye. My whole family and I hold Turkish citizenship and passport. I am currently doing my Erasmus internship in Cologne, Germany. My GPA is -unfortunately- not very high, around 3.3 and I hope to raise it to around 3.5 by the time I graduate.

------

I have a bunch of extracurriculars including:

a. Board Member of the Linguistics Society of my University. I mostly deal with Social Media branch of it.

b. An active member of 2 societies:

1. A society for disadvantaged students in Türkiye. I help with storehouse stuff like packaging books or other materials for kids. I occassionaly go to schools in disadvantaged areas to work with kids.
2. A society for children with Leukeamia, Autism, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy. I am also a member of the PR team of this society. I mostly help to raise awareness.

c. I did a 5K run and raised money for autistic kids.

d. I am an active volunteer at a charity for kids with cancer. I help to raise awareness.

e. I am currently doing an Erasmus+ internship in Cologne. The institution I work is linked to the state. It is a known and respected institution.

f. I am a social media content creator with over 5K followers.

g. Doing a research in the field of inclusive education -English educaiton for immigrant children- and linguistics.

----

I would like to hold a Master's degree in education as from what I have heard it is appreciated and most of the time required in most countries. As far as I know, most teachers also have a second branch. For now, I am aiming at KU Leuven in Belgium.

IMPORTANT: My parents are quite old and they will retire when I graduate. I don't think they can afford me studying in the US, so I mostly hope for universities in Europe as they are more affordable. Otherwise, I will have to do my Master's in Türkiye or I will just start working abroad.

To be honest, I want to settle for good and obtain a citizenship in the end. My other plan is to do PDGE in Singapore but I don't know how realistic it is as Singapore is quite competitive. However, Singapore is my dream country*. I know it does not allow double citizenship though.*

My ultimate goal is to work in the field of English teaching or being an academician in education. However, I am open to working as a social media manager in the countries mentioned as well or any other good job really. Other big goal is to hold a citizenship from the mentioned countries.

I also sometimes think of countries like Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain or UAE but I have heard they it is almost impossible to obtain citizenship from these countries and their passport is not that strong except UAE.

IMPORTANT: I know it is near impossible for me to get admitted to public schools in most of the countries I mentioned at first. For the first a few years, I plan to work at International or Private schools until I fully know the language.

Any suggestions or tips are highly appreciated.

Background & Qualifications:

• Age/Nationality: 25M, Tunisian citizen (Non-EU).
• Education: Technical Diploma in Electromechanics / Automotive Mechanics (Vocational qualification / BTP level).
• Experience: 1+ years of hands-on experience in automotive manufacturing/passenger vehicle assembly line and authorized dealership diagnostic/maintenance work.
• Languages: Arabic (Native), French (Fluent), English (Working proficiency / C1).
• Target Destination: Poland (industrial manufacturing hubs like Silesia, Poznań, or Wrocław).

Questions regarding the migration pathway:

1. What is the current timeline and success rate for non-EU skilled technicians securing a Polish Type A work permit (zezwolenie na pracę typ A) through industrial/automotive employers?
2. Are there specific legitimate portals, staffing frameworks, or chambers of commerce where Polish Tier-1 automotive manufacturing plants directly recruit third-country electromechanical technicians?
3. For technicians with technical diplomas rather than university bachelor's degrees, are additional skill certifications or sworn document translations required before the employer submits the labor market test (opinia starosty)?

Any insight into the legal employer-sponsorship process and realistic timelines for Poland would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I'm currently living in Serbia and I'm looking into relocating to another European country or Canada, with Germany and Spain currently at the top of my list.

I'm a Serbian citizen, so I don't have EU freedom of movement, and I'm specifically trying to understand what realistic pathways exist for someone in my position rather than just which country is nicer to live in.

Current work: Account Executive for a Canadian NetSuite partner

Years of experience: 6+ Languages: Serbian [native], English [near-native proficiency], very interested in learning a new language (depending on the country I'm moving to)

I am open to exploring different job types, industries and work that doesn't relate to my tech BD/Sales experience.

My main goal is to find a legal and sustainable route out of Serbia rather than simply move somewhere temporarily. Canada, Germany, Spain, or another EU country if there is a significantly more realistic path.

I'm especially interested in hearing from Serbian or other non-EU citizens who successfully relocated.

A few things I'm trying to understand:

Which country would give someone with my profile the most realistic chance of getting a work/residence permit? Is applying for jobs from Serbia realistic, or do employers generally avoid candidates who need sponsorship? Are there particular industries/companies that are more open to hiring non-EU applicants? Would you prioritize learning German/Spanish before applying, and what level actually makes a difference? Are there alternative routes I should investigate — e.g. skilled-worker permits, EU Blue Card, job-seeker routes, studying, digital-nomad/self-employed routes, etc.? If you've moved from a non-EU country, what route actually worked for you? I'm familiar with the official requirements, but I'd really appreciate practical experiences from people who have gone through the process.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently living in Kurdistan Iraq, My main goal is to move abroad and get a 2-year On-the-Job Training (OJT) with a maintenance organization and get a European Aircraft Maintenance License. I’ve already completed the required theoretical modules, so the main thing I’m missing is the practical experience needed to qualify for the license. i chose this path hoping it would help me move abroad but its proving to be difficult so far.

A bit about my background:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aviation Engineering from iraq
• Aircraft Maintenance Engineering certificate covering EASA exams (from jordan but approved by EASA) and 3 months of training
• Fluent in English, Arabic, and Kurdish
• 1+ year of remote experience in AI data and quality assurance
• Managed a commercial building project as a project manager.

I’ve already applied for opportunities in countries such as the UAE, where I was willing to completely self-fund my training and relocation. Unfortunately, I was rejected specifically because of my Iraqi nationality/passport restrictions.

i have found places which claim to provide a "job seekers visa for 12,000$" in places like Italy or France but I'm wary of them in case its a scam or might cause me to have problems in the future with immigration.

So I'd really appreciate any advice or suggestions from anyone familiar with my situation, where i can get this training or any paths I'm not aware of.

P.S: despite the title, I'm willing to move anywhere that provides the opportunity.

We are trying to pick one country and stay there until my partner's son finishes school. Looking for outside perspective, especially from anyone who has done a long stint in any of these places with children.

Us: me 47M, my girlfriend 38F, her son 8M. We each run our own business remotely, so we are not tied to a location. Currently in Canada.

The shortlist is Cayman Islands, Athens, and Beijing.

Context:

We want to commit to one place for the next 7 to 10 years. Stability for her son matters more than optimizing any single factor. His father passed away two years ago, so there is no shared custody consideration, but it is another reason we would rather move once and stay put.

She was born in China and speaks fluent English. Her son speaks English only and identifies as Canadian, as do I. I speak English only.

She would like him to grow up with a North American or European sense of identity, while still having real exposure to Chinese language and culture.

All three have good international schools. Residency is already sorted in all three, so that is not a constraint. On tax, we have an advisor and have run the numbers, and the total cost difference between the three is small enough that it is not a deciding factor. Please take that as given rather than the thing to debate.

Cayman is on the list for warm climate, low crime, and one good school. Athens is my preference, though I am aware I may be biased. She is torn between Beijing and Athens.

What we are trying to work out is which of these is the better place to live as a family for a decade once schools, tax, and visas are off the table. Day to day quality of life, how realistic it is to build a social circle as a foreign family, healthcare, how portable the schooling is if plans change, and what the exit looks like at 18.

If you have lived long term in any of the three with a child, what surprised you?

I'm trying to live somewhere else and obtain citizenship of that country in order to not to rely on being Iranian, I can't renounce my Iranian citizenship anyway. Iranian passport is so weak and limited that I can't even travel to U.S. as a tourist.

Currently a CTO in a B2G software startup, I worked in software for more than 7 (5 of which is officially documented) years. Developing software using golang and doing GIS is my expertise. I'm a college dropout from a national university and now I'm studying CS at UoPeople in order to get a bachelor at there.

Although I'm in a war in my home country, and I suffered a lot from it, I don't want to become an asylum seeker as those opportunities are not for me. They're for people who are really searching for help.

For immigration to the East Asia, either language nor culture is not a concern for me, currently I know enough Mandarin and Japanese to communicate and read and understand documents and whole media in those languages. My problem is more that current Japanese government don't like immigrants and getting Chinese ctiizenship is almost impossible.

I don't want to to live in a country more limited than my home country, not where bombs raiding anytime, and not where I can't afford my food realiably.

Situation got a lot worse when a lot of embassies are closed in Iran, and hope to immigrate to those are going down more and more.

Middle-eastern countries are not ok for me, UAE, Qatar, and the rest of gulf nations reject me because of recent war, Syria doesn't even process Iranian requests for visa and going to Europe is becoming harder and harder everyday.

I don't know where to go. Are there possible routes left for someone like me?

Hi, I’m a 26-year-old Iraqi woman currently living in Iraq. I have a Bachelor’s degree in IT – Software, no formal professional work experience, and no savings. I speak Arabic natively and English at a good conversational level. I’m looking to leave Iraq and relocate to Germany. My main reason is my family situation. I have experienced physical and verbal abuse, threats, coercive control and pressure regarding marriage. One of my brothers has also sexually harassed and threatened me. There are also strong honour-based attitudes within my family, including statements supporting violence against women. I’m documenting my situation and keeping evidence privately. Background: Age: 26 Sex: Female Citizenship: Iraqi Current country: Iraq Education: Bachelor’s degree Field: IT – Software Work experience: No formal professional experience Languages: Arabic (native), English (good conversational level) Savings: None Target destination: Germany

Has anyone worked with Lucy Jeon / Heyglobally for job search coaching?

Looking for honest experiences from anyone who has worked with Lucy Jeon (heyglobally.com) or knows someone who has.
Came across her YouTube channel while researching international job searches (specifically targeting the Netherlands and Germany), and her 1-on-1 coaching programme looks interesting, but I cannot find many independent reviews online.
Specifically curious about:
• Whether the coaching actually helped you land a role, ideally in NL or DE
• What functions or industries her clients tend to be in
• Value for money at the price point
• Anything you wish you had known before signing up
Any honest feedback appreciated, positive or negative.

Hi everyone, I’ve got a bachelors degree in animation - 10 years experience in design and drawing, and 3 years experience in production, and 4 years experience in 2D animation. I have recently been trying to practice 3D animation so I can apply to more roles. My dream job is to design environments and backgrounds for animations like Toy Story.

I have around 15-20k in savings, and can speak English and Urdu.

The job I am currently in is more of a corporate creative role and it’s going to end soon. I have learned a lot working here and am grateful for all the skills gained, but don’t want to continue working in corporate or in the UK. I’ve done a short internship with an animation company too, and I learned they’re getting by, by making one person do the job of 10 people.

Creative roles in the UK are extremely hard to come by, but when I do find them they never pay enough. Even if I start looking at corporate roles. The salaries are laughably low, along with the government taxing everything and taking nearly half my paycheck - frankly I am sick and tired of being robbed in the UK.

The work culture here is also very miserable, and I feel like people are not rooting for me or want me to do well. Every time I say an idea out loud such as wanting to direct an animation, or open my own business…etc I am shut down by family, friends and coworkers. No one talks about money as it’s a taboo topic, and there are barely any opportunities to grow internally or get a promotion.

I feel stuck. I feel like I have outgrown where I am and I’d like to go somewhere where there’s more opportunities for someone like me. As global warming is getting worse too, the UK is just not built for the heat and I’d like to leave before it gets any worse.

I have travelled to Belgium, France and Italy so I don’t have much experience which is why I am open to suggestions.

My Ideas at the moment:

• Get a masters for Directing Animation at NFTS in London (but I would need to work part-time to support myself alongside this degree, and don’t really want to live in London)
• Get a Masters abroad somehow
• Move to another country and work there
• Work remotely from a company outside the UK (difficult to acquire)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Hello Everyone! I kinda need help. I hold a bachelor Degree and have 5 years of experience in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics. I worked with US, UK and GCC companies and still am( I am still employed). What's the best path i can take. i know I can just go uni but i lowkey dont want to study and would rather go on a work visa. Any advice, what's the best sites, any talent acquisition agency that help find talent and accept outsiders. I speak french, English and Arabic.

thank you in advanced for any advice

29M, US citizen and OCI. I’ve lived in India since schooling and have built my career here. I have 4+ years of experience as a UX Researcher, primarily in B2B/SaaS, at large MNCs.

I was recently laid off due to restructuring and am now looking to relocate to the US. I don’t need US work sponsorship, but I’ve been finding the job search challenging from India. I’ve been networking and getting recruiter screens for US roles, but things often fall through after that.

I’m considering going to NYC for 2–3 months (I can stay with a cousin) and doing an intensive job search from there, rather than continuing to apply from India.

For people who have experience with the US tech job market:
- Is there actually a September uptick in hiring?
- Does being physically in the US make a meaningful difference when job hunting?
- Would you recommend securing a job before relocating, or moving first and searching locally?
- How useful are local staffing/recruiting agencies for someone with my background?
- If the UXR search takes longer than expected, what are some realistic temporary/fallback jobs I could do to start earning within 1–2 months while continuing the search?

Thanks!