How do you emigrate

ghostfacekilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121810706#Comment_121810706

Netherlands afaik has the highest level of english as a foreign language and a lot of multinationals in the Nordics use english as the working language.

Grayson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121833786#Comment_121833786

yes they're lover, not they're not significantly lower.

Yes property prices vary in other countries, but in those countries there's actual variance. Renting in Dublin is pretty close to renting in Galway or Cork. You could move to a smaller town but then you are left in a new town, with a tiny population and potential huge commute.

I moved country because of Irelands property prices and rents. And for some reason people think the solution to my problems was to move to a small town in Roscommon. And apparently not wanting to move to a tiny town where I'd know no-one and have very little social life makes me fussy. Not to mention that prices in those places are still high, just not as eye gouging as Dublin.

Whenever I mention that I'm in Germany in these discussions people always want to point out that Berlin is having property problems. Yes it is, but nothing compared to Ireland. I have coworkers in Berlin and I show them Daft and they're shocked and disgusted at Irish property.

For some reason there's a certain type of Irish person who seems to want to downplay how bad it is in Ireland.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121835530#Comment_121835530

Germany is not an option for the OP. Remember what they said.

"I want to emigrate this year but havnt a notion about how to do it, where to start or any idea of where would be the best place to move too. Im mid 30's, I have an undergrad, a hdip and a masters, ive 10 years professional working experience in various different areas, no savings and dont speak any languages besides English. I want to move to an English speaking country but not anywhere in the UK. Any suggestions or advice?"

Many people from Dublin have chosen to "solve their problems" by moving within Ireland. No need to go to a foreign country, if the only consideration is the price of accommodation in Dublin. And no need for a commute, if they plan things right.

You seem to be keeping a sharp eye on property prices in Ireland. But this list shows the actual prices, in case you are making misguided assumptions. 74 sales in Roscommon this year so far, with a good range of prices.

https://www.propertypriceregister.ie/

Potatoeman

Property and rental prices are high in many major English speaking cities outside Europe. You also need savings to get a visa as you don’t qualify for any supports.

Are you prepared for living alone? How old are your parents? What if they or you get sick?

YellowLead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121835971#Comment_121835971

I don’t think OP mentioned house prices - I’d say renting is more the issue. But it seems they must be unemployed - so if they can’t or won’t get a job in Ireland I don’t see a lot of hope for success elsewhere. It depends on how willing they are to take what’s going, leaving behind notions that degrees alone entitle one to jobs of their choosing.

dxhound2005

They are employed, and did say in post #22 that they have no chance of being able to buy a house. I asked in post #27 what did they do with their money to have no savings, but they didn't answer that.

taxAHcruel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121817030#Comment_121817030

Strongly depends on your market I guess. The friend (boardsie) I know living over there has no german and has no issues. So I reckon its not that I am wrong or you are wrong - but that individual experience can very wildly. So the OP can evaluate their own situation(s) in that light I am sure.

thereiver

There are companys all over Europe who employ English speaking workers .no point in going to Australia as house prices there are higher than Ireland .you could go to America but you'd need a visa to work there .we are lucky the economy is booming but the downside is high house prices

CelticRambler

When it comes to the "language question" individual experience certainly does vary. SonNo.1 has recently emigrated from France to Belgium. He speaks French and English daily at work, also can speak German if/when needed, and has a smattering of niche-application Irish from his student days in Dublin ... but none of that is of any use at the local town council, because he's living in a DUP-style Flemish townland, where they will only deal with administrative matters in Flemish/Dutch.

On the other hand, a few years ago I had an Irish girl with literally only three words of French join my festival team as a volunteer in a public-facing role. The combination of her enthusiasm, some intensive preparation the night before she started, and total immersion once the festival got underway meant that she was well able to carry out her mission (and even engage in small talk) by the time we shut up shop five days later.

Both of these examples highlight an important aspect of the emigration process: if you start by setting a load of conditions (same job, nice house, English speaking, good social life, easy routes home ...) then you risk ending up in exactly the same situation as you've left. The fewer restrictions you put on your expectations, the more successful you're likely to be. The old dictum is still valid: if you want it to work, you should be running towards something, not running away.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121841132#Comment_121841132

...tis kinna nice waking each day with the sun though!

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121841179#Comment_121841179

Well our temps can be between 30C - 38C in summer and the sun can shine for weeks.... and in the winter it can be -25C with a meter of snow. That is what I like - real seasons.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121841289#Comment_121841289

...some like it very warm ,all the time though, but i will admit, aussie summer can be hell.....

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121833998#Comment_121833998

It does not matter which cities. You can survive is some cities without the language, but without proper integration you can't build a life for yourself and at this stage that is where the OP should be - establishing himself in his career and home life.

I have worked for several companies where English is the official language and of course you can function to a certain extend without knowing the local language, but the problem is you'll be excluded from the grape vine, the office politics and the chit chat and that will limit you more than you might imagine.

Likewise things like healthcare, the garage, the tradesman and so on may not speak English or in the case of healthcare for example be unwilling to treat you in English because of insurance and legal reasons and so.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121841313#Comment_121841313

That is what the summer house in the Alps is for...

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121841339#Comment_121841339

...only that kind of lifestyle is only truly available to small sections of society, and thats generally not the type of folks that are considering emigration....

Zico

Head up to Mount St. and find someone with camping gear, they'll give you a number for an International relocation consultant. *fees may apply

CelticRambler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121841331#Comment_121841331

you can function to a certain extend without knowing the local language, but the problem is you'll be excluded from the grape vine, the office politics and the chit chat and that will limit you more than you might imagine.

I would argue that this is particularly a major hurdle for people who emigrate primarily for work (salary/financial) reasons, especially in the less urbanised areas of continental Europe. In my experience, not speaking the local language/dialect is a handicap but not an obstacle if you've otherwise shown that you're truly committed to your status as a new migrant arrival. If the natives believe that you're doing your best, they'll help you out, either by voluntarily switching to an alternative common language that you didn't know they could speak, or by helping interpret the weird local dialect you don't understand.

Most of the "ex pats" I've known who've found themselves excluded from the grapevine have brought it upon themselves by not making enough of an effort to include themselves in the lives and lifestyle of the people around them. The Brits in France were renowned for opting for a night at home in front of their UK-based Skybox, chatting to their family "back home", eating croissants ordered from Tesco and alternately moaning or sniggering at the unusual practices of their French neighbours. On the contrary, those who've wholeheartedly embraced the "foreign" lifestyle can be practically indistinguishable from the natives. I've regularly spent an evening, a weekend or a few months chatting to someone before learning that they're as much an immigrant as me.

In the same vein, when leaving a small island like Ireland, it's easy to forget that other countries can be very big, very diverse. For all that I'm completely happy with where I live in France (not an accident), and other parts where I really enjoy working, there are also parts of the country that I dislike or downright despise. There is no money in the world that'd persuade me to work (never mind live) in Ile-de-France, for example. This is why I advise anyone thinking of moving to another country to do so on a "no-committments" basis first, and to take advantage of the various volunteering programmes to sample different regions before making a firm decision.

thereiver

You have a masters degree and a hdip it's not clear what work you can do , I think houses are very expensive in Canada unless you are in a rural area it would be easier to give advice if you said you are a teacher , or programmer .if you want advice you need to post more info re the work you did for 10 years .you could borrow money to build a small extension to give you a full size bedroom .join a credit union . A small extension may not require planning permission if it's less than a certain size in floor area

Grayson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121835971#Comment_121835971

I mentioned my experience further up the thread. I figured it would help, even if if's not directly relatable. How I managed to get a job in an English speaking firm, in another country. If you want to complain and be a back seat mod, go ahead. I don't care.

As for property in Ireland. Take a look at towns like mullingar, Tullamore etc. They're at the outer reaches of what would still be a bad commute to Dublin. See how many properties there are to rent. Go ahead, I'll wait. And when you're finished with that check out further afield like Mayo.

Why does it have to be within commutable distance of Dublin? because that's where the majority of professional jobs are. If you want to work for a big company, you have to be nearby. And lots of those big companies either require attendance daily or few days a week.

But let's assume that they are able to work from home and not have to go to the office. They will still have to find somewhere affordable to rent. The average wage in Ireland is 45k (according to a quick google). That works out at about 3k a month after tax. Let's say that they are willing to spend 50% of that on rent. Then there's ~350 places cheaper than 1500 to rent in the entire country. https://www.daft.ie/property-for-rent/ireland?rentalPrice_to=1500&numBaths_from=1&numBeds_from=1&sort=priceAsc&pageSize=20&rentalPrice_from=500

That includes student accommodation and places that are renting a room but are listing under apt/house to rent.

And most of the actual apts/houses are in the back end of nowhere.

So the solution you have is to move to another part of the country, where they know no-one and rent a pokey place for 50% of their wages (That's assuming that they can actually find a place because the better the location, the more people will be applying). Plus they'll be living somewhere with feck all people and will have to build a social life from scratch. And out of the remaining 50% of their wages will have to pay heating, electricity and probably the cost of running a car. And all of this is assuming they are able to work from home. If they're not then their tied to being within commuting distance of work.

Or they could just move to another country where they will still have to build a new group of friends, but they'll at least be living in a large city and will have a decent apartment and will be spending less.

dxhound2005

I think the OP has already found a solution. Talk to their friends who managed to get this accommodation:

"Ive two friends who are on social welfare living in new build 3 - 5 bed & two bathroom houses. I live in a box room of my parents house with all my belonging, theres hardly enough space for the bed and wardrobe."

The friends should be able to explain how this is done, and they didn't need to emigrate.

YellowLead

I think it was a rant as opposed to a serious question, given it was posed in after hours.

Airyfairy12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121813734#Comment_121813734

Thanks for this lovely, helpful & positive comment! Id really appreciate if you could pm the boards user? If they dont mind me messaging them of course. Ive been thinking of Berlin for awhile now, I know of people who have moved there and they love it, they never came home, the only thing that stopped me moving was my lack of German and when I searched jobs they all seemed to require potential employees to be fluent. I applied to a couple of cafe jobs just to see what the process is like but I never got a reply. Youve given me renewed hope and i'll give Germany some more thought! Thanks again :)

Airyfairy12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121814817#Comment_121814817

Love this 😂

UK isn't that bad. Just stay away from London. Although it's a fairly poor country but cheap to live. Manchester is going crazy for house prices however you can still get a 2 bed in Liverpool for 60k

suvigirl

As a jobseeker, You can go to any EU country and look for work. You have, I think 3 months, when you will get your home allowance of job seekers allowance.

Apply for lots of jobs before you go, but you can spend a few months in an EU country if you want, looking for a job.

My advise is try the EU

Airyfairy12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121813288#Comment_121813288

This is very spot on! Is it that easy? I hope so! Seems to be so many regulations now with getting jobs and bank accounts, somewhere to live and everything set up! Just seems like such an expensive process!

Airyfairy12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121817030#Comment_121817030

This is what I thought! Unless youre working for google or teaching ESL or something, having German seems to be top priority on any job description ive seen.

Airyfairy12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121829582#Comment_121829582

Respectfully, you dont know the area of education I work in, what my qualifications are, how many hours im contracted for, what my outgoings are or how much I earn. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question but you are wrong in your assumptions.

Airyfairy12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121831459#Comment_121831459

This is great advice! Im saving this post, thank you so much for those tips!

CelticRambler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121930086#Comment_121930086

Is it that easy? Yes ... and no. If you look for work in another EU country (assuming you're Irish) every EU employer is obliged to treat you and your qualifications as if you and they came from their own country. But that doesn't mean you can just walk into the same kind of job, because there can be local rules and regulations that are just as difficult for the natives to overcome, like needing a certificate of this or a diploma in that, or a requirement to be registered with the Guild of Such-and-Such or to be registered with the Chamber of Commerce ...

That's why I say that emigrating with the primary intention of looking for work risks being a very stressful experience; whereas getting involved in volunteering projects for three, six, even twelve months is much more rewarding. You may still need (the equivalent of) Garda vetting for some roles, but by and large, it's an easy way to get into an organisation and work alongside someone with similar - or identical - qualifications as yours, who can explain the nuances of the system; or alternatively, you find a completely different career path opening up for you thanks to a chance encounter.

Grayson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121930111#Comment_121930111

Do you mind if I ask what area you work in? I work in the IT dept of a supermarket chain. And they currently have over 200 jobs advertised. A lot only require english.

Airyfairy12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121931975#Comment_121931975

I dont really want to post anything too personal here like what I do for a living but im qualified in areas of visual arts, education & psychology. Id love to work in these areas, ideally id be involved in vocational education & youth work as im really passionate about supporting young people but unfortunately those jobs are mostly only available under ce schemes & are very underpaid, I worked in youthreach for a bit but the contracts just arent secure enough, the employers are finicky, lots of nepotism to get your foot in the door.. ive experience working with Autism, ADHD, Dementia, mental illness, disabilities, behavioural issues.. im very qualified for an area that's undervalued, underpaid and no one really gives a sh*t about. I followed my heart into a career path that lead nowhere tbh. Id happily work in a supermarket chain if it meant id have security, a regular income and a home to call my own!!

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121930102#Comment_121930102

That guy is just a sad person unhappy with their life and obsessed with the public sector for some bizarre reason.

Hotblack Desiato

OP if you don't have the local language, Netherlands, Sweden or Finland would be better choices than Germany. Many companies in these countries operate in English (especially Finland, expecting employees from abroad to speak it is just impossible).

But if your job is interacting with clients who speak the local language, then you must have fluency.

Airyfairy12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121932681#Comment_121932681

Thanks, this makes allot of sense, I will look into those countries, never thought of Finland :)

dxhound2005

Take account of the time zone in Finland, if you are one of those Irish people who couldn't cope with having a neighbour in a different time zone. Finland has borders with Norway and Sweden, which are an hour different. They all change their clocks twice a year. It also has a 830 mile border with Russia which keeps Moscow time on the Russian side. Moscow is on a different clock again, and keeps the same time all year round.

That Russian border, and Finland joining NATO a year ago would keep me away from Finland at present. Along with the long dark winters and the price of drink.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121932932#Comment_121932932

I love Finland and have spent a lot of time there. But, it's very different to Ireland, it's expensive and winter last around 7 months. It's dark. I love Finnish people, but they don't talk to strangers, they don't talk much at all!

Also, if you were to live there, you really would have to speak Finnish, in fact it's mandatory to take lessons.

Airyfairy12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121933365#Comment_121933365

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121933550#Comment_121933550

Thanks, thats really allot to think about, just goes to show how clueless I am about different parts of the world but grateful for starting this thread as it helps me understand through your first hand experience and I think that excludes Finland for me. I know everywhere will have good and bad things to consider but from your comments Finland seems a bit impractical, I definitley want to go somewhere I can find a community and make some friends, id be prone to SAD too so long term darkness wouldnt be good for me. If I moved to a non English speaking country and liked it enough to stay there, I would without a doubt learn the language, however long it would take to become fluent is another strand to this that im very clueless about! If it was a little bit easier to get a job in a non English speaking country without the language id consider it as much as going to an English speaking country. Thanks for these comments, youre really making me consider places I woulnt have thought of otherwise and I appreciate that.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121932664#Comment_121932664

Maybe you could provide some factual data - like I did - to refute the posts I made rather than resort to name calling? If you are unable to provide this data, then it says much more the type of person you are.

I was responding to another poster - not the OP - who incorrectly assumed teachers are poorly paid.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121933365#Comment_121933365

Very odd post tbh

Finland is more secure now than before. Poundshop Stalin wouldn't dare touch them now.

Who cares what the timezone is. Most of Europe is not on the same timezone as Ireland anyway.

There's a large tech sector there and it operates in English. There are lots of roles related to the sector which don't require IT qualifications.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121948054#Comment_121948054

Thanks for being honest. But you missed out most important bit, the price of drink.

Hotblack Desiato

If that was the decisive factor, why is anyone still here?!

I seem to recall reading an article a few years back about measuring income across the decades in terms of 'pints per week'.

Back in the 70s my dad was on a pretty modest wage, he owned his own home, ran a car, provided for a (non-earning) wife and kids, and still sank a few pints pretty much every day. This is not an endorsement, just a statement. 😁 but even if I was so inclined, a pint in a pub is now a luxury!

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121948123#Comment_121948123

Average earnings in Ireland would not make a pint in a pub a luxury. Your father's lifestyle is matched by hundreds of thousands of people these days. Nothing extraordinary with owning a house and driving a car. And having plenty of disposable income to spend on alcohol or whatever way people see fit.

Average Hourly Earnings in Ireland increased to 28.43 EUR in December of 2023 over the previous month. 

nozzferrahhtoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121926992#Comment_121926992

I would be the user in question. Sorry I did not write sooner. I planned to and got distracted. And only remembered this week because something put it back in my head. Which is:

I work in Germany and am currently researching how to go about moving back to Ireland while still keeping my current job in Germany. About to write a post on another forum about it. If anyone knows how to do this in terms of tax and medical and pension do let me know :)

I am torn. I love it here in Germany and do not want to move home for a list of reasons. But I also want to move home for a list of other more personal reasons (aging parents, friends and a few other emotional ties mostly). I wish I could live two lives!

Like Grayson above I moved to Germany (in my case 16 years ago give or take) to a rather niche programming career which was… and still is… in demand here. So companies were… and still are… entirely willing to over look my lack of German. My German has come on in my time here but living with an English speaking family and working in companies with English speaking environments means it's about 10% of what it should be. So when job hunting I usually mark down no German or the lowest level.

I am noticing more and more jobs popping up with no or minimal german requirements however. Especially in IT. And my news feed today had no less than 4 different websites purporting to be looking to match people with no German up with English speaking jobs in Germany. So depending on what work you do and what industry you are in…. your success at finding English speaking work here is going to vary strongly. There is an oft mentioned shortage of many skills here in Germany reported on…. so the Germans in some industries and roles have been looking abroad to fill those.

ancapailldorcha

If it helps, I got a job in Oxfordshire in 2011. I just booked a one-way flight and never looked back. I'm tempted to do it again, were it not for pension issues. I've interviewed for a company in the Netherlands and I've found potential employers in Paris, Rhineland-Pfalz, and Baden-Wurttemberg.

I'd say go for it, particularly if you have a second language.

bacon?

If you can work remotely, SE Asia is the spot, and Chiang Mai is the best option within SE Asia.

The cost of living to quality of life is very hard to beat. You can rent a basic condo here from 100 euro a month, for a basic fan room, 200 for a decent a/c room, and if you want a nice pad, 350 euro and up. These are all in central locations, not a 2 hour drive from the city.

Everything else cost of living wise, you can at least chop in half, or 1/4, if you want to live on a budget and eat only local.

I left Ireland in 2010, for China for a few years. There were lots of English teaching jobs there, no experience required, no degree needed… Free condo and food too. I didn't teach, but just volunteered 1 hour a day, they wanted native English speakers for chit chat.

China is no dice now, they've gotten pretty anti Western the past few years, I believe most foreign English teachers can't teach there now.

Anyway, there's much more opportunities to work online now than there was 10 years ago. If you can, you may as well live somewhere where your money goes a lot further, and is also pretty awesome.

Visas are easy enough to figure out. If you're coming from your home country, you can get a 6 month tourist visa, and extend and extra 3 months here. After that, there's agents that can help you out stay longer.