Is it tough getting a proper job in the UK now?

***easysat*** · 08-09-2009

My advice is try somewhere like the UK or the Netherlands but apply for jobs from where you are now and only move once you've found something. You can probably do a first interview by telephone and only invest in a trip to the country if you think you're in with a chance at a second interview. Both these countries are fairly tolerant of foreigners as long as you speak a reasonable amount of English (as opposed to countries like France and Italy).

The best way is to get your CV to a few recruitment agencies who deal with your type of job but nothing stops you contacting employers directly. Agencies are good for a foreigner as they will 'sell' you to a prospective employer, which might be harder if your English isn't that perfect.

The Netherlands offers a massive tax advantage to skilled foreigners coming to work there, 30% of your salary tax free.

Both countries have flexible labour laws that allow you to work temporarily as a IT consultant, which is a low-risk strategy for the employer: if you are not up to the job you can just as easily be replaced.

**Salty25** · 08-09-2009

Originally Posted by easysat

My advice is try somewhere like the UK or the Netherlands but apply for jobs from where you are now and only move once you've found something. You can probably do a first interview by telephone and only invest in a trip to the country if you think you're in with a chance at a second interview. Both these countries are fairly tolerant of foreigners as long as you speak a reasonable amount of English (as opposed to countries like France and Italy).

The best way is to get your CV to a few recruitment agencies who deal with your type of job but nothing stops you contacting employers directly. Agencies are good for a foreigner as they will 'sell' you to a prospective employer, which might be harder if your English isn't that perfect.

The Netherlands offers a massive tax advantage to skilled foreigners coming to work there, 30% of your salary tax free.

Both countries have flexible labour laws that allow you to work temporarily as a IT consultant, which is a low-risk strategy for the employer: if you are not up to the job you can just as easily be replaced.

Does that include EU workers, ie UK, French? When you say 30%, do you mean that you get a 30% deduction pro rota on income tax? What about speaking Dutch, might that be a requirement for some?

PS. I'm not suddenly wanting massively to set up home in the Netherlands, but it's worth knowing.

**Channel Hopper** · 08-09-2009

Originally Posted by Telia

You pay the flight tickets and hotel in different parts of the world?

snip.... i send you all invoices of my expenses......snip........judge people ...snip..... current living status

Now we are getting somewhere

I'll remind you of your post regarding qualifications/experience.

http://www.satellites.co.uk/satellite/862614-post9.html

I know people with fewer qualifications who get paid to do their job at 3am, even turning on their laptop following a prompt via messaging whilst on holiday to resolve emergency issues.

Maybe like all of us you wish your job could fund your lifestyle and pay the bills without difficulty, but have found you are now squeezed out by more 'savvy' staff who can do it in their sleep.

You could of course be deemed 'over qualified' by those that have employed you in the past.

I will reiterate - why do you think you cannot earn a decent living from where you are ?

**Telia** · 09-09-2009

Originally Posted by Salty25

Does that include EU workers, ie UK, French? When you say 30%, do you mean that you get a 30% deduction pro rota on income tax? What about speaking Dutch, might that be a requirement for some?

PS. I'm not suddenly wanting massively to set up home in the Netherlands, but it's worth knowing.

In my country i had to pay 57% income tax on what i earned which means i gave away more to government than i kept.

That's what you get when you live in a true socialist country.

***easysat*** · 15-09-2009

Originally Posted by Salty25

Does that include EU workers, ie UK, French? When you say 30%, do you mean that you get a 30% deduction pro rota on income tax? What about speaking Dutch, might that be a requirement for some?

PS. I'm not suddenly wanting massively to set up home in the Netherlands, but it's worth knowing.

The rule applies to people outside the Netherlands who take a skilled job in the country, which is hard to fill locally. It means on earnings of, say, €5000 a month the tax-free allowance will be €1500 and your salary will be counted as €3500. The downside is that the tax free allowance doesn't count towards any salary benefits such as pensions and unemployment. See here: h__p://www.belastingdienst.nl/variabel/buitenland/en/business_taxpayers/business_taxpayers-68.html.

As for speaking the language, in every country you need to know a few words such as please, thank you, good morning, another beer, etc. But in the Netherlands, even supermarket checkout assistants and bus drivers will quite happily translate into English if you don't understand Dutch.

Obviously for some jobs you need to speak Dutch, but for a lot of IT stuff language is not a problem because all the written documents are in English...

Another tip for EU citizens from states with generous unemployment benefits, is to qualify as a cross-border worker if you go to work temporarily in the Netherlands where benefits are low. A cross-border worker from e.g. France can claim unemployment benefit in France after having worked in another EU country, e.g. the Netherlands and he gets the same unemployment benefit as someone who actually worked in France, where social security contributions are much higher. To qualify as a cross-border worker, you must return to your home country at least once a week from the country where you work. Note there is no requirement for the two countries to have a common border.

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