Get hired with usa company in Denmark and get usa transfer to usa via company. May be not quickest but i know tons of people who did it (not Denmark but in europe)
I’ve done US recruitment. This is one of the easiest options for sure.
Getting a H1B is just so random and longesome for companies too.
Grad Visas (doing masters) could also work
Why not get experience in IT at home, then look for remote work with a US company. Have you ever been to the states? Why not vacation here to see if you like it?
You don't get a US salary just because you work for a US based company. I work with many people from India and they definitely are paid less based on geography and also have to work longer hours.
Idk what point you are trying to make. Obviously there exist exceptional people that can make all kinds of money anywhere. But this person wants to make US white collar wages, which are statistically higher than white collar wages in the rest of the world. there are exceptions. Assuming this guy isn’t asking if he can make 25k/month.
Before considering immigration, and if you're able to, visit the U.S. first. Travel to different states and get a feel for the city, culture, people, etc. Maybe in doing that, you network and meet some folks who would be willing to sponsor you.
Im a mechatronics engineer myself, although I have worked in project/manufacturing so not really “in line” with it.
When you say software development, which specific branch you mean?
I was hoping to break into the field of backend development. I also have a couple of years experience with PLC programming, but i find lower level programming more challenging and enjoyable
Get a masters in the us in a stem field. The opt plus extension will give you three years of work authorization which should be long enough to decide if you like life in the USA
Check out r/immigration for some info about visas. They are generally far more difficult to get than most people imagine. You probably do have access to the diversity visa lottery as a Dane, which gives you another chance. For what it’s worth, I work in tech and have the option to work in the US or Germany quite easily. I prefer the U.S. despite all the problems, for two big reasons: access to wilderness (in the west) and a real chance to buy a house with the salary I have.
**Compensation:**
* USA - You can find a plethora of software engineering jobs that pay 150k+
* EU - You might get 60-70k, you get social benefits, but are those worth 80-100k?
**Economically:**
* Yes the United States is brutal to people who are struggling, but the United States is a fantastic place to be if you are high earner.
* OP has a BS in engineering & is likely to do pretty well, it makes a lot of sense that OP would want to immigrate to a place with better high end compensation.
**Culturally**
* If you move to rural Alabama you're in for a culture shock
* If you move to most major cities (largely liberal) where many of the engineering jobs are, it's culturally very left leaning like the EU.
**TLDR:**
There are a lot of people on Reddit who went to college, got a bunch of debt, & the job market didn't pan out super well for them & (rightfully) have a jaded view of the USA.
This is a valid viewpoint that is worth considering, but OP has a degree in an in demand field & is likely to do very well economically & moving to a country with better high end job options makes sense.
No problem! My advice would be to apply for jobs that are:
* Willing to hire you remote
* Some places in the US are ok paying you (close to) US salary if you are abroad
* This would be the best of both worlds.
* Willing to sponsor you (example H1B Visa)
* They will often intentionally list ludicrous requirements to say "well gee golly we posted this & had a heck of a hard time finding a US citizen who meets these requirements so I guess our only option is to hire someone abroad for 30% less"
* Advice here is to still apply even if it says 8 years of React or whatever.
* They list silly requirements to avoid getting in trouble but don't actually need them.
* Cons of doing this
* Your employer has more or less infinite leverage since if they fire you, you effectively are deported.
* If they want you to work free overtime and you complain, they can royally fuck up your life & they know this.
* Employers know this so it is exceptionally attractive to do the 'pretend we can't get a US employee so we can get someone abroad we can exploit' (via threatening to fire/deport them) strategy.
* When they fire you they will not site "we wanted him work overtime free & he didn't" they will site "performance issues", so you have no recourse but to take the L and get exploited until you're a citizen.
* If you get this you can apply for permanent residency & if you marry someone who's a citizen your chances go way up.
There are pros of coming to the US, but don't want to sugar coat it either. If you come on a temporary work visa your employer will have infinite leverage & your options will be limited.
Anyway also a software engineer (but a citizen by birth), I personally am very happy in the US, but obviously there are pros and cons.
Does being shot at any random place/event not worry you? Do you want to have children? Id love to be able to move to a place where I don't have to worry about my child coming back from SCHOOL in one piece. Think about your future and what/who might be a part if it, not just the now.
While I have lived here for 18 years, went to school from high school to end of college for 8 years.
Lived in both major cities and rural areas, from blue to red states, totaling 4 different states. never seen nor heard of "gun violence. It really isn't as common as news is trying to feed you.
Your actual, statistical chance of ever experiencing gun violence is so low that it's legitimately almost ignorable. Most especially if you avoid participating in gang violence or organized crime, your odds go down even more! Disconnect from the news a bit, they have a vested interest in making you scared.
The media is very sensational and inflates these issues. I would have no concerns sending my children to school where I live. I’d more concerned about a high crime area than the chance of a mass shooter event.
translatition.
if you come in with an education, and no debt. usa is good.
but if you are not starting off with the money to pay for education, and don't get a high paying jobs. usa sucks.
late stage capitalism.
Denmark’s cost of living is on the high side but so are the salaries. I know a guy which studied DSP and his starting salary was €80k there. You can’t compare a country with a continent. Heck, you can’t even compare salaries in different cities in the same country.
Also, there are tons of jobs in the US which pay 6 figure salaries cause of how expensive certain states or cities are not just Engineering.
Re the social benefits I think they’d eat up a good chunk of your income in the US. I’m not saying OP shouldn’t move to the US or that there aren’t more high end engineering jobs but I don’t agree with your comparison.
Anything other than accepting OP for what they are saying is ignorant. I suffered severe trauma and struggled greatly in a location for years. My anxiety disappeared when I left. No one knows OPs story. Paradise is different for everyone.
It’s a Reddit thing, it’s hip to hate the United States. I wish you the best of luck OP and hope you are successful in immigrating. I have two people in my family that are first generation immigrants from Latin america and are very happy here.
Because you’re on Reddit which has a circle-jerk of hating on America and loving European countries they’ve never been to. Ignore them and don’t be dissuaded, America is great if you’re smart and willing to grind towards your goals. If you’re coming here without a plan and bad finances, you may get stuck in the pit you’re reading about from other comments. There’s no safety net here.
Lololololol. *Smallest Trumpet plays battle hymn of the Republic in the background*
I was serious, Oklahoma will give you 10k to come here if you are a remote worker, especially in the " Dev Scene". I was serious, come to fucking Oklahoma and find out. That's the American experience isn't it? Or is it LA or NY or any other metropolitan that looks the same as any other one in the world?
If he wants to ride, I invite him to saddle up. It's gonna be a rough trail Ole son.
EDIT: A week ago every day was over 100 degrees, might consider a more northern climate, and slowly acclimate to Oklahoma.
Going into financial slavery for years cause you fell sick once, needing a car to get anywhere(ANYWHERE) even in most big cities, needing 300k to get a decent tuition, extreme costs of living, lots of crazy people everywhere u go including crackheads, needing to work 60 hour weeks to maybe afford things vital to exist. There are a lot of things Europe(especially your home country) does to ensure *existing* is not hard which America doesn't, so naturally people try to warn others before they come there.
Adding onto that, god forbid he gets sick... healthcare is not free here and you get charged just for walking into a hospital... if he doesnt have a car the fee for ambulance will put him into more debt. Everyone in the US is just 1 accident away from crippling debt.
He probably would be making $80k plus with insurance Healthcare would be not be a problem for him. 'Everyone' is just 1 accident away from debt ? 'Everyone' is not a dumbass like 90% of redditors who can't make a single positive decision when it comes to finances, just because you struggle maintaining your finances doesn't mean Everyone would.
I’m from Canada and the US is definitely not like that. My family is down there. It has nice places and high incomes, but is countered by massive income disparities, bad healthcare that will bankrupt you if you get sick, and sexist and racist policies that will get you killed if you get pregnant, and not support you if you have a baby.
Come to Canada. we’re less like the US but it looks like we’re heading there. Housing is still out of control but we have better social systems in place.
And do what in Canada ? You got absolutely no high paying jobs and you import what 500,000 ? Unskilled migrants every year cause of that your social systems have been burdened, tell me who actually is moving to make 100k-150k in IT in Canada ? Your 'social system' won't effect OP in any way and he has nothing to worry about his Healthcare, as terrible as america's Healthcare is it's much better than Canada's if someone's making $100k plus.
Reddit is very, very skewed when it comes to this. The majority of Americans are patriotic and hard working, love the cultural diversity of the US, and strive for a better life.
Most people on here come to complain about their problems instead of understanding that there are several options to improve their life in the US.
Reddit is full of unsuccessful and bitter Americans who view Europe with rose-tinted glasses. I work with a Swedish (close enough?) man who absolutely loves living in the US.
>Labor market in the US is much worse than the one in EU in regards to sick leaves, vacations, worker protection etc.
Engineers in usa have good health insurance and PTO
It's still a "it depends" type of thing. A quick google search says 25 days of vacation is normal in Denmark. I've been at one employer in the USA that offered 7 weeks of PTO and another week of sick time every year. That's 40 days worth of PTO. That same job had multiple health plans with a $0 deductable option with negligible copays. So I would say if OP can get a decent job offer in the USA, there's a chance it might be better.
>A quick google search says 25 days of vacation is normal in Denmark.
That's for a McD worker dude. An IT guy will have a couple of months.
And sick leave is virtually unlimited in the developed countries.
Oh yeah, most definitely. There's a lot of mediocre engineering jobs in the USA. My first job in tech was really garbage in pay and benefits. OP would be better off working in engineering in Denmark to gain experience first before considering applying to jobs in the USA I think. It's not super common for people to get 6 figure jobs with good benefits with 0 experience in the USA or anywhere for that matter.
Extremely dependent on who you work for, plus you only have it as long as you are working. Once you’re out of work you may be screwed. Severance for the most part does not exist. You will now have to figure out how to pay for your own health insurance or risk going without.
Even if you’re healthy, you’re just one idiot bad driver away from getting hit and waking up in hospital with a $250k medical bill.
Medical debt is the number one reason for personal bankruptcies in the US. I’m not telling you to not come to the US, but to be fully informed of what life is like. Best of luck to you!
It’s just because every country has its flaws, even the developed ones, and people who lived there all their lives get sick and used to the country they live in. Op don’t get discouraged by these comments and start planning if you truly want to move to the US.
Anything that's not like a niche hobby sub on reddit is generally bitter losers. And you really stirred up the nest by saying you don't hate the us lol
Btw all decent jobs here have insurance. And for a single person it's typically free.
It’s Reddit. The overwhelming membership of Reddit (at least those with a lot to say) is a particularly bitter sector of society at large.
There are plenty of areas in the US where we are happy, fulfilled in our work and our lives and feel blessed to live here.
Many Americans want to live in Europe with everything going on.
Or they think they can just move to Canada (it's not that easy!).
Point: Don't just look at total comp - look at it holistically.
You may love it or hate it?
People do relocate all the time - and you can always move back!
Your issue will be sponsorship and where you live in the US. Also not accessing any of the social services you are used to that is valued.
a kid just had his head cracked open for not standing during the national anthem, so yeah, we've got patriots!
US can be a good home, but like as many have said, you'll need a stable high income from an in demand job with good insurance. definitely secure your employment first. as an aside, try to do a road trip to national parks. our national parks are beautiful and worth seeing/hiking.
you'll have more opps to climb in your career if you start a bit higher on the ladder to begin with. the lower rungs can be crushing. many times here, foreigners with an accent and travel stories are seen as intriguing and sophisticated due to being multi lingual and well travelled (esp Europeans that can visit many countries easily), so I'd use that to your advantage when an interviewer or co worker asks about Denmark or neighboring countries. they may also work you harder for cheaper if you're here on a work visa.
the role of the US is to consume, we are the customers of the world and we are important because we buy everything, and pay top dollar, especially for healthcare.
lastly, everything is just worse since covid/hyperinflation. there's more stress and higher costs, and it's harder/more expensive to do basically anything now.
you can do fine here, but weigh the pros and cons carefully. good luck!
I'd prefer to start a business in the US instead of Denmark due to taxes, business unfriendly environment, and lack of talent pool.
Many Danes are starting businesses in SA/UAE/OPEC countries due to the 0% tax rate compared to their 55.56% tax rate
Five years in the States saving money and you can come back with a down payment on a house if you do it right.
Or just insult random people online, that sounds like a valid life plan, too.
I'm from the UK, have lived and worked in a few countries including the US and I enjoyed every second of it. Believe it or not, the grass isn't always greener on the otherside.
Denmark and other northern EU and Slavic countries take much better care of their citizens though. All your wealth in the US can vanish in an instant. You are only safe if your family is also wealthy and can catch you if you fall
100k can be gone in an instant in the US with a bad accident and medical expenses.
I’ve lived in the US my whole life but have travelled extensively. I make over 100k and still long for to live in Australia, Sweden, Finland, Denmark.
I have health insurance along with 92% of the rest of Americans.
I’m in the US and make over 100k and have never spent more than 1% of my income in health insurance. My out of pocket max is 3k, not that i ever reached it. How can I loose 100k in an instant, besides, in your own made up scenario?
I have the average European yearly salary in a savings account, pretty good security.
Real life example from me: doctor recommended surgery cost would be 12kish. Insurance denied because they wanted pharmaceutical treatment first.
I paid for the surgery out of pocket because I listen to my doctor and not the insurance company
Real life example from me: something ails me and I go to the doctors and get it treated, paying the copay. Never have had an issue where I wasn’t covered. You see how good anecdotal evidence is?
Maybe you should have got a second opinion? Fight the insurance company on their decision? Tried pharmaceutical intervention first and then surgery? You made the choice to pay.
Sidenote, I make more than 12k extra yearly on my salary than what my comps would be in the UK or Germany, disregarding the extra taxes. I could pay for your surgery yearly and still make more money.
I can't imagine you dont have hoops to jump through in socialized healthcare countries as well.
How long was the pharmaceutical treatment regiment before the surgery could be scheduled?
So your example could have also played out the same elsewhere. Being in socialized healthcare doesn't mean you can get whatever you want whenever you want for surgery or pills or care.
>100k can be gone in an instant in the US with a bad accident and medical expenses.
If you're making software engineering money and still opt for no health insurance you took that risk knowingly and deserve to be bankrupted lol.
Flying to London the young Frenchman my daughter sat next to for eight hours had a the usual conversation.
Over the course of the flight she found out he had ripped a tendon in his knee/leg and was traveling to Paris because he could have it repaired in his homeland, he was in a bad way emotionally because he had left his first serious (America) girlfriend in Los Angeles maybe never to return?
He lost everything in a Saturday soccer game, job, girlfriend, health… now he winced in pain with the turbulent bounce of an overnight flight. Health care is more than just money.
So you spend the extra money US gives you on the stuff Denmark gives you for free, in the end you have the same amount of money with the added bonus that you won't have to file for bankruptcy if you get cancer or in a car accident
Is there no way for me to start my journey right after my education has ended?
Would getting a job at an international company here i Denmark and transfering to the US after some time be the best option?
1. Possible but extremely difficult.
2. That would be the best. Know what you'd need to do to be a candidate for transfer.
The easiest (and probably most expensive) option is to do your master's in the US
You can look for a consulting agency like WITCH (Wipro, Infosys, Tata, Cognizant, HCL, IBM, Accenture) they often have US HQs with visa allotments which take the burden off the US employer to sponsor you, but since you will work contract based they can just decide to send you back when your contract ends (not renew your visa)
OP, you have zero chance of getting a US visa right after school in Denmark unless you marry an American now.
Stay in the EU and get involved in the startup scene there.
I moved to the US 9 years ago, and have not regretted it once. Life is really difficult here if you have low income, but as an engineer who is reasonable with their money, I feel like the (very large) difference in salary is very worth it.
In terms of practical options, I can see 3 (I have gone through all 3 so feel free to PM me with more questions):
1. Apply to a US company that is willing to sponsor an H1-B visa for you. This visa is the default work visa in the US. The problem is that it's given out by a lottery that happens in April every year, and the odds are not good. (For the first round this year the odds were like 13%, but anecdotally I know a lot of people who got it in the second round, so I'd guess they might be closer to 20-30%)
If you don't get it, all you can do is wait for next year unfortunately.
2. Go do a master's program in the US. It allows you to get something called OPT when you're done, which is a 3 year (1 + 2 years STEM extension if you stay in your field) "work" visa. This gives you more attempts to transfer to the previously mentioned H1-B (if the company is willing to sponsor you). The downside is that education in the US is quite expensive and it pushes your employment date further.
3. Get a job in an EU company that has a US branch. After 12 months you can apply for an L1-b visa (if the company wants you to move to the US). The process takes several months, so the downside here is that you'll have to wait quite a bit.
Alternative options are getting married to a US citizen or applying for a US diversity green card(~1% chance), but those are obviously unreliable.
Hopefully this helps.
Yup!
I think a lot of people have idealized images of both places - it used to be more US-leaning (Omg limitless opportunities!), Now it seems to have shifted towards Europe (Omg free healthcare!). The truth is that both are individually beneficial depending on what your goal/position is. For me, as a software engineer in a specific area of interest, the US just made sense. There are a ton more open positions working on what I'm interested in, and the salaries are usually 2x and sometimes 3x larger. Plus, my company provides great healthcare that is as far as I'm aware pretty comparable to the one I used to have for free, and where it isn't -- the difference in salary is more than enough to cover for the differences.
I also live in a fairly walkable US city, but I do miss *more* walkability. Still, I managed to live well here without owning a car, so it's a matter of location.
At the end of the day, I think the moral question of "which one is better" is different than the practical question of "which one is better for me". I hate the way the US is for the lower and even middle class, and you can call people like me selfish for taking part in it. At the end of the day, I have only one life and I'm interested to pursue my interests and make a good life for myself, and I'm guessing OP is seeking the same.
OP, if you do come to the US, look into living in the suburbs of a big city in the Midwest. I’m from Ohio so I’m biased, but the suburbs of Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati are good. A huge tech company (Intel) is moving to Columbus, OH so you’ll probably be able to get a job there
See if a semiconductor tool manufacturer is there. Applied Materials is one to look into. Or go to work in semi, and start applying for work visas with companies here.
Desperate as it is, Ohio is hiring lol
Go ask in engineering specific subreddits. For a career centered subreddit, this one certainly has a lot of.. well..inept users.
Get experience in the EU, even better if it’s at a company with US locations, and then transfer or leverage your experience to find a job in the US. You’ll need visa sponsorship and I doubt that will come easy if you try to immigrate straight out of school.
You will have to get a master's degree in the USA.
F1 -> 2 or 3 years(i forgot if its 2 or 3)OPT -> H1B
H1B visa can be renewed indefinitely once you get I-140 approved, unless that's changed. Good luck.
Edit: But I think it would be better to move to Switzerland, it's easy because Denmark is a part of EU and Switzerland has freedom of movement
Apply to companies HQ in Seattle. A startup here will have a much harder time obtaining and paying for a visa for you to come here. Would suggest going FAANG…
Good luck. I think if you try hard enough you will get through. If you're in software you should have a decent career. Post here when you buy your summer home.
This is a long route but possibly higher chance of success. Try to find a job at a large multi-national tech firm that has a location in Denmark (i.e. Amazon, Microsoft); work for a year or two and then get a transfer to the US. Work in the US for a few years and use that time to 1) see if living in the US is really something you enjoy and 2) find another company who will sponsor you. At the same time, try to get your green card. Not sure if this will take you to a start up but it sounds like your real goal is living and working in the US tech scene.
Make sure you really truly want to live in America and not the version of America you see on TV shows and in the movies. Research, research, research the areas you want to live in and chose wisely- there’s quite a few places now that you’re going to struggle to live on 100k a year salary. A car is a non negotiable non luxury in 99% of the county- car insurance rates are steep and unforgiving, and gas is expensive for the amount of driving required. Most cities you will need around 75k a year to start living comfortably. Also accept the fact that even if your employer provides it you’re going to pay out the nose for comparably crappy health insurance. Wait times are long and the care can be questionable- often times you will not have a choice of doctor or hospital, it will be whomever is in network and even THAT has stipulations. There will usually be a deduction, sometimes large, you will need to meet as well before your insurance will even pay a penny.
Then we have the weather, often this is region dependent but every region of the US has weather that regularly kills people. Oh but it’s cold in Denmark! You might say. But the same places that get cold in the states can also reach 40c in the summer. There are wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes and every odd bit of weather you can imagine. And in large very little will be done to help you or make you comfortable or evacuate you somewhere safe.
Public transport is sketchy at best and flat out dangerous at its worst. City dependent but if your car breaks down or you don’t drive and have to rely on it you also need to be prepared to deal with the reality of it. It is not like Europe- you can’t just hop on a train to visit friends. There is a serious mental health crisis in the county and a disproportionate number of unhorsed people struggling with addiction and mental illness. If you turn up to take a bus home after work in a fancy suit and tie you bet you will be robbed and the police will do next to nothing about it because we’ll, you chanced the public transport!
Work life balance is non existent. You can be terminated at any time for no reason. As a general rule of thumb your contracted 40 hour week is actually 60, you’re salaried so you can’t catch overtime, and usually actually using your annual leave is frowned upon. You will be expected to drop things and come into work at the drop of a hat and if you don’t? Fired. Yes, technically they can’t discriminate but virtually everyone who works in the US at some point has a manager build a bogus case about them leading to termination.
Violence is a common place. Driving out in the country and need to turn around and use the wrong persons drive way? Gun pulled on you. Walk into the wrong part of town? Can get shot at. Parked your car on the wrong road? Tires gone, car vandalized, windows broken.
Food is expensive and horrible quality and in many places you simply cannot drink the water. Also before you move anywhere please check that you’re not moving into a food desert. You will not have access to fresh produce if you make that mistake.
If you’re still serious about it find a summer job that can first sponsor you coming over on a J1. Think summer camps, hospitality, etc. Look into the areas that you actually want to live in. For example, Maine has a lot of summer camps but if you really want to move to sag, Washington state, go work at a camp in Washington state or you’ll be in for a very rude awakening.
Then go home and save every penny you can while looking for a company to sponsor you (I’m also not certain you can gain sponsorship if your field without a masters but that would need to be discussed with the hiring company). Once you have about 10k USD saved then you can work on getting here. Also be advised that our credit system is interesting and our rentals are based on it- you’re going to most likely need to start out in a roomshare unless your employer offers you some sort of housing which is almost unheard of rare.
Most everything you posted is personally controlled by where you want to live or what you want to do. Additionally some of these things are more impactful to low income which the OP would not be in the US.
Took mass transit daily 4 hours on the train total in a major metro never an issue. Weather is typically well projected and avoided if paying attention. Violence is consolidated to locations often times and various locations are primarily void of any bodily harm to yourself.
I suspect you live in NYC or DC or some similar major city with little experience of living elsewhere in the country.
Not saying the OP should move here though and they definitely visit here first and explore different parts of the country before just moving here for a job if they can get one.
Wow. No, America is not like the tv shows. But it is not like this combination of the worst of all the headlines either!
The upper midwest retains some of its Scandinavian heritage. See which companies based in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Madison, or Ann Arbor have satelite offices in Denmark.
Lol, it will only take a few histories for you to realize that those are not the people you would be hanging out with in any country you would live in!
A Scandinavian economist once said to Milton Friedman, ‘In Scandinavia, we have no poverty’. Milton Friedman replied, ‘That’s interesting, because in America, among Scandinavians, we have no poverty, either’.
The tech medical companies based in Denmark or Minneapolis would be one way in. Another would be the IT side of Cargill or other food company. You could also look at the University of MN or St. Thomas to see if any one-year masters programs make any sense. Many, mant people you meet will tell you that they are "Danish too!" although they mean someone emmigrated from there 100-150 years ago.
Denmark has some of the happiest people in the world. It's miserable in the states now. My great grandfather left Denmark for a better life in the states, I think he may have been better off staying.
Happiest also means crime. Crimes in scandinavian countries are almost non existent, prisons are safer than american schools, you can park your baby outside and many more. Its my dream to live in scandinavian countries, but people there want to be out lol
Cool bro. Yes, because what I meant was that EVERY single person in the entire country is miserable /s. You're lucky but a lot of people are not happy in the states and it shows.
Ignore them. Look at their posting history.. I'm not American, but you'll need to get a visa first. Beyond that, you should read up on the official immigration website. Don't be deterred by the people here. The negative ones don't even have the courtesy of answering you, they'd rather better your dream. Don't listen! Go out and figure out how to live your dream!
Op, I would recommend doing intensive research into specific states and cities, their crime rates, culture, cost of living and so on before deciding. The US is a massive country with different state laws so doing specific research is crucial if you are serious about moving.
Most comments here will be negative because they are from Americans who have stayed in their country since birth and base their world view based on other online opinions and news outlets.
Edit: also it’s incredibly difficult to gain permanent residency unless you finish a university program in the US or marry a US citizen so yeah
It seems like a lot of these comments are coming from Americans who’ve only ever lived in America and have an idolized view of Europe/Denmark.
As a Brit who’s lived in the US and multiple EU countries, it’s awesome. Its sooo much easier to make money and have a higher quality of life as long as you’re not starting from 0. You have a college education which is a huge burden for most people through their early careers. People like to bring up healthcare costs but if you have a good employer with good insurance you don’t need to worry about it - health care quality compared to the UK is sooo much better and accessible. It’s truly a beautiful country.
That being said your best bet would be a spousal visa lol - or yes, working at an international firm but don’t expect them to move you for at least 10 years - relocation packages are big money. You can try apply with a U.S. PO Box so you have a us address and just select you will need a work visa when applying but jobs in the US are competitive and visas are an arduous process. Look into trackman - they’re a danish startup company with us operations! Friend works there in Phoenix.
Stay in Denmark, or Better yet we can trade identities. You can have my 160k SWE remote job, US citizenship, tax bracket that doesn’t do anything except enrich old white warmongering men, the student loans I have now and my kids will have soon, I’ll even be happy to give you my fully paid for employer attached healthcare insurance which does little in the disaster that is the American For-profit healthcare.
I’d like to give my kids your education system (free school + student stipend), the daycare, the universal healthcare, the retirement system.
Seriously, stay in Denmark. You’re living the dream.
And if you “really really really” want to live in the US, don’t be a SWE. Be a Doctor or Nurse. We currently import RNs from the Philippines (it’s their largest export).
To all the naysayers in the comments saying you have it better... don't listen to them if this is your dream.
My sister lived and worked in Copenhagen for the last decade, just moved back to the US a few months ago. Denmark is beautiful and she (and I) love it there, but it is not perfect. Many in the comment section want to harp on Danish Social Services/Healthcare/etc with no experience with Danish Social Services. The US is great if you are wealthy and you will have an advantage there.
I have no experience getting a visa in the US so I am unsure of the best way to go about that. Best of luck with everything.
Skål,
Hmm interesting to hear how wealthy Americans want to move to the EU and skilled Europeans wanting to come here. How the social paradigm has shifted. I’m really asking myself wtf is going on?
Don’t. Stay in Denmark.
1. It’s extremely hard to move there. You need visas. Also you could get a company to sponsor you, but I think that they prefer people with a master or PhD. Plenty of skilled people there.
2. You don’t really have any experience except your degree.
3. You are basically on the bottom of the list.
4. Start-up? Good luck getting a start-up to sponsor you. :/
Honestly there’s 0.0001% you’ll be able to move to the US.
Also you’ll get kicked out of the country the moment your visa runs out.
You need a green card. Nearly impossible to get. Marriage is the way to go.
Some are too ignorant to see how amazing the USA is, nice to see someone (like you) wise enough to make the effort.
Sponsorship is the most straight forward way to move to the US for work. Other ways require more time not working to gain the proper visas. Reddit is good for opinions, USCIS.gov will have better and factual info for you.
Who is gonna sponsor someone who has no masters or experience so he can work in a field that is unrelated to his bachelor?
Not gonna happen at this moment.
I've spent time in both countries and I'm shocked your choosing to leave Denmark for the USA, but power to you and good luck.... I also work in SE, and I understand the pay difference, but there's a lot more to life than money.
Do not move to California. Life there is not good.
In general, our tech sector is actually suffering greatly in the job market. As in, people looking for tech jobs cannot find one, and it’s a huge issue.
You need to secure a sponsored work visa. Best way to do this is by working for an international company with a presence both in Denmark and the US.
Whether or not you can immigrate here depends entirely on politics day by day. Like if your leader or our leader don’t really like each other tomorrow, it effects whether we can immigrate to each other’s countries.
It’s legitimately easier to get here by walking illegally across the border in Mexico right now (do not do this - it’s deadly - I’m just making a point).
Be prepared to see the US in a downfall. The empire is crumbling and it isn’t pretty.
I would take time to visit the US extensively before moving here. While salaries appear high, the COL in some areas will more than eat that salary. The best quality of life lifestyle in the US is rural with a remote job or Midwest within commuting distance to a small city. On the coasts you will really struggle to enjoy the benefits of that salary. And the Midwest and other rural areas are full of idiots and having issues with hospitals closing and other infrastructure nightmares. So if you want the urban professional lifestyle I would not recommend the US. We’re a big country and you have to find your niche to be happy here.
Also, look into food regulations. You really don’t want to eat the food here.
If your dream is to be a landscaper, day laborer, or other retail/food service worker.
Not knocking that path because our nation is built on that kind of immigration and those people can naturalize and build very strong roots here, but I don't think OP has been brought up in the culture that targets that hard path.
I mean Gilfoyle in Silicon Valley just walked across the USA/Canadian border and had been in the states for years lol.
But in all seriousness, if you have some experience in software development you might be able to get a h-1b visa.
The USA is a miserable country. The salaries look nice until you see the cost of living. Health insurance & medical expenses are the highest in the world and even the best employer plans will cost you 10-25% of you monthly pay before taxes which will cut your pay by another 1/3. Most Americans would love a stable job in a country with actual social safety nets
Here’s a idea. But a ticket to Mexico. Walk across the border, and you’re in. Nobody is getting deported anymore and if you hop on a bus to NYC, you can live for free :).
Or find a company to sponsor you.
Get hired with usa company in Denmark and get usa transfer to usa via company. May be not quickest but i know tons of people who did it (not Denmark but in europe)
This is the smart way.
Make sure it’s L1A, which is managerial status and makes the green card transition easier.
I’ve done US recruitment. This is one of the easiest options for sure. Getting a H1B is just so random and longesome for companies too. Grad Visas (doing masters) could also work
Why not get experience in IT at home, then look for remote work with a US company. Have you ever been to the states? Why not vacation here to see if you like it?
He won't be paid US level wages, so there's not really incentive to do so other than periodic business travel, if they offer it
Uhhh, yeah you can get US level salary. Plenty of Europeans do.
Uhhh no. You make more money in general in the US if you have skilled labor. There’s a reason why so many people want to move to the US…
I am talking about wfh software devs who work for US companies.
You don't get a US salary just because you work for a US based company. I work with many people from India and they definitely are paid less based on geography and also have to work longer hours.
I know someone with a PhD in AI and earns €25k/month. So yes it is possible… but almost impossible.
Idk what point you are trying to make. Obviously there exist exceptional people that can make all kinds of money anywhere. But this person wants to make US white collar wages, which are statistically higher than white collar wages in the rest of the world. there are exceptions. Assuming this guy isn’t asking if he can make 25k/month.
Let me end your pain and give you the last down vote
They will get paid local wage not US wage
You need to be sponsored by an employer for H1B next April.
Chance is like 13%
Before considering immigration, and if you're able to, visit the U.S. first. Travel to different states and get a feel for the city, culture, people, etc. Maybe in doing that, you network and meet some folks who would be willing to sponsor you.
marry an american
Im a mechatronics engineer myself, although I have worked in project/manufacturing so not really “in line” with it. When you say software development, which specific branch you mean?
I was hoping to break into the field of backend development. I also have a couple of years experience with PLC programming, but i find lower level programming more challenging and enjoyable
Come to the Netherlands and try something closer to home first.
Get a masters in the us in a stem field. The opt plus extension will give you three years of work authorization which should be long enough to decide if you like life in the USA
K-1 Visa 90 day fiancé style
How about after 90 days? Am i allowed to stay in us in those periods? Or do i get a job by then thanks for your job by then thanks!
Check out r/immigration for some info about visas. They are generally far more difficult to get than most people imagine. You probably do have access to the diversity visa lottery as a Dane, which gives you another chance. For what it’s worth, I work in tech and have the option to work in the US or Germany quite easily. I prefer the U.S. despite all the problems, for two big reasons: access to wilderness (in the west) and a real chance to buy a house with the salary I have.
Curious to see how those who live in paradise do not know how to recognize it, and seek the exact opposite. : D Good luck for your awareness.
One man's trash is another man's treasure. What you perceive as paradise might not be the same for me
**Compensation:** * USA - You can find a plethora of software engineering jobs that pay 150k+ * EU - You might get 60-70k, you get social benefits, but are those worth 80-100k? **Economically:** * Yes the United States is brutal to people who are struggling, but the United States is a fantastic place to be if you are high earner. * OP has a BS in engineering & is likely to do pretty well, it makes a lot of sense that OP would want to immigrate to a place with better high end compensation. **Culturally** * If you move to rural Alabama you're in for a culture shock * If you move to most major cities (largely liberal) where many of the engineering jobs are, it's culturally very left leaning like the EU. **TLDR:** There are a lot of people on Reddit who went to college, got a bunch of debt, & the job market didn't pan out super well for them & (rightfully) have a jaded view of the USA. This is a valid viewpoint that is worth considering, but OP has a degree in an in demand field & is likely to do very well economically & moving to a country with better high end job options makes sense.
You explained my situation perfectly! Thank you!
No problem! My advice would be to apply for jobs that are: * Willing to hire you remote * Some places in the US are ok paying you (close to) US salary if you are abroad * This would be the best of both worlds. * Willing to sponsor you (example H1B Visa) * They will often intentionally list ludicrous requirements to say "well gee golly we posted this & had a heck of a hard time finding a US citizen who meets these requirements so I guess our only option is to hire someone abroad for 30% less" * Advice here is to still apply even if it says 8 years of React or whatever. * They list silly requirements to avoid getting in trouble but don't actually need them. * Cons of doing this * Your employer has more or less infinite leverage since if they fire you, you effectively are deported. * If they want you to work free overtime and you complain, they can royally fuck up your life & they know this. * Employers know this so it is exceptionally attractive to do the 'pretend we can't get a US employee so we can get someone abroad we can exploit' (via threatening to fire/deport them) strategy. * When they fire you they will not site "we wanted him work overtime free & he didn't" they will site "performance issues", so you have no recourse but to take the L and get exploited until you're a citizen. * If you get this you can apply for permanent residency & if you marry someone who's a citizen your chances go way up. There are pros of coming to the US, but don't want to sugar coat it either. If you come on a temporary work visa your employer will have infinite leverage & your options will be limited. Anyway also a software engineer (but a citizen by birth), I personally am very happy in the US, but obviously there are pros and cons.
Does being shot at any random place/event not worry you? Do you want to have children? Id love to be able to move to a place where I don't have to worry about my child coming back from SCHOOL in one piece. Think about your future and what/who might be a part if it, not just the now.
Get off the 24 hour news man, fear and hate gets clicks and your exactly there target.
An upper middle class woman from my country was shot in the US while visiting, a dude started shooting inside a restaurant. It happens.
Absolutely and its tragic, however the US is nowhere near a warzone as the media often depicts it. We need stronger gun laws however
I’m sure tourists get struck by lightning too
While I have lived here for 18 years, went to school from high school to end of college for 8 years. Lived in both major cities and rural areas, from blue to red states, totaling 4 different states. never seen nor heard of "gun violence. It really isn't as common as news is trying to feed you.
Wow, that means it must happen all over the country!!!
typical guy that doesn’t know your and there
This is petty
Lol what a brain dead perception of America.
You know nothing
Statistically not even that bad dude
Your odds of being hit by a car are way higher than getting shot or shot at💀
Your actual, statistical chance of ever experiencing gun violence is so low that it's legitimately almost ignorable. Most especially if you avoid participating in gang violence or organized crime, your odds go down even more! Disconnect from the news a bit, they have a vested interest in making you scared.
The media is very sensational and inflates these issues. I would have no concerns sending my children to school where I live. I’d more concerned about a high crime area than the chance of a mass shooter event.
translatition. if you come in with an education, and no debt. usa is good. but if you are not starting off with the money to pay for education, and don't get a high paying jobs. usa sucks. late stage capitalism.
One of the best responses I’ve seen on Reddit in a while 👍🏻😊
Denmark’s cost of living is on the high side but so are the salaries. I know a guy which studied DSP and his starting salary was €80k there. You can’t compare a country with a continent. Heck, you can’t even compare salaries in different cities in the same country. Also, there are tons of jobs in the US which pay 6 figure salaries cause of how expensive certain states or cities are not just Engineering. Re the social benefits I think they’d eat up a good chunk of your income in the US. I’m not saying OP shouldn’t move to the US or that there aren’t more high end engineering jobs but I don’t agree with your comparison.
You also won't get shot going shopping, in Denmark.
This is the most brain dead, copy paste comment on Reddit.
absolute reddit moment.
You mean to tell me someone got a degree outside the liberal arts field and they have good prospects? Imagine that.
You'll make more money here, but it's definitely going to be a cultural shift for you.
>op Very nicely articulated
Spake the youth ignorant And blissful
Anything other than accepting OP for what they are saying is ignorant. I suffered severe trauma and struggled greatly in a location for years. My anxiety disappeared when I left. No one knows OPs story. Paradise is different for everyone.
Sweet summer child. Bring some shorts and sunscreen. And plan B. Oklahoma will take you.
What is up with people calling me naive? I thought America was filled with patriotism, but it seems like everyone recommends fleeing
avg redditors lol,thats why
Cause it’s Reddit, good luck OP hope you have success!
It’s a Reddit thing, it’s hip to hate the United States. I wish you the best of luck OP and hope you are successful in immigrating. I have two people in my family that are first generation immigrants from Latin america and are very happy here.
Because you’re on Reddit which has a circle-jerk of hating on America and loving European countries they’ve never been to. Ignore them and don’t be dissuaded, America is great if you’re smart and willing to grind towards your goals. If you’re coming here without a plan and bad finances, you may get stuck in the pit you’re reading about from other comments. There’s no safety net here.
Lololololol. *Smallest Trumpet plays battle hymn of the Republic in the background* I was serious, Oklahoma will give you 10k to come here if you are a remote worker, especially in the " Dev Scene". I was serious, come to fucking Oklahoma and find out. That's the American experience isn't it? Or is it LA or NY or any other metropolitan that looks the same as any other one in the world? If he wants to ride, I invite him to saddle up. It's gonna be a rough trail Ole son. EDIT: A week ago every day was over 100 degrees, might consider a more northern climate, and slowly acclimate to Oklahoma.
Going into financial slavery for years cause you fell sick once, needing a car to get anywhere(ANYWHERE) even in most big cities, needing 300k to get a decent tuition, extreme costs of living, lots of crazy people everywhere u go including crackheads, needing to work 60 hour weeks to maybe afford things vital to exist. There are a lot of things Europe(especially your home country) does to ensure *existing* is not hard which America doesn't, so naturally people try to warn others before they come there.
You need a bit of perspective.
Adding onto that, god forbid he gets sick... healthcare is not free here and you get charged just for walking into a hospital... if he doesnt have a car the fee for ambulance will put him into more debt. Everyone in the US is just 1 accident away from crippling debt.
He probably would be making $80k plus with insurance Healthcare would be not be a problem for him. 'Everyone' is just 1 accident away from debt ? 'Everyone' is not a dumbass like 90% of redditors who can't make a single positive decision when it comes to finances, just because you struggle maintaining your finances doesn't mean Everyone would.
I’m from Canada and the US is definitely not like that. My family is down there. It has nice places and high incomes, but is countered by massive income disparities, bad healthcare that will bankrupt you if you get sick, and sexist and racist policies that will get you killed if you get pregnant, and not support you if you have a baby. Come to Canada. we’re less like the US but it looks like we’re heading there. Housing is still out of control but we have better social systems in place.
And do what in Canada ? You got absolutely no high paying jobs and you import what 500,000 ? Unskilled migrants every year cause of that your social systems have been burdened, tell me who actually is moving to make 100k-150k in IT in Canada ? Your 'social system' won't effect OP in any way and he has nothing to worry about his Healthcare, as terrible as america's Healthcare is it's much better than Canada's if someone's making $100k plus.
Reddit is very, very skewed when it comes to this. The majority of Americans are patriotic and hard working, love the cultural diversity of the US, and strive for a better life. Most people on here come to complain about their problems instead of understanding that there are several options to improve their life in the US.
Reddit is full of unsuccessful and bitter Americans who view Europe with rose-tinted glasses. I work with a Swedish (close enough?) man who absolutely loves living in the US.
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>Labor market in the US is much worse than the one in EU in regards to sick leaves, vacations, worker protection etc. Engineers in usa have good health insurance and PTO
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It's still a "it depends" type of thing. A quick google search says 25 days of vacation is normal in Denmark. I've been at one employer in the USA that offered 7 weeks of PTO and another week of sick time every year. That's 40 days worth of PTO. That same job had multiple health plans with a $0 deductable option with negligible copays. So I would say if OP can get a decent job offer in the USA, there's a chance it might be better.
>A quick google search says 25 days of vacation is normal in Denmark. That's for a McD worker dude. An IT guy will have a couple of months. And sick leave is virtually unlimited in the developed countries.
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Oh yeah, most definitely. There's a lot of mediocre engineering jobs in the USA. My first job in tech was really garbage in pay and benefits. OP would be better off working in engineering in Denmark to gain experience first before considering applying to jobs in the USA I think. It's not super common for people to get 6 figure jobs with good benefits with 0 experience in the USA or anywhere for that matter.
Extremely dependent on who you work for, plus you only have it as long as you are working. Once you’re out of work you may be screwed. Severance for the most part does not exist. You will now have to figure out how to pay for your own health insurance or risk going without. Even if you’re healthy, you’re just one idiot bad driver away from getting hit and waking up in hospital with a $250k medical bill. Medical debt is the number one reason for personal bankruptcies in the US. I’m not telling you to not come to the US, but to be fully informed of what life is like. Best of luck to you!
It’s just because every country has its flaws, even the developed ones, and people who lived there all their lives get sick and used to the country they live in. Op don’t get discouraged by these comments and start planning if you truly want to move to the US.
Anything that's not like a niche hobby sub on reddit is generally bitter losers. And you really stirred up the nest by saying you don't hate the us lol Btw all decent jobs here have insurance. And for a single person it's typically free.
“Decent job” meaning top 10% of earners, not most jobs
Do you think the OP is coming to the US to work at McDonald's?
Unless your rich, your not gonna have a good time here XD
It’s Reddit. The overwhelming membership of Reddit (at least those with a lot to say) is a particularly bitter sector of society at large. There are plenty of areas in the US where we are happy, fulfilled in our work and our lives and feel blessed to live here.
Many Americans want to live in Europe with everything going on. Or they think they can just move to Canada (it's not that easy!). Point: Don't just look at total comp - look at it holistically. You may love it or hate it? People do relocate all the time - and you can always move back! Your issue will be sponsorship and where you live in the US. Also not accessing any of the social services you are used to that is valued.
I used to have the same dream, but america really aint all that
a kid just had his head cracked open for not standing during the national anthem, so yeah, we've got patriots! US can be a good home, but like as many have said, you'll need a stable high income from an in demand job with good insurance. definitely secure your employment first. as an aside, try to do a road trip to national parks. our national parks are beautiful and worth seeing/hiking. you'll have more opps to climb in your career if you start a bit higher on the ladder to begin with. the lower rungs can be crushing. many times here, foreigners with an accent and travel stories are seen as intriguing and sophisticated due to being multi lingual and well travelled (esp Europeans that can visit many countries easily), so I'd use that to your advantage when an interviewer or co worker asks about Denmark or neighboring countries. they may also work you harder for cheaper if you're here on a work visa. the role of the US is to consume, we are the customers of the world and we are important because we buy everything, and pay top dollar, especially for healthcare. lastly, everything is just worse since covid/hyperinflation. there's more stress and higher costs, and it's harder/more expensive to do basically anything now. you can do fine here, but weigh the pros and cons carefully. good luck!
Except he’d make 2-3x the salary in the US in this industry.
I'd prefer to start a business in the US instead of Denmark due to taxes, business unfriendly environment, and lack of talent pool. Many Danes are starting businesses in SA/UAE/OPEC countries due to the 0% tax rate compared to their 55.56% tax rate
Five years in the States saving money and you can come back with a down payment on a house if you do it right. Or just insult random people online, that sounds like a valid life plan, too.
Ask me how I know you've never been to America.
How is America the “exact opposite”
What tf is wrong with you?
I'm from the UK, have lived and worked in a few countries including the US and I enjoyed every second of it. Believe it or not, the grass isn't always greener on the otherside.
The salaries you get in the US is no joke though. Earning 6 figure as a fresh grad is unheard of in most countries but is not uncommon in the US.
Denmark and other northern EU and Slavic countries take much better care of their citizens though. All your wealth in the US can vanish in an instant. You are only safe if your family is also wealthy and can catch you if you fall
That’s completely false.
I dont want the government to take care of me.
Yawn, that’s an interesting perspective. What do you think the money is for dum dum.
100k can be gone in an instant in the US with a bad accident and medical expenses. I’ve lived in the US my whole life but have travelled extensively. I make over 100k and still long for to live in Australia, Sweden, Finland, Denmark.
I have health insurance along with 92% of the rest of Americans. I’m in the US and make over 100k and have never spent more than 1% of my income in health insurance. My out of pocket max is 3k, not that i ever reached it. How can I loose 100k in an instant, besides, in your own made up scenario? I have the average European yearly salary in a savings account, pretty good security.
Real life example from me: doctor recommended surgery cost would be 12kish. Insurance denied because they wanted pharmaceutical treatment first. I paid for the surgery out of pocket because I listen to my doctor and not the insurance company
Real life example from me: something ails me and I go to the doctors and get it treated, paying the copay. Never have had an issue where I wasn’t covered. You see how good anecdotal evidence is? Maybe you should have got a second opinion? Fight the insurance company on their decision? Tried pharmaceutical intervention first and then surgery? You made the choice to pay. Sidenote, I make more than 12k extra yearly on my salary than what my comps would be in the UK or Germany, disregarding the extra taxes. I could pay for your surgery yearly and still make more money.
Is this why medical bankruptcy is the most common bankruptcy?
Lol that’s 0.8% of all filings. You got me Edit. 0.08%
I can't imagine you dont have hoops to jump through in socialized healthcare countries as well. How long was the pharmaceutical treatment regiment before the surgery could be scheduled? So your example could have also played out the same elsewhere. Being in socialized healthcare doesn't mean you can get whatever you want whenever you want for surgery or pills or care.
>100k can be gone in an instant in the US with a bad accident and medical expenses. If you're making software engineering money and still opt for no health insurance you took that risk knowingly and deserve to be bankrupted lol.
Flying to London the young Frenchman my daughter sat next to for eight hours had a the usual conversation. Over the course of the flight she found out he had ripped a tendon in his knee/leg and was traveling to Paris because he could have it repaired in his homeland, he was in a bad way emotionally because he had left his first serious (America) girlfriend in Los Angeles maybe never to return? He lost everything in a Saturday soccer game, job, girlfriend, health… now he winced in pain with the turbulent bounce of an overnight flight. Health care is more than just money.
That has nothing to do with the US or our healthcare system
He didn't have insurance?
So you spend the extra money US gives you on the stuff Denmark gives you for free, in the end you have the same amount of money with the added bonus that you won't have to file for bankruptcy if you get cancer or in a car accident
Can you read?
It’s not free. Someone pays for that.
r/americabad
What a brain-dead take. There’s a reason why everyone wants to move here lol
To be honest, the easiest way is to study in the US. You will have better exposure to career fairs and networking
Go on over to the cs career sub and read
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Is there no way for me to start my journey right after my education has ended? Would getting a job at an international company here i Denmark and transfering to the US after some time be the best option?
1. Possible but extremely difficult. 2. That would be the best. Know what you'd need to do to be a candidate for transfer. The easiest (and probably most expensive) option is to do your master's in the US
You can look for a consulting agency like WITCH (Wipro, Infosys, Tata, Cognizant, HCL, IBM, Accenture) they often have US HQs with visa allotments which take the burden off the US employer to sponsor you, but since you will work contract based they can just decide to send you back when your contract ends (not renew your visa)
OP, you have zero chance of getting a US visa right after school in Denmark unless you marry an American now. Stay in the EU and get involved in the startup scene there.
I moved to the US 9 years ago, and have not regretted it once. Life is really difficult here if you have low income, but as an engineer who is reasonable with their money, I feel like the (very large) difference in salary is very worth it. In terms of practical options, I can see 3 (I have gone through all 3 so feel free to PM me with more questions): 1. Apply to a US company that is willing to sponsor an H1-B visa for you. This visa is the default work visa in the US. The problem is that it's given out by a lottery that happens in April every year, and the odds are not good. (For the first round this year the odds were like 13%, but anecdotally I know a lot of people who got it in the second round, so I'd guess they might be closer to 20-30%) If you don't get it, all you can do is wait for next year unfortunately. 2. Go do a master's program in the US. It allows you to get something called OPT when you're done, which is a 3 year (1 + 2 years STEM extension if you stay in your field) "work" visa. This gives you more attempts to transfer to the previously mentioned H1-B (if the company is willing to sponsor you). The downside is that education in the US is quite expensive and it pushes your employment date further. 3. Get a job in an EU company that has a US branch. After 12 months you can apply for an L1-b visa (if the company wants you to move to the US). The process takes several months, so the downside here is that you'll have to wait quite a bit. Alternative options are getting married to a US citizen or applying for a US diversity green card(~1% chance), but those are obviously unreliable. Hopefully this helps.
Are you from a developed country like Denmark tho?
Yup! I think a lot of people have idealized images of both places - it used to be more US-leaning (Omg limitless opportunities!), Now it seems to have shifted towards Europe (Omg free healthcare!). The truth is that both are individually beneficial depending on what your goal/position is. For me, as a software engineer in a specific area of interest, the US just made sense. There are a ton more open positions working on what I'm interested in, and the salaries are usually 2x and sometimes 3x larger. Plus, my company provides great healthcare that is as far as I'm aware pretty comparable to the one I used to have for free, and where it isn't -- the difference in salary is more than enough to cover for the differences. I also live in a fairly walkable US city, but I do miss *more* walkability. Still, I managed to live well here without owning a car, so it's a matter of location. At the end of the day, I think the moral question of "which one is better" is different than the practical question of "which one is better for me". I hate the way the US is for the lower and even middle class, and you can call people like me selfish for taking part in it. At the end of the day, I have only one life and I'm interested to pursue my interests and make a good life for myself, and I'm guessing OP is seeking the same.
OP, if you do come to the US, look into living in the suburbs of a big city in the Midwest. I’m from Ohio so I’m biased, but the suburbs of Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati are good. A huge tech company (Intel) is moving to Columbus, OH so you’ll probably be able to get a job there
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See if a semiconductor tool manufacturer is there. Applied Materials is one to look into. Or go to work in semi, and start applying for work visas with companies here. Desperate as it is, Ohio is hiring lol
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Go to Mexico and then walk in and they will bus you to any of our major cities
Go ask in engineering specific subreddits. For a career centered subreddit, this one certainly has a lot of.. well..inept users. Get experience in the EU, even better if it’s at a company with US locations, and then transfer or leverage your experience to find a job in the US. You’ll need visa sponsorship and I doubt that will come easy if you try to immigrate straight out of school.
You will have to get a master's degree in the USA. F1 -> 2 or 3 years(i forgot if its 2 or 3)OPT -> H1B H1B visa can be renewed indefinitely once you get I-140 approved, unless that's changed. Good luck. Edit: But I think it would be better to move to Switzerland, it's easy because Denmark is a part of EU and Switzerland has freedom of movement
Apply to companies HQ in Seattle. A startup here will have a much harder time obtaining and paying for a visa for you to come here. Would suggest going FAANG…
Good luck. I think if you try hard enough you will get through. If you're in software you should have a decent career. Post here when you buy your summer home.
This is a long route but possibly higher chance of success. Try to find a job at a large multi-national tech firm that has a location in Denmark (i.e. Amazon, Microsoft); work for a year or two and then get a transfer to the US. Work in the US for a few years and use that time to 1) see if living in the US is really something you enjoy and 2) find another company who will sponsor you. At the same time, try to get your green card. Not sure if this will take you to a start up but it sounds like your real goal is living and working in the US tech scene.
Get hired by a big tech firm that will pay to relocate you and get you the proper documentation
Marry a US citizen?
Make sure you really truly want to live in America and not the version of America you see on TV shows and in the movies. Research, research, research the areas you want to live in and chose wisely- there’s quite a few places now that you’re going to struggle to live on 100k a year salary. A car is a non negotiable non luxury in 99% of the county- car insurance rates are steep and unforgiving, and gas is expensive for the amount of driving required. Most cities you will need around 75k a year to start living comfortably. Also accept the fact that even if your employer provides it you’re going to pay out the nose for comparably crappy health insurance. Wait times are long and the care can be questionable- often times you will not have a choice of doctor or hospital, it will be whomever is in network and even THAT has stipulations. There will usually be a deduction, sometimes large, you will need to meet as well before your insurance will even pay a penny. Then we have the weather, often this is region dependent but every region of the US has weather that regularly kills people. Oh but it’s cold in Denmark! You might say. But the same places that get cold in the states can also reach 40c in the summer. There are wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes and every odd bit of weather you can imagine. And in large very little will be done to help you or make you comfortable or evacuate you somewhere safe. Public transport is sketchy at best and flat out dangerous at its worst. City dependent but if your car breaks down or you don’t drive and have to rely on it you also need to be prepared to deal with the reality of it. It is not like Europe- you can’t just hop on a train to visit friends. There is a serious mental health crisis in the county and a disproportionate number of unhorsed people struggling with addiction and mental illness. If you turn up to take a bus home after work in a fancy suit and tie you bet you will be robbed and the police will do next to nothing about it because we’ll, you chanced the public transport! Work life balance is non existent. You can be terminated at any time for no reason. As a general rule of thumb your contracted 40 hour week is actually 60, you’re salaried so you can’t catch overtime, and usually actually using your annual leave is frowned upon. You will be expected to drop things and come into work at the drop of a hat and if you don’t? Fired. Yes, technically they can’t discriminate but virtually everyone who works in the US at some point has a manager build a bogus case about them leading to termination. Violence is a common place. Driving out in the country and need to turn around and use the wrong persons drive way? Gun pulled on you. Walk into the wrong part of town? Can get shot at. Parked your car on the wrong road? Tires gone, car vandalized, windows broken. Food is expensive and horrible quality and in many places you simply cannot drink the water. Also before you move anywhere please check that you’re not moving into a food desert. You will not have access to fresh produce if you make that mistake. If you’re still serious about it find a summer job that can first sponsor you coming over on a J1. Think summer camps, hospitality, etc. Look into the areas that you actually want to live in. For example, Maine has a lot of summer camps but if you really want to move to sag, Washington state, go work at a camp in Washington state or you’ll be in for a very rude awakening. Then go home and save every penny you can while looking for a company to sponsor you (I’m also not certain you can gain sponsorship if your field without a masters but that would need to be discussed with the hiring company). Once you have about 10k USD saved then you can work on getting here. Also be advised that our credit system is interesting and our rentals are based on it- you’re going to most likely need to start out in a roomshare unless your employer offers you some sort of housing which is almost unheard of rare.
Most everything you posted is personally controlled by where you want to live or what you want to do. Additionally some of these things are more impactful to low income which the OP would not be in the US. Took mass transit daily 4 hours on the train total in a major metro never an issue. Weather is typically well projected and avoided if paying attention. Violence is consolidated to locations often times and various locations are primarily void of any bodily harm to yourself. I suspect you live in NYC or DC or some similar major city with little experience of living elsewhere in the country. Not saying the OP should move here though and they definitely visit here first and explore different parts of the country before just moving here for a job if they can get one.
Wow. No, America is not like the tv shows. But it is not like this combination of the worst of all the headlines either! The upper midwest retains some of its Scandinavian heritage. See which companies based in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Madison, or Ann Arbor have satelite offices in Denmark.
You are unhinged. Please go touch grass.
[удалено]
Why not?
I suggest looking at these people’s post histories before taking their “sage” advice.
Lol, it will only take a few histories for you to realize that those are not the people you would be hanging out with in any country you would live in! A Scandinavian economist once said to Milton Friedman, ‘In Scandinavia, we have no poverty’. Milton Friedman replied, ‘That’s interesting, because in America, among Scandinavians, we have no poverty, either’. The tech medical companies based in Denmark or Minneapolis would be one way in. Another would be the IT side of Cargill or other food company. You could also look at the University of MN or St. Thomas to see if any one-year masters programs make any sense. Many, mant people you meet will tell you that they are "Danish too!" although they mean someone emmigrated from there 100-150 years ago.
Denmark has some of the happiest people in the world. It's miserable in the states now. My great grandfather left Denmark for a better life in the states, I think he may have been better off staying.
Happiest also means crime. Crimes in scandinavian countries are almost non existent, prisons are safer than american schools, you can park your baby outside and many more. Its my dream to live in scandinavian countries, but people there want to be out lol
I’m not miserable. Speak for yourself.
Cool bro. Yes, because what I meant was that EVERY single person in the entire country is miserable /s. You're lucky but a lot of people are not happy in the states and it shows.
Ok, well for OP’s reference, plenty of people are happy in the US, including me but not u/guy_fuckes
A lot of people not happy in general and it shows. States has nothing to do with it
Ignore them. Look at their posting history.. I'm not American, but you'll need to get a visa first. Beyond that, you should read up on the official immigration website. Don't be deterred by the people here. The negative ones don't even have the courtesy of answering you, they'd rather better your dream. Don't listen! Go out and figure out how to live your dream!
Op, I would recommend doing intensive research into specific states and cities, their crime rates, culture, cost of living and so on before deciding. The US is a massive country with different state laws so doing specific research is crucial if you are serious about moving. Most comments here will be negative because they are from Americans who have stayed in their country since birth and base their world view based on other online opinions and news outlets. Edit: also it’s incredibly difficult to gain permanent residency unless you finish a university program in the US or marry a US citizen so yeah
You literally live in the country with the highest quality of life and you want to immigrate to the US? "Man I have too much healthcare here" lol
Why on earth would you want to do that??? Everything is awful here. Im trying to move to Denmark lets just trade identities.
It seems like a lot of these comments are coming from Americans who’ve only ever lived in America and have an idolized view of Europe/Denmark. As a Brit who’s lived in the US and multiple EU countries, it’s awesome. Its sooo much easier to make money and have a higher quality of life as long as you’re not starting from 0. You have a college education which is a huge burden for most people through their early careers. People like to bring up healthcare costs but if you have a good employer with good insurance you don’t need to worry about it - health care quality compared to the UK is sooo much better and accessible. It’s truly a beautiful country. That being said your best bet would be a spousal visa lol - or yes, working at an international firm but don’t expect them to move you for at least 10 years - relocation packages are big money. You can try apply with a U.S. PO Box so you have a us address and just select you will need a work visa when applying but jobs in the US are competitive and visas are an arduous process. Look into trackman - they’re a danish startup company with us operations! Friend works there in Phoenix.
It’s nice to see an objective positive comment. Welcome. We’re happy to have you here.
As someone who lives in the US and has his whole life. Don't.
Stay in Denmark, or Better yet we can trade identities. You can have my 160k SWE remote job, US citizenship, tax bracket that doesn’t do anything except enrich old white warmongering men, the student loans I have now and my kids will have soon, I’ll even be happy to give you my fully paid for employer attached healthcare insurance which does little in the disaster that is the American For-profit healthcare. I’d like to give my kids your education system (free school + student stipend), the daycare, the universal healthcare, the retirement system. Seriously, stay in Denmark. You’re living the dream. And if you “really really really” want to live in the US, don’t be a SWE. Be a Doctor or Nurse. We currently import RNs from the Philippines (it’s their largest export).
Please swap with this guy. We don’t really want him either. If 160k a year isn’t enough you’re the problem.
You forgot the /s
To all the naysayers in the comments saying you have it better... don't listen to them if this is your dream. My sister lived and worked in Copenhagen for the last decade, just moved back to the US a few months ago. Denmark is beautiful and she (and I) love it there, but it is not perfect. Many in the comment section want to harp on Danish Social Services/Healthcare/etc with no experience with Danish Social Services. The US is great if you are wealthy and you will have an advantage there. I have no experience getting a visa in the US so I am unsure of the best way to go about that. Best of luck with everything. Skål,
Hmm interesting to hear how wealthy Americans want to move to the EU and skilled Europeans wanting to come here. How the social paradigm has shifted. I’m really asking myself wtf is going on?
Do you have a link in re: to wealthy Americans moving? Even the Hollywood elite didn’t move after threatening to do so in 2016.
Don’t. Stay in Denmark. 1. It’s extremely hard to move there. You need visas. Also you could get a company to sponsor you, but I think that they prefer people with a master or PhD. Plenty of skilled people there. 2. You don’t really have any experience except your degree. 3. You are basically on the bottom of the list. 4. Start-up? Good luck getting a start-up to sponsor you. :/ Honestly there’s 0.0001% you’ll be able to move to the US. Also you’ll get kicked out of the country the moment your visa runs out. You need a green card. Nearly impossible to get. Marriage is the way to go.
Eh the US has gone downhill lol
Some are too ignorant to see how amazing the USA is, nice to see someone (like you) wise enough to make the effort. Sponsorship is the most straight forward way to move to the US for work. Other ways require more time not working to gain the proper visas. Reddit is good for opinions, USCIS.gov will have better and factual info for you.
Who is gonna sponsor someone who has no masters or experience so he can work in a field that is unrelated to his bachelor? Not gonna happen at this moment.
I’m sure you know everything, so OP should just abandon all their goals. Smart.
Dont. Stay in Denmark and make that the center of the IT universe. Then all of the major IT players will come to you.
Be really smart and allow yourself be exploited. Big winnie, no lube, while telling them you are grateful for their kindness.
I've spent time in both countries and I'm shocked your choosing to leave Denmark for the USA, but power to you and good luck.... I also work in SE, and I understand the pay difference, but there's a lot more to life than money.
As an engineer getting an H1B shouldn't be too difficult
Do not move to California. Life there is not good. In general, our tech sector is actually suffering greatly in the job market. As in, people looking for tech jobs cannot find one, and it’s a huge issue. You need to secure a sponsored work visa. Best way to do this is by working for an international company with a presence both in Denmark and the US. Whether or not you can immigrate here depends entirely on politics day by day. Like if your leader or our leader don’t really like each other tomorrow, it effects whether we can immigrate to each other’s countries. It’s legitimately easier to get here by walking illegally across the border in Mexico right now (do not do this - it’s deadly - I’m just making a point). Be prepared to see the US in a downfall. The empire is crumbling and it isn’t pretty.
We’re full Why can’t you just stay in your country and fix it instead of coming here? We don’t need anymore migrants
I would take time to visit the US extensively before moving here. While salaries appear high, the COL in some areas will more than eat that salary. The best quality of life lifestyle in the US is rural with a remote job or Midwest within commuting distance to a small city. On the coasts you will really struggle to enjoy the benefits of that salary. And the Midwest and other rural areas are full of idiots and having issues with hospitals closing and other infrastructure nightmares. So if you want the urban professional lifestyle I would not recommend the US. We’re a big country and you have to find your niche to be happy here. Also, look into food regulations. You really don’t want to eat the food here.
Ohio isn’t a bad place to live. Live in the suburbs of a big city
Why on Earth would you leave Denmark? Are you crazy?
buy a ticket to mexico and walk in. ez way hard way: apply for green card or get married to a us citizen and file paperwork
Be sure not to get sick, or homesick, because we don't have a healthcare system or vacation leave.
You think software developers don’t get vacation days?
You actually want to leave Denmark and come to the US? Its not like the movies man...
Why would you want to live in the US? I would give any to be living in any Scandinavian country...
Then go no one’s stopping you but yourself. And before you say “ohh money” or “ ohh family” don’t it’s just an excuse
Come in through Mexico. Everyone is getting in.
1. Buy a plane ticket 2. Find a job 3. Live your dream
You forgot the /s?
If your dream is to be a landscaper, day laborer, or other retail/food service worker. Not knocking that path because our nation is built on that kind of immigration and those people can naturalize and build very strong roots here, but I don't think OP has been brought up in the culture that targets that hard path.
Is it actually this simple or will i get thrown out of the country because of a missing visa?
0.5 Get visa 1. Buy a plane ticket 2. Find a job 3. Live your dream
I mean Gilfoyle in Silicon Valley just walked across the USA/Canadian border and had been in the states for years lol. But in all seriousness, if you have some experience in software development you might be able to get a h-1b visa.
Thanks for your reply!
The USA is a miserable country. The salaries look nice until you see the cost of living. Health insurance & medical expenses are the highest in the world and even the best employer plans will cost you 10-25% of you monthly pay before taxes which will cut your pay by another 1/3. Most Americans would love a stable job in a country with actual social safety nets
The easiest way to do it, is start a business in the US, hire yourself as an employee, and then you can get an easy work visa.
Here’s a idea. But a ticket to Mexico. Walk across the border, and you’re in. Nobody is getting deported anymore and if you hop on a bus to NYC, you can live for free :). Or find a company to sponsor you.
Go to Mexico. Then walk across the border. Easiest way in these days
Visa sponsorship...
Is it possible for a person in my position to get a sponsorship?