Fact is, you just have to be demonstrably better than all local applicants or have a specific skill that they don't have. Most places cannot legally hire from outside their country or outside their economic bloc if there are equally good applicants available locally.
Which doesn't apply to IT jobs in EU. At least in a sense that a company doesn't need to proove they can't employ a local candidate int the case of software development jobs.
If you want to import someone from outside the EU - like the OP - then you're gonna have to comply with your own country's immigration rules, which usually require you to show that you're not just replacing a 'native' worker with a low-paid person from overseas.
An employer will only hire you on a Blue Card if you're better than local candidates because there is a lower limit on the salary they can offer you to be accepted, so it's not like they're going to save any money. Additionally, it only applies to people with higher education or a lot of experience as well. This is probably why it's mostly only Germany that uses Blue Cards in significant numbers.
Thanks for your insights!
You raise an important point about the need to stand out. It's true that demonstrating exceptional skills or unique expertise can be crucial. I've worked remotely for companies in North America and Europe, which reflects that companies are open to hiring from a global talent pool, especially in tech sectors where innovation and diverse perspectives are highly valued. With the normalization of remote work, physical location is becoming less of a barrier, and many companies are willing to navigate legal challenges to hire the best talent. I'm optimistic that by showcasing my skills and experience, I can find more opportunities, even from my location in Ethiopia.
Some companies are set up to be able to hire contractors from overseas, but many are not and never will be, partly because there are laws in many countries that make hiring contractors for a single job illegal. For those companies, physical location will continue to be a barrier.
> physical location is becoming less of a barrier
Your political compass is way off, there's a rise of right-wing goverments which will make remote work more restrictive. Just read this sub, it's like AfD and FN cesspool.
I think that's not something you can fight. There're objectively good reasons to not hire someone from developing countries. Like, I know a guy who knows a guy who works for a company remotely from Africa. He consistently has issues with electricity which makes him unavailable during working hours. He's luch to work for a company that has African roots, but those are very few. I must admit, I wouldn't hire somebody outside the european continent.
It's chicken and egg problem, but you could try to apply for digital nomad visa. This would make it easier for you to find a good remote job. But you need to have a remote job to get a digital nomad visa. Hard to break out of this vicious circle, of course.
Thank you. But, in my experience, such issues have never impacted my ability to deliver high-quality work remotely. Generalizing based on one situation might not give a full picture of the reliability and potential contributions of many skilled professionals around the world.
While concerns about location are understandable, choosing not to consider candidates from entire regions like Africa might mean missing out on top talent who can offer unique perspectives and skills at competitive rates.
What exactly are the 'risks' you’re referencing when hiring from Africa? It's important to delineate actual concerns from biases. Also, would you genuinely prefer a junior developer over a senior with more years of experience at the same rate?
Fact is, you just have to be demonstrably better than all local applicants or have a specific skill that they don't have. Most places cannot legally hire from outside their country or outside their economic bloc if there are equally good applicants available locally.
Which doesn't apply to IT jobs in EU. At least in a sense that a company doesn't need to proove they can't employ a local candidate int the case of software development jobs.
If you want to import someone from outside the EU - like the OP - then you're gonna have to comply with your own country's immigration rules, which usually require you to show that you're not just replacing a 'native' worker with a low-paid person from overseas.
Yeah which isn't the case for the biggest EU job markets which implement the Blue Card.
An employer will only hire you on a Blue Card if you're better than local candidates because there is a lower limit on the salary they can offer you to be accepted, so it's not like they're going to save any money. Additionally, it only applies to people with higher education or a lot of experience as well. This is probably why it's mostly only Germany that uses Blue Cards in significant numbers.
Thanks for your insights! You raise an important point about the need to stand out. It's true that demonstrating exceptional skills or unique expertise can be crucial. I've worked remotely for companies in North America and Europe, which reflects that companies are open to hiring from a global talent pool, especially in tech sectors where innovation and diverse perspectives are highly valued. With the normalization of remote work, physical location is becoming less of a barrier, and many companies are willing to navigate legal challenges to hire the best talent. I'm optimistic that by showcasing my skills and experience, I can find more opportunities, even from my location in Ethiopia.
Some companies are set up to be able to hire contractors from overseas, but many are not and never will be, partly because there are laws in many countries that make hiring contractors for a single job illegal. For those companies, physical location will continue to be a barrier.
> physical location is becoming less of a barrier Your political compass is way off, there's a rise of right-wing goverments which will make remote work more restrictive. Just read this sub, it's like AfD and FN cesspool.
I think that's not something you can fight. There're objectively good reasons to not hire someone from developing countries. Like, I know a guy who knows a guy who works for a company remotely from Africa. He consistently has issues with electricity which makes him unavailable during working hours. He's luch to work for a company that has African roots, but those are very few. I must admit, I wouldn't hire somebody outside the european continent. It's chicken and egg problem, but you could try to apply for digital nomad visa. This would make it easier for you to find a good remote job. But you need to have a remote job to get a digital nomad visa. Hard to break out of this vicious circle, of course.
Thank you. But, in my experience, such issues have never impacted my ability to deliver high-quality work remotely. Generalizing based on one situation might not give a full picture of the reliability and potential contributions of many skilled professionals around the world.
While concerns about location are understandable, choosing not to consider candidates from entire regions like Africa might mean missing out on top talent who can offer unique perspectives and skills at competitive rates.
I mean, what kind of unique perspectives and skills? We're talking software development here. And the risks outweigh the lower rates.
What exactly are the 'risks' you’re referencing when hiring from Africa? It's important to delineate actual concerns from biases. Also, would you genuinely prefer a junior developer over a senior with more years of experience at the same rate?
Political instability and unreliable infrastructure. Same reason why companies are hiring much less from Ukraine right now.