.webp "best 9 countries for an IT specialist")
In order for an IT relocation to go smoothly and seamlessly, you first need to gather as much information as possible: where to go, why to that particular country, and who to ask for help in case of problems. The answers are in no particular order.
Choosing a country: the experts' opinion
We interviewed experts with in-depth knowledge of the nuances of offshoring, and here are the countries they consider the best for IT professionals.
One of the most popular destinations for digital nomads is Thailand. The country is well known to Russians and attracts them with its climate and the possibility of living by the sea, as well as its vibrant culture and level of medicine. Digital nomads moving to Thailand include not only IT professionals, but also young investors and other people who can work remotely. The country is one of the top three favorite destinations for digital nomads, second only to the United States and Spain.
In our practice, we find that IT professionals moving to Thailand first choose developed areas with fast internet, and this is to be expected. In general, its quality and speed in the country is not high compared to other states-not all Thai settlements have good coverage. IT professionals relocating are mainly focused on large cities, including Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.
Interest in obtaining immigrant status in Thailand is not highest among Russians. The country remains attractive mainly to those who intend to move to the sea temporarily, or who see the country's real estate assets as a means of wealth diversification and profit. Therefore, demand for long-term rentals is consistently high among IT specialists.
Russians can stay in the country for 30 days without a visa. To stay in Thailand for a long time, one can obtain a student visa or pay a contribution of $19,000 and obtain an Elite long-stay visa-usually IT specialists do this if they intend to stay in Thailand for a very long time. At the same time, the visa does not force you to stay in the kingdom all the time and allows you to leave. It is also possible to become a citizen of the country, but the procedure is not simple. The requirements are to have lived in the country for at least five years and to have passed a serious examination and won a competition (the country has a limited quota for citizenship).
Dubai is also attractive to those who wish to leave and obtain immigrant status. The emirate has been attracting digital nomads for many years. The city is a center of attraction for IT professionals. Today it is of interest to technology business owners interested in relocating to the UAE.
The popularity of the Dubai residency permit is due to the simplification of taxation in the country. In addition, major advantages include the absence of the requirement of residency in the country to extend the residency permit, the ability to open a bank account, and the ability to obtain tourist and other visas through consulates in the UAE. One of the easiest ways to obtain a residency permit in Dubai is to invest in real estate starting at $205,000.
Today, interest in offshoring is certainly evident, and in countries where the IT industry is developing, efforts are being made to attract specialists through various support programs. We are aware of this and the offers to buy real estate to get permission to stay and relocate, even among IT people. For example, today the main countries are Armenia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The word "relocation" has become ubiquitous: companies relocate their employees for a variety of reasons.
The reasons for relocation can be many. Some left because of an uncertain situation or job cuts, others failed to settle in a new country, and still others could not find a vacancy.
While in the past most Russian IT professionals sought to relocate to the United States and Western Europe, now their geographic preferences have changed. The main places to which specialists have moved are Russia's neighbors or countries that accept Russians without visas, such as Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Many have also moved to the Czech Republic, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
In Russia, IT specialists are paid less than the same specialists in similar jobs and positions in the United States. All things being equal, foreign companies find it more advantageous to hire specialists from Russia because they get more skills for less money. There is an interesting correlation between the demand for Russian programmers and the exchange rate. Before the economic crisis of 2014, only a few companies could afford to hire Russian programmers. At that time, companies invited specialists from India or China, which were cheaper. With the onset of the crisis, the salaries of IT specialists from Russia, India and China have more or less equalized.
The average monthly salary of an IT specialist in the United States, after taxes, is about 350,000 rubles, in France and Britain it is 250,000 rubles, in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia it is 180,000 rubles, and in China it is 100,000 rubles. In comparison, in Russia it is 100,000 rubles. As a rule, Russian IT specialists move or work remotely abroad with experience. These specialists may demand higher salaries.
In addition, many of our compatriots have noticed an unjustified increase in the price of housing rents abroad, so they have decided to return. This is due to the large number of Russian citizens who have emigrated to other countries. The largest increases in rental prices were in Turkey, Georgia and Armenia (4, 1.5 and 1.6 times, respectively).
Turkey
For freelancers and offshore company founders, Turkey offers the lowest cost of living.
Consumer prices, including rent, are 60.83% lower in Antalya than in Moscow.
Rent prices in Antalya are 70.71% lower than in Moscow.
Food prices in Antalya are 58.56% lower than in Moscow.
At the same time, in Turkey it is very easy to get a temporary residence permit ("ikamet") to rent apartments, open a bank account and fly anywhere in the world with one of the best airlines, Turkish Airlines. However, starting a business requires hiring 5 Turkish workers for every foreigner, there are no start-up visas, and there are no digital nomad visas. But Turkey has set a record for venture capital investment, surpassing Ireland, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. The most versatile solution for founders is to have a Turkish residency permit and set up an offshore company in the state of Wyoming or Hong Kong, working outside these countries and not becoming tax residents of the company.
France
Residence permit for founders of innovative companies for 4 years.
Consumer prices, including rents, are 12.49% lower in Marseille than in Moscow.
Food prices in Marseille are 24.71% higher than in Moscow.
France has surpassed Germany in the rate of venture capital investment. The South of France has a temperate climate and the country has the best ecosystem for innovative companies. However, there is an important constraint on venture capital investment: one of the co-founders must be a French or Canadian citizen.
Switzerland
For wealthy founders of innovative fintech companies.
Consumer prices, including rent, are 68.52% higher in Geneva than in Moscow.
Product prices in Geneva are 89.88% higher than in Moscow.
Collaboration with the Swiss innovation ecosystem allows founders to obtain a B-grade residence permit in some cantons, a 50 percent tax discount, a place in a technology park with a U.S. investor track, and a corporate track from market leaders such as Swisscom and Credit Suisse.
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Visa documents for traveling IT professionals.
Let's say you have decided on a country - then what? That's right: you need to put together a package of visa documents.
The issue of document collection is very important, because the requirements of different countries also vary. However, there is a "classic" list, which is almost guaranteed to be maintained no matter where you intend to go:
- An application form with two pictures.
- Internal passport with valid proposal (photocopies, original).
- Passport (photocopies, original).
- Health insurance.
- Work permit.
- Certificate of no criminal record.
- Bank reference.
In addition, a letter of recommendation, higher education diploma, application form in the language of the host country, etc. may be required. It is advisable to check the list of required documents on official resources and, if necessary, clarify everything over the phone.
Emigration telegram chat.
But what to do if you encounter difficulties during the move and have no one to consult?
There is a graphical map based on Google My Maps, which includes blogs by authors on migrant life. Among the filters, you can set up a view of migration chats. Not only can you chat with compatriots who have arrived in other countries, but you can also see who the chats are assigned to.
Findings
Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, France, Switzerland, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are considered the best countries for relocating IT specialists. They have the highest salaries and many of these countries are close to our culture.
We also recommend you to read how to organize the relocation of an IT professional and keep a map of emigration interviews.
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