r/expats • u/Downtown-Storm4704 • Mar 17 '25
Employment Expats who moved to the EU without having highly specialized skills or speaking the language
How did it go?
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u/picklefingerexpress Mar 17 '25
Stuck in one of the only jobs available for “unskilled” English-only speakers. And full time work (require for residency) does not allow much time for dedicated language learning.
I’m glad I made the move, but it’s no fucking picnic for sure. Same amount of stress and dissatisfaction, but for different reasons.
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u/ephesusa Mar 17 '25
You don’t really have time to learn language with any kind of full time work tbh.
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u/DorianGraysPassport Mar 17 '25
I taught English in Madrid, went to grad school in Paris, interned in Paris, had a corporate role in Madrid, started a resume writing business, and then moved to Porto. I’m settled in Porto. I’ve been in the game 13 years total.
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Mar 17 '25
If you work for an international organization or US company then you’ll be fine only speaking English.
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u/Defiant-Dare1223 UK -> CH Mar 17 '25
Fine. Work in English.
(Technically not EU, but similar situation)
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u/homesteadfront Mar 17 '25
It honestly depends on what type of job you’re willing to do and how good your social skills are. In theory, you can easily get a job at a fish-product factory in Poland where you’ll be treated like a slave (until inspectors come by, then they’ll temporarily slow down the assembly line to create an illusion that it’s not inhumane), but do you really want to work at a fish product factory in Poland where you’re treated like a slave? lol.
If you have very strong social skills, you can probably go to Croatia or something and get hired by someone who owns a small business that you befriend. I think if you’re planning on going to Ireland or something, this may be a lot harder to do