Meta (Formerly Facebook) Tech Jobs in Europe

Cities: Paris, Zurich, Prague, Milan, Rome, Warsaw, Hamburg, Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, London, Dublin, Cork

Relocation package: Lump sum payment, services of a moving company, car/home rental assistance, flight coverage, temporary housing, health insurance, networking events

Most common projects: Facebook core, WhatsApp, Instagram, AR/VR (Oculus, Portal)

Meta (formerly Facebook) has evolved to encompass a multitude of products and apps. You’re probably familiar with the flagship Meta products like Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram, but did you know that there is a gaming department? Or an AI division? Needless to say, there’s a lot more work happening than first meets the eye. 

The best way to find open positions at Meta in Europe is by using this map. The London office has the most job opportunities in Europe, and the most Engineering positions. There are also positions in marketing and HR at this office. The Zurich office seems to be geared towards gaming and AI – they are working on Computer Vision. Paris has another big Meta office, they are focused on AI research, so plenty of opportunities for research scientists. And so on, you can check the map to learn more about each office.

 

Facebook Tech Jobs in Europe → 

 

Amazon Tech Jobs in Europe

Cities: Luxembourg, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Cambridge, Barcelona, Madrid, Dublin

Relocation package: One-time payment or relocation package (travel costs coverage, home and car rental for a couple of months, a small cash bonus)

Most common projects: Amazon marketplace, AWS, Alexa

What started as a book and music-selling marketplace in 1994, has become one of the biggest tech companies in the world and the world’s second-largest employer. With around 1.5 million employees in its offices worldwide, Amazon offers plenty of jobs in Europe for software engineers, machine learning professionals, and cloud experts, as well as embedded engineers and data scientists. 

Amazon’s European headquarters are in Luxembourg, but the hotspots for software engineering jobs are at the Berlin and Dublin offices. There are also a surprising amount of opportunities in Spain (Madrid and Barcelona) and in the UK at the London offices. Check out their career page to discover all the opportunities. 

 

Amazon Tech Jobs in Europe →

 

Apple Tech Jobs in Europe

Cities: Cork, Munich

Relocation package: Lump sum payment + moving assistance

Most common projects: Siri, Hardware, iCloud, Apple Music, Apple TV

Apple’s working policy is probably the most secretive among all the FAANG companies. It is prohibited for most employees to discuss work-related stuff, even with their families! However, that doesn’t make Apple less popular with hardware and software engineers who are looking for new opportunities. On the contrary, the company is highly valued by its employees, thanks to excellent internal communication, decent base pay, amazing benefits & friendly co-workers.

The main Apple offices in Europe are based in Cork, Ireland, and Munich, Germany. Although you can find a few engineering positions in the Cork office, they seem to predominantly hire customer service and support staff. The Munich office, on the other hand, actively hires software and hardware engineers – so if that’s your field of expertise, head there first. 

 

Netflix Tech Jobs in Europe

Cities: Amsterdam, Berlin, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Paris, Stockholm, Warsaw

Although Netflix has its offices in seven European cities, there aren’t really any software engineering positions going at the moment. Although, if you are in Marketing or Finance, there are opportunities in Berlin and Amsterdam. Jobs at Netflix are converted and highly competitive, so it’s best to check in regularly so you don’t miss any new posts. 

 

Google Tech Jobs in Europe

Cities: Aarhus (Denmark), Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Lisbon, London (x3), Madrid, Milan, Munich, Oslo, Paris, Prague, Stockholm, Vienna, Warsaw, Wrocław, Zurich 

Relocation package: Lump sum payment or relocation package (travel and moving expenses coverage, temporary housing, car rental, visa assistance, pet relocation, the assistance of a moving company)

Most common projects: Google Search App, Google Cloud, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Chrome, YouTube Technology Services, Google Meet

Among all the FAANG companies, Google has the most offices in Europe compared to any other FAANG company – three just in London! With such a widespread network, you’re sure to find an opportunity nearby. Apparently, Zurich has the biggest office where more than 2,000 employees work on products like Google Maps, YouTube, and Gmail. 

You might be one step from becoming a Noogler if you’re a passionate Java, C++, Python, or Go engineer, data scientist, or machine learning engineer with expert knowledge of NLP and/or Speech/Audio/Video processing. However, Google also offers technology-agnostic positions. This guide will help you find a vacancy at Google Europe that is fit for you.

 

Find FAANG (MAANG) Jobs in Europe

Hopefully, you found this article helpful and were able to pick out a few jobs that matched your skills and experience. Remember, FAANG jobs are difficult to get, and often candidates need to apply and interview multiple times before they make the cut. So while you should take extra care with your application, don’t be discouraged if you get rejected. You are competing with some of the best engineers in the world and it’s okay if you aren’t ready yet. 

MAANG jobs aren’t the be-all and end-all. There are dozens of companies in Europe that can offer similar pay and career progression. And given that Big Tech companies aren’t what they used to be, it might even be a better career choice to join a rising unicorn rather than one of these faltering corporations. Check out our job board to find something that better matches your career goals. 

 

Research Salary Trends

The average salary for developers and software engineers varies across the world. For instance, according to Payscale, developers in Switzerland earn $95K. In Germany, the figure is $60K; Norway $64K; and Denmark $72K. In the U.S, the average developer may earn $110K, while Israel and the UK pay $93K and $89K respectively.

With such wide differences, it’s important to know the trends for both your home country and host country. Use your research to gauge what you consider to be an acceptable salary range. Without proper research, you may find yourself agreeing to a much lower figure, especially if quoted in a foreign currency.

 

Factor in Expat Taxes

How does the host country collect taxes? Will the employer pay on your behalf or will you have to file, report, and remit yourself? Will you need some training on cross-border taxation?

Talk to your foreign employer and even engage a local tax expert about how you’ll pay your taxes. Negotiate on benefits, deductions, and exclusions.

 

Negotiate Perks and Benefits

To attract the best talent, many companies offer skilled developers attractive perks and benefits. Apart from a high salary, you can negotiate for:

• Access to the latest software and hardware.
• Professional skills training.
• Financial coaching.
• Medical and life insurance.
• Paid vacations back home.
• Profit sharing.
• Flexibility on work schedules.

Relocation Packages

When negotiating an employment contract to work overseas, discuss your relocation package. This may include allowances to cover transport and some added bonuses. Common relocation perks include:

• Visa application fees.
• Work permit fees.
• An accommodation package.
• Spousal support.
• School fees for kids.
• Estate agent fees.

Discuss Intellectual Property Rights

Employers generally own intellectual property (IP) rights, particularly if the property was created in the course of employment and with company resources. However, don’t rely on assumptions of automatic or exclusive ownership. Developers may still question and negotiate IP rights in provisions called “assignment of inventions” or “ownership of discoveries.”

For example, in most countries the developer owns property created other than in the course of employment. Developers can still negotiate a clause requiring enough consideration. This may be a one-time bonus or a grant of restricted stock options for property created in the course of employment.

Make use of any local and international laws that protect your IP rights. Especially for property you may create in your own time and using your own resources.

 

Discuss an Exit Strategy

What happens if in nine months the overseas developer job isn’t working out? Will the company cover your return home costs? Can you apply for similar positions in your host country, or will they revoke your work permit?

Even if you work through the full term of your contract, you may dream of one day settling back in your home country. Discuss with your new employer what provisions they could make if you want to return home.

 

Observe Cross-Cultural Nuances

Working abroad might involve adopting new cultures and learning different social norms. The workplace may be different from what you’re used to at home, and corporate culture could vary greatly. You may need to tune in to some cultural sensitivity to start discussions around money, even if you have negotiations skills training. Consider:

• What are the company protocol and country norms on salary negotiation?
• Who should you talk to?
• Will you need representation?
• Will you need a translator or agent?
• Do you need a union rep present for the salary negotiation meeting?

Ensure Agreement is Enforceable

International employment contracts can be a foggy minefield to navigate through. When negotiating your employment contract, some questions to ask include:

• Can the contract be in English or is it only enforceable when written in the local language?
• Are electronically signed documents enforceable in the host country?
• If the contract is in a language foreign to you, can you have a side-by-side translation?
• What are the employer’s obligations? For example, UAE laws require employers to provide health insurance and housing to all foreign workers.
• How enforceable are the laws relating to sick days? What about vacation days and probationary periods?
• What are the termination requirements when the employer fires a developer? Is there compensation for lack of prior notice?

Final Word

There is a high demand for skilled developers globally. If you’re searching for a developer job abroad, ensure you run through the whole employment agreement. Find out whether the contract is enforceable. Get familiar with salary trends, tax issues, and IP rights.

Don’t forget to discuss perks and benefits, including a relocation package and training. As an extra safety net, negotiate for an exit strategy for when your contract ends.

 

Apple Tech Jobs in Ireland

Cities: Cork
Teams: Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Business Analytics, AI/ML, EMEA Test Engineering, Apple Manufacturing
Average software engineer salary in Ireland: €48,000 per annum

Apple’s European HQs could hardly be placed in any country other than Ireland. More than 40 years ago, when Apple was just on its scaling stage, Steve Jobs chose Cork as the center for all the company’s European operations. The importance of the Irish facility hasn’t diminished since then. Nowadays, Apple’s Cork office employs 6,000 people in both tech and non-tech departments. As the main European office, Apple Ireland offers plenty of tech jobs for software developers and other techies. The knowledge of PHP (Symfony, Codeigniter), JavaScript (Angular, NodeJS, Express), and Python is highly valued at the Cork office since this tech stack is used for the development of internal tools used by Apple for shop floor control and business analytics. 

To ensure that the end product is flawless, Apple Ireland also actively recruits skillful QA Engineers in its Irish office (the knowledge of scripting languages such as Perl or Python will be an advantage if you decide to apply for one of the QA positions). Lastly, if you’re a Hardware Engineer with a knowledge of C, C++, or C#, you can become a member of the Apple Manufacturing team at the Cork office and maybe even design a part of the newest version of the iPhone or MacBook!

A quick tip: As one of the greenest and richest European countries, Ireland became home to a decent number of tech giants and mid-scale companies. So, if you are a software developer who looks forward to relocation, it might be a worthy destination to consider. Learn more about relocation to Ireland here, and check if this country could become your new home!

 

Apple Tech Jobs in Germany

Cities: Munich, Stuttgart, Berlin, Aachen, Heidelberg
Teams:  Hardware, Computer Vision, WebKit Developer Tools
Average software engineer salary in Germany: €55,000 per annum

Most renowned tech giants have a strong presence in Germany, and Apple is not an exception. The company’s biggest German office found home in Munich — a majestic Bavarian city, which is one of Tim Cook’s favorites. Initially, the Munich team was gathered to assist engineers at Cupertino (Apple’s global HQs) in improving Apple’s power management solutions. So, it’s no wonder that most of the jobs there are related to the Hardware team. 

Apple’s Munich team is constantly looking for Digital Design Engineers, Signal Processing Experts, Circuit Designers, CAD Design Engineers, and Wireless Platform Architects, among others. Some of these positions are devoted to the development of cameras on Apple devices, which is more than exciting since any camera improvements are much valued by end-users! Moreover, some of the hardware-related positions can also be found in Stuttgart; so, if you’re a Hardware Expert who wants to join Apple, you can freely choose among these two cities.

Needless to say, there are plenty of software engineer jobs at Apple Germany as well. If you’re an expert in JavaScript and/or C++, you can contribute to the development of WebKit Web Inspector and Safari WebDriver in Apple’s Berlin office. The Berlin team is also actively looking for Computer Vision experts who have extensive knowledge of C++, Python, or MATLAB. Additionally, Apple’s offices in Aachen and Heidelberg constantly welcome AI/ML engineers as well as backend developers (Python, JavaScript, Go) to design and maintain large-scale systems for Machine Learning. 

A quick tip: It’s unlikely that the number of Apple tech jobs in Germany will decrease anytime soon since the company is looking to expand its Munich office and secure even more jobs for techies in 2021. Moreover, the number of IT jobs in other German companies is also growing dramatically. By the way, feel free to browse all the job offerings from German IT companies here — chances are big that you will find something as attractive as Apple vacancies and relocate faster.

 

Apple Tech Jobs in the UK

Cities: London, Cambridge, Saint Albans, Swindon
Teams: Text-To-Speech Production Studio (Siri), Cassandra Storage, Carrier Technology Management, Apple Pay, Apple Cloud Machine Learning, Software Build & Integration, GPU Software, Wallet
Average software engineer salary in the UK: €49,000 per annum

Like the majority of Apple’s offices, the UK facilities keep their operations secret. Unsurprisingly, if you ask a passer-by in Cambridge or Swindon about the location of an Apple campus, they are unlikely to know the answer. Such secrecy can be easily explained by the fact that Apple’s UK employees are working on projects that are vital to Apple, from microchips to Siri. Thanks to such a wide variety of projects, it is quite easy for techies to find suitable job opportunities for themselves in Apple’s UK offices.

Most of the software engineer jobs at Apple UK are for the London office, where Java, Scala, Kotlin, Go, and Python engineers are constantly sought after to build the next generations of Apple Pay, as well as Apple Music and other media apps offered by the company. The London office also welcomes iOS engineers, Machine Learning & Big Data experts, DevOps, and GPU Frameworks engineers to work on multiple projects, including the very core of macOS and iOS.

The Cambridge office offers plenty of job openings, which are related to Siri (the knowledge of Java, Python, C++, and Objective-C/Swift is desired to apply), as well as GPU Engineering and Platform Architecture. In contrast, the vacancies at Apple’s Saint Albans office are mostly hardware-related — the team in this small city is working on the creation of cutting-edge GPUs. The situation is similar in the Swindon office, which is also full of hardware professionals and is constantly recruiting new talent.

A quick tip: Even if no jobs at Apple UK caught your eye, keep in mind that this country is very expat-friendly, and there is a constant abundance of software engineering jobs in London, Cambridge, Bristol, and other UK cities. Browse them all here, as well as some relevant tips for those moving to the United Kingdom.

 

Apple Tech Jobs in Spain

Cities: Madrid, Barcelona
Teams: Text-To-Speech Production Studio (Siri), Apple Media Products Engineering, Instrument Engineering
Average software engineer salary in Spain: €33,000 per annum

Most of the Apple tech jobs in sunny Spain are related to the development of Siri, so proficiency in Java, Python, or C++, and the knowledge of advanced NLP techniques are among the most highly valued skills in Apple’s Barcelona and Madrid offices. In addition to that, Spanish offices offer plenty of vacancies in the Apple Media Product team for Python, Java, C++, PHP, and Golang experts. If you’re a hardware professional with a Signal Processing background, you will likely find a suitable job at the Apple Madrid office, too.

A quick tip: A relaxed work culture, high level of healthcare and education, and mild climate are just a few things that make Spain a dream spot for everyone. Check out some tech jobs from other Spanish companies here — the more jobs you apply to, the closer to relocation you are!

 

Apple Tech Jobs in Austria

Cities: Linz
Teams: RF Systems Engineering, Hardware
Average software engineer salary in Austria: €49,000 per annum

The Austrian office is fully dedicated to Apple’s hardware-related projects, so if you have extensive knowledge in the fields of Digital Signal Processing, Systems on a Chip, or just Hardware Engineering, pay attention to the jobs posted there. However, if you are more on the software side of things and have a strong knowledge of Java and Rust/C++/Python, you can also join Apple’s Linz team and work on configuration tools for Apple’s cellular radio frequency products.

A quick tip: If you want to relocate to a country with a high level of well-being, affordable education, and a top-notch healthcare system, look no further than Austria. However, it might still be a great idea to calculate your approximate net pay before putting Austria on the top of your list of desired relo destinations. Comparing your expected net pay with the cost of living will help you make sure that your relocation process will be smooth.

 

Apple Tech Jobs in France

Cities: Paris, Grenoble
Teams: iCloud, Siri, Hardware Security, Core Sensing Devices
Average software engineer salary in France: €40,000 per annum

Just like the majority of big tech companies, Apple did not miss an opportunity to leverage France’s expanded network of tech universities and vast IT talent pool. The company is actively looking for software engineers in Paris and also has some IT jobs posted in Grenoble. Apple jobs in Paris will suit those who are proficient in NLP techniques and/or have extensive knowledge of C/C++ and Objective-C; since the main two projects handled by the Paris facility are Siri and iCloud. As for the Grenoble office, the team situated there is mainly looking for hardware experts to join the Camera Engineering group.

A quick tip: If your technology matrix looks different, but you are still interested in relocation to France, browse other tech jobs in this country here — maybe the suitable vacancy is just around the corner!

 

Apple Tech Jobs in Switzerland

Cities: Zurich
Teams: Information Intelligence (Siri), CoreMotion, System Intelligence
Average software engineer salary in Switzerland: €90,000 per annum

There is little known about Apple’s office in Zurich, except the fact that the local team is primarily working on Machine Learning-related projects. Therefore, extensive experience with image processing, computer vision, speech recognition, and NLP is strongly valued there, as well as hands-on experience with Python packages like TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn, pandas, etc. 

However, even if hardware engineering is closer to your set of skills, you can still join Apple’s Zurich team by contributing to CoreMotion (a framework for processing data about the motion and movement on the iDevices). To apply to one of the vacancies in the CoreMotion team, you will need to be proficient in Signal Processing, Sensor Fusion, and/or Robotics.

A quick tip: Being a safe and wealthy country with a high level of life quality, Switzerland attracts IT expats from all over the world. If this country is on your list of desired relocation destinations, browse other jobs at Swiss companies here to increase your chances to relocate.

 

Apple Tech Jobs in Denmark

Cities: Copenhagen
Teams: Apple TV, Apple Media Products
Average software engineer salary in Denmark: €71,000 per annum

There are plenty of software engineering jobs at the Danish Apple office since this facility is responsible for software-related projects like Apple TV and Apple Media Products. So, if you have a profound knowledge of TypeScript, JavaScript, Node.js, C/C++, and/or Objective-C, vacancies at Apple’s Copenhagen office might be a perfect fit for you. In addition to software development positions, Apple is constantly recruiting UI Designers, QA Engineers, and Program Managers, so all the IT specialists will find some relevant opportunities at Apple Denmark.

A quick tip: Planning relocation to Denmark? Calculate your approximate net pay first to be fully prepared for moving there!

 

Apple Tech Jobs in Other Locations

There are also other Apple offices in Europe that cannot be included in the main list due to the small number of IT jobs they offer. However, those vacancies are not less noteworthy. For example, the Prague office is constantly looking for skillful C/C++ engineers to contribute to the development of Apple’s core OS, whereas the Stockholm office is recruiting software enthusiasts to improve the user experience of the App Store, as well as 3D visualization experts and other IT specialists. 

 

Just like Apple’s projects and office locations, the company’s relocation package is under the hood. Like in other big tech companies, it strongly depends on the country you’re heading to, as well as the level of the position and, of course, your negotiation skills. The relocation assistance package at Apple usually consists of a generous lump sum payment + some moving assistance, flight coverage, etc.

If you feel like working at Apple is something you should pursue despite all difficulties, we wish you the best of luck with your application process and hope that this article was useful for you. However, even if no jobs at Apple suit your skillset right now, you can still be employed by other FAANG companies. Tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon are also actively recruiting IT talent in their European offices, so the chances of getting your desired job offer are now higher than ever!

“Is Germany Good for Software Engineers?”

Yes, Germany is considered one of the top destinations for software engineers in Europe. According to Statista, Europe’s biggest community of expats and professional developers are in Germany. While the country might not be the top-rated destination for expats, it’s certainly where they all live and work. 

The greatest risk to companies in Germany is a growing skills shortage (most notably in STEM). So with companies struggling to fill IT positions locally, they have turned to the international market to address that problem. And the government has supported that change by introducing fast-tracked visas and easier pathways for internationals. This makes moving to Germany as a software engineer so much easier. 

In terms of career and job opportunities – Germany is unmatched. In Berlin, you’ve got around thirty tech unicorns (HelloFresh, Personio, Contentful, Trade Republic) that offer great pay and opportunities to work with some of the most skilled workers in the scene. If you want to work with a smaller team or take on a tougher challenge, there are 100s of startups to choose from. These smaller firms tend to offer entry-level positions and the opportunity to speed run your career as they scale up. And since the tech scene is directed towards the international market, jobs and offices are predominantly English-speaking.  

 

Moving to Germany from the USA

As a US citizen (or even someone who’s worked there for several years), you’re going to enjoy preferential treatment. When tech companies in Germany look to hire internationally, professionals from the United States are highly regarded. 

US citizens can stay in Germany for up to 90 days, so you don’t have to apply for a long-stay visa before you arrive (or even to travel there). It’s obviously best to secure a job before you head over, but, that’s not a requirement. Many US citizens travel to Germany and then apply for a visa within the first 90 days. If you want to scope it out or find a job in person, this is a way to do it. 

While there are a number of visa options available for those moving to Germany from the USA, these three are the most applicable for tech workers:

 

• EU Blue Card

• Skilled worker residence permit

• Self-employment permit

 

 

The EU Blue Card is the best option if you can get it because it offers a lot more work and living flexibility. For this visa, you’ve got to have a job offer with a gross salary of at least €41,042 (for IT professionals). With the Blue Card, you can bring your spouse, and gain permanent residency much faster. The second-best option is the Skilled worker residence permit. This is the most popular pathway. To get the visa, you have to have a recognised degree and a concrete job offer. Both of these visas you can apply for within Germany. 

Moving to Germany? Our first recommendation is to land a job before you show up in the country. Ideally, the company you secure a job with offers you relocation support so that you’re not spending much of your money to make a move and enjoy a smoother transition to Germany.

 

Find tech jobs in Germany with relocation support → 

 

Work-Life Balance

The main reason software engineers are living in Germany is for the work-life balance. According to OECD, Germany is ranked 16th out of 41, and for cities, Berlin ranks #12 after Stockholm. To put that in perspective, most full-time workers work under 40 hours per week. You’ll also enjoy 10+ paid holidays and at least four weeks of paid time off. And if you land a job with a thrifty tech company, you might even get upwards of five weeks’ holiday – it’s increasingly common. The months of July, August and December are very chill as it’s a very popular time for workers to holiday.    

In terms of salaries, Germany ranks in the top ten for developer salaries. Entry-level salaries aren’t anything to get excited about, you’re usually looking at around €30,000-€40,000. If it’s a unicorn company or something like IBM or SAP, the salary can be €40k+. Senior engineers might be looking at a minimum of around €60,000. If you’re good, though, maybe you take equity in a company or a top position in a unicorn, you can make €100,000 – €200,000 in a year. This is considered an exceptional salary for Europe. 

 

Where do software engineers get paid the most? → 

 

The higher paying tech roles are typically in Berlin or Munich. Average salaries are higher in Munich, but Berlin has a bigger expat community, has more job opportunities, and offers a lower cost of living. If you are coming from the US, UK or even Australia, you’ll appreciate the lower cost of living. A supermarket beer is only €1. 

 

Work-life Balance Comparison US vs EU → 

 

Top Companies in Germany

Another reason that attracts expats to Germany is that it has one of the largest networks of tech startups and giant IT corporations that hire software engineers internationally. Berlin, for example, has the most unicorn companies out of any city in Europe. 

The hubs in Germany are quite distinct, and offer different experiences. Berlin is trendy and young, there’s a big focus on the startup culture and new emerging technologies. Munich, on the other hand, is more catered toward the corporate professional looking to climb the ranks at big multi-nationals like IBM, Microsoft, BMW, and so on.

If you are more interested in Germany’s cultural side and would love to live somewhere near the water, Hamburg is for you. The biggest port in Germany, this city is full of picturesque sites, landmarks, scenery, and architecture and is ideal for those who prefer a laid-back lifestyle. The tech environment here is pretty impressive too. Since the construction of a digital campus called HammerBrooklyn, Hamburg has become an attractive spot for IT corporations and startups from different fields, with ABOUT YOU, Localyze, and receeve choosing to settle here.

 

International Companies Hiring →

 

The Most Popular Programming Languages in Germany

So you’re a software engineer in Germany, what programming languages are going to land you the most jobs? It’s difficult to tell if the popularity of programming languages is much different in Germany compared to the rest of the world. 

According to StackOverflow (2017), the top five languages are Java, JavaScript, Python, C#, and Android (Kotlin, C++, Dart, React Native, etc.). While we acknowledge this data is old, it’s likely not changed too much.  

Based on job ads, Java is the most in-demand skill. There are fewer backend developers, so more job opportunities and higher pay. Of course, JavaScript is still the preferred language for frontend devs, so there are plenty of jobs working with React or TypeScript. But still, with most frontend jobs, there’s more competition and lower pay.  

Python and SQL are the go for data roles (nothing’s changed here). Python, ML and data science are hot skills at the moment, thanks to all the advancements in AI.  

And believe it or not, there are still jobs for even the less popular languages like Cobol. One developer commented that “nothing is blooming in Germany. Any language that you’re good at is fine.”  

Given the market desperation for tech skills, there’s going to be jobs for most tech stacks – and employers tend to be flexible with the right candidate. The best advice is to stick to the default tech stacks or specialise in a useful technology that’s not popular among devs. 

 

Social Security

Germany has a great social security system which covers a multitude of needs. Of course, you take a significant pay cut to enjoy these benefits, but some people find it worthwhile. As an expat on a work visa, you’ll have access to free medical care, unemployment benefits (after 12 months of paying tax), and dental care. You’ll also be paying for your pension, so if you plan to retire in Germany, that’ll be something you can access at the end of your career. Social security and tax will eat up about 40% of your paycheck. 

 

Facts and Figures About Germany

• Being second only to the UK, Germany has the largest talent pool in Europe. According to the statistics, the total number of software developers living and working in Germany was estimated to be over 1 million.

• Germany has a well-distributed tech scene, which means you can find a tech startup or large IT company across the country. Popular hubs include Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, and Düsseldorf.

• As of 2024, the estimated number of tech startups in Germany amounted to 60,000.

• The total amount of investments received by the German tech sector was over €7.8 billion in 2023 alone (State of European Tech).

• Germany is home to many leading tech companies, including Delivery Hero, Soundcloud, trivago plus some new up-and-coming companies like FlixBus, HelloFresh, Taxfix, and Flink.

• The top cities in terms of startup activities are Berlin and Munich.

• In Germany, an average software developer salary starts at €40,000 and can reach six figures with bonuses and compensations for a senior developer.

• Full-time employees have legally guaranteed a minimum of 20 paid holiday days per year and usually work no more than 8 hours a day.

• It is easy and cheap to travel the whole of Europe from Germany, thanks to its geographical position. A one-way ticket from Berlin to London is around €22.

• If you plan to live and work in Germany longer than a few years, buying an apartment or house may be an option to consider, as it often proves to be more cost-effective than renting in most German cities.

 

You Want to Make Your Developer Resume Stand-Out From the Rest

Let’s get on the same page.

There’s no point trying to create an amazing resume if you’re not thinking about its purpose and how it’s being used. Put it this way, a Zety study found that an average corporate job will attract 250 resumes. 250 documents the HR department need to shift through and organise. 

To be in with a chance of shining, you need to stand out from the pile, both in terms of the value you bring to the company, and making the life of the HR team easy.

It’s all well and good writing four pages that detail your life story, but a recruitment team will barely have time to look at it. The chances are they won’t. They’ll move on and you’ll have missed your chance. You need a punchy document that highlights all the best bits concisely, without coming across as generic and bland.

And that’s not even starting on the fact that AI solutions (or ATS, Applicant Tracking Systems) are being used to filter resumes and applications – something you need to structure your resume to beat.

So, how do you do it? Let’s break it down.

 

1. Stay away from resume templates. 

The internet is full of templates and forms available to anyone looking to build a CV. While this is a good jumping off point, you need to edit your CV to stand out and represent you. Your resume should look unique, thus ensuring more than a cursory glance, something a resume design they’ve seen 1,000 times before will encourage. And it doesn’t have to be fancy, simple will suffice, but not too simple. 

 

2. Make your resume sound like a human wrote it, not a machine. 

Write as you would talk. Make it engaging and enjoyable to read, both for you and your potential employer. Incorporate some interesting, work-related facts about yourself. Sure, you can use AI to write the basics of your CV, but edit it and inject YOU into the content. After all, that’s what the recruiter is looking for. 

For instance:

“I’m a JavaScript junkie, always tinkering with React side projects, and lately I’ve been dabbling in Python for some data wrangling magic.”

Way more interesting.

 

3. Wherever possible, back up your accomplishments with numbers.

Figures are important because they’re concrete examples of when you’ve done a good job. We’re talking things like improved app performance by 40%, achieved 300k plug-in downloads in a span of 3 months, reduced page load time from 20 seconds to 5 seconds, and the like. 

Listing your achievements will highlight your ability to deliver results.

As you can imagine, Google knows a thing or two about hiring top talent. 

Back in 2014, their former head of People Operations, Laszlo Bock, dropped a gem: the perfect way to showcase your wins.  It goes like this: 

“Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z].”  

Sounds simple, right?

Yet, even though I’ve been in tech recruitment since 2012, this powerful formula remains a rare sight on developer resumes. So, if you want to really stand out from the crowd, it’s time to back up those accomplishments with some hard numbers.

 

4. Enrich descriptions of the things you’ve done with “power words.”

Power words are not just buzzwords. They’re tools to ensure your descriptions are infinitely more compelling to the readers you’re trying to impress. From our research, here are some excellent, standout examples, handpicked from over 1,000 software engineering job listings:

“Automated, complex, concurrent, core, distributed, fault-tolerant, fully responsive, highly available, large-scale, maintainable, multi-threaded, reliable, resilient, resource-intensive, reusable, robust, scalable, secure”

 

5. Personalise your resume with a short cover letter.

Love ’em or hate ’em, cover letters have staying power.  

Think of them as your chance to go beyond bullet points and show the hiring manager there’s an actual human behind that impressive resume. Don’t just dump random thoughts onto the page. Here’s how to make your cover letter count:

• Channel Your Inner Storyteller: Connect the dots between a few key projects on your resume and the company’s mission. “Being part of [project] ignited my passion for [field] – which aligns perfectly with your work on [company initiative].”
• A Sprinkle of Personality: IDEO’s Virginia Martinez nailed it: “…what matters most is that you show a little personality. After all, we want to hire you, not your resume.”
• Do Your Homework: Show you’re serious. Mention a recent win for the company, or a problem they’re facing that your skills can solve.

Oh, and a pro tip for you. Keep it short and sweet – no one wants to read a novel.

ALWAYS Read the Job Description

Sending out the same resume and cover letter to every job you apply for? 

That’s a surefire way to get ignored, and that’s everyone’s time wasted. Instead, you need to read every job description you apply for carefully, break it up, and adapt your resume accordingly. And don’t worry, this doesn’t take as much time as you think – when you know what you’re doing.

Think of the job description as a treasure map – it hides the exact skills and qualities the company’s desperate for. Your mission? Decipher those clues, read between the lines, and tailor your resume to scream, “I’m the perfect fit!”

Let’s say you’ve got this generic line in your resume:

“Collaborated on cross-functional projects to achieve company goals.”

That’s fine, but how does it prove your fit for the specific job? Here’s how to adjust it:

• Job Ad Emphasises Teamwork:  Maybe they mention “tight-knit team” or “highly collaborative environment.”  Tweak your line to: “Led daily standups and facilitated communication across design and marketing teams to deliver a seamless product launch.”
• Job Ad Craves Creativity: They might use words like “innovative” or “out-of-the-box thinking.” Adjust your example to: “Devised a creative social media campaign that boosted brand engagement by 25%, exceeding quarterly targets.”

Small edits like this in your resume make a HUGE difference. Show them you’re not just sending out a generic resume, but you’ve taken the time to tailor your experience to their unique needs.

Right, now back to the tips.

You Want Your Resume to Be Competitive

6. Don’t overly detail your history; your resume is a marketing tool, not a bio. 

You need to find the balance between conveying enough information that explains why you’re the best fit for the job and the most valuable choice for the company you’re applying to, while also not being too short and unhelpful. 

It’s a balancing act of giving the recruiter/hiring manager what they’re looking for and not boring them or wasting their time. This boils down to writing a brief overview of your relevant skills, knowledge, experience, and achievements.

Think of those job description keywords we talked about earlier? This is where you weave them in. Show how your past successes directly translate to the skills they need. 

That’s the sweet spot – enough detail to prove your value, without overwhelming the reader with your entire career history.

 

7. Write a pithy summary or write no summary at all – no soft skills or buzzwords. 

Adding “passionate,” “proactive,” “good team player,” “results-driven,” “hard worker,” and other cliche resume words serves little purpose, as recruiters see them in virtually every resume/summary section.

The experience and accomplishments you add to your resume should showcase that you’re a hard worker, so there’s no need to add “hard worker” to your resume.

This is essentially the show, don’t tell approach. Let your facts and experience do the talking without wasting the limited time or space you have just telling the recruiter what you are. Did you streamline a process, boost a metric, or spearhead a successful project? 

Those are the stories that grab attention. These are stories a recruiter wants to read. 

 

Describe what makes you unique and sets you apart in 3-4 sentences.

8. Incorporate relevant keywords.

Remember those Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) – the AI systems that are filtering resumes before they even get to the human recruiters? Well, they’re the gatekeepers of your resume, and statistics show around 75% companies are using them.  

Therefore, you need to structure and write your resume in a way that gives these systems the greenlight, thus progressing your resume to the next, human stage. This is an automated process, so if you’re not getting through, your resume won’t be seen.

To get past them, you’ve got to sprinkle in those job description keywords like magic dust. The keywords they’re looking for. Here’s how:

• Become a Keyword Ninja: Analyze the job ad. What skills and experience are they obsessed with? Weave those exact words into your skills section, bullet points, and even your summary (if you have one).
• Don’t Just Stuff, Strategize: Keywords need context. Instead of just listing “JavaScript,” showcase how you used it: “Built responsive web interfaces with JavaScript and React, increasing site performance by 20%.”

Think of it like a treasure hunt – the job description is your map, and the keywords are the hidden gems that will unlock the next level (aka, the interview!).

 

9. Show your “passion.”

Statistics show that there’s an estimated 28.7 million developers and programmers out there in the world. They are all your competition, and they’re going to secure your dream job if you don’t show you’re in this. Remember, you’re against people who code for fun. They spend their evenings coming up with new ideas, debugging projects, and volunteering their time on online communities.

Everyone is passionate in their own way, but you need to showcase this in your resume if you’re looking to stand out. Some examples of how to do this include mentioning your open-source projects, providing a link to your active tech blog. 

You can also include a link to your stunning GitHub, Stack Overflow, or HackerRank profile, especially if you’re using a digital resume solution.

 

10. Don’t describe your responsibilities. 

And finally, focus on your wins and what makes you, as a professional developer, great at what you do. Be real, nobody wants to set and read a list of the basic generic duties that every developer has to do. The recruiter already knows this.

They know you code. Debug. Test. Work with others and work individually. They know you write documentation. 

What makes you stand out?

Metrics.

What have you done to change the game? What results have you achieved with your work? What problems have you solved? What mentorship programs have you been a part of? What skills do you bring to the table outside the norm? 

Remember, and this is most important, it’s not WHAT you know, but HOW you apply what you know, and how you affect those around you (both peers and management) with those skills.

Oh, and top tip: don’t forget to link your LinkedIn profile, so a recruiter or hiring manager can verify you, your experience, and ensure you are who you claim to be. That’s always a good general tip!

Wrapping up

Remember, resume trends change, and what works for one company might not click with another.  But with these tips, you’ve built a solid foundation. You’ve turned your resume into a tool that highlights your unique skills and value – the kind that hooks a recruiter’s attention.

Now, it’s time to get out there and shine. You might not land your absolute dream job with this first resume update, but you’re already miles ahead of the generic application pile, and success will come.

Keep refining, keep tailoring, and those exciting interviews will start rolling in. Best of luck!

 

Where To Start?

Most countries are quite different from one another (even those located within the EU). They have diverse requirements, attitudes, etc., so you should start by picking both the country and the city where you want to live.

Test the waters, study other expats’ feedback. Your best bet may be saving up some money, researching the country you enjoy, then going there to see what is around and what the people are like.

The more you know about the country and city you want to move to, the less stressful your relocation will be. Once you have your target city narrowed down, you can start searching for a tech job in your soon-to-be home.

 

Cost Of Living In Your New Locale

When moving to another state or out of your home country, figure out the cost of living in your new locale first — it can vary dramatically from location to location. There are tons of websites available (e.g. Numbeo or Teleport) that you can use to get an idea of your estimated expenses.

If you’ve already received a specific job offer, assure that the salary you’re offered will be sufficient. Remember, each country is unique, so bear in mind the varied costs of living.

For example, while living in San Francisco, one can currently expect to make $100–120K. In Portugal, on the other hand, a more realistic salary might be €20–24K (depending on the specific job). The good news is that you can live comfortably with €2000 per month in Portugal, as food and housing are very cheap. An engineer that might bring in $150k in Chicago or Seattle would net about €50–55K in Berlin. In Spain, developer salaries are not so high either, but compared to what? Developers will rarely make more than €1500–2000 per month, but that salary is considered substantial in Spain and you will be able to live comfortably — all your personal needs will be met. If you want to relocate from the UK to Switzerland, yes your salary will rise significantly, but it won’t make you better off, because you will be spending more. Thankfully, though, most European countries don’t have a huge income wage gap for software engineers.

Depending on where you go, it’s quite possible that a lower gross salary could end up being quite reasonable because expenses are lower, apartments are cheaper, you might not need a car, etc. Remember to take other factors into consideration as well, such as quality of life, benefits, tax advantages, advancement opportunities, etc.

 

Make Sure You Know Exactly What Your Relocation Package Entails

Another thing you should pay close attention to is what your future employer will and won’t offer in terms of relocation support. The offers you receive might differ to some degree. Some companies hiring international talent can only cover basic expenses such as visa/paperwork and flight tickets, while others can offer their potential employees much more advanced relocation assistance. This is generally dependent on the size and age of the company in question. Learn more here.

 

Is English Enough To Live And Work Abroad?

Language is also something to be taken into account, as it varies greatly from country to country (both the languages spoken and how common multilingualism is). In most cases, there’s no need to worry about the local language. You will be able to get a great tech job in many countries by being fluent in English only. However, there are exceptions, and how easily you can get a job and carry on daily life will be affected as a result.

Let’s say, for example, you’re thinking about joining a new project either in Berlin or Copenhagen.

You can get many jobs in both Denmark and Germany speaking only English, but in Denmark you can also do almost everything else in English (all government agencies speak English, most forms are bilingual, banks and doctors’ offices all do English, etc.). In Germany, on the other hand, the civil service and even doctors generally expect you to interact with them in German. Not that you shouldn’t also learn some Danish in Denmark, but how critical it is to quickly become proficient in the national language(s) varies a lot between countries.

So, with that in mind, it’s a good idea to check the EF English Proficiency Index before choosing your next work destination abroad.

Either way, if you want to fully integrate into your new country, you’ll need to learn the language (though, many haven’t and manage to do just fine).

Bonus tip: Do learn some of the native language of your target country before you apply. Having that on your resume and being able to handle small talk during the interview demonstrates that you are serious about staying in your new country.

 

Visa

While each country is a little different when it comes to visas, generally speaking, being sponsored by a company is all you need to acquire one. So, your first step should be to find an employer that is willing to sponsor your application for a work permit.

 

What If You Don’t Have Formal IT/CS Education?

Of course things like a university degree and work experience in your field will make your job hunt easier. In some situations, it will be very hard, nearly impossible, to secure a job with relocation without a combination of prerequisite education and on-the-job experience. However, there are also a number of overseas companies which don’t consider the lack of a formal degree as an obstacle to hiring, and they would sponsor a work visa. For example, in the Netherlands, it isn’t essential for a “highly skilled migrant” visa to have a formal education in IT. This is also the case in places like Denmark, Ireland, etc.

The hardest part about landing a tech job abroad is finding one that won’t low ball you because you might lack formal schooling.

Note: If you are passionate about technology and programming, don’t stop at university. It will be tough to compete with other candidates if you rest on your laurels. Do your own side projects, get a GitHub account to display your skills, work internships, attend meetups, and network to gain an advantage.

 

And last, but not least, ensure your significant others are on board with your decision to move before you start the relocation process. You should try making use of services like Relocate.me to help organize all the information you’ll need to know about relocating, then make a convincing case to your family and friends that your decision is the right one.

 

This Makes Sense

The times when one could land a job by solely being equipped with the right set of technical skills are long gone. More and more often, being actively involved in the recruiting field, we see refusals occur because of a lack of “soft skills.” A lot of developers fail here, but there are ways to improve your abilities in this area.

Here are a few tips from our Relocate.me team on how to “sell yourself” on a (remote) job interview:

First, always do your homework well before the interview. Peruse info about the company (e.g. CrunchBase, TechCrunch, VentureBeat) and its team, look through the company blog, and make sure you have complete knowledge about the role.

Another good idea is to search for “typical” interview questions your target company might ask and practice answering as many as possible. Also, try to glean information from any contacts you might have that are currently working for this particular company. It could be a great opportunity to learn more about the company’s interview process, its focuses, and that kind of questions you should be prepared for.

Try to positively impress an interviewer at the beginning of your conversation. Talk about the weather or something abstract. You can also mention that you’re going to visit the city where the team is based (you may be invited for an on-site interview) or that you know a few developers from the team, etc.

Treat your interviewer as if he/she was sitting across from you. Don’t forget about eye contact.

Another important factor is finding a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed during your call (no cats walking across your Mac, noise in the background, etc.). If, during the interview, the internet connection becomes weak, ask your interviewer to recall a few minutes later so that you can fix the problem or switch to Skype.

If you’re considering job relocation and English is expected to be your working language, spare no effort in improving it. Mastery of the language is essential for getting hired by prestigious product companies abroad.

Talk about the business component of your product (at least in a few sentences), point out what problems it solves and what your audience is.

Try to secure an interview at a few world’s top technology companies such as Facebook, Skype, Amazon. You will gain invaluable interviewing experience and boost your confidence.

Prepare interesting questions to ask about the company. For instance:

 

1. Are you an Agile-based company?
2. What problems has your team encountered while integrating Agile?

---

1. Do you plan to build an Android app?
2. How many clients visit your website using a mobile app? What is your strategy for mobile development?

---

1. Do you write Unit Tests?
2. What restrictions does your business put on the code creation process? How are your Unit Tests going?

 

Practice giving a brief summary of the jobs you’ve held. Tell only about relevant experience that you gained at each. You should also be able to describe your weaknesses (acknowledge them beforehand).

It’s paramount to be prepared for varied interview questions. Here are 7 most common ones you should be ready for:

1. Tell us about yourself. (It’s a good idea to start from the beginning and tell interviewers how you fell for programming, what University you graduated from, where you worked first, what technologies you’ve learned and practiced, and what you liked most about your job. However, don’t go deep into details on any one facet — keep it simple).
2. What interesting tasks have you worked on at previous jobs?
3. What problems have you encountered on your past projects?
4. How did you solve these problems?
5. Tell us about your dream company.
6. What do you do to grow professionally?
7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of your main programming language?

And last, but not the least, avoid political, religious and any other delicate topics during the interview.

 

Passion For Programming

Companies are looking for “passionate” candidates to join their teams. Thankfully, proving your credentials as a passionate programming enthusiast is relatively easy nowadays, and I’d single out several markers that will show you’re on the level:

• An active GitHub profile either with your own project or contributions to open-source projects.
• A StackOverflow account with questions asked and answers provided.
• Home projects that somehow facilitate people’s lives or show off new technologies that haven’t been introduced yet.
• Participation in local/global communities (e.g. Python Geeks, Rails Girls, JS Enthusiasts).
• Taking online courses (Coursera, Standford online courses, Codeschool.com, etc.).
• Your own technical blog (preferably in English).

These indicators show recruiters and hiring managers that you’re truly keen on programming.

 

Be Yourself

Very often, good candidates are refused for the following reasons: “too reserved”, “didn’t reveal himself/herself”, etc. You’ve probably come across company descriptions like “informal culture” or “we don’t wear jackets, we boldly share our opinions and focus more on ‘personality’ rather than qualification.”

Don’t be intimidated by such descriptions. Just be yourself — this is the best recommendation to successfully pass an interview at any company.

 

Passion For Product

You’ll never get hired by Google if you say nothing about their product and don’t offer your own ideas for its enhancement. For some reason, most potential hires neglect this recommendation. Naturally, it is only fair that leading companies hire those candidates who have taken the time to learn about their products and proven to be experienced specialists.

You don’t have to be delighted with the product, but, there are still a few steps you should never neglect:

• Download their app(s), and install them on your phone/tablet.
• Read an engineering blog.
• Offer a few technical improvements.
• Share your thoughts in regards to modifying the product’s UI/UX.
• Understand the monetization mechanism of product in question.
• Analyze the competition and ask your interviewers what makes their company different from the rest. On the flip side, you should be ready for an employer to ask you that very same question.
• Tell your interviewers that you’d like to gain new experience and work exactly with this product, collaborate with their entire development team, and make the product better (it’s important to say it all sincerely).

 

General Programming

A lot of product companies actively use the tasks on General Programming — algorithms, data structure, etc. And yet, most candidates don’t expect to get a task with algorithms. After the interview, they often regret that they lack even a day or two to get properly prepared. However, what’s done is done, and the time to get ready has come and gone.

That’s why it’s always best to ask about all technical tasks beforehand — ask your recruiters, visit Glassdoor, etc. Get as much information as you can beforehand!

In addition, there are thousands of books available that are exceedingly helpful (Cracking the Coding Interview, for example).

 

Thanks for reading this far. You’re welcome to share your thoughts on this topic in the comments.

Good luck!

 

Tech Job Boards and Niche Websites

Let’s start with niche job boards that are only focused on IT jobs in Europe. Some of these sites are more general and cover multiple countries in Western Europe, while others cater exclusively to local jobseekers. 

 

Relocate.me

If you are searching for an IT job in Europe from a company that offers visa/relocation assistance, Relocate.me is the best place for you to start your search. While there might not seem like a ton of job ads, what you’ll find here are high-quality posts from companies that are serious about hiring internationally. 

You’ll find jobs in all the main IT specialisations, including front end, back end, full stack, mobile, QA, DevOps/SRE, and Data Science. In terms of locations, the platform currently has job postings in the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, and other popular European countries, and the list is constantly changing.

On most job postings on this site you’ll get a breakdown of what type of relocation package the company offers (basic or advanced) and what services those include (housing, visa services, relocation bonus, etc.). You can preview the job board here.

Wellfound 

Wellfound (formerly AngelList) is a popular website for people looking for tech jobs at startups. For jobs in Western Europe, you can check out this page, and then filter your search by role. The problem is that you can’t filter by visa sponsorship, so you’ll have to manually go through and check if the company supports it by reading each ad. Alternatively, you can head to the jobs tab and filter by “Sponsors visas.” 

 

 

Glassdoor

Glassdoor – the site where employees can “anonymously” review their employers – also has a job board. And it’s not bad – it partners quite well with the review side of things. From the looks of it, there’s a healthy number of jobs being posted on this job board. Since there’s no filter for visa sponsored jobs, the best way to single these roles out is by typing “relocation” in front of the job title you are searching for (i.e. relocation developer). This search will produce all the job listings with the “relocation” keyword. Make sure you always double-check the job description before applying, though.

Pro tip: Using different keywords yields different search results. Apart from “relocation,” play around with “visa” and “visa sponsorship.” UK companies, for example, typically mention “visa sponsorship” rather than “relocation” in their job postings.

 

 

 

 

Landing.Jobs

Landing.Jobs is another niche tech job platform in Europe. Since they are based in Portugal, you’ll find many job ads from companies based in Lisbon and Porto. There are also job opportunities in Germany, the Netherlands and some other Western European countries. Thankfully, this job board has a visa & work permit filter so you can easily find those roles that support relocation.

 

Startup.Jobs

Tech jobs at startups are very desirable, and Startup.Jobs is specifically dedicated to helping people find jobs at startups. The list of jobs on the site has startup positions available around the world. Some of the positions are also remote positions.

You can filter down the search list significantly by using the keywords filter. Keywords such as “relocation” or “visa” are good places to start. Make sure to also set the location.  

 

Work in Estonia

If Estonia is where you want to work, then head over to this site. The website lists job opportunities for both tech and non-tech professionals. Most of these jobs are targeted towards expats, but you’ll still have to double-check relocation, as some of the ads don’t mention any type of support. Here’s a link to all the IT jobs that are currently available.

 

Berlin Startup Jobs

Berlin Startup Jobs is a local job board for startup jobs in Berlin. Like many of these job boards, there’s no relocation filter. What you can do is search “relocation” in the search bar and then select the IT / Software Development category on the right panel. 

 

GermanTechJobs

GermaTechJobs – the name describes it perfectly. There is also a Swiss, UK and Netherlands version of this job board. To find jobs with relocation on this site, click the filter and select Visa sponsorship, or simply follow this link. One really nice feature of this site is that all job posts must disclose a salary range. You won’t find a single job on this site that doesn’t disclose salary information. 

 

SwissDevJobs

This is the counterpart to GermanTechJobs, which I mentioned in the previous section. SwissDevJobs is for those tech professionals interested in Switzerland. To find relocation jobs, follow the same steps as the site above. One potential issue to point out is that jobs are not dated, which means it’s going to be difficult to tell if companies are still considering applicants for the position. 

 

StartupJobs.cz

StartupJobs was created to help people find job postings at startups in Prague, Czech Republic. All of the jobs listed on the website can be found under the offers tab. There is no filter for relocation but using the word “relocation” in the search bar does a fantastic job at filtering search results. Here you can see those of the jobs that offer relocation.

 

DOU

DOU is a Ukrainian job search site. You can find jobs around Ukraine but also in the surrounding parts of the European Union. The link we provided above takes you directly to the section for those looking for relocation. Much of the website is in Ukrainian, so this resource is best for those who have some experience with Ukrainian.

 

F6S

F6S is a website dedicated to helping startup founders. One of the big things that the website does is to host positions available at startups. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of old job posts that haven’t been filtered out, make sure you sort by newest and double-check the date posted. Search “relocation” in the search bar to quickly find companies and job openings that offer relocation assistance. 

 

The Hub

The Hub is also a website for finding startup jobs. There is a Denmark version (the main version) of the website along with ones for Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Northern Ireland. Like with some of the other sites, there is no filter for relocation, so you’ll have to use the search bar to filter out results.

 

Europe Language Jobs

The website offers a slew of job opportunities abroad for multilingual tech and non-tech professionals. To narrow the list down to relevant job listings, use the search bar with location and language filters.

 

Relocate with us 

Relocate with us is a basic job board with a basic purpose. The site only displays jobs with Visa Sponsorship & Relocation Assistance. By the looks of it, most jobs advertised are based in Berlin, Amsterdam and London. There are a lot of old job postings that have most likely expired, so either check in regularly for new posts or sign up to their mailing list to get those alerts.  

 

Arbeitnow 

Arbeitnow is a niche job site for jobs in Germany. (Arbeit means “work” in German). On this site you can find tech jobs across Germany’s major hubs. There are English-speaking opportunities and more importantly, jobs that offer visa sponsorship. 

 

Hacker News

Not only is Hacker News a place to discuss the latest in tech and startups with other tech professionals, but you can also find jobs on the forum. There is a monthly thread that discusses all the open tech roles. Hiring managers and CEOs usually post their job descriptions on this thread, they will also include if visa sponsorship is available. To find the related threads search, “Ask HN: Who is hiring? 2024.”

 

Recruitment Agencies

The process of sourcing and hiring tech talent can be very arduous, especially if a company is scaling, and that’s why tech companies often outsource to recruitment agencies. So if you’re a jobseeker it’s going to benefit you to get in touch with these agencies and get your CV in their database. Not only will they suggest positions for you, but most of the time they will actively put your name forward. You’ll get to skip the initial application process and head right into the interview process, saving you a bunch of time.

With international recruiters, they can also help with all the relocation information. Here are some of the popular international recruiters in Europe:

• Darwin Recruitment
• Global {M}
• Nederlia
• Optimus Search
• Orange Quarter
• RAVE-cruitment
• Toughbyte
• Xena (for female tech workers)
• Zero to One Search

 

Telegram Channels

Telegram is a powerful messaging app that is very flexible in its uses (there is a desktop version as well). One of the things that it is used for is to communicate new job postings, website updates, or news. Several Telegram channels exist specifically for jobs that offer relocation. Here are links to the two most popular: RelocateMe and Jobs Abroad. 

You can preview each channel without joining them by clicking the link. Once the page loads, click Preview Channel. You will not be required to log in or download anything to view the content.

 

Job Search Engines and Job Aggregators

Almost all companies have job listings on job search engines. These are job posting sites that you have probably heard of before. Turning to these sites to find a tech job with relocation in Europe can be a great idea. Because these sites aggregate jobs from around the internet, you can find a huge variety of listings on them.

Take a look at three great options in the job search engine area.

 

Indeed

Indeed is one of the big names in job searches. To find jobs on this site, you want to start by selecting the country that you want to find employment in. Once you have chosen the country, search for “relocation developer” or “relocation” and another job title that you are interested in.

Here are a few links to help you get started:  

• Developer jobs with relocation to Germany
• Developer jobs with relocation to the Netherlands

Indeed also offers the ability to get job alerts for your searches. 

 

Karriere.at

Karriere.at is Austria’s largest job search website. In the search box, you will look for terms such as relocation support or visa sponsorship. If you get too many results that are not in the tech industry, try adding the job title you are interested in. Keep in mind that about half of these results will be in German and targeted towards developers in the DACH region. 

 

Career Pages

A number of tech companies around the European Union are continually recruiting international talent to add to their teams. Among them are the following:

• BlaBlaCar (France)
• Bolt (Estonia)
• Catawiki (The Netherlands)
• Coolblue (The Netherlands) 
• Doctolib (France, Germany)
• Erste Digital (Slovakia, Austria)
• Multiverse Computing (Spain)
• N26 (Spain, Germany, Austria)  
• Picnic (The Netherlands)
• Wise (The UK, Estonia, Hungary)
• Wolt (Finland)
• Zalando (Germany)

Check these and other career pages regularly for open positions. If you don’t know the local market well, a good way to find up-and-coming companies is with Dealroom’s startup maps. Pick the cities that you are interested in and then filter by whatever metric makes sense for you. Funding is a great way to tell if a company is hiring or has potential (startups usually hire en masse after funding rounds). Or you can just see what companies are turning the most revenue in the city – they are likely the biggest employers in the scene. 

 

Expat Communities and Websites

Expats around the world love to communicate with each other. Many websites and communities have popped up to help facilitate communication. Often a company interested in hiring international talent will post to one of these sites or someone will make the position known.

• Berlin EXPATS 
• Expat Jobs Amsterdam

Some expat websites will have a section on the site specifically for finding jobs. Try one of these sites too:

• Expat.com 
• IamExpat
• ExpatJob.com
• The Local Jobs 

 

Facebook Groups

Some Facebook groups have also been created to help tech workers discover job opportunities. Among them are Berlin Tech Jobs and Relocation. Both FB groups regularly post jobs that have relocation as a benefit.

Note: The Relocation group is aimed at IT professionals from CIS countries. 

 

Other Options

VanHack

VanHack was created specifically to help connect software developers with job openings that include relocation. Their primary market is Canada, but you can also find a few postings from other countries, such as Germany, and fully remote positions.

 

Tech Jobs Fair

Tech Jobs Fair is one of the largest virtual hiring events for tech and digital professionals! It’s a great opportunity to grow your network, build relationships with potential employers, and get valuable tips from recruiters. They also have a job board called Germany Startup Jobs. 

To get a free ticket to the TJF events:

1. Register as a participant. 
2. Click on your profile icon in the upper right and select “Attend Events” from the dropdown menu. 

TJF is organising virtual events in 10+ countries around the world, mostly in Europe.

 

Find a Tech Job with Relocation to Europe

Hopefully, you’ve found this list helpful and have found some roles that match your preferences. One of the first steps in the job search process is choosing a country in Europe that most appeals to you. We’ve put together a few helpful resources to get you started. If your main concern is the visa, you can read about the countries that offer the easiest pathways. If it’s affordability, read this blog post. 

Or do your own research on a site like Numbeo. Here, you can compare rent prices and the cost of living between European cities and countries. Realistically, the best locations to relocate (even if it’s just a stepping stone) are Berlin, Amsterdam, Munich, London, and Manchester. From here, expand your search to the smaller cities and English-speaking pockets throughout. Good luck!