Relocation-2022: which countries are the best for IT specialists?
Serbia, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Hungary, or maybe Colombia or Mexico? What country to choose for relocation? How to calculate expenses? Feature owner of page "Relocation" on Anywhere Club Nick Murphy talks about how they created Relocate tab for aw.сlub, its benefits, and how it will be updated in the future.
Where to relocate?
Where and how to relocate? IT professionals of different qualifications often ask these questions. Aw.club offers the first answers and real opportunities to move to 6 countries so far: the list and offers will be updated.
— Since March 2022, we have been noticing a great demand for information about relocation from Belarus, Russia, and other countries, and we want to help aw.club members choose the best destination if they have already decided to move. We have a massive database of relocation data that we collected from the experience of our friends, communities, and partners. We took some indicators (such as the average standard of living in different countries) from public sources and matched them with reality. Each guide includes general information about the location, culture, climate, standard of living, data about taxes, and approximate expenses on housing, food, and children's education. All the information we tried to organize and put in an understandable format. Today you can find guides on six countries — Turkey, Uzbekistan, Serbia, Hungary, Colombia, and Mexico; soon, we'll add Spain and Montenegro. Our team constantly updates this list, and we are working on collecting information on other countries very actively. We invite all club members to discuss which destinations they would like to see on the Relocate page next in our Discord channel, — says Nick Murphy.
How does the relocation process take place?
In addition to the information block, aw. Club has worked out the possibility of relocation for those who are more concerned not with "where" but "how": one of the possible options is to relocate with the help of a partner.
— On our website, you can see the block "Special Relocation Program" — how does it work? If an aw.club user wants to relocate and is ready to work for a partner, they fill out a relocation form. A partner receives the application and processes it. If a job offer for the candidate's specialty and qualifications appears, an applicant will be required to have an interview. Then the candidate goes through all the stages, and if he accepts the offer, the company will relocate him, — says Nick.
Starting conditions for getting into this program (except the desire) are middle+ in the specialty, B1+ level of English, and willingness to live in another country for at least a year.
— Today people look for a new home in all parts of the world. IT specialists move from Warsaw to New York, from Singapore to Vilnius, from Minsk to Malaga, and vice versa: the main thing is to have a computer and Internet access; you choose the location. We are glad we could integrate this program into our website and make the potential relocation easier for our club members, — says Nick.
Adaptation process
Aw.club has launched two volunteer projects with a mission to facilitate the adaptation process in a new country.
— One of these projects is Coworking Map. It was designed as a map for finding the nearest workplace with stable Internet and printer in a new location. While developing it, we realized that we could expand its functionality. After all, when you come to a new country, you need to rebuild your life from scratch, but you don't want to give up the familiar rituals you loved so much in the past. For example, you probably want to know where to find a good hairdresser, who organizes the best meet-ups, which co-working spaces are the most convenient, where the tastiest coffee is, etc. So we came up with the idea to create a map with "points" from people who already have this information.
— Another project we are currently developing is an instruction manual in Notion. The idea is that people who have relocated or are professionally involved in it will help with writing and keeping a complete, up-to-date manual on how to move to different countries. It would seem to overlap with the guides we've put together, but it's still other format and type of information: one thing is general information and key facts, another is information on where to make an apostille, find housing, what sim-card to buy, what is the vet's number, etc.
What's next?
— Our mission for the future is to make it easier to choose the country to move to for the club members and make relocation as comfortable as possible. For example, our immediate plans - and we are already implementing them — are to add to our site the ability to compare countries by the standard of living and costs and integrate a tax calculator.
In our Discord, you will find online events with relocants led by blogger IT-Beard and FrontSpot community leader Victor Shelenchenko. We also post their records on our YouTube channel and prepare blog articles about moving to different countries: join us. We have a busy calendar!
We are open to partners who can help people adjust to a new environment - whether it helps with moving or it is legal advice on obtaining permanent residency in one country or another.
We'd love it if you tell us what information in Relocate tab you'd like to see.
Your feedback in our Discord is highly appreciated!