This might be super niche but my partner and I are looking to move to EU. Visa and sponsorship is not something we need to worry about since I have dual citizenship.

Our main barrier is linguistic. We both only speak fluent English no other Western European languages.

Does anyone have any advice for finding work for exclusively English speakers in the EU? Best cities or countries for only English speakers.

Eventually we want to live from writing and zine making, documenting/videos, our long term goal is to work creatively full time.

I currently work as an Assistant Editor for a publishing press. My partner was a Preparator in a museum/archive.

Question

This might be super niche but my partner and I are looking to move to EU. Visa and sponsorship is not something we need to worry about since I have dual citizenship.

Our main barrier is linguistic. We both only speak fluent English no other Western European languages.

Does anyone have any advice for finding work for exclusively English speakers in the EU? Best cities or countries for only English speakers.

Eventually we want to live from writing and zine making, documenting/videos, our long term goal is to work creatively full time.

I currently work as an Assistant Editor for a publishing press. My partner was a Preparator in a museum/archive.

Natali · Answer

Reddit Is Your Friend: Hi! Here’s some ideas coming with the disclaimer that I have dual citizenship but one of those is American, everyone’s situation is different! Also, it is worth it to explore dual citizenship (through ancestry, investment, etc.) if that is something that is an option for whoever is reading this.

I have two pathways I like talking about.

One: VLS or VLS-T France Visa. I worked for a fully remote US based company and went down this route. I received a non-renewable year long visa that allowed me to keep my job and live in France. They made some slight updates last year and depending on your situation it might be worth speaking to a French immigration lawyer. I used Reddit threads and had a friend over there provide an attestation d'hébergement for me to make things a little easier. The whole process took about 2-3 months to navigate.

Two: DAFT visa. US passport holders have the ability to create a business plan/business, deposit €4,500 into a dutch bank, and received a two year visa that is renewable. Lots of resources online that provide more information and families are able to join you. I had a friend go this route.

My biggest takeaways from my experience: be open to learning the language! and be ok with ambiguity! Language learning can be a pathway to visa’s but also your surrounding’s open up to you when you’re connecting on that level. And, I met other immigrants who were in the country under different circumstances and there’s always going to be a level of uncertainty of being somewhere when you’re not a citizen. It’s a lot of work but it’s worth if you really want it.

grace · Answer

Coucou!: Hi, I moved to France in January and have been looking for a US-based remote job since. I’m learning French but not fluent enough for work, but that hasn’t been the issue. This might be a long, too-negative response, but I want you to have all of the information in my brain bc I’m going through it now. Also my experience is only through the lens of France + US. I’ve heard it’s easier from Portugal and Spain. Also, there seem to be more remote jobs coming out of the UK and Ireland from what I’ve seen lately.

Having the legal right to be employed in France has been challenging, and even the US companies willing to hire you also need you to have that right. France and some EU countries have different labor laws than the US, and even though big companies may be willing to hire you through an EOR, you still need to have the legal right to work wherever you live. So get the right visa.

Many US companies are going through return-to-office mandates and are requiring employees to live within a certain driving distance from the office. I keep hearing this in interviews for remote work— they want to know you live nearby. I guess you could lie but I’m not sure what the repercussions would be if you got caught? Especially if you don’t have the legal right to work wherever you’re living.

In France, you can work freelance with an entrepreneur visa, but there are regulations around having 1 long term client (aka an employer) in order to close the loophole.

Ofc time zone challenges. I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal for any independent contributor type roles, but it’s an added layer to all of the complexity already laid out, and so far it’s been the icing on the cake for employers to move on to another candidate in my experience.

All that said… I LOVE LIVING HERE! It’s been emotionally challenging to find work (I’ll take literally anything, I’m not picky!), but it’s been worth it 1000x over to be here. My community is stronger, I feel healthier, I’m happier, it’s wonderful. Just do your homework and maybe pick your country based on where it’s easier to find work? Also fill your savings account as much as you can while you’re making a US salary :)

And if anyone out in the Rec League universe is needing someone with a background in marketing, wine (sales, production, education), and who loves building processes/managing operations— I’m your gal ✨