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Startups Like Berlin Because Visa Rules Are Nothing Like the U.S.

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Re: Startups Like Berlin Because Visa Rules Are Nothing Like the U.S.

#111

Post by drstewart »

levosmetalo wrote: post #34
pucallpa wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this ^^^ I worked in canada for a year and was offered to stay, my permanent residency would have been granted after 6 months and citizenship in 2 years. After 5 years in the US, I'm on this situation, even after obtained a Software Engineering master degree in the US from CMU, my application is being dragged.

That's why there's no rational reason experienced developer who have a wife and kids will choose USA over Germany. In USA he would first need to wait at least one year until his family can arrive, then wait for 5 or more years to get permanent residency (Green Card) in which period his wife will not have permission to work, and he would be unable to plan his future in any significant way because he would live on the…

No "rational reason" except for the fact that the pay in the US for software engineers is probably double (or even triple) what it is in Germany.

Re: Startups Like Berlin Because Visa Rules Are Nothing Like the U.S.

#112

Post by midnightclubbed »

lightbritefight wrote: post #68
Aloisius wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure I would change EU(ropean) way of life for 50+ work weeks, one week of vacation and no payed sick or parental leave, super expensive education and no universal health care. No paid sick leave? One week of vacation? Super expensive education (for kindergarten???)? Where in the US are you talking about? While we don't tend to have laws mandating sick leave, nearly every company that you'd immigrate for give…

| Where in the US are you talking about? While we don't tend to have laws mandating sick leave, nearly every company that you'd immigrate for gives it. I've never worked anywhere that didn't offer at least two weeks of vacation. No offense, but your proof here is purely anecdotal. I've worked for employers who offer less than two weeks. My first STEM job offered 5 days your first year, with 5 more each additional yea…

If you are coming to the US to work in a professional position (Green Card or H1B1 etc) then you should be in a position to negotiate your sick time and vacation days. If an employer is not willing to work with you on these concerns then you might want to think twice about going through the financial and emotional hurdles of uprooting and moving to a different country.

If a hiring company is playing by the immigration rules then they should be paying at least going-rate for the position they are hiring you into (as well as having to pick up substantial legal fees). If you are just cheap labor then they will abuse you - but why would you take a job knowing you are not being valued from day 1?

Re: Startups Like Berlin Because Visa Rules Are Nothing Like the U.S.

#113

Post by levosmetalo »

drstewart wrote: post #111
levosmetalo wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why there's no rational reason experienced developer who have a wife and kids will choose USA over Germany. In USA he would first need to wait at least one year until his family can arrive, then wait for 5 or more years to get permanent residency (Green Card) in which period his wife will not have permission to work, and he would be unable to plan his future in any significant way because he would live on the…

No "rational reason" except for the fact that the pay in the US for software engineers is probably double (or even triple) what it is in Germany.

Define pay.

If you define pay as something that you can spend when you deduce tax, health, pension, rent/mortgage, education of children I'm not sure that US offers double. And even if it were double in absolute numbers, so is the number of working hours per year of software engineer in US compared to Germany.

Re: Startups Like Berlin Because Visa Rules Are Nothing Like the U.S.

#114

Post by makmanalp »

peterjmag wrote: post #56

I successfully applied for a work visa here in Berlin, and I was blown away by how quick the process was, especially in contrast to the stories I hear about the same process in the US. From submitting all the paperwork to getting word that my application was approved, it took a grand total of 7 days . I was expecting to wait at least a few weeks, but it seems that the new Blue Card legislation has really streamlined…

So what's the catch? What's worse about the Blue Card / why would you ever get the work permit?

Re: Startups Like Berlin Because Visa Rules Are Nothing Like the U.S.

#115

Post by pantalaimon »

crucialfelix wrote: post #91
siddhant wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where in Germany are you? I think this is the first time I've heard anyone say that there is racism in Germany.

seriously ? even in Berlin Africans and Asians get taunted on the street, beat up and occasionally killed. An Asian guy was killed last year just off of Alex. There were a series of u-bahn attacks on Africans last year. Very multi-kulti here but you still have to be watchful. If you are traveling in eastern Germany while black you will get quite strong harassment and in many towns you would be unwise to travel at nig…

> An Asian guy was killed last year just off of Alex.

… by a group of Turkish youths

Re: Startups Like Berlin Because Visa Rules Are Nothing Like the U.S.

#118

Post by parennoob »

mahyarm wrote: post #79
levosmetalo wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why there's no rational reason experienced developer who have a wife and kids will choose USA over Germany. In USA he would first need to wait at least one year until his family can arrive, then wait for 5 or more years to get permanent residency (Green Card) in which period his wife will not have permission to work, and he would be unable to plan his future in any significant way because he would live on the…

You can actually get an immigration (green card) visa from outside the country from the start. You could work for Google Berlin/Zurich for example, and then move over when its all processed for a green card on arrival. One co-worker for the startup I work for came from Chile that way. You can also just work for Google in Europe for a year or two, and then get transferred over on a L1/L2 visa where your wife can also…

I don't exactly know what country's visas you are talking about, but if it is the US, these are the sticking points:

1) Not everyone works for Google or Facebook. Some of us work for smaller companies that no one has heard of.

2) "Also while you just have a work visa, you can still change employers through more paperwork".

Said paperwork is toxic and suffocating to the point where it is extremely detrimental to your mental and physical health to change jobs.

Re: Startups Like Berlin Because Visa Rules Are Nothing Like the U.S.

#119

Post by lyricalpolymath »

parennoob wrote: post #5

As someone who is a non-US citizen going through the tortuous process of acquiring permanent residency in the US (estimated time: 8-10 years), I will advise any international people looking for their first job -- if you can get one in Berlin, Canada, or elsewhere, take it. The US immigration system is fraught with bureaucracy, and is structured such that employers have strong incentives to delay your application for…

What do you do while waiting for a permanent residency? do you have a visa sponsored by your employer or do you go out and back in every 3 months? (I'm a non-US looking to come to the US to launch a business)

Re: Startups Like Berlin Because Visa Rules Are Nothing Like the U.S.

#120

Post by brassybadger »

LetBinding wrote: post #74

What is the Big Data startup scene like in Berlin? I am about to graduate with a PhD in Machine Learning from a US university. I have talked to several Big Data startups in the valley but being a foreigner, the visa is a hurdle. But if this article is true, maybe I should look at the Berlin scene.

There are lots of startups in Berlin, and the tech scene is flourishing. However, I always feel that companies here are behind the state of the art. There might be exceptions, this is just my impression when I go to meetups, presentations, or talk to colleagues (they have worked for quite a few different companies here in Berlin).

That being said, there are quite a few companies that are into the big data business. Having a PhD will certainly make it very easy for you to get a good job here.

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