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A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

visa.lafrenchtech.com

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Re: A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

#681

Post by blusterXY »

paulprins wrote: post #472

I'm a tech founder who is in Paris through a very similar program with Paris & Co, French Tech. If you have questions I'll loop back around to answer them based on my experience. Note: I didn't come with the French Tech Ticket (which was a different program that was more structured). I have an existing software company which I am expanding to France & Europe.

Applied to the program with my last company. There was no response and no interview other than a rejection email. The business is now running millions in orders and several hundred thousands a year in revenue.

I had wanted to go and thought the company was a shoo-in since it was 100% bootstrapped and profitable at the time of application. Also growing like a weed. So I have no idea what they are doing, but they don't seem terribly competent and it was a waste of time to apply.

Re: A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

#682

Post by WildUtah »

ekianjo wrote: post #674
WildUtah wrote: post #619

Earlier quoted context omitted.

tokyo has way better access to public transport than Paris. And at half the density. The median neighborhood of the Toyko metro area is 150 while central Paris is 300 and outlying neighborhoods—not as well served by transit as Tokyo's—are over 200. And better quality transport too. That's largely a matter of serving Japanese passengers. In my experience, no one else matches the consistent care and respect that even y…

> And at half the density Density is a little bit bullshit, because density only takes in account the people living in a particular place, not the folks who actually commute every single day to work to go into offices where nobody lives. Actually the rail network in Tokyo transports far more people than the RER/Metro in Paris, every single day. Here: http://www.uitp.org/sites/default/files/cck-focus-papers-fil... Tok…

Actually the rail network in Tokyo transports far more people than the RER/Metro in Paris

Tokyo's metro population is 35 million. Paris's is 11 million. Each of them is served by multiple commuter and underground subway train networks. Comparing raw passenger numbers is ridiculous.

Density is a little bit [obscenity],

Density over the built up parts of a metro area, including offices, homes, parks, industrial and commercial areas, and roadways, tells us quite a lot about the basis of transit dynamics. Paris consistently packs a lot more people in the same land area than Tokyo.

No, even the stations, the network, the trains themselves are of better quality that the ones in Paris

Paris spends enormous amount compensating for its more difficult passenger base with space, maintenance, security, cleaning personnel, and more. That doesn't even begin to address the different demands for municipal investment and corruption in governance. Many collective projects that succeed in Japan could never do so in nations where citizens are less committed to cooperation.

Re: A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

#683

Post by MagnumOpus »

morgante wrote: post #663
benevol wrote: post #661

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> With an American tech salary of $200k/yr Well, that means you're part of the "1%". In that case, you obviously don't have (m)any real problems. So, if you're thinking for the "1%", then your logic holds up. If on the other hand you believe to be part of the "1%" soon, then this quote may be of interest to you: “Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but…

$200k is closer to 4-5%, not 1%. More importantly, I'm not making some grand proclamation on morality of French governance vs American governances. I'm just affirming that as a developer, you are much better off in the US (particularly NYC/SV) where such salaries are fairly achievable and common.

> $200k is closer to 4-5%, not 1%.

Not quite right. What you are thinking of is household income where $400k is about the 99th percentile - usually achieved by two high earning individuals.

For individual incomes, $288k makes you a 1%er, and $200k is in the top 2.5%. [1]

[1] https://dqydj.com/income-percentile-calculator/

Re: A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

#684

Post by DanBC »

grzm wrote: post #503
narrowrail wrote: post #500

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't need novelty accounts that regurgitate slogans and add nothing to the discussion on HN (whether this is sarcasm or not).

"Novelty account" is an apt description. It's hard to judge these things without numbers, but have you noticed an increase in accounts of this type? Perhaps the past month or two? Edit to add: To be clear, I'm referring to single-use or single-topic accounts in general.

I guess someone could scrape new user stories and new user comments.

https://news.ycombinator.com/noobstories

https://news.ycombinator.com/noobcomments

(A nicer use of those two feeds is to welcome new users, and gently provide information if they need it.)

Re: A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

#685

Post by emmanuel_1234 »

coredog64 wrote: post #265
sylvinus wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Others have replied on the salary ranges, but don't forget to factor in free healthcare, excellent public schools, ...

France doesn't offer "free healthcare". If you go to the doctor on an outpatient basis, you pay for the visit up front* and will be reimbursed 80% of the reasonable and customary charges . If you need to go to the hospital, then you're not paying anything. Medicine is reimbursed at a lower rate with it's own plusses and minuses: Many items that would be over the counter in the US require a prescription (e.g. lactase…

An important point you seem to be missing, is that stuff that are not free but deemed a necessity (e.g.: family doctor consultation, drugs...) are capped. What they are allowed to charge at most is decided by law (in exchange, they get to control how many people gets to go to (~free) Medical School every year -- it's far from ideal, but not a terrible balance).

Re: A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

#686

Post by unknown_apostle »

I'm warning everyone: don't come to France (or Belgium). The worst thing that could happen to you, is that your startup actually becomes hugely successful. You will get ripped off left and right by an pugnacious socialist state, supported by a spoiled population that still hasn't fully digested just how irrelevant they have made themselves in the world.

Re: A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

#687

Post by throwaway1892 »

throwaway1892 wrote: post #90
xarien wrote: post #67

Why put this out prior to French elections?

Well, the current government could be trying to have one positive result. And have some example of migrants with a positive economic impact.

> Are you trying to imply that Syrians and Tunisians have NO positive economic impact?

Why is this comment dead? It was more or less my point, which that a lot of unqualified migrants, mostly from Africa and Asia, has no positive economic impact, since we have NOTHING to offer to them (no job, no future). So I am opposed to more unqualified migrants coming for economic reasons. Syrian refugees, on the other hand, I think we should help them.

Re: A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

#688

Post by emmanuel_1234 »

user5994461 wrote: post #519
gcp wrote: post #498

Earlier quoted context omitted.

private healthcare that you're forced to pay as well "une mutuelle" You're not actually forced to pay them, are you?

You are definitely forced to pay. Noawadays, it's even picked and forced by your employer (but taken on your pay). You may not be able choose or deny the plan you're offered. It's messy.

It's forced from your employer. This is, in fact, a benefit most of the time (as your employer also contributes to it).

Re: A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

#689

Post by throwaway1892 »

rtpg wrote: post #651
morgante wrote: post #630

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, it was a lot worse pre-ACA. Thankfully, it's quite easy to purchase individual insurance these days (I pay $160/m for mine). We'll see what happens with the Republicans. More importantly, health insurances do not at all sufficiently explain the differences in salaries. Google will hire you here and give you great health insurance, even though they're also paying very well. Also, the notion that it requires real…

Other things the taxes in France pay for: - A functioning public transportation system (I was living in a city of 100k people and could get around by bus decently. The worst bus lines still came once every 20 minutes). - almost free access to culture - Being able to get your passport done in a week, not six. Maybe not the nicest people, but things happen a bit faster But I think the core reason you don't see super-hi…

Where do you get your passport done in a week? Last time (in 2014) I did mine, it was closer to one month.

And for culture, apart from some museums when you're under 26, public libraries and cultural festival, you have to pay for the rest (theatre, concert, expositions...), even if they are subsidized.

Re: A Visa for founders, engineers and investors willing to join France

#690

Post by emmanuel_1234 »

adamnemecek wrote: post #15

Isn't it like super hard to setup a startup in France? That being said, the talent coming out of all the grandes ecoles seems definitely underutilized.

Interestingly, I used to believe that until I discussed with a French founder, who confirmed that yes, there is a lot of bullshit paperwork. On the other hand, you can benefit from your (public) unemployement insurance as a founder. In other word, you can willingly quit a previous job and keep on benefiting from a substantial chunk of money for a few months/year. Along with health benefits and all the other "free" stuff you get.

It seriously hedges your personal risk.

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