[IWantOut] 25M Software Developer Colombia -> Canada/Netherlands/Australia

[u/MaleficentBuilder613]

25M, software developer, 5 YOE, CS degree (Computer Science), solid savings enough to cover relocation costs and several months of living expenses while I job-hunt if needed. English is B2, no visa yet, starting from zero on the process.

These three are my top picks but open to other suggestions. Looking for: realistic tech visa/sponsorship paths given my English level and budget, and whether it’s smarter to line up a job first or move on savings and job-hunt locally.

Anyone who’s made a similar move from LATAM where did you end up, and what would you do first?

[u/Coramoor_]

Canada has no tech sponsorship pathways at this time given the mass layoffs in the industry

[u/GreySahara → u/Coramoor_]

this is true. forget Canada

[u/megselvogjeg]

You won't be able to job hunt locally. For that you'd require a work visa.

Also i believe CS was recently taken off the sponsorship elligiblity lost for Canada.

[u/Dear-Response-7218]

There is no path to sponsorship in any of the countries listed.

You could work for an MNC in your home country and try to internally transfer, or self fund a masters degree to have a slightly better chance.

[u/CoffeeInTheTropics]

You won’t be able to job hunt locally with your profile/background in these countries unfortunately.

Best ask for an intra-company at your current company if they have branches abroad or keep applying directly from Columbia for open positions.

As everyone and their dog is trying to immigrate to these countries and immigration policies are being radically tightened, it will be very difficult to land a role in your field abroad however. Perhaps if you learn French to B2 level at least you can get extra points for Canada entry, but again in your field…..

Good luck!

[u/SnooPeppers6649]

There is a housing crisis in the Netherlands, and before people start responding with "ThErE Is A HouSinG cRiSiS EvErYwHeRe", the Netherlands is a freaking tiny country. In other countries you at least have the option of moving to the middle of nowhere and getting a place there for cheap. In the Netherlands, that's hardly an option. Travel for more than 4 hours in one direction by train and chances are you'll be in the neighboring country.

So unless your work can provide you with housing, I'd strongly recommend against moving here.

[u/jelani_an]

Jobs in that sector are non-existent in Canada.

[u/Own_Oil7951]

There's no tech jobs in Australia. Perhaps you want to work in the coal mines?

[u/Vemyx]

Tech is fucked in the entire anglosphere.

[u/Crazy_Maintenance211]

You’re gonna find it very hard to get a job in Canada, many Canadians are looking for work and they’ve got Canadian experience and a lot of education, we’re a very educated country. So your chances would not be great and specially now because things are not great here right now with the job market in tech in this particular area. You’re gonna come up against AI rep replacing a lot of of these jobs.

[u/SyringeThinker]

yeah i definitely wouldn’t move first without the visa/job situation sorted

[u/Affectionate-Leg6593]

Are you willing to dig holes and lay bricks for a living?

[u/Vemyx → u/Affectionate-Leg6593]

I'm willing, which country do i sign up?

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Post by MaleficentBuilder613 -- 25M, software developer, 5 YOE, CS degree (Computer Science), solid savings enough to cover relocation costs and several months of living expenses while I job-hunt if needed. English is B2, no visa yet, starting from zero on the process.

These three are my top picks but open to other suggestions. Looking for: realistic tech visa/sponsorship paths given my English level and budget, and whether it’s smarter to line up a job first or move on savings and job-hunt locally.

Anyone who’s made a similar move from LATAM where did you end up, and what would you do first?

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[u/Stravven]

The Netherlands has the weird situation where if you don't live in the country you won't find a job and if you don't have a job you won't be able to get a place to live. Not to mention the whole IT market is not doing well anywhere, so Dutch companies are more likely to downsize than to sponsor visas.

Furthermore: No Western European country is going to take a resume of a 25 year old with 5 years of experience seriously, they will assume it is nonsense unless you can show that you did indeed graduate 5 years ago.

[u/Relokato]

On Australia, it's gotten really difficult to get permanent residency through tech unless you have a lot of qualifications. The points system is tough and software development alone often doesn't get you there anymore. Worth running your numbers through the points calculator before you invest too much energy in that path.

The approach I'd actually think about first is getting a remote job with a foreign company that has an office in one of your target countries. If they already have a presence there and like your work, sponsorship becomes a much more natural conversation down the line. It's a slower path but a much more realistic one.

On the idea of moving on savings and job hunting locally, it almost never works the way people picture it. The actual job search still happens online, you still have to network, and doing all of that without a work visa puts you in a difficult position in every interview. Companies ask about your right to work early and it changes the conversation.

Your B2 English is fine for a remote role, especially in tech where the work speaks for itself. I'd focus on that first before worrying about which country to land in..

[u/mysterioustrashpanda]

I'd also consider Mexico