r/IWantOut

I'm a college grad from the US (bachelor's in History, German minor). I have already lived outside of the US for 2 years, as I spent a year studying in Czechia and another year after that working as an English teacher there. Currently back in the US and looking to try and secure a more permanent situation abroad sometime in the next couple of years; as of now, I have about a B1 level in German and am making improving that a priority (currently looking at some immersion courses in Germany). Also applying for some internships in Germany to try and get a foot in the door (CBYX, etc.) but want to have a back-up plan in case that does not work.

Long-term, I am considering pursuing a second bachelor's in Germany in education (I am aware that getting a worthwhile degree that way would require me to improve my German proficiency, though). I do not have a second passport that would make visas less of a concern, and I'm not eligible to attain one (believe me, I have looked up and down both sides of my family tree for it) which I understand makes things much, much more difficult in the long-term but I do want to at least make an attempt.

I am also not tied to living in a German-speaking country; I specify those as I already have a (limited) proficiency in German and know from experience (as I'm sure many of you do as well) how arriving in a country where you don't speak the language at all can be difficult to say the least, but I am still open to suggestions for countries outside of those few (I have a very, very limited command of Czech, and a little book knowledge of French, Polish, and Russian but no experience speaking those). I've considered Canada, Ireland, and the UK as well but as I understand things there visa-seeking- and cost-of-living-wise are not much better than most of the EU, if not worse.

I'm 26, Syrian, and I've been living in Algeria for about 13 years. I'm trying to find a realistic way to move somewhere where I can eventually build a permanent life.

Just to clarify, I don't hate Algeria and I don't feel unsafe here. My main problem is my legal status and the lack of a clear long-term future.

Because I'm Syrian, I don't have Algerian citizenship or permanent residency. My residence permit is temporary and has to be renewed every 4 months.

This also creates problems when applying for visas. For example, I previously applied for a Chinese visa and was refused because they required me to have at least 1 year Algerian residence permit.

I'm looking for a country where I could eventually get permanent residency and ideally citizenship, rather than staying on temporary permits indefinitely.

I'm open to pretty much any realistic route: work, study, vocational training, scholarships, skilled migration, or even changing careers completely. At this point, I'm mainly looking for a pathway that is actually possible with my situation.

My background:

I have a 3-year degree in filmmaking and around 5 years of professional experience in film/TV.

I've worked as a camera assistant and script supervisor, and I have contracts/documentation for my professional experience.

Outside of film, I have experience with:

• Photoshop / Lightroom
• Blender / 3D
• Digital illustration / drawing

I also tried freelancing and selling art online, but that became difficult because, as a Syrian living in Algeria, I haven't been able to open PayPal or similar payment accounts.

I currently have around €6,000 in savings, so expensive study-abroad routes are difficult for me. I also don't currently have a normal bank account in my own name and I'm trying to figure out whether that's possible with my current residency situation.

So, are there any realistic options for someone in my position?

21F London → NYC or LA? Just out of a breakup, have a US passport + £13k, bottle girl experience + fashion degree… where should I go and what should I actually do?

Hey everyone,
I’m 21F, currently living in London, and I’m craving a complete reset. Just went through a breakup and I’m done with the same city, same people, same routine. I want a proper new chapter in a new city — ideally somewhere I can make friends easily, go out a lot, and actually build something for myself.
A few key things about me:
• I’m very spontaneous and social. I love nightlife and meeting people.
• I have experience as a bottle girl in nightclubs in London (so I’m comfortable in that high-energy, late-night environment and know how to work a room).
• I studied fashion and genuinely love it, but I have zero real industry work experience. I’m open to starting at the bottom (retail, styling assistant, showroom, events, etc.) or staying in nightlife for a while to fund myself.
• I have a US passport through my dad, so I can live and work in the States with no visa issues.
• Savings: around £13,000 (roughly $16–17k depending on exchange). Not a fortune, but enough for a few months of runway if I’m careful.
I’m mainly torn between New York and Los Angeles, but I’m open to strong arguments for either (or even other US cities if they make more sense for someone in my position).
What I’m looking for:
• A city where it’s relatively easy to make friends as a new 21-year-old
• Good nightlife / social scene
• Realistic entry-level job options (nightlife, fashion-adjacent, or anything that pays the bills while I figure out the fashion side)
• Somewhere that feels exciting and different from London
I’d love advice on:

1. NYC vs LA for someone in my exact situation (age, savings, bottle girl + fashion background)
2. Realistic cost of living / how far £13k will actually stretch in each city
3. Best neighbourhoods for a young girl who wants to be social but not completely broke
4. How hard/easy it is to get bottle girl / nightlife jobs or entry-level fashion/retail roles
5. Any tips for making friends fast and building a social circle from scratch
6. Whether I should just pick one and go, or if there’s a smarter short-term plan (e.g. start in nightlife then pivot into fashion)
   I’m not looking for the “safest” option — I’m okay with a bit of risk and discomfort. I just want to land somewhere that feels alive and gives me a real shot at starting over.
   Would really appreciate honest opinions from people who’ve moved to either city young, or anyone who’s been in a similar spot. Roast me if my plan is unrealistic, or tell me which city would actually suit me better.

Hi, my name is Matheus. I’m 20 years old and I have been working as an industrial maintenance mechanic for nearly a year. I also recently started a technical course in electromechanics.

I dream of living abroad, but I don't know much about the subject, nor do I know the best paths to take.

To get informed, I’ve been using AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude, but most of the information they provide is extremely vague and lacks detail.

The only steps I’m aware of to boost my chances of achieving this dream are taking the IELTS exam for English (B2 level) and the Goethe exam for German (A2 level).Though those are plans for next year.

So, my questions are: where can I find more information on how the visa process works?

And, if possible, I’d also love some tips from people who have already traveled the path I’m just starting.

I'm 20M from Russia and I'm trying to figure out a realistic long-term path to leave Russia.

Because of the current political situation and the risk of military mobilization, I'd like to leave sooner rather than later.

My idea is to first move to Vietnam, ideally while working remotely for an international company in AI/ML or software development. I want to use this time to improve my English, mathematics and technical skills, gain professional experience and save money.

My long-term goal is to build a strong career in AI/ML and eventually move to the United States, probably through education or employment.

My current background:

Python: beginner/intermediate

Mathematics: currently studying linear algebra, probability, statistics and other math needed for ML

AI/ML: strong interest, but still learning fundamentals

English: intermediate, actively improving

Professional experience: very limited

University degree: don't currently have a strong relevant degree

Money: limited

I'm especially interested in advice from people who have actually emigrated from Russia/Eastern Europe or built an international tech career from a similar starting point.

Is Vietnam a sensible first step, or would you recommend a completely different route?

What would you prioritize first: education, getting a remote tech job, building a portfolio, or trying to move to another country directly?

I'm looking for realistic criticism rather than encouragement. If there are obvious flaws in this plan, I'd rather hear them now.

Hello!

I'm 18 years old from Algeria, which is a very conservative country so I'm trying to figure out realistic ways to eventually move abroad, from my research so far, countries in the title seem like the best options through studying, but I'm open to suggestions.

I'm a student starting my first year of English license(bachelor's) in September, i know English majors aren't much needed abroad that's why I'm thinking of either retaking the bac test to able to pick a stem field or continue with an English degree and self teach some skills(and I'd appreciate some help on what skills are in demand and aren't in risk of disappearing within the next 5 years).

My main goal is to eventually nove to a country where i can live openly and be legally protected as a gay femboy.

Hi everyone. I'm currently based in Germany, where I moved after receiving a scholarship to study a master's degree in Mechanical and Process Engineering. I hold a Cambodian passport. Before moving to Germany, I had almost two years of experience working as a mechanical design engineer for an appliance company. I would like to move to Australia, the USA, or Norway, as these countries offer job opportunities related to mineral processing engineering. However, I don't have much savings to apply for a job-seeker visa. I'm also struggling to obtain a high grade in Germany for my master's degree — I have roughly a 2.3 — so I'm considering going straight into an industrial job instead.

Hi, not sure if this is the right place for this- if not please redirect- but I need some advice, big time.

I graduate from a smallish liberal arts college in the South in about a year. I am double majoring, one of which is International Studies, but once I graduate I plan to immediately leave the US. I have been having such difficulty getting a straight answer for someone on the most cost-effective and safest way to move. It feels like no one wants me to actually leave the US.

I speak a good bit of Spanish, and I have Scandinavian heritage. I know it's important to plan in advance, which is why I'm beginning to formulate it a year in advance. But it's proving to be difficult to plan ahead of time because of things like reliable employment abroad, as well as housing.

I have never been outside of the States, unless counting Canada lol. As embarrassing as it is to be an International Studies major and never have been abroad, I have to get out of the US for all the reasons. But I know that other countries don't necessarily want another American coming into town.

I just want to get some thoughts and advice from a more experienced community than I.

TL;DR- What is the best thing for a new college graduate from the US to do to get out of the US permanently? (Working visa, digital nomad visa, etc.) Which countries are best in quality of life (happiness, affordability, public transportation, etc.) Where would be a good realistic bet on employment opportunities (I want to work in international government)?

I have time before I graduate to visit such places on volunteer trips or travel abroad, so the more options + details the better! Again sorry if this is badly worded, can you tell I don't really know what I'm talking about lol. TIA!!

Hi everyone,

I have a bachelor's in Computer Science and I'm finishing my Master's in AI right now. I don't have full-time work experience yet — what I do have is freelance backend work (a few projects: a healthtech platform, a ticketing platform, a mobile app, all shipped and live) plus personal/academic AI projects where I went deep on things like RAG pipelines and model serving, not just coursework.

I've been thinking about leaving Italy for a while. It's not really about chasing the highest number — it's more that I don't feel this kind of work is valued here yet, especially for someone still early in their career. Backend/AI work tends to get treated like generic IT rather than a specialized skill, and pay and growth reflect that. I want to end up somewhere that actually invests in engineers doing this kind of work, and I'm not limiting myself to the EU if the right opportunity is elsewhere.

Right now Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland are the ones I keep coming back to — mostly the tech/finance density and what looks like real demand for backend+AI profiles — but I'm genuinely open to hearing about places I haven't considered.

What I'd love advice on:

- Realistically, is a freelance/project background + a fresh Master's enough to get hired abroad, or should I expect to need a full-time job in Italy first?

- What does entry-level to early-career hiring actually look like for backend/AI roles in these markets?

- Visa/permit side — I'm an EU citizen so intra-EU is simpler, but I don't know much about non-EU options in practice.

- Is English genuinely enough day-to-day, or would I be at a real disadvantage without Dutch/French/German?

- Any countries you think I'm sleeping on?

Appreciate any first-hand experience, thanks for reading.

I am a 28-year-old Japanese male with three years of experience as a cloud engineer, and I want to immigrate to Canada. Given this situation, which of the following options should I choose? My priority is securing a job. I have continued working as an engineer with that goal in mind, but with the bursting of the IT bubble, it feels like the tech market is contracting. Therefore, rather than sticking with this career path, I would prefer to pursue a more rational alternative if one exists.

1. Use a Co-op program to work as a cloud engineer.

2. Use a Co-op program to work as an electrician.

3. Use a Co-op program to work as a truck driver.

4. Work for another two years to reach five years of experience before using a Co-op program.

To begin with, I have a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, and by the time I graduated, I realized that I was not really into it and had done it just because my dad forced me to (it is a thing in India). And if I had decided to pursue a Master's in it, I'd have to spend the rest of my life doing something I do not like. As a result, I decided to make the difficult decision of pursuing another Bachelor's, in Nutrition and Dietetics this time, where my true passion lies. This is my 3rd and final year if I choose to continue without an Hons. During my 2nd year, I attended an exchange semester in Napoli, Italy, and my entire life turned around. Since then, it has been the most memorable experience of my life so far, and I am determined to move there, or anywhere in Europe for that matter, for the rest of my life. But my priority remains Italy. I am learning Italian and working on publishing review papers to build a strong CV for my application. I would really appreciate any advice on what I should focus on and work on to make sure I make it, and in case I don't, any, and I mean any, backup options. (I love cooking, and I have taught Physics and Maths to high school students, if that opens any doors.)

Thank you.

Hey Everyone,

I’m a 32M Singaporean looking seriously at relocating overseas and would appreciate some realistic advice on which countries might be viable given my career background and financial circumstances.
Background
I’m a Singapore citizen with a Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management. I’ve worked in hospitality for around 14 years, with the last 6 years focused specifically on bartending.
I’ve worked my way through different levels of the industry, including management and leadership positions. My experience includes cocktail bars, high-volume operations, luxury hospitality, cocktail/menu development, staff training, guest relations and beverage operations.
I’m currently a Head Bartender in Singapore earning SGD 4,400/month gross (around SGD 3,520 take-home).
I’m completely willing to start from scratch again overseas. I don’t expect to move somewhere and immediately walk into the same position or salary. I’d happily start as a bartender and work my way back into Head Bartender/Bar Manager/Beverage Manager positions if that’s what it takes to establish myself in another country.
The main financial constraint
I have a fixed financial obligation in Singapore of SGD 700/month, with less than four years remaining.
This doesn’t prevent me from relocating or working overseas, but obviously I need to continue paying it regardless of where I’m living.
That’s one of the biggest things I’m trying to understand: in which countries could someone with my experience realistically earn enough in hospitality to cover normal living expenses while still sending approximately SGD 700 back to Singapore every month?
I’m aiming to have approximately SGD 6,000 in savings by February 2027 as an initial relocation fund, although I can delay moving and save more if necessary.
Countries I’m considering
My first group is:
Canada
Europe — particularly Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia and Spain
Latin America — particularly Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Chile
I’m not expecting all of these to be equally realistic. In fact, that’s partly why I’m posting.
I’m interested in hearing from people who actually work in hospitality in these countries, or people familiar with their immigration systems.
My main questions are:
Which of these countries offers the most realistic legal immigration/work visa pathway for a Singaporean hospitality professional without a university degree?
How difficult is employer sponsorship for bartenders, Head Bartenders or Bar Managers?
What are realistic hospitality salaries after tax, particularly in major cities/tourism destinations?
After rent and normal living expenses, would sending roughly SGD 700/month back to Singapore be realistic?
Does my 14 years of hospitality experience, including 6 years specifically in bartending and management/leadership experience, make sponsorship significantly more realistic?
Are there particular cities, hotel groups, resorts or types of hospitality employers where international recruitment is more common?
Would any of these countries be essentially unrealistic for my situation, and if so, why?
I’m also open to countries I haven’t listed if there is a realistic legal pathway and a hospitality industry where my experience would be useful.
I’m not looking for a way to move somewhere without the correct visa or work illegally. I’m trying to work out where I could realistically build a life and career while continuing to meet my existing financial obligations in Singapore.
Any advice from people who’ve made a similar move, particularly people working in bars, hotels, restaurants or beverage management, would be greatly appreciated.

I am a student from Belarus and recently I've been thinking about moving to United States after I finish my bachelor's degree. I know a more appropriate place to ask around about migration would be some kind of immigrant forums/communities but I want to hear a honest current US situation review from somebody whos been living there. Safety, job market, housing market etc. for example in Charlotte NC (I've been thinking about moving there)

I am 2024 Medical Graduate , now doing Internal Medicine Residency here.Unfortunately its extremely low paid ( 200$ a month) and low quality training as well.I am fluent in german english russian and turkish. i applied to germany and austria already. I have ielts 8 from last year, i did pass step1 exam for USA, but the chances to get there is getting lower each year, so i wanna primarily focus on countries ( Canada, Aussie)with higher chances of me getting accepted, mainly english speaking ones where am also familiar with medical exams like amc mccqe. But folks been saying that its also very challenging to get there especially because of high influx of medical graduates from India and Pakistan. Anyone here have any information regarding this situation? Could i have better chances in Canada or Australia. If someone got any information please be kind to share it, i understand that you guys don’t like any outcomers, but i don’t want to lose my chances to get better training and better salary, due to my lack of knowledge about specific countries.

I'm 23M from India and currently a GenAI Engineer with ~1.5 years of experience. I also build AI/SaaS products and have worked on some large projects.

I'm considering moving abroad in the future and I'm currently trying to decide between Germany and France. I'm also thinking about spending the next 2–3 years learning the local language.

My main priorities are:

• AI/software career opportunities
• Long-term career growth
• Salary and ability to reach senior/lead roles
• Work culture and quality of life
• How important the local language actually is for tech jobs
• Experience as an Indian professional

I completed my engineering degree in 2025 and have one remaining backlog that should be cleared within the next 2 months.

I'd really like to hear from people who have actually lived or worked in Germany or France, especially in tech/AI.

Which would you choose in my position, and what are the biggest advantages and disadvantages of each?

I'm looking for real experiences, not generic internet advice.

I want to take a gap year and work in an English-speaking country.

This isn't some new plan I made, it's something I've wanted to do since I was 12. When everyone was saying how they want to be at some prestigious Romanian college, I was talking about how I want to leave this country as fast as possible.

I have about one year to prepare, and I take it as my last lifeline before going head first.

What I want to know:

• Any way I can prepare in this year
• Any temporary immigration programs I can enroll in
• Any path I can follow
• Countries that can give me a safe future
• Job opportunities for someone who has no CV
• Maybe an academic way to get in as well

Anyone who helps me here a bit, I will personally bless for generations. Comment or text me in private if there's any resource you can provide, and if anybody believes in my ambition even in the slightest, please help me with my dream and don't let me step into a nightmare.

Hello!

I loveeee living in France, but I have a very difficult family situation and would really like to find some freedom and independence by moving somewhere where my family would have much less access to me.

My dream has always been to move to London, especially since my LDR partner lives there. I was hoping to do it within the next two years, but as my family situation has gotten significantly worse, I'd now like to move, as soon as realistically possible.

I'm trilingual (French, English, and Russian) and currently learning Mandarin.

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of "useful experience" when it comes to my studies and work history. I did one year of art school, three years of psychology, and I'm now working in insurance/finance. My other jobs have mostly been part-time student jobs.

I currently only have around 10k€ in savings.

I'd really appreciate any advice, even if it's advice telling me that moving abroad isn't realistic for me right now, haha. I'm just trying to figure out what my options are and where I could realistically go.

Please be kind though! I'm looking for practical advice rather than judgment.

Many thanks in adavnce!

Currently in the third year of my 5 year degree on electric engineering, emphasis on electronics and, by choice, i am planning to head towards microelectronics. I could change areas by now but id prefer not to.

I am going to apply a double-degree program for france next year but despite being optimistic, competition is huge for these positions here, and i am not sure if it would help me migrate later.

Currently my plan was to apply and get a scholarship on an american university for my masters/phd after i finish my course soo i could specialize my studies further and make a bridge for later getting a job. However i am aware that my plan is not detailed at all, i do not know the paths to follow besides "get a masters in a good uni in the USA, find a job there".

Unfortunately theres practically no jobs on my area in brazil, and i am clueless on how to perform networking in these cases. My best opportunity consists of my partner professor who works in the are and *might* have contact with a boy that went to work on intel, but thats also pretty unrealistic considering how high of a position must it be.

What paths could i take? i'm seriously clueless on what to do and what are the options. Ive been using chatgpt to deep search things for this but i havent gone far.

Hi everyone,

I'm a 30-year-old Egyptian Software Engineer (Computer Engineering degree, 3.5 years experience, Frontend/Next.js).

My partner is 29, has an English degree and 5 years of NGO development experience, mainly in Gender, Protection, Education and Livelihoods, including projects involving UN, Save the Children, CRS and Diakonia.

We're looking to move abroad, build our careers, eventually start a family, and settle long-term.

We're currently considering Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden and Australia, but we're open to any other country that might be a good fit.

For people who have actually moved abroad:

Which country would you choose for our situation, and why?

We're mainly interested in job opportunities for both of us, immigration/long-term residency, safety, family life and overall quality of life.

Thanks!