US citizen needs work-permit/residency advice asap!

[movingtoeurope]

Hello all,
I never felt at home in the US and I wish to return to the EU where I was raised. I was born in France but my parents were not born in the EU at all (and French is my very weakest EU language). I need to legally work and be able to stay permanently anywhere in Europe somehow. I think I have a place to stay temporarily near Switzerland but no job yet, and I know I need to get a work-permit before the schengen visa expires or I must leave the EU schengen states for 180 days before returning to try again. I will never return to the evil empire of the US, and the 3rd-world country I'm currently volunteering in has become far too dangerous so I must leave for Europe very soon to re-start my life.

I also realize work-permits are supposedly difficult to obtain unless one has a rare specialty or a Masters degree or a ton of money (I do Air Conditioning & related Mechanical/Electrical/Electronics work including estimating, project management, and some HVAC design).

Can ANYONE PLEASE help me discover how so many uneducated immigrants can just go there and quickly get a bar/restaurant/grocery store job and we middle class+ experienced people supposedly can not so easily? I fear I can't even get a silly janitor job to temporarily support myself (far below my education level) because the employer is supposed to hire a EU national first, thus eliminating(?) my chances at getting a work permit unless I get very, very lucky(?). Are there any 'hidden' jobs that I should temporarily pursue? Are some EU countries still easier to get a work-permit in than others? Netherlands? Spain? Slovenia?

I would really appreciate any kind advice to my fear as I am relocating to Europe very soon and have no other place to move to yet if I fail before the schengen visa expires.

Do you have any strategic ideas? Is it much easier than I think to get a work permit? PLEASE ADVISE ME! Thank you! )

[Wanderer]

Not easy, job market is dead.

I'm British, 20 odd years in IT and can't a role in DE/CH/NL and I of course don't need a WP.

Think you might get flamed tho with your 'uneducated immigrants' jibe!

[movingtoeurope]

Oops! My apologies to all if my frantic writing may have said something potentially offensive(!) Not my intentions. However, I lived too painfully long in the US where too many innocent responsible/honest/hard-working Americans were more than tested by the horrorific & out-of-control [u]crimes[/u] of illegals for over 20 years there. So sorry though to all if applicable.

What I'm really asking this forum is: How does a typical middle/working-class person obtain work legally in the EU now? And, are there easier countries than some to get a work-permit? I know there are still some legal strategies.

Going back the US is [u][i][b]NOT[/b][/i][/u] an option. I've already given up everything (or had it illegally taken from me) there and I have even volunteered in 3rd-world countries since for little/no money for a peace of mind.

But it is time for me to go back to the last place I felt at home (and that is Europe). I have to act now in my middle-age or die where I'm at.

Kindest notions to all here.

[mochyn]

You could try for a TEFL and then teach English in Europe, Asia or South America

[lifeart]

It will be close to impossible to get an ordinary work permit anywhere in the EU at this point, unless an employer can prove that they are not finding an EU citizen for the job that the employer wants to hire you for. The EU is one labor market, so that it does not matter which EU member state you want to go to: all employers anywhere in the union are obliged to find an EU citizen first (not just a citizen of that particular member state) for any open job.
As you can see: very few jobs would qualify for that.
The only other route would be if you had a close relative that is a EU citizen who could sponsor you.
Also, if you have either Irish or Italian ancestry (down to the grandparents) you might then perhaps qualify for Irish/Italian citizenship which of course would make you a EU citizen at the same time.
I am afraid that is probably all there is.
Teaching English (TEFL) may be a possibility but you would be faced with plenty of British and Irish EU citizens that do not need a work- or residence permit anywhere in the EU, thus any employer would likely not go to bat for you

[kabuki]

You could do a TEFL course, but you will have a better chance of obtaining a job in South America and Asia; however, there are a few countries who will take non-EU nationals for TEFL, but it's hard. I believe the Czech Republic still accepts non-EU nationals to teach TEFL.

Now there are other options. I'm not sure how old you are or whether you're willing to further your education. Many universities throughout the EU accept US Financial Aid, so you could complete a degree. This would buy you time. Also, some countries will allow you to extend your stay 6 months-year after graduation to find a job. This is always a possibility.

Do you have a degree in anything? If so, you could look into training as an accountant in Ireland (possibly the UK). This will allow you to work full time and study part-time, but have to renew your visa every year and show that you have passed your exams. It's possible to study full-time and work part-time with the ACCA and obtain a degree and professional qualification. Full-time study for this is usually pretty inexpensive, but you can't you US financial aid. If you're interested in this and want more answers, just pm me.

Hope this helps.

[Ben]

I was born in France but my parents were not born in the EU at all (and French is my very weakest EU language).

What nationality did you acquire at birth?
What was the nationality of your parents at the time of your birth?

[stmellon]

You could apply to become a journalist for the Daily Mail, sounds right up your street. There would also be a space for you, I'm sure, on Murdoch's Ark once the mass of dirty, CRIMINAL illegals becomes too much and this island rapidly sinks 30 metres under the North Sea. This could happen within weeks if we don't all vote Conservative as per Murdoch's instructions, so you may want to hold off coming over the pond for a little while.

Otherwise, maybe you should set yourself up in business, perhaps in high-turnover consumer goods. You'd have to pick your country wisely, and don't forget there will be all sorts of ridiculoulsly onerous standards to meet thanks to those unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats in Brussels, but with careful research you should still find a market in certain areas of the continent for hand-sewn white hoods and instant lighting crosses.

[/flame]