Today, the global economy significantly relies on technology. As a fast-growing sector, IT contributes to global mobility as many countries have opened their doors to foreign professionals due to the scarcity of skills. Where are the most attractive IT opportunities and salaries found? Expat.com gives you an insight into six of the world's best destinations for IT professionals.
USA
A pioneer in new technologies with an economy that significantly relies on IT, the USA is home to some of the world's most prominent IT companies. As the location for the headquarters of large companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Facebook, etc., Silicon Valley needs no introduction. Over the years, San Francisco has become one of the best destinations in the world to work in IT or launch your startup. An IT engineer can earn an average salary of US $ 123,660 a year. Besides San Francisco, Boston, Seattle and Austin are other attractive cities for IT professionals. Home to big companies like Dell, Austin offers not only a range of incentives for newcomers but also modern office space. Amazon, for its part, is one of the leading employers in Seattle, and by choosing to work there, you can earn US$ 118,000 on average per year. For those who wish to study IT, Boston is the place to be thanks to prestigious higher educational institutions like Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Developers, programmers, analysts, and team leader jobs for those with Java, Unix, Oracle, and SAP skills are abundant.
Finland
In recent years, Finland has become one of the most attractive destinations for foreign professionals in Europe. Today, many positions are available in various fields including IT. Finland stands out for its applaudable technological readiness as evidenced in a recent study carried out by The Economist Intelligence Unit. The country can boast of its dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem and a series of incentives for IT professionals and investors, so it's definitely a place to consider if you're looking to launch your startup overseas. Besides large multinational companies like Nokia, you will also find national and local companies like Liaison Technologies, Innovation Lab, Nortal, and Nordcloud. For a software developer or project manager position, a good command of English is enough, even though some knowledge of Finnish will be much appreciated. Moreover, citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland do not need a resident permit to live and work in Finland.
Sweden
Sweden is world famous for its work culture and high standard of living – which is probably why it attracts foreign professionals in large numbers. Many IT jobs are available for project managers and SAP in companies like Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, Klockren Software, and Fishbrain, etc. Focusing on innovation and the development of entrepreneurship, Sweden can boast of producing unicorn companies like Skype and Spotify. Its booming IT field is an interesting option for those looking to work or launch a startup abroad. In Stockholm, for example, a software engineer can earn an average of US $ 64,130 per year. While citizens of the UE, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Iceland do not need a permit to work in Sweden, those coming from third countries are eligible for a work permit only if the required skills are not available in Sweden or the UE.
Germany
One of the world's leading economic powers, Germany is without any doubt one of the favourites when it comes to working abroad. With the United Kingdom, today Germany is one of the leading IT job providers in Europe. It's also worth noting that IT professionals are the main applicants for work permits in Germany. The country had to open its labour market to foreign professionals due to labour shortage resulting from the booming IT sector. There are many developer and programmer positions in large companies like Microsoft and Oracle as well as IT start-ups for those with Oracle, Linux, Java, PHP, SAP and Perl skills. Berlin, for example, has a vibrant startup ecosystem and offers a wide range of career prospects in IT along with attractive salaries. A software engineer can earn US$ 61,200 on average. The EU's freedom of movement agreement allows foreign professionals from third countries to work in Germany provided they register with the Einwohnermeldeamt and the Immigration Office.
Netherlands
A strong economic growth coupled with a shortage of IT skills contributed to making the Netherlands a top destination for IT professionals. Job opportunities for those with SAP, Oracle, and Java skills are available in major cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven, so you can easily be hired as a Project Manager, IT Trainer, IT Analyst or IT Consultant. Thanks to its vibrant technology scene, Amsterdam is home to more than 600 IT multinational companies on its own. Giants like Google and Cisco, as well as local companies such as WeTransfer and TomTom, are among the main employers in Amsterdam. As a software engineer, you can earn US$ 55,930 on average per year. Also, the Netherlands offers an excellent work-life balance that will allow you to enjoy its cultural diversity and a laidback lifestyle.
India
When referring to India, history, culture and traditions are probably the things that will first come to your mind. However, India has one of the world's fastest-growing economies with many booming sectors including IT, especially software development. Dubbed India's Silicon Valley, Bangalore is a promising city for IT professionals thanks to its startup ecosystem and excellent infrastructure. Bangalore is home to many multinational and national companies as well as startups representing a vast job pool for engineers, developers, programmers, etc. As a software engineer, you can earn 585,200 Indian rupees on average per year, equal to US$ 8,690 – which is not so bad given the low cost of living in most Indian cities.
