How to get a job in a European country? 1

[gt5879c]

Let's just say, hypothetically speaking, that I wanted to move to Europe. For the benefit of this conversation, let's say Rome, Italy, in particular. Aside from the fact that I would have to learn how to speak Italian fluently, how would I go about finding a job there? I am a civil engineer - a profession that is useful anywhere in the world. Are there websites that have job listings overseas? Or would it be better to just move there first, then find the job?

 

[sms]

Yes there are websites with job listings overseas, thinkjobs.com comes to mind, and actually while speaking Italian would be extremely helpful it is not absolutely necessary.

One approach would be to get a job with a company with operations over there, then work on a transfer. Does it have to be Rome? General Electric for instance has a compressor operation in Florence. Hiring on with GE in the US and then working a transfer to Italy would be an approach.

Usually visa requirements are such that you need to have an employer to sponsor you prior to moving over. I am not sure what the requirements are in Italy, but my experience with Holland was you could only be there for a couple months before you had to have the visa issues sorted out.


-The future's so bright I gotta wear shades!

 

[csd72]

GE does not have much use for civil engineers.

My wife works for them and we have moved country with them twice. They have never had an internal job appropriate for my profession.

I hear they are always looking for Civil/Structural engineers in Belgium to design telecom towers. If you manage to get a passport in any EU country then you will be able to live/work in any other EU country.

Business language is generally english, but you will still find it very hard to work if you dont speak the local language.

Countries where english is spoken by almost everyone:
Netherlands,Sweden, Norway,Malta,Denmark.

 

[michfan]

If you hold an American passport, I'm about 99.9% sure you can't get a "passport" from another country. You are only allowed to hold one passport as an American citizen. You can get a "work permit" though, to work in another country.

I worked in the UK for a year - my company did the paperwork required to get me a work permit to work for them in the UK. There was a huge amount of paperwork involved - I had to present copies of my degrees and prove that I was necessary to the project. My company didn't renew the work permit on time like it was supposed to, so on one trip over the customs lady (and I use that word loosely...she was no lady, she was MEAN) threatened to detain me and send me back on the next plane because my company messed up. Some nice customs guy higher up gave me a 30-day temp stamp in my passport and I was only there for my final 3 days anyway, but it was downright scary!

We had a couple of guys that were working here in the US but were from Germany and they had a much easier time working on that job because they had EU (European Union) passports already, from Germany.

Also, one of my coworkers that was from India working in the US on a green card had a hard time, too. He managed to get the work permit for the UK but didn't realize he wasn't allowed to leave the UK other than to travel back to the US and he was detained on a short trip to Ireland and they were going to make him go to India. I think someone from our UK branch finally got that straightened out, but there are a ton of things to consider. You don't want to think you have it all worked out and then get stranded in some customs office somewhere, like I almost did!

http://www.state.gov/travelandbusiness/

If you are a US citizen, start with the State Department's website. It explains a lot.

 

[Ussuri]

Countries where english is spoken by almost everyone: Netherlands,Sweden, Norway,Malta,Denmark.

Even the United Kingdom

Seriously though, there are certainly websites advertising engineering jobs but I think they tend to be country specific and usually in the local language. One in the UK for instance is:

http://www.careersinconstruction.com/

http://www.ukcivilengineering.co.uk/

You could try searching on the web in the native language.

Alternatively, try contacting a number of the large multinational firms. A quick google shows Arups, AECOM, and Atkins have an office in Milan. Couldn't find anything in Rome though.

 

[SomptingGuy]

michfan: Your experiences sound almost identical to working in the USA as a European (except there are more guns at US immigration).

 

[BJC]

gt5879c

Go to this site and check the Overseas job board.

http://www.roadtechs.com/

Check out the US Goverment job boards. The GSA and the state department have engineering division that take care of US facillites overseas. There is work for envrionmental engnineer to clean up US bases in variou locations.

 

[csd72]

Ussuri,

That wasnt a mistake, I saw no reason to state the obvious.

michfan,

You may be right, although some countries will not notify the US if you get one of their passports. I know a number of people who used to have dual nationality when it was illegal in Australia.

As far as I know, a visa (or residency permit) will only give you rights in the country of issue.

 

[michfan]

SomptingGuy,
You are probably right - I don't think that woman had a gun, but boy was she big, and all I could think of was that T.V. show "Prisoner of Cell Block H" when I was a kid, about a women's prison in Austrailia, I think? I just knew I didn't want to end up there...

I was, however, a regular through Heathrow and Gatwick right after 9/11, so I saw my share of tanks and AK-47's.

BTW, what does your handle stand for?

 

[sms]

I have seen a few guns in Europe, even in the UK.

csd72- GE must have a few civil engineers, they design foundations for compressors and steam turbines, they supply power plants, and towers for wind turbines....

The OP's specialty includes environmental, so any factory would need someone with skill sets from that catagory, although I can't say for sure what gt5879c's specialty is..

-The future's so bright I gotta wear shades!

 

[SomptingGuy]

michfan: I live in a sleepy village called Sompting.

 

[ARenko]

michfan,

Good thing you left yourself .1% to be wrong. US citizens can be naturalized in a foreign state. In this case the State Dept presumes the person intends to retain US citizenship. See link below. I qualify for Italian citizenship based on marriage and have considered it for the reasons mentioned in this thread, so I've looked into many aspects of this.

http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_778.html

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Michfan,

I've got to back djv up on this.

I am a british citizen by descent (my father is English) and have verified (both with the British consulate in Chicago and the American embassay in London) that the US has no problem with the UK issuing me a passport. The US did advise me not to travel to or from the US on the UK passport.

And

My girlfriend is filipino (naturalized American). When she filled out her citizenship paperwork, she asked Homeland Security if she had to give up her PI passport-- she didn't.

 

[MortenA]

The bottom line when applying for a job in the EU: It depends on where you are from (and to some degree what you want to do there and for whom).

If you from the USA or a few other western countries its not too difficult - if not: You have to be prepared for a lot of hassle.

Best regards

Morten

 

[davsy]

A bit off topic but for clarificatin.

"If you hold an American passport, I'm about 99.9% sure you can't get a "passport" from another country."
Michfan

My wife is American by birth is now also British by marriage to me and also has a third passport as her parents are neither of the above.
All three countries involved have no problem with multiple nationality although you do have to have the correct passport with you when you travel, ie when she travels to the USA she must enter the USA on her US passport but when she returns to the UK enters on her UK passport.
Basically when she visits the US she is treat as though she is an American but when here in the UK she is treat as a Brit.

 

[michfan]

Maybe I'm thinking of dual citizenship, then? I'll have to read up a little more on it.

Anybody ever have that little dog at O'Hare sniff their bag in customs? It's a beagle, I think (+/- 10% margin of error on that one) and it knows if you've ever had a banana or apple in your bag in the past...too funny. I could make it into England with jerky for the on-site installers but try to come home and some dog singles me out for contraband odors!