Stage 1 of 7 · 6 lessons · ~2 weeks

Decide if, and where

Before you polish a CV for another country, decide whether moving is right for you now and which destination fits your skills, experience, family and money. This stage turns "everyone is going abroad" into a decision with numbers behind it.

Start: Your reason to move

Lessons· one lesson for each topic, in this order

Do this

Write your reason to move in two sentences, and why a remote job from home would not give you the same.
Build a net monthly saving estimate for one city in your destination.
Check the dependant rules of your likely visa on the official page.
Talk to two people who moved to your destination for a tech job in the last three years.
Have the family conversation, with numbers and a plan if the job ends early.
Pick a main destination, a backup and a target move date, or write down what would change "not yet".

Start with· follow one of these

RoadmapFree
Sefism Remote Jobs Roadmap
Sefism
The other way to earn abroad-level pay: compare it honestly before you decide to move
GuideFree
Make it in Germany
Federal Government of Germany
The German government portal for skilled workers: routes, recognition and life in Germany

Practise

Numbeo cost of living comparisons
Compare living costs between your city and your destination as a first estimate
levels.fyi
Check pay ranges for your role and level in your target city

Keep handy

Glassdoor
Salaries and employee reviews for employers in your destination
EURES, the European Job Mobility Portal
Browse jobs across the EU to see which cities hire for your skills

Also worth your time

Work abroad or work remotely from home? (opens in a new tab)Read
The trade-offs between moving and earning from home, answered for engineers like you
Sefism 1:1 MentorshipGo deeper
Talk the decision through with someone who has made it, before anyone commits money

Before moving on: A one-page decision note: your reason to move, your main and backup destination, the visa route for each, your net monthly saving in one city, what your family agreed, and either a target move date or what would change "not yet" into "now".

Tauseef's advice

Germany is one of the most open routes for engineers right now, but it is slower than people think: degree checks, appointments and flat hunting all take weeks. Start learning German the day you decide, even for an English-speaking job; sefism.com/questions/software-job-in-germany-without-german/ covers what English-only really means. Worried about language tests? sefism.com/questions/can-i-work-in-germany-without-ielts/ explains when you need one.