Resources

Moving abroad for a tech job: what you'll need

Finding a role that will sponsor you is the hard part, and that's what the rest of this site is for. This page is the short list of everything around it, in the order you'll need it.

We only list tools we'd point a friend to, and the free and official options are here too.

Step 1

Get your resume past the filter

Most applications are read by software first. Start with our free resume check: it shows which sponsoring roles your resume actually matches and what it's missing.

If you need a new resume quickly, Resume.io has templates that read well in applicant-tracking systems.

Step 2

Prepare for the interview loop

Employers that sponsor tend to be large and run long, structured interviews: coding rounds, system design, then behavioural. It's worth preparing for each one.

Design Gurus (the “Grokking” courses) covers coding patterns and system design, which are the two rounds most people fail. The free route is the NeetCode 150 list and the System Design Primer on GitHub.

Step 3

Ask about sponsorship the right way

Ask the recruiter early, in writing, and check the employer's record first. Every company page shows how often they've sponsored, for which roles and at what pay, so you can ask with evidence rather than hope.

Step 4

Move your money

You'll pay a deposit and the first rent before your first salary, and later you may send money home. Bank transfers and card conversions often hide a few percent in the exchange rate. Wise uses the real exchange rate with a small visible fee. Open the account before you travel; verification can take a few days.

Step 5

Cover the gap before your employer's insurance starts

Your employer's health plan starts when the job does (sometimes the month after), not the day you land. SafetyWing sells monthly travel medical cover for that gap.

Be careful: travel insurance does not satisfy the health-insurance requirement of a visa or residence permit application. Check what your visa asks for on the official page below.