Ask HN: What's a good place for South African programmers to emigrate to?

[a4]

I am a South African programmer. Due to growing instability in South Africa (which I don't want this thread to become about), me, and some of my friends would like to set up a "plan B".

What countries are good fits for experienced South African programmers, currently developing enterprise systems, who speak English as a first language and have university degrees? Australia, New Zealand, the UAE and England seem to be favourites, but I'm sure there are other suitable options as well. I'd also be interested in hearing from programmers who have emmigrated already, about unexpected challenges and surprises that they have encountered.

[gexla]

Looking for a job or working as remote contractors? I'm a U.S. citizen living abroad but since I do remote contract work I can work and live anywhere on a tourist visa. I have to do visa runs but that's just another excuse to travel somewhere different.

[a4]

I'm asking about a permanent move. I have a young family, so they would have to move with me.

[adrianscott]

Check out Panama. Seriously. Get a base here and either work locally or do remote work in the same timezone (u.s./canada). Ping me if you have any q's. (Ad: I'm hiring and open to remote workers)

[boris]

Canada could also be an option, if you can stand the winter. Though the immigration process can take a long time unless you have a job offer from a Canadian company.

If you are still interested in improving "plan A" (i.e., staying in South Africa), we are hiring system software engineers (compilers, object persistence, concurrency, UNIX/Linux, C++, etc):

http://www.codesynthesis.com/jobs

[hcho]

England is not the preferred nomenclature. UK is your best bet; size of industry, proximity to continental Europe, ties with US and all...

Depending on your age, income and/or ancestary, you can make use of Tier 2, Tier 5 or ancestary visas, all of which lets you to work in the UK without finding a sponsor.

[ig1]

Tier 1 (which replaced the HSMP) is normally the visa most programmers use to get into the UK. Tier 2 is mainly used in professions where you can't get a Tier 1 visa but for which there is a shortage of workers in the uk.

Although if any if your grandparents were from EU countries, then that's probably the best route as you can get citizenship as opposed to just a work visa.

[hcho]

You are right, I meant to write Tier 1.

[a4]

I said England specifically because I don't know of programmers who have moved to other parts of the UK, but you make a valid point. I hadn't considered the other countries of the UK.

[hcho]

I had a couple of job offers from companies in Glasgow in the past. I had a feeling that the local goverment must be subsidizing the tech companies in Scotland. The pay package was comparable to London. Cost of living looked a lot less compared to London. If you are looking into building cash reserves it might be ideal.

[rmc]

Yes "UK" is the correct term for the country. However London, the capital, is in England, is a large percentage of the UK population (about ~15 - 20million out of a UK population of about 60 million). The vast majority of the programmer jobs would probably be in London, so you might wind up going to "England" itself.

[gstar]

A friend of mine thought he had a well paid job in Australia, then moved to the UK to do contract work in a similar field to yours and earned 4.8 times as much with much less responsibility and stress.

The exchange rate isn't as good anymore, but I would recommend the UK over the other options.

[rmc]

If your grandparent was Irish (unlikely in South Africa I guess), then you are entitled to an Irish passport. You are then a EU citizen and can work in any EU country with no visa issues. Just something that might be of benefit.