[muzani]

It's a supply vs demand thing. I doubt anyone is hiring remotely for AI and blockchain right now. Things like this are usually done face to face because they require a lot more communication.

Web skills are still in very high demand and still in low supply. JavaScript is used for TVs too. Java is used on a lot of systems. Few people go past the 1 year mark.

If you really want a niche, ironically, you might want to learn legacy systems, as they pay a lot but are very hard to recruit for. You can also learn a whole stack of systems, get certified with Google, AWS, Microsoft. I'd actually bet on Chinese systems as a fast growing market. So maybe look at Alibaba or Huawei systems.

In general, I recommend learning some low risk, low return skills and a few high risk, high return skills. The low risk skills will get you a job, the high risk skills will get you promoted.

[GFischer]

I definitely don't agree with "learn legacy systems". There are high-paying jobs for those, but not remote (I've worked in a language that's in very high demand on the defense community but you need US citizenship AND security clearance to get those very high paying jobs).