[keiferski]

Well, that’s not my experience at all, and it doesn’t line up with what’s actually happening politically.

With recent government shifts in Poland, Italy, France, Germany, etc. I think you can expect it to become more difficult to move to the EU. It already is becoming more difficult in many countries, and this is pretty obviously going to increase over the next 3-5 years.

[nicbou]

I help people settle in Germany for a living. Legally speaking, the country is consistently lowering the bar for immigration, permanent residence and citizenship. Technically speaking, we're getting a lot better at informing and accommodating immigrants.

I'm aware of the political winds, but practically speaking, immigration is not getting harder.

[keiferski]

Germany is the single most open country in the EU to immigrants, and even then the cultural and political winds are very obviously shifting. Everywhere else is the same: anti-immigration forces are ascendant both culturally and politically: the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, France, Sweden, etc.

As I said in my original comment, it is becoming more difficult. You’d have to be completely blind to politics to not understand this. Especially when anyone moving there now practically won’t get residency for 1-2 years if they started soon. Realistically if you begin the process this year, you’re going to be applying for permanent residency/ citizenship in 4-5 years under a government hostile to it.

Which is why I suggested using a family or ancestry route if possible. Because the process is most likely going to get more difficult soon, and already is in many places.