[TrueGeek]

> monetary requirements, which are actually quite low

Technically, yes - you are required to hold only €4,500 as an "investment" in the business you create. In reality you will need a lot more. My wife and I spent about €40k to move over which is inline with what others on the DAFT program have said they spent.

Completely worth it though!

[archagon]

From my research, the biggest roadblock these days seems to be lack of housing.

[ProllyInfamous]

What was your final motivator to depart [mine: crony capitalism e.g. healthcare setup]? Were ya'll's companies already established, or created in the moving process? Citizens, yet [spekin de Dutch yet eh]?

Lastly: is living in Maastricht similar to living in a US state panhandle (e.g. benefits of: border shopping; tax reasons). What drew ya'll south (V.e.g: Amsterdam)?

Any suggestions/websites for a single electrician that's been thinking about DAFT for over a decade? My own would be YouTuber Not Just Bikes (expatriated to Utrecht for traffic engineering).

[TrueGeek]

> What was your final motivator to depart

Our main motivator was that we watched our grandparents grow older and just stop moving. I absolutely love America, but you do spend the majority of your time sitting. I'm not inactive, I do ultras, I hike, etc. But that doesn't make up for the fact that we're just always sitting - at home, at work, in the car. We wanted to live somewhere that would force us out of that.

> Were ya'll's companies already established

I had an LLC I used for contracting in the US, but the DAFT visa required setting up a new Dutch corporation.

> Citizens, yet

We're currently applying for our first visa renewal. Next time we'll be elligible for PR. Citizenship would require us to give up our US citizenship and I don't want to do that.

> is living in Maastricht similar to living in a US state panhandle

It kinda is. We don't have a car, but we do have neighbors that only grocery shop in Germany because it's cheaper.

> What drew ya'll south (V.e.g: Amsterdam)?

I just couldn't imagine living anywhere so flat and so far from forests / mountains. We still don't have proper forests in Maastricht, but I can be in the forests of Belgium or Germany in 20 minutes.

> Any suggestions/websites for a single electrician that's been thinking about DAFT for over a decade?

No websites, but just as someone who has tried to hire an electrician in both countries it seems like the shortage is greater here. It really seems like you could just come over and have a lot of work.

[archagon]

The nice thing about DAFT is that after 5 years, I believe you can get EU permanent residency, not just Dutch permanent residency. Basically gives you the right to live and work anywhere in the EU like a citizen. There are continuous residency requirements to meet eligibility, but a lawyer I talked to about DAFT told me that they're not super strict about it.

[ProllyInfamous]

I appreciate your perspective, from having lived DAFT experience.

>We're currently applying for our first visa renewal. Next time we'll be elligible for PR.

Good luck (shoe-in, correct?)! As PRs, would you still then need to remain self-employed (forever)?

>electrician shortage

I've run my own residential electric shop, on/off for two decades, but eventually want to get into industrial controls.

Definitely need to look into licensing/reciprocity.

>It really seems like you could just come over and have a lot of work.

Sidework would be an eventual hustle, but honestly I'd have to learn about local wiring practices and wouldn't want to be independant in a new AHJ/system. If I dafted it'd be in an adjacent careerpath. I'm honestly looking into engineering programs, abroad (possibly pre-DAFT).

>couldn't imagine living anywhere so flat and so far from forests / mountains

It's raining here in Appalachia. Soft little pitterpatters upon my tin roof.

Thanks for chatting. I've bookmarked your website for further inspiration =D

[TrueGeek]

> As PRs, would you still then need to remain self-employed (forever)?

Nope, once we get PR we have the same rights as citizens except: we can't vote in national elections, and we can't leave the country for too long without losing the residency permit.

> I've bookmarked your website for further inspiration

Haha, last blog post was, what, 2 years ago!

[ProllyInfamous]

>~ my last post was 2 years ago!~

I'm ten years behind, you're thoughts are very helpful =D

Maybe I'll neighbor you in two years (you get free electric help).