Germany. Munich. Advanced Immigration guide
There are many stories of moving to Germany. However, most of them are rather superficial, since they are usually written in the first few months after the move and reveal the simplest things.
In this article there will be no information about how many ten eggs cost in Germany, going to a restaurant, how to open a bank account and get a residence permit. The purpose of this article is to uncover the many not obvious nuances of life in Germany, which are rarely included in travel reviews.
')
My story will first of all be interesting for already established IT specialists who feel quite comfortable in Russia and are wondering if it is necessary to leave somewhere. Those who are not at all comfortable in Russia usually leave without a deep analysis of the country of immigration :)
Since any opinion is subjective, even if the author wants to be unbiased, I will say a few words about myself. Before moving to Germany, I worked in St. Petersburg as a head of calving development for a salary of 200 + K. I had a nice apartment overlooking the Gulf of Finland. However, I did not receive full satisfaction from work or from life. Having worked both in Moscow and in St. Petersburg in many companies, from start-ups to international corporations, I no longer saw any ways to significantly increase my satisfaction in the country. Also, I was somewhat strained by the massive outflow of developers and other IT specialists from Russia, and due to my age of 40+ years, I did not want to be late for the last train. Having lived in Germany for a little over a year, I moved to Switzerland. From my story it will be clear why.
Since I lived in Munich, naturally my experience is based on life in this city. Considering that Munich is considered one of the most comfortable cities in Germany, it can be assumed that I have seen the most good Germany.
Before the move, I conducted a comparative analysis of different countries, which may be of interest to those who are just beginning to think about moving. Therefore, as a preface, I will first share the main directions of the move and my personal view of them.
The main directions of moving can be divided into the following categories:
Scandinavia. Cold climate and difficult languages ​​(except perhaps Swedish). Finland’s proximity to Peter is leveled by meager salaries, very local Finnish culture in companies and excessive propaganda of unconventional love in schools. Norway's large GDP, about which they like to write, is visible only on paper, since all the money goes to some kind of fund, and not to the development of the country. In my opinion, Scandinavian countries can be interesting in the event that you really want to be closer to Russia.
Eastern Europe is available for beginners and intermediate developers. There can be brought by the hand of those who do not have the desire to engage in a dreary bureaucracy when moving. Many move there to take the first step, but linger for a long time. Most countries in this group do not take refugees, but there are also enough local disadvantaged elements there (probably, therefore, they do not take).
Baltics offers very small salaries, but promises a comfortable family life. I do not know, did not check :)
Holland offers adequate salaries, but I was very tired of the rains in St. Petersburg, so I didn’t want to go to Amsterdam. The rest of the cities seem very provincial.
Switzerland is a closed country, it is very difficult to get there. There should be an element of luck even if you are a god of Java development. Everything is very expensive there, very little social support. But cute and beautiful.
The rest of central Europe has deteriorated very recently. The IT market is not developing, and the quality of life is falling. I am not sure that the level of comfort is now higher there than in Eastern Europe.
USA. Country on the fan. About her, and so everyone knows, it makes no sense to write.
England is not the same. Many flee from there because of the terrible medicine and the "seizure" of London by representatives of Indian and Muslim peoples. The opportunity to live with the knowledge of only the English language is attractive, but it is also attractive for a billion other people on the planet.
Ireland is a bit cold and gloomy and more, probably, suitable for startups due to tax breaks. Also, people write that housing prices there have increased greatly. In general, English-speaking countries are already somewhat overheated.
The UAE allows you to earn a lot of money, since there is a zero approach tax, and gross wages are slightly higher than in Germany. It is not very clear how to live there in the summer at +40. Also due to the lack of a program for obtaining permanent residency and citizenship, it is not very clear where to go with this money.
Resorts are only suitable childless or as a short-term experiment. Not my case.
Australia + New Zealand is interesting, but very far. There are a couple of friends who wanted to go there. Mainly due to the climate.
Canada is an analogue of Scandinavia, but with normal languages. The meaning of moving there is not very clear. Perhaps this is an option for those who are very fond of the United States, but have not yet been able to get there.
Now finally about Germany. Germany on the background of the options above looks quite attractive. A good climate, a common language, an easy way to obtain a work permit (Blue Card), such as a developed economy and medicine. That is why tens of thousands of qualified specialists from different countries try to find their happiness there every year. I will try to describe some interesting features of life in this country below.
Housing. The first surprise awaits you at the very beginning, when, after receiving a working contract, you start looking for housing. Probably you will already be aware that it is not easy to find housing in good German cities, but the words “not just” do not reflect the situation. In Munich, finding a home will be your daily routine, like brushing your teeth in the morning. Even if you find something, you will not like it, and you will continue to look for another accommodation again.
The problem is that in Germany it is popular to rent a house instead of buying. This should give some flexibility when moving and not burden with mortgage loans. But this is what they say on TV. But TV in Germany is not much different from our first channel. In practice, renting a house means constant payments to home owners, which is naturally more profitable than a one-time sale. I’m not mistaken much, assuming that 80% of all rental housing is owned by corporations, who naturally want to make more money. In this they are assisted by refugees who are paid for housing from your taxes as well as by a semi-free labor market, which creates an increased demand for housing. Moreover, a large number of refugees lodge in good apartments in the city center (apparently belonging to the same corporations). Thus, German apartment oligarchs take your money twice. One time when you pay housing to refugees from your taxes, the second time when you pay your housing in the overheated market, paying 2,000 euros for a simple three-piece. Our businessmen who are trying to make money on expensive cabbage or street tile nervously smoking in the side of envy.
It is curious that such a situation with housing, as well as 100% workload of all migration centers in Munich, 100 people in a place in kindergartens, congestion of hospitals do not lead to any political protests. All suffer, pay and wait for their turn. Attempts to point out problems because of refugees will lead to accusations of fascism. Those who are in the subject, compare the phrase "You do not want, as in Paris" with the phrase "You do not want, like under Hitler." Pensioners defend the court, the old-timers are afraid to move, so as not to lose the housing, which they rented a few years ago at the old prices. New family families pay 50% of their salary for housing and think why they need all this. "Lonely" live in the "barracks" for 1000 euros. The girls are looking for local husbands with housing; young people hope to get rich by some miracle.
Medicine in Germany is colorfully described in legends and parables. It is true that in Germany and in Munich, in particular, there are unique medical centers with unique equipment. But you will never see it. Insurance medicine in Germany is very far from what they usually talk about medicine in Germany.
With the salary of an IT developer in St. Petersburg, you practically do not need insurance, except in the most difficult cases. You can safely buy almost any medical service. Even the majority of not the simplest operations cost less than a monthly salary. In Germany, for an IT specialist's salary, it will be hard for you to call a doctor for a house for 300 euros and make an MRI for 500-1000 euros. In Germany, there is no paid medicine for the general population. All must be equal. Only very rich oligarchs can be not equal. Therefore, you will have to stand in lines with grannies, and if you have a child, then a dozen other sick children. If you suddenly want a private insurance, you will have to pay it to all family members, even after losing your job for a while. Private insurance will help avoid queues and maybe give some small advantages in the quality of medical services, but when moving with your family will not leave you money to enjoy your health. It is also curious that not everyone can receive private insurance, but only those whom the German bureaucracy deems worthy (in terms of salary or type of employment), even if you have a million rubles in a Russian account.
Getting state services. Most likely you have already decided that the MFC and the portal of public services is something that goes without saying. Since this is a hundred years in Russia, it should be there. But there it is not.
If you need something from the state, then the algorithm is about
Food in Germany, in principle, normal. Her only problem is that she is very much the same. Leafing through the menu in restaurants will not work, as the menu will be on a couple of leaves. Also in Munich, there is no such thing as a children's room in a restaurant. After all, in its place you can put a few tables. If you ask what kind of beer there is in a restaurant, then you will be answered - white, dark and light. The stores are the same. For the whole of Munich, there are a couple of boutiques where you can buy non-German beer. In fairness it should be noted that in Munich there are many Asian restaurants that create some variety in food. Food quality is average. Better than in Russia, but noticeably worse than in Switzerland.
Smoking. Germany is a very smoking nation. 80% of the tables will smoke on the outdoor restaurant terraces. If you like to sit outside and get some fresh air, then restaurants are not for you. Also, about any 15 meters from the stop and the entrances to the buildings there have not heard. If you like to swim in the outdoor pools, you will have to fall in love with tobacco smoke. An unpleasant surprise for me turned into the frequent complete calm of Munich. In calm weather, tobacco smoke is felt at a distance of 30 meters. Ie, in fact, wherever there are people. I have been to many places in Europe, but I have never seen such a percentage of people who smoke. I can not explain it. Maybe stress and hopelessness? :)
Children. The attitude towards children in Munich is somewhat strange. On the one hand, all politicians scream that there is a demographic crisis in the country, on the other hand, no one screaming proposes to build more kindergartens, playgrounds, children's hospitals, etc. Private kindergartens, for which you have to pay about 800 euros per month, are similar to the slums of Indian slums. Shabby furniture, faded carpets on the floor, wiped sofas. And to get there you have to stand in line. State gardens - this is one room for 60 people and several educators. Recently, politicians have proposed to make gardens free. Apparently taking money for such misery is already a shame. According to the same politicians, the future of Germany is connected with migration, but not if not with the birth rate of their children. Indeed, to give birth to your child you need medicine, the business of children's goods and food, kindergartens, new high-quality housing. It is much easier to pick up the finished sample from the sailing boat. Well, the fact that this sample is not likely to do anything more than drug trafficking is no longer important. You can forbid scolding refugees and everything will be fine.
Another living legend is happy German retirees traveling the world. The problem here is that in Germany money for big pensions is running out. Raising the retirement age is unlikely to succeed, since it is already equal to 67 years. Forcing homeowners to give it to pensioners at 300 euros instead of 2000 is also impossible for a long time. Germany had plans to solve the problem through migration. Plans failed, because after a short work migrants do not want to do anything either, but they want to live well. Nobody knows how Germany will get out of this situation. For now, Germany is ready to pay current pensions until 2025. They did not go for big guarantees.
In Munich, a very interesting bicycle "infrastructure" . The city is considered the most friendly for cyclists. In most cases, the cycle path is separated from the sidewalk either by a white line or a different surface, which is more expensive, but the meaning is the same. One awkward step of a pedestrian, and he can be knocked down by a cyclist and still be guilty. When cyclists get cramped in their path, they drive onto the sidewalk. Also, sidewalks are used by cyclists who ride upstream. Cases of accidents between cyclists and pedestrians are not uncommon. Naturally, there are raids on children, especially in parks, where the tracks are not even separated. If, for example, in St. Petersburg to collect a thousand migrants and give everyone a paint bucket to divide the sidewalk into two equal parts, then in a day the city would wake up to the bicycle capital of the world. Something like that was done in Munich. Interestingly, in Switzerland, cyclists in the absence of a bike lane ride on the roadway. Cyclists separately, people separately ((c) Planet of the Apes).
In Munich, almost everywhere is quite well thought-out construction of the city . It makes no sense to look for an area with shops, schools or parks. They will be everywhere. However, when choosing a home, in addition to your personal preferences, it makes sense to take into account three factors that are not usually written in reviews.
Now a little about work. Cases are different, but work in Munich is generally pleasant. No one is in a hurry and does not sit in the evenings. Most likely in Germany, most of the chiefs become chiefs, if they have at least some competence. I have not met reviews about the chiefs, working on the principle, I am the chief you are a fool. Also, IT companies hire smart migrants rather than stupid Germans, which creates a pleasant atmosphere in the team. The flip side of the coin, the Germans will soon hire a less qualified cheap Indian than they go to salary increases.
Since everyone works and gets about the same, it makes no sense to weave complex intrigues for the sake of some position. Position and you can get, but the money is not always. As a result of the same wages, there is no premium service market in Munich and in Germany as a whole, since there is no one to consume them. Either you work like everyone else for about one paycheck, or you have a successful business and you get many times more. In which shops, restaurants, entertainment facilities successful people go to Germany is not clear. Apparently there are so few of them that only the elect know about them. The most modern cinema in the center of Munich reminded me of Crystal Palace from the 90s on Nevsky in St. Petersburg.
In Germany, up to 6 weeks a year, you can be sick for 100% of your salary without top limit. It's amazing that while people still come to work with snot and cough. Although in Munich, many people get sick often, and if you sit at home in every cold, then 6 weeks may not be enough.
Despite the above, of course, you shouldn’t exclude Germany from your list of favorite countries. Each country will have its own "features". It is better to learn about them in advance and plan your move correctly.
Given all this, I would highlight the following strategies for moving to Germany.
Freelance. Two years after working for your Blue Card uncle, you will have the legal opportunity to become a freelancer. This is a typical mode of operation for the Germans themselves. Allows you to bring a salary of up to 150K euros per year. She can live in Munich approximately as in St. Petersburg for 200K rubles per month. The difficulty lies in the fact that in most cases freelancing presupposes fluency in German, which cannot be obtained in two years. Therefore, it will be possible to actually work on freelancing later.
Own business after permanent residence. In 2-3 years, depending on your knowledge of German, you will have permanent residence. This gives you the right to reside permanently in the country regardless of your financial condition. You can risk and stir up your project.
Udalenka. The Germans calmly relate to remote work, but first it is better to show yourself in the office and become a resident of Germany. To do this, you have to aim at a startup, since in large companies, remoteness is hardly possible. After moving to the remote, you can sit in a cozy German village or travel the world observing the rule of living in Germany for at least 6 months a year.
Strategies for solving the housing issue can be the following. If you have any savings or real estate in Russia, which you are ready to exchange for German, then expect that cozy modest housing for a family (a treshka or small house) in Munich starts from a million euros. At the moment there is a strategy for buying a home in the immediate suburbs, but over time the prices there will only increase, as there are more and more people willing to do it. In addition, due to the influx of poor migrants, the main suburbs of Munich already resemble refugee camps more than cozy places for a comfortable life.
In southern and south-western Germany there are several good small cities for living such as Karlsruhe or Freiburg. There exists a theoretical opportunity to buy real estate in the mortgage for 30 years and enjoy life. But in these cities there is not much IT work.In Munich, as soon as your non-IT partner learns German, you will be able to live on two salaries, which is unlikely to allow you to buy housing in the city, but will allow you to start enjoying life.
As I mentioned above, I no longer live in Germany, so I can not implement any of these strategies. I found a job in Switzerland. Switzerland is also not an ideal country. However, if you can hear different opinions about Germany, I haven’t yet met any negative stories about moving to Switzerland. Therefore, when I pulled out my lucky ticket, taking into account the presence of a family and my age, I decided to take a bird than to catch a crane in Germany. Switzerland is in some sense a boutique country with an individual approach. Here you are a person, in Germany you are one of the millions who come. I cannot say more about Switzerland so far.
Who is interested in Switzerland, as a country for moving join my group on Facebook .
There I will write about my life and work experience (especially in comparison with Germany) and share vacancies that involve sponsorship.
For operational information on Munich, I recommend this group .
PS: In the picture is the central entrance to the central station in Munich. Picture taken June 13, 2019.
In this article there will be no information about how many ten eggs cost in Germany, going to a restaurant, how to open a bank account and get a residence permit. The purpose of this article is to uncover the many not obvious nuances of life in Germany, which are rarely included in travel reviews.
')
My story will first of all be interesting for already established IT specialists who feel quite comfortable in Russia and are wondering if it is necessary to leave somewhere. Those who are not at all comfortable in Russia usually leave without a deep analysis of the country of immigration :)
Since any opinion is subjective, even if the author wants to be unbiased, I will say a few words about myself. Before moving to Germany, I worked in St. Petersburg as a head of calving development for a salary of 200 + K. I had a nice apartment overlooking the Gulf of Finland. However, I did not receive full satisfaction from work or from life. Having worked both in Moscow and in St. Petersburg in many companies, from start-ups to international corporations, I no longer saw any ways to significantly increase my satisfaction in the country. Also, I was somewhat strained by the massive outflow of developers and other IT specialists from Russia, and due to my age of 40+ years, I did not want to be late for the last train. Having lived in Germany for a little over a year, I moved to Switzerland. From my story it will be clear why.
Since I lived in Munich, naturally my experience is based on life in this city. Considering that Munich is considered one of the most comfortable cities in Germany, it can be assumed that I have seen the most good Germany.
Before the move, I conducted a comparative analysis of different countries, which may be of interest to those who are just beginning to think about moving. Therefore, as a preface, I will first share the main directions of the move and my personal view of them.
The main directions of moving can be divided into the following categories:
- Scandinavia
- Eastern Europe
- Baltic
- Holland
- Germany
- Switzerland
- Rest of Central Europe (France, Spain, Portugal)
- USA
- England
- Ireland
- UAE
- Resorts (Thailand, Bali, etc.)
- Australia + New Zealand
- Canada
Scandinavia. Cold climate and difficult languages ​​(except perhaps Swedish). Finland’s proximity to Peter is leveled by meager salaries, very local Finnish culture in companies and excessive propaganda of unconventional love in schools. Norway's large GDP, about which they like to write, is visible only on paper, since all the money goes to some kind of fund, and not to the development of the country. In my opinion, Scandinavian countries can be interesting in the event that you really want to be closer to Russia.
Eastern Europe is available for beginners and intermediate developers. There can be brought by the hand of those who do not have the desire to engage in a dreary bureaucracy when moving. Many move there to take the first step, but linger for a long time. Most countries in this group do not take refugees, but there are also enough local disadvantaged elements there (probably, therefore, they do not take).
Baltics offers very small salaries, but promises a comfortable family life. I do not know, did not check :)
Holland offers adequate salaries, but I was very tired of the rains in St. Petersburg, so I didn’t want to go to Amsterdam. The rest of the cities seem very provincial.
Switzerland is a closed country, it is very difficult to get there. There should be an element of luck even if you are a god of Java development. Everything is very expensive there, very little social support. But cute and beautiful.
The rest of central Europe has deteriorated very recently. The IT market is not developing, and the quality of life is falling. I am not sure that the level of comfort is now higher there than in Eastern Europe.
USA. Country on the fan. About her, and so everyone knows, it makes no sense to write.
England is not the same. Many flee from there because of the terrible medicine and the "seizure" of London by representatives of Indian and Muslim peoples. The opportunity to live with the knowledge of only the English language is attractive, but it is also attractive for a billion other people on the planet.
Ireland is a bit cold and gloomy and more, probably, suitable for startups due to tax breaks. Also, people write that housing prices there have increased greatly. In general, English-speaking countries are already somewhat overheated.
The UAE allows you to earn a lot of money, since there is a zero approach tax, and gross wages are slightly higher than in Germany. It is not very clear how to live there in the summer at +40. Also due to the lack of a program for obtaining permanent residency and citizenship, it is not very clear where to go with this money.
Resorts are only suitable childless or as a short-term experiment. Not my case.
Australia + New Zealand is interesting, but very far. There are a couple of friends who wanted to go there. Mainly due to the climate.
Canada is an analogue of Scandinavia, but with normal languages. The meaning of moving there is not very clear. Perhaps this is an option for those who are very fond of the United States, but have not yet been able to get there.
Now finally about Germany. Germany on the background of the options above looks quite attractive. A good climate, a common language, an easy way to obtain a work permit (Blue Card), such as a developed economy and medicine. That is why tens of thousands of qualified specialists from different countries try to find their happiness there every year. I will try to describe some interesting features of life in this country below.
Housing. The first surprise awaits you at the very beginning, when, after receiving a working contract, you start looking for housing. Probably you will already be aware that it is not easy to find housing in good German cities, but the words “not just” do not reflect the situation. In Munich, finding a home will be your daily routine, like brushing your teeth in the morning. Even if you find something, you will not like it, and you will continue to look for another accommodation again.
The problem is that in Germany it is popular to rent a house instead of buying. This should give some flexibility when moving and not burden with mortgage loans. But this is what they say on TV. But TV in Germany is not much different from our first channel. In practice, renting a house means constant payments to home owners, which is naturally more profitable than a one-time sale. I’m not mistaken much, assuming that 80% of all rental housing is owned by corporations, who naturally want to make more money. In this they are assisted by refugees who are paid for housing from your taxes as well as by a semi-free labor market, which creates an increased demand for housing. Moreover, a large number of refugees lodge in good apartments in the city center (apparently belonging to the same corporations). Thus, German apartment oligarchs take your money twice. One time when you pay housing to refugees from your taxes, the second time when you pay your housing in the overheated market, paying 2,000 euros for a simple three-piece. Our businessmen who are trying to make money on expensive cabbage or street tile nervously smoking in the side of envy.
It is curious that such a situation with housing, as well as 100% workload of all migration centers in Munich, 100 people in a place in kindergartens, congestion of hospitals do not lead to any political protests. All suffer, pay and wait for their turn. Attempts to point out problems because of refugees will lead to accusations of fascism. Those who are in the subject, compare the phrase "You do not want, as in Paris" with the phrase "You do not want, like under Hitler." Pensioners defend the court, the old-timers are afraid to move, so as not to lose the housing, which they rented a few years ago at the old prices. New family families pay 50% of their salary for housing and think why they need all this. "Lonely" live in the "barracks" for 1000 euros. The girls are looking for local husbands with housing; young people hope to get rich by some miracle.
Medicine in Germany is colorfully described in legends and parables. It is true that in Germany and in Munich, in particular, there are unique medical centers with unique equipment. But you will never see it. Insurance medicine in Germany is very far from what they usually talk about medicine in Germany.
With the salary of an IT developer in St. Petersburg, you practically do not need insurance, except in the most difficult cases. You can safely buy almost any medical service. Even the majority of not the simplest operations cost less than a monthly salary. In Germany, for an IT specialist's salary, it will be hard for you to call a doctor for a house for 300 euros and make an MRI for 500-1000 euros. In Germany, there is no paid medicine for the general population. All must be equal. Only very rich oligarchs can be not equal. Therefore, you will have to stand in lines with grannies, and if you have a child, then a dozen other sick children. If you suddenly want a private insurance, you will have to pay it to all family members, even after losing your job for a while. Private insurance will help avoid queues and maybe give some small advantages in the quality of medical services, but when moving with your family will not leave you money to enjoy your health. It is also curious that not everyone can receive private insurance, but only those whom the German bureaucracy deems worthy (in terms of salary or type of employment), even if you have a million rubles in a Russian account.
Getting state services. Most likely you have already decided that the MFC and the portal of public services is something that goes without saying. Since this is a hundred years in Russia, it should be there. But there it is not.
If you need something from the state, then the algorithm is about
- In Google or on the forum find the name of the service that provides the service.
- Find the web site of the office that provides the service and learn how to get a ticket to the reception.
- Get a ticket to the reception site. In some cases, such as receiving a Blue Card, there are no coupons. They are thrown out in the mornings on the site for several pieces. It is necessary to get up at 7 am and every minute to update the page of the site in order to have time to click on the ticket that appeared.
- Collect 100500 pieces of paper required to receive the service.
- Come at the appointed time. Carry cash to pay for services.
- Bonus If you already know German well, then part of the services can be obtained by sending the correct package of documents by mail.
Food in Germany, in principle, normal. Her only problem is that she is very much the same. Leafing through the menu in restaurants will not work, as the menu will be on a couple of leaves. Also in Munich, there is no such thing as a children's room in a restaurant. After all, in its place you can put a few tables. If you ask what kind of beer there is in a restaurant, then you will be answered - white, dark and light. The stores are the same. For the whole of Munich, there are a couple of boutiques where you can buy non-German beer. In fairness it should be noted that in Munich there are many Asian restaurants that create some variety in food. Food quality is average. Better than in Russia, but noticeably worse than in Switzerland.
Smoking. Germany is a very smoking nation. 80% of the tables will smoke on the outdoor restaurant terraces. If you like to sit outside and get some fresh air, then restaurants are not for you. Also, about any 15 meters from the stop and the entrances to the buildings there have not heard. If you like to swim in the outdoor pools, you will have to fall in love with tobacco smoke. An unpleasant surprise for me turned into the frequent complete calm of Munich. In calm weather, tobacco smoke is felt at a distance of 30 meters. Ie, in fact, wherever there are people. I have been to many places in Europe, but I have never seen such a percentage of people who smoke. I can not explain it. Maybe stress and hopelessness? :)
Children. The attitude towards children in Munich is somewhat strange. On the one hand, all politicians scream that there is a demographic crisis in the country, on the other hand, no one screaming proposes to build more kindergartens, playgrounds, children's hospitals, etc. Private kindergartens, for which you have to pay about 800 euros per month, are similar to the slums of Indian slums. Shabby furniture, faded carpets on the floor, wiped sofas. And to get there you have to stand in line. State gardens - this is one room for 60 people and several educators. Recently, politicians have proposed to make gardens free. Apparently taking money for such misery is already a shame. According to the same politicians, the future of Germany is connected with migration, but not if not with the birth rate of their children. Indeed, to give birth to your child you need medicine, the business of children's goods and food, kindergartens, new high-quality housing. It is much easier to pick up the finished sample from the sailing boat. Well, the fact that this sample is not likely to do anything more than drug trafficking is no longer important. You can forbid scolding refugees and everything will be fine.
Another living legend is happy German retirees traveling the world. The problem here is that in Germany money for big pensions is running out. Raising the retirement age is unlikely to succeed, since it is already equal to 67 years. Forcing homeowners to give it to pensioners at 300 euros instead of 2000 is also impossible for a long time. Germany had plans to solve the problem through migration. Plans failed, because after a short work migrants do not want to do anything either, but they want to live well. Nobody knows how Germany will get out of this situation. For now, Germany is ready to pay current pensions until 2025. They did not go for big guarantees.
In Munich, a very interesting bicycle "infrastructure" . The city is considered the most friendly for cyclists. In most cases, the cycle path is separated from the sidewalk either by a white line or a different surface, which is more expensive, but the meaning is the same. One awkward step of a pedestrian, and he can be knocked down by a cyclist and still be guilty. When cyclists get cramped in their path, they drive onto the sidewalk. Also, sidewalks are used by cyclists who ride upstream. Cases of accidents between cyclists and pedestrians are not uncommon. Naturally, there are raids on children, especially in parks, where the tracks are not even separated. If, for example, in St. Petersburg to collect a thousand migrants and give everyone a paint bucket to divide the sidewalk into two equal parts, then in a day the city would wake up to the bicycle capital of the world. Something like that was done in Munich. Interestingly, in Switzerland, cyclists in the absence of a bike lane ride on the roadway. Cyclists separately, people separately ((c) Planet of the Apes).
In Munich, almost everywhere is quite well thought-out construction of the city . It makes no sense to look for an area with shops, schools or parks. They will be everywhere. However, when choosing a home, in addition to your personal preferences, it makes sense to take into account three factors that are not usually written in reviews.
- Churches fig bell in early morning and late in the evening every day without days off. In the city there are no places where they are not heard at all, but there are places where it can be "noisy."
- Fire, ambulance and repair services drive with the siren turned on, even through empty streets at night. The volume of the sirens in Munich is such that if you die driving, you will still hear. If your windows overlook the main roads of the city, then you will not be able to sleep with the windows open. In Munich this summer will be a big problem. There is no air conditioning in the city. Not at all.
- S-Bahn (subway to the nearest suburbs) does not work very reliably. If you get to work on it, be prepared to sometimes wait an extra 30 minutes or in the winter to work from home.
Now a little about work. Cases are different, but work in Munich is generally pleasant. No one is in a hurry and does not sit in the evenings. Most likely in Germany, most of the chiefs become chiefs, if they have at least some competence. I have not met reviews about the chiefs, working on the principle, I am the chief you are a fool. Also, IT companies hire smart migrants rather than stupid Germans, which creates a pleasant atmosphere in the team. The flip side of the coin, the Germans will soon hire a less qualified cheap Indian than they go to salary increases.
Since everyone works and gets about the same, it makes no sense to weave complex intrigues for the sake of some position. Position and you can get, but the money is not always. As a result of the same wages, there is no premium service market in Munich and in Germany as a whole, since there is no one to consume them. Either you work like everyone else for about one paycheck, or you have a successful business and you get many times more. In which shops, restaurants, entertainment facilities successful people go to Germany is not clear. Apparently there are so few of them that only the elect know about them. The most modern cinema in the center of Munich reminded me of Crystal Palace from the 90s on Nevsky in St. Petersburg.
In Germany, up to 6 weeks a year, you can be sick for 100% of your salary without top limit. It's amazing that while people still come to work with snot and cough. Although in Munich, many people get sick often, and if you sit at home in every cold, then 6 weeks may not be enough.
Despite the above, of course, you shouldn’t exclude Germany from your list of favorite countries. Each country will have its own "features". It is better to learn about them in advance and plan your move correctly.
Given all this, I would highlight the following strategies for moving to Germany.
Freelance. Two years after working for your Blue Card uncle, you will have the legal opportunity to become a freelancer. This is a typical mode of operation for the Germans themselves. Allows you to bring a salary of up to 150K euros per year. She can live in Munich approximately as in St. Petersburg for 200K rubles per month. The difficulty lies in the fact that in most cases freelancing presupposes fluency in German, which cannot be obtained in two years. Therefore, it will be possible to actually work on freelancing later.
Own business after permanent residence. In 2-3 years, depending on your knowledge of German, you will have permanent residence. This gives you the right to reside permanently in the country regardless of your financial condition. You can risk and stir up your project.
Udalenka. The Germans calmly relate to remote work, but first it is better to show yourself in the office and become a resident of Germany. To do this, you have to aim at a startup, since in large companies, remoteness is hardly possible. After moving to the remote, you can sit in a cozy German village or travel the world observing the rule of living in Germany for at least 6 months a year.
Strategies for solving the housing issue can be the following. If you have any savings or real estate in Russia, which you are ready to exchange for German, then expect that cozy modest housing for a family (a treshka or small house) in Munich starts from a million euros. At the moment there is a strategy for buying a home in the immediate suburbs, but over time the prices there will only increase, as there are more and more people willing to do it. In addition, due to the influx of poor migrants, the main suburbs of Munich already resemble refugee camps more than cozy places for a comfortable life.
In southern and south-western Germany there are several good small cities for living such as Karlsruhe or Freiburg. There exists a theoretical opportunity to buy real estate in the mortgage for 30 years and enjoy life. But in these cities there is not much IT work.In Munich, as soon as your non-IT partner learns German, you will be able to live on two salaries, which is unlikely to allow you to buy housing in the city, but will allow you to start enjoying life.
As I mentioned above, I no longer live in Germany, so I can not implement any of these strategies. I found a job in Switzerland. Switzerland is also not an ideal country. However, if you can hear different opinions about Germany, I haven’t yet met any negative stories about moving to Switzerland. Therefore, when I pulled out my lucky ticket, taking into account the presence of a family and my age, I decided to take a bird than to catch a crane in Germany. Switzerland is in some sense a boutique country with an individual approach. Here you are a person, in Germany you are one of the millions who come. I cannot say more about Switzerland so far.
Who is interested in Switzerland, as a country for moving join my group on Facebook .
There I will write about my life and work experience (especially in comparison with Germany) and share vacancies that involve sponsorship.
For operational information on Munich, I recommend this group .
PS: In the picture is the central entrance to the central station in Munich. Picture taken June 13, 2019.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/459996/
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