r/IWantOut • u/Capital-Cap6959 • 6h ago
[IWantOut] 23m Kosovo -> Canada
Hello,
I just want to start out that I wrote Canada to get my post through the filters, but I mean any English-speaking country.
Also, in the middle of the post, there will be a detailed list of my skills, education and experiences. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and help me out.
Starting off, I’m from Kosovo, and until recently we couldn’t go to most places without specialized visas like family visas, work visas, etc.
Now, we have visas which allow us to travel to places in Europe.
Without going into too much detail, I was recently disowned by my family for being gay and now I’ve got no reason to stay, or anyone wanting me to stay.
I’m completely fluent in English, (I have even won two national level gold medals in primary school) and so I believe it would be most beneficial for me to move to an English-speaking country.
Last year, I graduated this year from RIT Kosovo (American University in Kosovo), one of the country's top tech programs, with a Bachelor's in Computing and Information Technology. I should note that it is part of the Rochester Institute of Technology line, and my diploma is recognized as such as well.
If it matters, I also completed three years of stomatology studies in high school (our high school system allow us to do that) so I also have a permit to work as a dentist’s assistant. I didn’t think this would matter but why not mention it.
I’ve had about five jobs, and my current one (which has been going on for 6 months) has me working as a programmer/software engineer, and we’re even going to release a sort of uber-like app for Kosovo soon.
I’ve also had multiple IT roles from 2021 to 2024, mostly as internships.
Below, you’ll find a list of my most important skills:
Full-stack development (Laravel, JavaScript)
System administration (Linux servers, network maintenance)
Hardware/software troubleshooting
Technical Skills:
Languages: JavaScript (React/Node), Python, Java, C#, Go, PHP
DevOps: AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD
Databases: MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Firebase
Other: Microservices architecture, REST/GraphQL APIs
I must state here that I’m constantly learning new skills, and have found it easy to master systems in a matter of weeks, so if you think there’s more skills I need to learn, I’m ready to take suggestions.
I have a saving account of about 15,000 which I don’t touch at all, and by December I will pay my student debts completely, so it’d be ideal to be able to leave early next year. However, if there are workplaces which speak english, but in other non-english speaking countries, I’d also really like that alternative. I’d also be willing to consider a bachelor again, a master’s degree, or some other education route if necessary.
I don’t know which places, or websites to apply from, however I have been told that I should start commissions on Freelancer and other similar websites, as well as making a portfolio of my skills.
I’ve been working on my portfolio, but am unsure which kind of projects would be most appealing.
I’ve been told to consider these visas, Canada Express Entry, UK Skilled Worker Visa (but I’d need sponsorship), Germany Blue Card (but I’d need B1 German. I have completed a course for german up to B1, but that was ten years ago and I haven’t practiced since), USA H1B lottery (I have relatives in NYC who did that, but it’s a lottery, can’t really do much except pray that I get accepted)
Alongside just general advice, I also have some specific questions which may be helpful to me:
As a Kosovar, are there any special immigration programs I might qualify for?
Which country offers the best path for junior developers needing visa sponsorship?
Should I pursue freelance routes (I’ve heard of Germany's freelancer visa?) while job hunting?
How can I leverage my cloud/DevOps skills to improve my immigration chances?
I'm debt-free by December and ready to relocate. Any advice from those who know more or have had similar experiences would mean everything to me.
Thank you very much for taking the time to help me out and read all this. I really appreciate it.