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youtuber
Joined: 13 Sep 2009
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 Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:55 pm Post subject: What is the benefit of being an EU citizen? |
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I'm not being sarcastic or anything. A genuine question that I guess the Brits can answer best (assuming there are no other EU citizens on this board).
I mean, don't most EU countries have a policy of hiring their own citizens first?
So wouldn't that leave just the lower quality jobs or the super-specialized jobs available to those EU citizens who are from another country? I guess it would be rather difficult then to find suitable work in another country for the average Brit?
In practice, what has been your experience? Did you find a satisfying job in another EU country (besides ESL, since that would technically be a "super-specialized" job)
I'm just wondering how "open" the job market really is for EU citizens. |
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PeteMoses
Joined: 08 Sep 2009
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:11 pm Post subject: |
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Depends on who you ask, and what your views on immigration are. Some believe that easy passage for migrantlabour is a good thing, some think it is bad.
In some ways, it's a case of "everyone is equal, just some more than others". A Polish engineer, for example, could land a job as a cleaner in the UK and be earning more than he did back home with his profession.
Don't let a single currency make you think there is a single standard of living, either. In theory it should standardise living costs etc, but we all know how much that can fluctuate.
I think the big advantages come with international trade, EU subsidies and so on. It doesn't always work - it certainly didn't with agriculture - but to some extent it ensures that trade between member states if efficient.
It's the Eastern Block, Ex-Soviet countries that are benefitting the most. New EU allowances for infrastructure etc have seen those countries develop at serious pace, and subsequently have a lot of Member States' money spent within them.
As for ESL in Europe? Well, I came to Asia. For a reason. And it wasn't totally about kimchi. |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:43 am Post subject: |
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| A lot of the time it depends on the level that you can speak the language to. I've got an English friend who has just been hired as a fairly high up exec at Chanel. One of the stipulations of the application was that she had to be fluent in French. I've got a friend working in Spain as a geologist - same deal. If you can speak the language, there's little stopping you getting a job elsewhere in the EU. |
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English Matt
Joined: 12 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 2:43 am Post subject: |
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| morrisonhotel wrote: |
| A lot of the time it depends on the level that you can speak the language to. I've got an English friend who has just been hired as a fairly high up exec at Chanel. One of the stipulations of the application was that she had to be fluent in French. I've got a friend working in Spain as a geologist - same deal. If you can speak the language, there's little stopping you getting a job elsewhere in the EU. |
Absolutely. OP your original comment about countries only hiring their own and leaving the crummy jobs for everybody else is totally off base. It works just like the US does....is a New Yorker prejudiced in the Floridian economy; do Minnesotans have to wait until all the Californians are employed before he can get a job srubbing toilets clean in San Diego?
The EU provides equal access to labour markets, social welfare systems, residency and everything else that a native of an EU state enjoys in their home country. That means that a Brit will enjoy all the benefits of, for instance, a German citizen in Germany (minus the right to vote in national elections). The only thing that holds British people back from getting good jobs in other countries is a lack of language skills and / or the economic situation of the country they want to live in.
So for instance, heading over to Spain without a good level of Spanish and a bucketload of qualifications is probably not a good idea at the moment as they currently have an unemployment rate approaching 20%.
However if, like me, you speak German and move to Germany then the outlook will be a little better as their economy is larger, in better shape, unemployment is lower and they have 'officially' come out of recession.
N.B. Ireland is also a part of the EU. |
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oskinny1
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Location: Right behind you!
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:48 am Post subject: |
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| English Matt wrote: |
N.B. Ireland is also a part of the EU. |
Yeah, but they're just Britain's adjumma visor. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:05 am Post subject: |
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| oskinny1 wrote: |
| English Matt wrote: |
N.B. Ireland is also a part of the EU. |
Yeah, but they're just Britain's adjumma visor. |
Ajumma visor? Huh? You'd have to work hard on that one before it becomes clever or meaningful.
Ireland is judged by various bodies year after year as one of the best countries in the world to live in. It's often given the number one spot.
Ask the English about 'broken Britain', hoodies, chavs, etc.......offer me a 30,000 pound a year job in Ireland or a 50,000 pound a year gig in England and I'll go for Ireland everytime. |
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Junior
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: the eye
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:36 am Post subject: |
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| English Matt wrote: |
N.B. Ireland is also a part of the EU. |
In many ways R.O.I is more European now than it is British. They have always forged a separate identity and their recent economic growth stems fom strengthening ties with the EU and bypassing the UK.
| Quote: |
| I mean, don't most EU countries have a policy of hiring their own citizens first? |
I found this to be true in France and Italy, but not in the Netherlands. France is permanently suffering from a sluggish economy and unemployment anyway so I suppose they do have to hire locals first. Theres also a scoop of racism in there as well I think. Britain however hires anybody who is qualified...and it serves them well.
An EU passport is good if you want to retire in Spain and that about it. |
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youtuber
Joined: 13 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:57 am Post subject: |
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Ah ok thanks everyone.
I read somewhere that there is a policy to hire locals first, since unemployment is relatively high in Europe, so that's why I asked.
By the way English Matt, what will you plan on doing in Germany? |
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oskinny1
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Location: Right behind you!
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
| oskinny1 wrote: |
| English Matt wrote: |
N.B. Ireland is also a part of the EU. |
Yeah, but they're just Britain's adjumma visor. |
Ajumma visor? Huh? You'd have to work hard on that one before it becomes clever or meaningful.
Ireland is judged by various bodies year after year as one of the best countries in the world to live in. It's often given the number one spot.
Ask the English about 'broken Britain', hoodies, chavs, etc.......offer me a 30,000 pound a year job in Ireland or a 50,000 pound a year gig in England and I'll go for Ireland everytime. |
Actually, no, you don't have to work hard. If Canada can be America's hat, Ireland can be a visor. It seems to have gotten to you though.
Breath in....breath out (repeat) |
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