Samsonite

Hi,

I am in an interesting situation where my girlfriend has got a good job in Milan and will start in August - I am currently working in London, but now need to secure employment in or near Milan to move over there.

I am considering freelancing because I could potentially start work in the UK and carry on in Milan (I can do Web development, software, databases, etc.).

Is it easier all round to secure a permanent job in Milan and do everything as if moving straight to Italy?

At first, it seems easier to have freelance work and then move without a change to the work.

Just wondering if other English speaking people have had similar situations when moving to Italy

Thanks,
S

SuzyJ

Hi there

I think you need to ask yourself a few questions - how permanent is the move likely to be? And if you did work as a freelancer, do you think you can earn enough to live on?

You don't say whether you can speak Italian or not. The job market in Italy is extremely competitive so if you don't speak Italian then that's going to make it a lot more difficult.

My boyfriend is a freelance web developer here in Sardinia - he made the decision to continue to work for UK clients whilst we're here (we don't consider our move to be permanent though) and he really enjoys the flexibility and ease of it. He is still taxed in the UK etc. All you need is an internet conection!

SuzyJ

Samsonite

Thanks for the reply SuzyJ.

I cannot speak Italian although I have started learning - that is partly why I thought it may be easier to work for UK companies to start with. My girfriend has the easy part because she does not need to speak Italian and has a permanent job lined up. I probably will not move over until I have a way of earning from Milan.

The move is fairly permanent - we are thinking of 3 years minimum, before making any further decisions. If I have difficulty getting work or a permanent job - that may force a move back to the UK, but hopefully I can find work and enjoy Italian life for longer!

Yes, web development seems like a good option because as you say, you just need an internet connection. I am not sure if there are problems when opening an Italian bank account without an Italian job? Would I need one for day to day life? I guess I can withdraw money from a UK account and pay commission, but that does not seem the best way!

S

SuzyJ

There are bank accounts in Italy for foreigners, though my experience is that these are not that easily come by! But some banks will open an account for you with just a passport and the codice fiscale (you need this for everything and it's relatively easy to get).

For a full Italian bank account, you may need to get residency first, for which you have to either prove that you have a job, or that you have €5000 Euros in a bank account and you have to tick a box stating that you have enough to live on... that is the route my freelancer partner has taken. Though we've still not managed to get residency because my commune decided we need another official paper... such is the way in Italy!

Of course, everyone's experience is different as the rules are very... open to interpretation here!

Maybe you should look for a job whilst freelancing. And if something really catches your eye, then go for it!

Samsonite

It does sound like no two experiences are the same!

My biggest hurdle at the moment is finding anything while doing my current job in London - it takes up so much of my time, but I don't want to lose the income! I guess I will have to ditch it at some point as going for interviews in Italy will be difficult while I live in the UK.

Definitely looking for jobs while freelancing seems like a good option. At least I have a couple of months or so and it is early days

katu

If you can freelance then I would definitely recommend it, at least for the first year or so whilst you find your feet. Jobs in Italy are hard to come by, especially as you do not speak the language. Furthermore, employers in Italy are very different to the UK, it is a very big culture shock, do not underestimate how foreign you will feel

Also, when my other half was looking to move back to the UK he found that living and working in Italy was generally seen (by potential empoyers) as a "bad thing" and finding a new job took a lot longer than ever before.

Good luck

Samsonite

Thanks Katu.

I have noticed that there is a demand for English speaking IT professionals in Italy and I have seen a few interesting jobs in Rome, but that is obviously not quite near enough to Milan.

Ideally I want to be based as near to where I live in Milan as possible because currently I spend 4 hours a day commuting to and from London and I want to improve things as much as possible when moving to Italy!

I am currently contacting UK companies for freelancing work and Italian companies with English websites for permanent jobs.

One thing I notice is that hardly any job adverts are in English on the jobs boards, even though I can understand the requirements (as they use lots of enlgish phrases in IT jobs).

Good luck is certainly what I feel I need right now!