EuroTrash

Well, anecdotally (talking about France again but I would have thought all countries are similar) they are always suspicious of any visa applicant of working age who claims to have no intention of working again after their move. It's not the normal pattern of behaviour to stop working at 30 or even 40 so they look for something to explain why this person actually is different from the norm and they are likely to want to see your last tax return, your bank statements and stuff. If they see that you really are a millionaire playboy who's never worked in his life, or you're a geek with a non-lucrative hobby you have devoted your entire your life to and you have enough money to do that, they will believe you but otherwise they will likely conclude that you are another one who isn't telling them the full story, and turn you down..
I have read that France rejects far more visa applications than it accepts from people of working age, whereas it accepts far more than it rejects for retirees.
Yes we are fortunate, those of us who didn't have to jump through these hoops.

Alan PT

Also popping across from Portugal (since OP started a small thread there, but I see the main discussion is here). The "digital nomad" thing is fine in theory, more complex in practice and better suited to someone who is effectively running a (one person) business and contracting for remote companies, not working as an employee for a remote company (where permanent establishment and social security complications come into play)

Apart from Ireland, OP might want to consider Germany, especially Berlin, as it's at least possible to get by without much German there and local employment prospects and pay are much better than Spain/Portugal/Italy. Not an expert on this, just know a few people who moved there. Not quite the dream life in the sun, but maybe a stepping stone?

TomGardner21

Thanks for the info. Appreciate, there may be complications, but is it at least possible?

To be honest, I don't care about the sun, just getting my EU rights back!

Moses2013

Not easy in Germany I'm afraid. If you are in healthcare where there are shortages easier and obviously for highly skilled positions.
https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/d...lt/quick-check

Can be a tough place these days to be honest and wages not always great either.

Lou71

I agree, the whole wretched Brexit business is a nightmare and it makes me realise how lucky I am to have an Irish passport. That's why I suggested it might be an idea for Tom to relocate to Ireland, get an Irish passport and go from there.

Obviously it would have been better if he had relocated to Spain/Portugal before the trap door slammed shut at the end of last year but even for those lucky enough to be in that position, there is no onward freedom of movement for UK nationals, that has been taken away.

I would have thought that someone who is working remotely for a UK company and not taking a job away from the indigenous population would be viewed favourably as long as they can prove that they can support themselves?

Alan PT

Working as an employee for a UK employer? Unless it is temporary (and detached worker rules can be applied), I can't see a way for the employer to do it without a legal presence in the country you are resident in (though it's quite possible that some employers, particularly smaller ones who don't understand the rules are doing it and breaking various rules in both countries). Some people would disagree with me on this (and I wouldn't claim to be an expert), but the rules on social security seem pretty clear to me: https://www.lewissilkin.com/en/insig...urity-position

If the employer does have a presence in the country and can arrange to pay you through that entity, that would be much more straightforward, assuming they were willing to do this (perhaps by transferring you). Employing you as a contract worker (effectively employing your one person company) would also be a viable option, though slightly more complicated for you.

If you have any interest or aptitude for it, learning some IT skills would be useful, probably actually more useful than language skills

BTW, the only reason I know at least a bit about all this is that we took professional advice before moving and concluded that getting a job in Portugal was easier than the complications of keeping working for UK companies. But we are fortunate to have in demand skills, so that made our choice easier

TomGardner21

I've been following someones vlog who is working for a US based company...not sure how they managed to get around it?

Alan PT

Either they are a contract worker or they are simply ignoring the legal position (that's more common than you'd think...). But it's more than likely the Portuguese tax office will catch up with them eventually

christmasoompa

Tom, does it have to be the EU? Just thinking that many countries like Canada or Oz offer working holiday visas for young whippersnappers like yourself. Obviously you'd still need a visa, but there's no requirement to have a job or any particular amount of income before you apply. Canada, for instance, offers a 2 year open work permit for those aged 30 and under, with no onerous requirements.

Alan PT

Don't despair though. The whole issue of remote work, taxation and social security is so messed up and complicated that I feel countries will have pressure to simplify things as it becomes ever more popular. So you might be at "peak problem" right now

TomGardner21

It doesn't have to be EU, although it's convenient to be able jump on a plane and be back in London in a couple of hours.

Canada does interest me, but obviously I have the problem 2 years down the line that, if I become attached to it and start to form relationships, I can't come back!

BuckinghamshireBoy

Tom, you said in post #1 "I've been working in Customer Service since I was 18."

If I may ask, in which business sector would that be?

Reason for asking is that if it concerns banking or financial services then there was a piece that I read the other day (probably in the Guardian) suggesting that there's going to be a lot more UK companies establishing presence in the EU in 2022.

TomGardner21

Of course, I work for EDF.

Which I suppose is a French company, when I think about it.

Moses2013

To be honest, I would hold on to the dream of Spain and moving to Canada or Aus is not really going to help. First of all it's bloody expensive and still doesn't get your freedom of movement back. You can also volunteer in Spain, (the link I posted) and speak to people on the ground. Problem with Ireland at the moment is the huge rental shortage, so that's one thing to consider. Last week there were only 1847 properties available to rent across the whole country. Today only 1619.

BuckinghamshireBoy

Et voila! I have no idea of their customer base or even if they are present in Iberia, but Perpignan is not that bad a city, close to the Spanish border...