# US citizen needs work-permit/residency advice asap!



## movingtoeurope (Apr 12, 2010)

Hello all, 
I never felt at home in the US and I wish to return to the EU where I was raised. I was born in France but my parents were not born in the EU at all (and French is my very weakest EU language). I need to legally work and be able to stay permanently somehow. I think I have a place to stay temporarily near Spain but no job yet, and I know I need to get a work-permit before the schengen visa expires or I must leave the EU schengen states for 180 days before returning to try again. I will never return to the evil empire of the US, and the 3rd-world country I'm currently volunteering in has become far too dangerous so I must leave for Europe very soon to re-start my life.

I also realize work-permits are supposedly difficult to obtain unless one has a rare specialty or a Masters degree or a ton of money (I do Air Conditioning & related Mechanical/Electrical/Electronics work including estimating, project management, and some HVAC design). 

Can ANYONE PLEASE help me discover how so many uneducated immigrants can just go there and quickly get a bar/restaurant/grocery store job and we middle class+ experienced people supposedly can not so easily? I fear I can't even get a silly janitor job to temporarily support myself (far below my education level) because the employer is supposed to hire a EU national first, thus eliminating(?) my chances at getting a work permit unless I get very, very lucky(?). Are there any 'hidden' jobs that I should temporarily pursue - or are there better EU countries for foreigners to start in?

I would really appreciate any kind advice to my fear as I am relocating to Europe very soon and have no other place to move to yet if I fail before the schengen visa expires. 

Do you have any strategic ideas? Is it much easier than I think to get a work permit? PLEASE ADVISE ME! Thank you! )


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## silvers (Sep 22, 2008)

As you were born in France can you not apply for a French passport? The way many immigrants work here is through bar work and cash in hand jobs that the tax man doesn't see.


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## movingtoeurope (Apr 12, 2010)

*please reply*

Thank you for your reply!

I was born in the EU but my parents were not. The French embassy in the US coldly told me that I 'have no right to live in France' when I asked if I can have a French Passport. I will still try to re-naturalize to that country anyway even though I speak almost no French, but not after until I arrive in Europe to survive even if I have to take one of those jobs you described. But that brings an important question:

Can an american (who obviously stands out?) simply just 'go' to PT and easily get one of those informal jobs like you describe (even if I don't speak Portugese yet)? Are those jobs fairly plentiful or do you really have to know someone and ask for a favour to find a less-desirable job? The reason I ask is that _IF_ I cannot get a work-permit elsewhere in Europe then I will be visiting an old friend near Lisbon to stay with until I get on my feet. I have to leave the dangerous 3rd-world country I'm now volunteering in, and I am out of money after being a crime victim here myself too many times. The evil empire of the US is _*no*_ option for me anymore. Someone is flying me to Europe soon so I am excited and scared at the same time.

I appreciate your kind feedback *:*o)


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## silvers (Sep 22, 2008)

I don't want to give you false hope, the jobs are available but it may take you some time to find one. If you have a friend here get him to ask around for you. Not speaking Portuguese is going to hold you back though, try to learn some here Learn Spanish, French, German, Italian and over 70 languages with Byki software.


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