r/IWantOut • u/No_Mulberry8533 • 6d ago
[IWantOut] 26m Kuwait -> Netherlands/Germany/Austria/Switzerland/Belgium/Spain/US
TLDR :
"I’m a Lebanese citizen born and raised in Kuwait, where expatriates face long-term uncertainty, limited access to nature, extreme heat, and a high cost of living. Returning to Lebanon is not an option due to the ongoing war. Despite trying to relocate to Europe through visa applications and job searches, I’ve had no success, while financial limitations prevent me from pursuing a degree abroad. I feel stuck with very limited options for building a stable future."
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Brief description :
26 male
Lebanese
Degree : IT and Computing
Certifications : CCIE in Security
Experience : 4 years working as a Netowkr Engineer
Speak : Arabic, English and a little German (A2)
I'm a Lebanese citizen who was born and lived my whole life in Kuwait. Life in Kuwait offers very little stability for expatriates. You could be living there for years, building a life, working hard, and trying to secure your future, only to find yourself at risk of deportation over something relatively minor. There is always a sense that your life there is temporary, no matter how long you have lived in the country.
Another major downside is the lack of nature and outdoor experiences. Kuwait has no greenery, no forests, and no natural landscapes to explore. The extreme summer heat (50°+) also makes outdoor activities difficult for much of the year, leaving people with nothing to do but few limited options beyond malls, cafés, and restaurants.
Also, The cost of living can also affect your quality of life. Although Kuwait offers good earning opportunities in certain professions, expenses such as housing, transportation, healthcare, and education can add up a lot. Your ability to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle depends heavily on your salary and personal circumstances which is hard for the average worker like myself).
Moving back to Lebanon is not an option at all, especially with the ongoing war and the security situation in the country. The constant threat of violence, uncertainty, and the risk to personal safety make it extremely difficult to consider returning and rebuilding a life there. Even beyond the war, Lebanon's economic and political instability makes it challenging to plan for a secure future. This leaves you feeling trapped in Kuwait, where you may lack long-term stability and a sense of belonging, but returning home is simply too dangerous and uncertain.
I have tried to relocate to Europe by applying for a German job-seeker visa twice, but both applications were rejected. I have also applied for jobs in several European countries without receiving responses.
Unfortunately, pursuing a degree abroad is not financially feasible, leaving me with limited options to relocate and build a more stable future despite my continued efforts.
Where can I move to ?
5
u/Stravvon 5d ago
Of the countries you mentioned Switzerland is the toughest to move to, they only give out some 5000 permanent residencies to non-EU citizens per year. So I would look at other countries than Switzerland.
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5d ago
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u/sunny_plumeria 3d ago
I mean, it's a very valid reason, we evolved with greenery, it's vital that we are close it for our mental and physical health.
Additionaly, with climate change, there is also a question of how long we have left till nature becomes a privilege and inaccessible to many.
take care of your environment, my peeps 💚 we only have one earth.
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u/No_Mulberry8533 5d ago
I mentioned multiple other major reasons and yes I also mentioned the greenery part because I don't know about you, but for me it's a very important part of where I live
1
u/AutoModerator 6d ago
Post by No_Mulberry8533 -- TLDR :
"I’m a Lebanese citizen born and raised in Kuwait, where expatriates face long-term uncertainty, limited access to nature, extreme heat, and a high cost of living. Returning to Lebanon is not an option due to the ongoing war. Despite trying to relocate to Europe through visa applications and job searches, I’ve had no success, while financial limitations prevent me from pursuing a degree abroad. I feel stuck with very limited options for building a stable future."
------------------
Brief description :
26 male
Lebanese
Degree : IT and Computing
Certifications : CCIE in Security
Experience : 4 years working as a Netowkr Engineer
Speak : Arabic, English and a little German (A2)
I'm a Lebanese citizen who was born and lived my whole life in Kuwait. Life in Kuwait offers very little stability for expatriates. You could be living there for years, building a life, working hard, and trying to secure your future, only to find yourself at risk of deportation over something relatively minor. There is always a sense that your life there is temporary, no matter how long you have lived in the country.
Another major downside is the lack of nature and outdoor experiences. Kuwait has no greenery, no forests, and no natural landscapes to explore. The extreme summer heat (50°+) also makes outdoor activities difficult for much of the year, leaving people with nothing to do but few limited options beyond malls, cafés, and restaurants.
Also, The cost of living can also affect your quality of life. Although Kuwait offers good earning opportunities in certain professions, expenses such as housing, transportation, healthcare, and education can add up a lot. Your ability to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle depends heavily on your salary and personal circumstances which is hard for the average worker like myself).
Moving back to Lebanon is not an option at all, especially with the ongoing war and the security situation in the country. The constant threat of violence, uncertainty, and the risk to personal safety make it extremely difficult to consider returning and rebuilding a life there. Even beyond the war, Lebanon's economic and political instability makes it challenging to plan for a secure future. This leaves you feeling trapped in Kuwait, where you may lack long-term stability and a sense of belonging, but returning home is simply too dangerous and uncertain.
I have tried to relocate to Europe by applying for a German job-seeker visa twice, but both applications were rejected. I have also applied for jobs in several European countries without receiving responses.
Unfortunately, pursuing a degree abroad is not financially feasible, leaving me with limited options to relocate and build a more stable future despite my continued efforts.
Where can I move to ?
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1
u/striketheviol Top Contributor 🛂 5d ago
It's fairly easy to narrow things down in a case like this.
It's very likely that you'll need more experience to move.
I've seen people with your profile have success after six to seven years. But you can certainly prepare now if you want. Given that you've started on German, I would continue that and focus on Germany and Austria. If you get up to B2, better C1, you'll have a chance at smaller firms. The job seeker visa is unrealistic for your situation. You'll simply need to apply to every single job you can find in Germany and Austria over the next several years while improving your German level. If you really wanted to, you could learn Dutch to fluency and try to prioritize the Netherlands and Belgium, but the overall combined job market is in order of magnitude smaller. Spain has a terrible employment crisis and is unlikely to turn the corner anytime soon. If you push hard on German now, I believe you should be in a good position to move within two to three years. I'd double down on security and try to focus your career in this direction, gaining more relevant certifications.
2
u/CoffeeInTheTropics 5d ago
Avoid The Netherlands and Germany, they are completely oversaturated and only if you are some desperately needed unicorn will an employer want to sponsor your visa.
Learn French to B2 and see if you can accumulate enough points for Express Entry for French speakers. At least you will have a PR secured upon landing.
1
u/No_Mulberry8533 5d ago
But isn't France facing the same problems when it comes to employment and job market ?
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u/GoodBreakfast1156 5d ago
They are talking about learning French for Canadas immigration process. But most of the developed world has a very difficult job market right now.
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u/surprisedbookmark898 6d ago
that CCIE security is no joke, most network engineers I've worked with don't even attempt it till they're deep into their career. you've got a serious cert at 26 with 4 years experience, that's the kind of profile companies fight over
the visa rejections suck but they're often about paperwork technicalities not your actual qualifications. have you looked into the EU blue card route instead of the job seeker visa? the requirements are clearer and your cert might push you into a higher salary bracket that qualifies
for countries like Netherlands or Germany the IT sector is desperate for network security people, especially with your level of cert. you might have better luck targeting multinationals with offices in the gulf who can transfer you internally, that's how a couple lebanese colleagues got out
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u/CoffeeInTheTropics 5d ago
Not true plus you need fluent language skills nowadays in any European country even C1 will not suffice.
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u/[deleted] 5d ago
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