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Ask HN: Advice for the travelling developer

10 points by jmts ↗ HN
I am a software engineer based in Australia. For the last few years I have been working in embedded systems, however prior to that I did work in a web-related support role, and explored some computer graphics and computer vision for my Bachelor and consequent Honours. I feel that I've always followed 'the template' in many regards, trying to establish a career while following opportunities and interests as they present themselves. More recently I feel that I've constrained myself a little however, and am considering the potential for a year of travel and personal growth after a trip to the US and eastern Europe later this year.

If I were younger, this may be a little easier. Unfortunately, it seems I may have just missed the boat on working holiday visas. While there are many options for younger people, and some countries have friendlier systems than others, I am coming up on 32 years on the planet and some of my options for visas have recently evaporated. Though I have a great deal more research to do, this leads me to the belief that my skills as a developer are my greatest asset in finding work overseas, however I suspect that short term work for the skilled traveller may be a difficult prospect.

So, I am curious, what have the readers of HN done to make this work? Is it just a matter of finding the right visa, or the right company and finding some contract work, or are there other options out there that I have not considered?

3 comments

[ 4.9 ms ] story [ 18.5 ms ] thread
CyberFonic
Why spoil travelling the world with work? I would simply save up enough money to travel for a while and come back to Oz when the money runs out.

If you really want to travel and work, then perhaps an option is to be a remote-worker on contract to some startup. You could set up a company in Oz and then bill (export services) the startup. In your travels you could touch base with them on a mutually convenient basis.

jasonkester
Sounds like you're overthinking it.

The standard answer you'll get from any of the thousands of people doing what you're considering doing is "what, I need a visa for this?"

Nobody cares that you're working from your laptop without the correct visa. It's so vanishingly rare that anybody gets in trouble doing so that you'll find the one and only example in the archives here if you search (because it was so bizarre as to be news-worthy). Go back to that same internet cafe in Chiang Mai today and you'll be fine though.

Just go as a tourist, and don't overstay.

And have fun!

borplk
As another person said I'd say just go as a tourist with a laptop in your bag.

No one cares.

What are you doing on the laptop? Reading an article. Skyping with a friend. Checking your emails. Basic standard stuff, no one else's business.