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Emigrating from Belarus to Poland is easy. Even if one of your grandparents has Polish origins you can get easily equivalent of USA green card. Polish govername

Emigrating from Belarus to Poland is easy. Even if one of your grandparents has Polish origins you can get easily equivalent of USA green card. Polish governament is working on new law to make it even easier and available more broadly. Given Poland borders before World War II were covering huge part of today Belarus a lot of people can take of the advantage. Regular work permit for IT proffesional is also rubber stamp. Nothing compared to cruel H1B. I guess same as after Ukraine revolution, a lot of Belarusians will end up in Poland.

newsbinator 6y ago
There is the matter of family records having been lost in fires during/after WW2, and having to take a Polish language test.
andyroid 6y ago
From my friends in Poland I hear many of them are considering moving after the latest election and the direction the country seems to be heading. Good to know there are tech workers from Belarus to step into their positions.
- xiphias2 6y ago
  If they get an EU citizenship, they may not stay in Poland for long.
  - crispyporkbites 6y ago
    Most likely they will want to stay close to Belarus, as most will have family that remains and be hopeful that their country improves in the future.
    - severino 6y ago
      > be hopeful that their country improves in the future Yes, but things can go into the other direction too, if for example the EU takes over and their good old country turns into another failed state ala Ukraine...
      - Tostino 6y ago
        If the EU takes over they are more likely turn into a failed state? Not quite sure I'm getting what you mean.
        Nginx487 6y ago
        In any internet topic covering Ukraine or Belarus, you can find at least one toxic Russian actively hating its Western neighbors.
        severino 6y ago
        Only that they don't have to be Russian. One can be a westerner and still be able to think by itself. PS: sometimes I'm a Chinese too.
        krageon 6y ago
        Perhaps we can strip the nationalistic posturing and just say it is toxic then.
        Nginx487 6y ago
        Which means, most probably you never been to Ukraine or Belarus, but you mock or hate them simply for the fact of belonging to their nation. Congrats, this is what nazis during WWII did. What people like you still do.
        severino 6y ago
        Well, it doesn't usually take much time until one starts talking about nazis in a debate, does it? But I'm sure the pro-EU Ukrainians who ousted their legitimate president in 2014 would be very proud of me if I were a nazi, though... https://hoaxeye.com/2014/12/22/nazi-flags-in-ukraine/ https://hoaxeye.com/2014/12/22/nazi-flags-in-ukraine/
        Nginx487 6y ago
    - bonoboTP 6y ago
      Germany is just one country further; flights are fast and dirt cheap. If you go abroad, might as well go to a place where salaries are higher.
      - xyzzyz 6y ago
        Surprisingly enough, tech salaries are not that much higher in Germany than they are in Poland. In Germany, the tech wages are surprisingly low, and when you couple that with higher taxes and high cost of living, it is not as attractive as US or Switzerland. In more concrete terms: 60-70k EUR is what you are looking at in Germany in good job markets, while in Poland the figure is 30-40k EUR. When you consider taxes, housing, and other costs, the difference is really not that great.
        bonoboTP 6y ago
        Life is pretty cheap in Germany if you live a simple life. Supermarkets are famously cheap. Clothes, electronics cost the same as anywhere else. Rent is bearable outside of big cities and jobs are quite well distributed across Germany. The big difference is in the savings. Even if you just make twice as much, your savings per month can be several times higher than in Poland, which makes a lot of difference if you want to go back to your country later on and buy a house etc.
        blub 6y ago
        One has to also mention that living a simple life likely involves living in a smaller town somewhere with all the negative aspects that it involves. i.e. lack of social life, no other like-minded expats, etc.
        bonoboTP 6y ago
        Lots of "small towns" have social life especially university towns. Also, yes, a simple life means not to live like an American expat lol. You can have a social life without spending lots of money if you socialize with "like minded" people who also don't want to waste money. You can have friends over for dinner at home with a few beers from the supermarket, play cards or boardgames or video games, soccer or basketball outside, have a BBQ, watch a movie at home, etc. But it's not like you'd have an American expat-like luxury life in the alternative scenario of staying in Eastern Europe either. The point is, by keeping down your lifestyle you can multiply your savings and escape the cycle of poverty and be able to afford a home in a few years, if you go back to your home country and can support your relatives back home in the meantime. This is a great deal for a lot of people even without the fancy expat-like money-burning lifestyle.
ArkVark 6y ago
Poland is not a great place to live either. Sales tax is 23%, stores are all shut on Sunday (by decree of the Polish Catholic church, essentially), real estate prices are similar to the midwest USA due to restrictions on new builds, and taxes on labor and small business are high and complicated. The language itself uses a bastardized version of the Latin alphabet which is inferior to Cyrillic, and general pronunciation is the much more difficult compared to Ukrainian or Russian. Many of the cities are cold and dark owing to latitude, and in winter filled with air pollution from out of control coal and trash burning in urban chimneys. The main thing Poland has going for it is a massive flow of EU funds and no refugees from Africa or the Middle East, as well as a population with a generally Western mindset and work style.
- Twixes 6y ago
  Poland definitely could be a lot better, but these are some odd points. VAT is higher than in Germany, but lower than in Sweden. Nothing that gets anyone going really. Real estate is quite cheap (dollar to dollar, not exactly for Poles) for a European country, though Warsaw does stand out as the capital. There isn't anything "bastardized" or "inferior" about either the Polish or Belarusian alphabet, or really any alphabet for that matter. They just come from different backgrounds. Poland is also largely south of Belarus, including Warsaw being south of Minsk, so not sure about cold or darkness.
  - sam_lowry_ 6y ago
    Also, GDP growth rate in Poland was double or triple of GDP growth in Belarus over the last 10 years. IT has grown even more.
  - krageon 6y ago
    While you've addressed things in a way that I think is fair, to me the most important points are about air pollution and atmosphere. Are they wrong about those as well?
dominotw 6y ago
>Even if one of your grandparents has Polish origins you can get easily equivalent of USA green card. >Nothing compared to cruel H1B. H1B doesn't need your grandparents to be from USA.
- tehlike 6y ago
  grandparent is for greencard/permanent residency equivalent - not for h1b.
- dragonwriter 6y ago
  H1B doesn't qualify you for a green card, either, it just gives you temporary residency and work authorization, without prohibiting you from intending to later seek a status that would qualify you for a green card without leaving first.
- jdminhbg 6y ago
  You're quoting two different things. The first is a green card equivalent, the second is a work permit.
  - dominotw 6y ago
    you are right. i misread the comment.

newsbinator 6y ago

There is the matter of family records having been lost in fires during/after WW2, and having to take a Polish language test.

andyroid 6y ago

From my friends in Poland I hear many of them are considering moving after the latest election and the direction the country seems to be heading. Good to know there are tech workers from Belarus to step into their positions.

xiphias2 6y ago
If they get an EU citizenship, they may not stay in Poland for long.
- crispyporkbites 6y ago
  Most likely they will want to stay close to Belarus, as most will have family that remains and be hopeful that their country improves in the future.
  - severino 6y ago
    > be hopeful that their country improves in the future Yes, but things can go into the other direction too, if for example the EU takes over and their good old country turns into another failed state ala Ukraine...
    - Tostino 6y ago
      If the EU takes over they are more likely turn into a failed state? Not quite sure I'm getting what you mean.
      - Nginx487 6y ago
        In any internet topic covering Ukraine or Belarus, you can find at least one toxic Russian actively hating its Western neighbors.
        severino 6y ago
        Only that they don't have to be Russian. One can be a westerner and still be able to think by itself. PS: sometimes I'm a Chinese too.
        krageon 6y ago
        Perhaps we can strip the nationalistic posturing and just say it is toxic then.
        Nginx487 6y ago
        Which means, most probably you never been to Ukraine or Belarus, but you mock or hate them simply for the fact of belonging to their nation. Congrats, this is what nazis during WWII did. What people like you still do.
        severino 6y ago
        Well, it doesn't usually take much time until one starts talking about nazis in a debate, does it? But I'm sure the pro-EU Ukrainians who ousted their legitimate president in 2014 would be very proud of me if I were a nazi, though... https://hoaxeye.com/2014/12/22/nazi-flags-in-ukraine/ https://hoaxeye.com/2014/12/22/nazi-flags-in-ukraine/
        Nginx487 6y ago
  - bonoboTP 6y ago
    Germany is just one country further; flights are fast and dirt cheap. If you go abroad, might as well go to a place where salaries are higher.
    - xyzzyz 6y ago
      Surprisingly enough, tech salaries are not that much higher in Germany than they are in Poland. In Germany, the tech wages are surprisingly low, and when you couple that with higher taxes and high cost of living, it is not as attractive as US or Switzerland. In more concrete terms: 60-70k EUR is what you are looking at in Germany in good job markets, while in Poland the figure is 30-40k EUR. When you consider taxes, housing, and other costs, the difference is really not that great.
      - bonoboTP 6y ago
        Life is pretty cheap in Germany if you live a simple life. Supermarkets are famously cheap. Clothes, electronics cost the same as anywhere else. Rent is bearable outside of big cities and jobs are quite well distributed across Germany. The big difference is in the savings. Even if you just make twice as much, your savings per month can be several times higher than in Poland, which makes a lot of difference if you want to go back to your country later on and buy a house etc.
        blub 6y ago
        One has to also mention that living a simple life likely involves living in a smaller town somewhere with all the negative aspects that it involves. i.e. lack of social life, no other like-minded expats, etc.
        bonoboTP 6y ago
        Lots of "small towns" have social life especially university towns. Also, yes, a simple life means not to live like an American expat lol. You can have a social life without spending lots of money if you socialize with "like minded" people who also don't want to waste money. You can have friends over for dinner at home with a few beers from the supermarket, play cards or boardgames or video games, soccer or basketball outside, have a BBQ, watch a movie at home, etc. But it's not like you'd have an American expat-like luxury life in the alternative scenario of staying in Eastern Europe either. The point is, by keeping down your lifestyle you can multiply your savings and escape the cycle of poverty and be able to afford a home in a few years, if you go back to your home country and can support your relatives back home in the meantime. This is a great deal for a lot of people even without the fancy expat-like money-burning lifestyle.

ArkVark 6y ago

Poland is not a great place to live either. Sales tax is 23%, stores are all shut on Sunday (by decree of the Polish Catholic church, essentially), real estate prices are similar to the midwest USA due to restrictions on new builds, and taxes on labor and small business are high and complicated. The language itself uses a bastardized version of the Latin alphabet which is inferior to Cyrillic, and general pronunciation is the much more difficult compared to Ukrainian or Russian. Many of the cities are cold and dark owing to latitude, and in winter filled with air pollution from out of control coal and trash burning in urban chimneys. The main thing Poland has going for it is a massive flow of EU funds and no refugees from Africa or the Middle East, as well as a population with a generally Western mindset and work style.

Twixes 6y ago
Poland definitely could be a lot better, but these are some odd points. VAT is higher than in Germany, but lower than in Sweden. Nothing that gets anyone going really. Real estate is quite cheap (dollar to dollar, not exactly for Poles) for a European country, though Warsaw does stand out as the capital. There isn't anything "bastardized" or "inferior" about either the Polish or Belarusian alphabet, or really any alphabet for that matter. They just come from different backgrounds. Poland is also largely south of Belarus, including Warsaw being south of Minsk, so not sure about cold or darkness.
- sam_lowry_ 6y ago
  Also, GDP growth rate in Poland was double or triple of GDP growth in Belarus over the last 10 years. IT has grown even more.
- krageon 6y ago
  While you've addressed things in a way that I think is fair, to me the most important points are about air pollution and atmosphere. Are they wrong about those as well?

dominotw 6y ago

>Even if one of your grandparents has Polish origins you can get easily equivalent of USA green card. >Nothing compared to cruel H1B. H1B doesn't need your grandparents to be from USA.

tehlike 6y ago
grandparent is for greencard/permanent residency equivalent - not for h1b.
dragonwriter 6y ago
H1B doesn't qualify you for a green card, either, it just gives you temporary residency and work authorization, without prohibiting you from intending to later seek a status that would qualify you for a green card without leaving first.
jdminhbg 6y ago
You're quoting two different things. The first is a green card equivalent, the second is a work permit.
- dominotw 6y ago
  you are right. i misread the comment.