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Comment by Hamuko | Hacker News Reader

>If you are not from the EU, you can only work for a European.

I was under the impression you can start a business as long as you have a residence permit.

https://www.suomi.fi/company/starting-a-business/foreign-ent...

I have no idea about Finland, but in Europe in general, you can't open a business cleanly without a permanent residence permit, which takes usually 5+ years to get. In Denmark where I've lived, it's about 9+ years last I checked, but Danes are super xenophobic, so they don't want you there period. The link you sent describes being forced to be approved by some board they have, so it also sounds like Finland has hurdles too. In my experience, Europe is happy to skip out on the next Google if it means only the local get to play and win.

Spain and France have entrepreneur visas.

So if I am rich or can convince the people that I have the right sort of idea, I can try there? I don't think that's quite the same thing as letting a person succeed on their own merit in the free market. It sounds like much the same as what I saw elsewhere in Europe - the state or a group of rich people picking winners, who more often than not don't win.

But US has far stricter visa system than EU?

Then, like anywhere else, you can try to become a citizen. I mean, it's not like Spain has very strict requirements.

Estonian e-residency?

Estonian e-residency is not a true residency. It's mostly just marketing.

> Please be aware that e-Residency does not confer citizenship, tax residency, residence or right of entry to Estonia or to the European Union. It is not a visa or residence permit. via: https://apply.gov.ee/

So while you can start a company in Estonia, you can't legally work there or stay in the EU as far as I know.

> in Europe in general, you can't open a business cleanly without a permanent residence permit

What about that e-Residency thing Estonia created?

I know for Slovenia that you can start a company there as a foreigner, and then get a work visa simply by employing yourself, it's a fairly simple procedure. After 5 years you qualify for permanent residency (I believe that's the same everywhere in EU).

afaik, if you are EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, you can do it online in no time.

If you're from outside, then you need to get a startup permit from a panel of experts (and fulfill a couple more conditions), which quite difficult I guess.

>In my experience, Europe is happy to skip out on the next Google if it means only the local get to play and win.

Wasn't Google founded by two citizens of the United States of America?

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