Either be a freelancer, or work for American companies remotely. I do both.

French companies pay freelancers not only more than employees, but they are way more annoying with the later. They just give you a better status for some unfair social reasons.

American companies will generally have more interesting projects and higher budgets. They will pay you more than a French company, while it will still feel that it's cheaper for them.

As a freelancer you can still pay for taxes, social security, etc. and yet double what you would had made. Plus you get flexible hours and you can work from home.

The downside is that you can't suck, be lazy, or sick for too long. You have basically no safety net.

I'm already in France for with a worker visa (CDI). Changing that to a freelancer status (auto entrepreneur) is a huge administrative pain.

In Software Engineering, you don't need to work where you live nor live where you were born/studied. One very good reason.

If you're privelleged enough to not need a visa.

I think they were referring to remote work.

You won't get paid SV FANG money as a remote even more so if your from WP, Developing countries or even the UK / EIRE.

The Uk has been known for ages as a place to get well trained engineers on the cheap.

In Sweden I would say the best paid programmers get pretty high salaries. It can vary quite a lot though.

In Germany salaries for software developers are also very average

in neighbouring countries the salaries are only lower