6 reasons to develop IT career in Armenia
Today, Yerevan is one of the most active technological centers in the post-Soviet space, suitable for those who want to change the situation, the country and the company, but at the same time not to break away from the familiar and dear.
Each may have their own motives for moving to Armenia, but there are several reasons that will interest everyone.
Less than 3 million people live in Armenia, a little more than a million in Yerevan, more than 22,000 of them work in the IT sector, this is every 18th worker. At the same time, about 3 thousand vacancies remain unclosed.
The share of the IT sector in Armenia’s GDP in 2017 was 7% and continues to grow. According to this indicator, Armenia is on the same level with Estonia, bypassing the United States.
What does this number mean for IT professionals, startups and freelancers?
What is now concentrated in Yerevan environment for growth and development. The market is vast, and it has something to offer. According to the Enterprise Incubator Foundation, in 2017 there were 650 companies in the country, 800 if you include startups. Every year, over the past 10 years, an average of 43 new companies or international offices opened in Armenia, fueling the demand for good specialists. And the more demand, the more freedom of choice and interesting offers, new technologies and strong teams.
Armenia creates a favorable climate for the development of the industry and special conditions for attracting foreign investments, specialists and corporations. Among the companies represented in Armenia are Synopsys, Siemens, Oracle, National Instruments, Cisco, VMware, Deloitte. Many global food companies are also registered in Yerevan. In the past year alone, development offices opened Californian DISQO (attracted $ 14 million in investments in 2018), Vineti ($ 48 million), ServiceTitan ($ 227 million).
In addition to the rapid pace of development, the IT sector of Armenia attracts attention with another feature - a large number of girls involved in work at all stages and in all directions. On the world average, the percentage of girls working in IT does not exceed 20%; in Armenia, the figure is close to 30 . For comparison, in Belarus women make up 19% , the USA - 20% , Canada - 27% .
Girls are not only involved in business departments and marketing, they are game developers, programmers and testers. In the Armenian office of Synopsys, an international leader in chip and semiconductor design, 33% of engineers are women, while the company’s head office in Silicon Valley is less than 15%.
Salaries of experienced developers in Yerevan are comparable or even higher than in other cities of the CIS. However, we must take into account the fact that the cost of living in Armenia is 30-35% cheaper than, for example, in Moscow. As a result, the figure is one, and the value is different.
Salary, although denoted in US dollars, is paid in drams. But the Armenian dram is a stable and predictable currency. For comparison, the dynamics of the national currencies of Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine over the past 6 years against the US dollar are as follows.
Some facts about life in Armenia. In Yerevan, there are 250 sunny days a year, more than 8 months of uninterrupted sun. And yes, snow lovers may get bored in winter in Yerevan, but an hour’s drive from the city is a ski resort, you can also find snow in summer, for example, on Mount Aragats. In the summer it is worth driving 650 km, and you sunbathe on the seashore in Batumi.
According to 2018, Armenia is ranked 18th in the world in terms of security. The indicator, which is perceived as a given by many local residents, is noted by everyone who has lived in another country for at least a year or two.
For citizens of Russia, Armenia is one of the few countries where a Russian passport simplifies the resolution of issues with documents. With Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian or Kazakh citizenship, you can live and work in the country up to 180 days without a break, draw up documents in a couple of days and fly from Moscow to Yerevan in 2.5 hours. Russians do not even need a passport to enter Armenia.
A weighty plus, affecting a comfortable stay in the country, is the wide distribution of the Russian language. In schools, Russian is taught from the second grade, there are Russian groups in universities. The overwhelming majority of the population to some extent speak the language, and in a situation in which Russian does not help, English saves. Being fluent in two languages, one can safely live in Armenia and not speak Armenian, simply because there is no urgent need.
Denis, Kostya and Roman in 2018 moved from Moscow to Yerevan to work in technology companies in Armenia. In a small video they told what prompted them to move, and what are the features of work in Armenian IT.
Each may have their own motives for moving to Armenia, but there are several reasons that will interest everyone.
1. Large indicators of a small country
Less than 3 million people live in Armenia, a little more than a million in Yerevan, more than 22,000 of them work in the IT sector, this is every 18th worker. At the same time, about 3 thousand vacancies remain unclosed.
The share of the IT sector in Armenia’s GDP in 2017 was 7% and continues to grow. According to this indicator, Armenia is on the same level with Estonia, bypassing the United States.
What does this number mean for IT professionals, startups and freelancers?
What is now concentrated in Yerevan environment for growth and development. The market is vast, and it has something to offer. According to the Enterprise Incubator Foundation, in 2017 there were 650 companies in the country, 800 if you include startups. Every year, over the past 10 years, an average of 43 new companies or international offices opened in Armenia, fueling the demand for good specialists. And the more demand, the more freedom of choice and interesting offers, new technologies and strong teams.
2. International companies
Armenia creates a favorable climate for the development of the industry and special conditions for attracting foreign investments, specialists and corporations. Among the companies represented in Armenia are Synopsys, Siemens, Oracle, National Instruments, Cisco, VMware, Deloitte. Many global food companies are also registered in Yerevan. In the past year alone, development offices opened Californian DISQO (attracted $ 14 million in investments in 2018), Vineti ($ 48 million), ServiceTitan ($ 227 million).
3. Women's third
In addition to the rapid pace of development, the IT sector of Armenia attracts attention with another feature - a large number of girls involved in work at all stages and in all directions. On the world average, the percentage of girls working in IT does not exceed 20%; in Armenia, the figure is close to 30 . For comparison, in Belarus women make up 19% , the USA - 20% , Canada - 27% .
Girls are not only involved in business departments and marketing, they are game developers, programmers and testers. In the Armenian office of Synopsys, an international leader in chip and semiconductor design, 33% of engineers are women, while the company’s head office in Silicon Valley is less than 15%.
4. Price issue
Salaries of experienced developers in Yerevan are comparable or even higher than in other cities of the CIS. However, we must take into account the fact that the cost of living in Armenia is 30-35% cheaper than, for example, in Moscow. As a result, the figure is one, and the value is different.
Salary, although denoted in US dollars, is paid in drams. But the Armenian dram is a stable and predictable currency. For comparison, the dynamics of the national currencies of Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine over the past 6 years against the US dollar are as follows.
5. Comfortable environment
Some facts about life in Armenia. In Yerevan, there are 250 sunny days a year, more than 8 months of uninterrupted sun. And yes, snow lovers may get bored in winter in Yerevan, but an hour’s drive from the city is a ski resort, you can also find snow in summer, for example, on Mount Aragats. In the summer it is worth driving 650 km, and you sunbathe on the seashore in Batumi.
According to 2018, Armenia is ranked 18th in the world in terms of security. The indicator, which is perceived as a given by many local residents, is noted by everyone who has lived in another country for at least a year or two.
For citizens of Russia, Armenia is one of the few countries where a Russian passport simplifies the resolution of issues with documents. With Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian or Kazakh citizenship, you can live and work in the country up to 180 days without a break, draw up documents in a couple of days and fly from Moscow to Yerevan in 2.5 hours. Russians do not even need a passport to enter Armenia.
6. Speak at home
A weighty plus, affecting a comfortable stay in the country, is the wide distribution of the Russian language. In schools, Russian is taught from the second grade, there are Russian groups in universities. The overwhelming majority of the population to some extent speak the language, and in a situation in which Russian does not help, English saves. Being fluent in two languages, one can safely live in Armenia and not speak Armenian, simply because there is no urgent need.
Denis, Kostya and Roman in 2018 moved from Moscow to Yerevan to work in technology companies in Armenia. In a small video they told what prompted them to move, and what are the features of work in Armenian IT.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/439252/