Early-career software engineer hoping to move to Europe in the next 5–10 years ?

Hi everyone,

I'm an early-career software engineer from India and would really appreciate some advice from people who have experience in product companies, international hiring, or relocating to Europe.

Background

- Started my Bachelor's in Computer Applications (BCA) in 2021

- Graduated with my Master of Computer Applications (MCA) in 2026

- Frontend Developer (Next.js) at a small startup (June - Aug 2024) while studying

- Full Stack (.NET + React Native) internship at another startup (Feb–Jul 2025)

- Currently completing a Software Engineering internship at a multinational company (Apr–Aug 2026), with a possible extension until February 2027

- I also have a full-time offer from Accenture, expected to start later this year (timing isn't confirmed yet)

Experience

By the time I graduate, I'll have around two years of combined internship and professional experience across startups and a multinational company.

Tech Stack

Current:

- C#

- ASP.NET Core

- Databricks

- Spark

- SQL

- Azure

Planning to learn more deeply:

- Azure

- System Design

- Distributed Systems

Career Goals

Within 3–4 years

I'd like to become a mid-level software engineer at a well-known product company or a strong multinational company.

Target compensation:

- Roughly US$30k–50k total annual compensation (in India), or the equivalent purchasing power in whichever country I'm working.

Within 8–10 years

I'd like to become a senior engineer at a top-tier technology company.

Target compensation:

- US$60k+ annually (in India or the equivalent in local compensation, depending on the country).

My bigger goal is to maximize learning and work on interesting engineering problems rather than chase titles.

Long-term goal: Relocate to Europe

One of my biggest goals is to move abroad after I've gained several years of experience.

Countries I'm considering:

- Germany (I currently have approximately B1 German proficiency)

- Switzerland (especially Zurich)

- Poland

Canada was previously on my list, but from what I've read, the software job market has become much more competitive, so Europe is my primary focus now.

I'm not looking to move immediately after graduation. I'd rather become a stronger engineer first and relocate with 3–6 years of solid experience.

Questions

1. If you were in my position, would you start your career at Accenture or continue looking for product companies?

2. Is specializing in the .NET ecosystem (along with Azure) a good long-term strategy, or would you recommend moving toward Java, Go, or another backend stack?

3. What skills created the biggest jump in your career between 2–5 years of experience?

4. How attractive is someone with 3–5 years of experience from India to employers in Germany, Switzerland, or Poland?

5. Is it generally easier to relocate through an internal transfer at a multinational company, or by applying directly to companies abroad?

6. If your goal were to maximize both career growth and the chances of relocating to Europe, what would you focus on during the next three years?

7. Is there anything in my roadmap that seems unrealistic or that I'm overlooking?

I'd really appreciate honest feedback, especially from engineers who have relocated internationally or who have experience hiring developers.

Thanks in advance!