Work in other EU countries while I have temporary Residence permit in Lithuania

Question

I am iOS Developer and co-founder of a startup in Lithuania and as non-EU citizen I have startup visa and temporary residence permit in Lithuania. Do I have permission to looking for job in other EU countries like Netherland? Can I apply for residency in that country? What is the rules for looking for a job in another country if I am already in EU?

Answer 1

As far as i know, your working permit is limited to Lithuania, and you cannot work with Lithuania's work permit in any other EU country.

If you wish to work in other countries, you have to get the work permit of that country first.

In order to obtain the work permit, you must first make contract with a company in that country, and then ask the embassy to give you the work permit.

Answer 2

Do I have permission to looking for job in other EU countries like Netherland?

Yes, a residence permit from a Schengen country allows visits (technically up to 90 days in any 180-day period) to other Schengen countries and looking for work isn't an activity that require a specific permission. You would need one to actually start working though.

Can I apply for residency in that country?

Probably not from within the country but there are exceptions, e.g. US citizens, long-term residents EU, Blue Card holders, members of the family of an EU citizen. If you do not fit in one of these categories, you're required to go back to your country of residence (Lithuania) and apply for a long-stay visa (a MVV) from that country.

What is the rules for looking for a job in another country if I am already in EU?

In a nutshell, you can look for work without formalities but not take up work immediately. Obviously, this makes finding work more difficult as you need to find a job that qualifies for a residence permit and an employer willing to wait for you and to contend with immigration law (there are costs and formalities to complete on their end).