Where should a migrant build a career: appliance repair or tech?

Repairing household appliances is a decent living for a migrant. It is reasonably straightforward, the barrier to entry is low and you can count on some stability — at first glance appliance repair looks like nothing but advantages. On the other hand, a great many people are trying to get into tech. That is no surprise: there are more directions to choose from and the pay is higher. But how do you break in against that competition?

Which is easier for a migrant to pick up: tech or appliance repair? Let's work through it without prejudice.

What appliance repair involves

Building a career here means repairing and servicing household appliances, from small mixers to large refrigeration units. Beyond understanding how the machines work, you need to:

• be physically hardy;
• have good communication skills, since you will deal with a great many customers;
• keep developing.

Technology does not stand still. To stay in demand you will have to keep improving — learning to work with electronics and even embedded software.

The upsides and downsides of appliance repair are broadly clear, so we will not dwell on them. In tech, by contrast:

• the only equipment is a laptop;
• problems are solved with logic, algorithms and code;
• most of your communication is with your team;
• as in appliance repair, your skills need constant work.

As for prospects, tech comes out ahead — if only because you will be working with the technology of the future rather than repairing the breakdowns of the past.

How to get into each field

Repairing appliances takes more than knowledge. You will most likely need practical training or a course to get licensed, and as a migrant you will need work authorisation. It also matters how you want to start — finding customers yourself or joining a service centre. The first route means investing money in good tools.

Getting into tech is not as hard as it is made out to be. Choose a direction that interests you, take an online course, build a portfolio and apply for junior positions. An internship improves your chances further.

Appliance repair pay in 2025, and what tech people earn

Let's finish with some concrete figures. What appliance repair technicians earn depends on their experience, their volume of work and even the state they are in. On average it is $40,000–$70,000 a year. A beginning front-end developer or QA engineer can expect $65,000–$90,000 a year.

You can look up current figures for both on the specialist salary sites. What we would say is that a decent living is possible in either field. But if you want more freedom, more prospects and more interesting problems, tech is worth a closer look.

Frequently asked questions

What hours does appliance repair work involve?
Shifts, if you work at a service centre, and irregular hours if you work for yourself. Calls can come at weekends, on holidays, in the evening and even at night.

Do all tech professions require writing code?
No.

Is tech suitable for people from a humanities background?
Yes. Plenty of directions sit close to creative work, management or analysis.

Do you need a technical degree to go into tech?
No.

How long does it take to train as an appliance repair technician?
Starting from scratch, anywhere from a few months to six.