What countries should I move to? The best countries to move to are not the same for everyone! Finding the ideal destination depends first of all on what is expected on a personal level.
The best country to move to is not the same for everyone!
Even if rankings of best countries to move to are regularly published and updated, they only reflect a global vision, and finding the ideal expat destination depends first and foremost on what one expects from the experience.
The best country to move to is often the one with highest professional opportunities
Career, the main driver when choosing an expat destination
Professional opportunities and career development are the most common motivations for moving abroad.
Among the best countries for expats are economically dynamic destinations such as Taiwan and Singapore.
But local specifications need to be taken into account and make the best countries to move to differ according to the profile of the candidates:
- Asia for finance and new technologies
- Germany for industry
- United Arab Emirates for Health
- Etc.
The important role of expat communities
Dynamism is a criterion for selecting the easiest countries to move to that does not stop at the economy.
Students and young graduates have a particular interest in choosing a foreign destination with a strong community of expats from all over the world, as in most of the world’s major capitals.
This will allow them to grow personally, but also to create new opportunities for the future by building a professional network.
Quality of life, a determining fact in choosing an expat destination
The cost of living is an important reason
The cost of living is also an important reason when choosing the best country to move to, according to constraints and needs that differ depending on whether one is a young couple with children, a retiree or a young and dynamic entrepreneur.
Real estate prices, salaries, health, leisure and food costs, and tax benefits are all important factors depending on the profile of people looking for the ideal expat destination.
In this context, Ireland or Vietnam appeal to many expats.
A gentle way of life, one of the assets of the best countries for expats.
To be among the best countries for expats, you must also offer a certain level of quality of life. The health infrastructure and local health system, the number and quality of schools accessible to foreigners, air pollution, and the availability of recreational facilities and transportation are all determining factors.
The climate also plays a crucial role when asking yourself what country should I move to, as Portugal’s consistently good ranking proves: with equal professional opportunities, a mild, sunny climate is much more attractive than harsh winters or frequent risks of cyclones.
Likewise, the security and stability of the expat destinations also have much to say, which explains Switzerland’s regular presence in the rankings of the best countries to move to, despite a high cost of living.
The best countries for expats are those where you feel comfortable.
Language, an obstacle for expats?
A successful expatriation will depend on a good integration in the new country of residence, which at the same time depends on the local language expertise.
Does this mean that the best country to move to is necessarily a country of your own language? Not really, because the interest for an expat is also to discover a country, its inhabitants and its language. However, language counts, and a language that is too complex can sometimes hinder the smooth running of a stay.
For instance, the Czech Republic, which offers great professional opportunities and a good quality of life, is not very appreciated by expats nowadays.
Steps to facilitate installation
Facilitated procedures for settling in or obtaining visas also contribute to make things easier when someone is thinking about how to move to a different country. Settling in the European Union is therefore simpler than moving to another continent.
For several years now, Canada has had a policy in place to facilitate the settlement of English speakers. This initiative as well as the fact that the country is partly English speaking easily explains why Canada regularly appears among the best countries for expats.
Finding the best country to move to: a matter of compromise
Expatriation is also a way to travel and discover the world. This important fact must be taken into account when choosing your next expat destination.
Breathtaking scenery and an exotic environment are part of the richness of the whole experience and also count when choosing the best country to move to. Actually the success of Australia and New Zealand are proof of this.
But watch out: the farther you go, the less frequently you have the opportunity to see your loved ones who have stayed in your country of origin. And the greater the cultural differences, the greater the feeling of isolation and homesickness.
So there are as many better countries for expats as there are expatriates. It is first and foremost a question of constraints, motivations and personal affinities.
