Expat.com and global research agency Kantar have teamed up to explore the reasons why people want to move abroad in 2019. The research also reveals the countries preferred by expats and future expats and the reasons that make to them said countries attractive.
Who participated?
4,762 expatriates and future expatriates participated in this survey. 46% were expatriates and 54% were future expatriates. Both were retired, professionals, businessmen or students. The survey was distributed among Expat.com members. Of all participants, 36% were women. Please note that some participants have checked more than one occupation.
Profession?
Of the expatriates and future expatriates who participated in this survey, 31% were retirees, 38% were professionals, and the remaining respondents were students, businesspeople, and the unemployed.
Why do professionals want to move abroad in 2019?
Professionals who are moving abroad this year, or who want to move abroad, have responded that the main reason for their willingness to emigrate is the need for better professional opportunities. And it is in Canada that most of them want to take advantage of these professional opportunities.
Have these reasons changed?
Not really. Both expats and soon-to-be expats cite career opportunities as the main reason for wanting to move abroad. The second and third reasons why expats have moved abroad are family reasons and seeking a better quality of life, respectively.
Why do retirees want to move abroad in 2019?
Most retirees, however, explain that they decide to spend their retirement in another country because they are looking for more pleasant climates and a change of scenery.
Have these reasons changed?
Retired expats also cite a change of scenery and better weather as the main reason for wanting to move abroad.
Where do professionals want to go?
Professionals list Canada as their number one choice. The top three reasons Canada was included first were career opportunities, good quality of life and a better future for children.
While Spain, the United States, France and Costa Rica were also popular countries, a significant percentage of future expats had not yet decided where they would go.
Where do retirees want to go?
Portugal, Spain, Thailand and Costa Rica were respectively the most popular countries among retirees.
Who do future expatriates intend to go abroad with?
48% of expats intend to settle abroad with their families and 40% will move abroad alone. Only 12% of future expats who participated in the survey chose “other.” This does not change much from previous years, as 48% of expats who participated in the survey indicated that they moved abroad with their families, while 42% moved abroad alone.
