Best country to migrate to instead of staying in the UK?

Sceptic2025

An 18-year-old was asking me what the best country to migrate to, out of the UK, is. She is thinking of giving up on this country because it's not what it was, but she doesn't know where to go instead. I have no information about this. Has anyone got a relative or relatives who have migrated out of the UK; if so, to where, and with what experience, good and bad, compared to the UK, and is migration there a good idea or too problematic? 

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JJG

Impossible to help without knowing why the 18 year old wants to move?

eskbanker

Sceptic2025 said:

An 18-year-old was asking me what the best country to migrate to, out of the UK, is. She is thinking of giving up on this country because it's not what it was, but she doesn't know where to go instead.

I can perhaps understand the jaundiced views of some who've lived here for many decades and who pine for the good old days, but an 18 year old, seriously?! 😮

I'd suggest that the 18 year old should be encouraged to understand that 'the grass isn't always greener elsewhere', or alternatively, that if she is determined to emigrate, that she does her own due diligence on potential destinations, if she's mature enough to be countenancing this as an actual plan....

Pollycat

I doubt most posters will have experience of an 18 year old wanting to move abroad permanently.
Lots of semi-retired/retired people but not that young.

Does she want to move to within the EU?
Would she want to visit the UK regularly/occasionally?
Does she speak any languages?
Does she have any skills?
What sort of job would she be looking for?

Lots more questions...

ButterCheese

Lots of people think you can just move to a country and live there, but it is not as simple.  First bit of advice I'd give is to get a working holiday visa - there are quite a few countries signed up to this.  Australia and NZ are both places I've lived and worked around for a year each.  See if this person likes it and even has the funds to go, and can manage to get a job lined up (through an agency is easier).  I think you can still extend your working holiday visa to 2 years.  In the meantime, if you haven't got a trade then you'd best get one, or train in something that is on the skills shortage list for the desired country.  You can't just rock up and say you want to work in a supermarket or be an administrator.

Australia is popular, especially the more temperate SE coast but the population is ever growing and as such they have the same problems as we do here with regard to high rent, high bills etc.  Moving inland or to the West it's not such an issue but the towns are smaller, hotter, more remote and most work is in farming or mining.

NZ is not as bad outside of Auckland and Wellington.  Wages are ok when you factor in cost of living.  But anywhere "nice" is going to be a struggle at 18 with presumably few qualifications or training.

My best advice would be, get trained and educated here, try and save up whilst living with parents.  If you can't do that then there is little hope of doing it in another country which is all unfamiliar and requires quite a bit of money to get there and find somewhere to live.  Then get a working holiday visa or work permit and go from there. 

NoodleDoodleMan

What does such a question have to do with Overseas holidays & travel planning ?

Tucosalamanca

No one can answer as everyone's situation and requirements are different.

My kids (aged around 18) acknowledge that life is very possibly better abroad, that doesn't mean that they're going to emigrate.

I know youngsters who have moved to Europe, Dubai, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, Canada, USA, most have ended up with lives that many Brits would be envious of.

The common theme throughout is having a good education or a desirable skill and lots of drive and desire to 'get on'.

For some balance, I have a number of relatives who have recently come to the UK from South Africa.
They're educated and travelled, they all chose UK & NI over anywhere else.
I think they're mad but they assure me that UK offers the best opportunities for them and their families....

I'd suggest a solid five years of work and education to prepare for migration.
That's plenty of time to research and consider options in the meantime...

diveunderthebonnet

Tucosalamanca said:

No one can answer as everyone's situation and requirements are different.

My kids (aged around 18) acknowledge that life is very possibly better abroad, that doesn't mean that they're going to emigrate.

I know youngsters who have moved to Europe, Dubai, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, Canada, USA, most have ended up with lives that many Brits would be envious of.

The common theme throughout is having a good education or a desirable skill and lots of drive and desire to 'get on'.

For some balance, I have a number of relatives who have recently come to the UK from South Africa.
They're educated and travelled, they all chose UK & NI over anywhere else.
I think they're mad but they assure me that UK offers the best opportunities for them and their families....

I'd suggest a solid five years of work and education to prepare for migration.
That's plenty of time to research and consider options in the meantime...

It might be our NHS and State Pension if they are here long enough to obtain one plus our state benefits .

ButterCheese

NoodleDoodleMan said:

What does such a question have to do with Overseas holidays & travel planning ?

Overseas - you usually have to go overseas to get to another country other than the UK.

Holidays - at 18 it's a good option to get a working holiday visa which lasts for a year but can be extended to 24 months.

Travel planning - are you kidding?  How's she going to move abroad and get a job without planning travel??

Tucosalamanca

diveunderthebonnet said:

Tucosalamanca said:

No one can answer as everyone's situation and requirements are different.

My kids (aged around 18) acknowledge that life is very possibly better abroad, that doesn't mean that they're going to emigrate.

I know youngsters who have moved to Europe, Dubai, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, Canada, USA, most have ended up with lives that many Brits would be envious of.

The common theme throughout is having a good education or a desirable skill and lots of drive and desire to 'get on'.

For some balance, I have a number of relatives who have recently come to the UK from South Africa.
They're educated and travelled, they all chose UK & NI over anywhere else.
I think they're mad but they assure me that UK offers the best opportunities for them and their families....

I'd suggest a solid five years of work and education to prepare for migration.
That's plenty of time to research and consider options in the meantime...

It might be our NHS and State Pension if they are here long enough to obtain one plus our state benefits .

Yes, I think that certainly played a big part, although they've paid quite a lot in fees to get here, so it's not an entirely 'free ride'.

martindow

What is your daughter basing her opinion of it being better elsewhere?  Without staying in a country for a time it is very difficult to get a real idea of how it would be to live and work there.  Certainly going to a resort for a couple of weeks on holiday gives litte idea of the realities.  Similarly films and TV don't give a good basis for making a decision - watching episodes of Emily in Paris doesn't provide much insight into everyday life in France.