Quality of Life is Better Abroad and People are willing to Move Further

If you have ever thought about moving abroad and making a new life overseas, then you are far from alone. And it seems people are willing to go much further when they choose to immigrate.

According to the NatWest International Personal Banking Quality of Life Report, which is published annually, more people are shying away from moving to European countries and are choosing countries such as Canada. Canada came second in the list of most popular countries to move to, with Australia coming out on top.

1,800 expats were interviewed as part of the study and it seems modern technology is one of the main reasons that people aren't as hesitant to move so far away from everything and everyone they know.

Quality of Life

One of the main reason people chose to immigrate was the quality of life abroad. The study used lifestyle indicators such as healthcare provision, the environment, public transport, sanitation and finances. Immigrants moving overseas also felt that there was better job stability abroad.

New Technology

The Internet has made the world a much smaller place, and with newer technologies such as Skype and social networking sites like Facebook, people never need to feel like they are too far away from their families as they can easily keep in contact with them.

Career

The survey revealed that another reason why people choose to immigrate is due to the work opportunities offered abroad. Some people go on short-term contracts, while others make a permanent move to a new country.

Economy

Another reason why European countries might be less popular is the poor economy in Europe. Jobless rates are at 20% in Spain and there are no signs of improvement. With the current economic conditions the possibility of moving to a European country like Spain is becoming less attractive and some expats stated that they were considering moving back home. In the meanwhile, countries like Canada, Australia and the UAE are becoming increasingly popular locations for people to immigrate to.

Standard of Living

The majority of expats who make the decision to immigrant believe their work/life balance is much better abroad and rate it as good to excellent. 86% of people who immigrated say that they feel that their standard of living abroad was much better

Popularity of Canada

While Australia topped this year's poll, Canada has long been one of the most popular places to immigrate to. Canada topped the poll in 2008, 2011 and 2012.