English escapes

By
0
3225

NZ, AUS among Top 5 English-speaking destinations for expats

As many English-speaking citizens may be considering a move abroad these days, InterNations (www.internations.org), the world’s largest network for people who live and work abroad, has compiled a ranking of the top five English-speaking countries.

According to the Expat Insider, one of the largest surveys on life abroad, those who are looking to leave their home country but want to stay in an English-speaking environment have a range of options to choose from. Mediterranean island nation Malta is the highest-ranked Anglophone escape, and is especially popular among sun loving Brits. On the other hand, the great work-life balance that New Zealand has to offer seems to draw many American expats there, making it the English-speaking destination with the highest percentage of US citizens among the local expat population.

Australia is the best English-speaking country for those wanting to relocate with their families and Canada satisfies with affordable healthcare. Those seeking political stability and peacefulness will find a safe haven in Singapore.

The ranking of the most popular English-speaking destinations for moving abroad is taken from a global survey with responses from more than 14,000 expats around the world. Apart from the ease of settling in, factors such as the financial and political situation and the friendliness of the local population towards foreigners were also considered when compiling the ranking.

Malta comes in first as the top English-speaking destination for expats. In fact, the island-state does exceptionally well in almost every survey category. It has the highest rank among Anglophone countries for the quality of life, ease of settling in, and personal finance. 90 per cent of survey respondents agree that they are happy with their life and 38 per cent even say that they are very happy, twice the global average of 19 per cent. The weather may have something to do with their satisfaction: every single respondent in Malta rates the climate and weather positively. The agreeable climate seems to be a big draw for Brits in search of sunnier shores: almost one-third of the expat population in Malta has British citizenship (28 per cent).

New Zealand finds itself in second place, but it takes the top spot among these countries when it comes to working abroad. Those seeking a better work-life balance may want to consider the land of the Kiwis: 79 per cent of expats there say they are satisfied with this factor, notably higher than the global average of 60 per cent. Out of the English-speaking countries, New Zealand has the shortest full-time work week with an average of 42.2 hours. Work-life balance is not the only thing that New Zealand excels at: an astounding 95 per cent of expats there rate the quality of the environment positively, significantly higher than the global average of 67 per cent.

Australia is known for its hospitality and expats agree: 82 per cent rate the general friendliness of the population positively. The friendly attitude towards families with children is even higher at 92 per cent, compared to a global average of 80 per cent. According to the InterNations Expat Insider survey, Australia is in fact the best English-speaking country to move to with a family; not a single respondent there rated the available leisure activities for kids negatively.

Canada is a popular destination for those seeking a better quality of life: this was the number one reason expats gave for relocating to the Great White North. Once they have arrived, expats seem particularly satisfied with the affordability of Canadian healthcare: 37 per cent even rate it as very good, in comparison to the 21 per cent global average. Expat parents in Canada need not be concerned about the health of their children either: an overwhelming 90 per cent of respondents rate this factor positively. When it comes to the peacefulness of the country, not a single respondent gives a negative rating.

Singapore is the place to go for those in search of political stability and personal safety. A notable 56 per cent of expats there say the political stability of the country is very good, more than double the global average of 25 per cent. When it comes to personal safety, 100 per cent of expats surveyed gave it a positive ranking. This helps Singapore clinch second place for the best quality of life for expats in English-speaking countries. The state of the economy is another draw for this Asian destination: 86 per cent of expats rate this positively, in contrast to the 56 per cent global average.

 

Donate To The Indian Sun

Dear Reader,

The Indian Sun is an independent organisation committed to community journalism. We have, through the years, been able to reach a wide audience especially with the growth of social media, where we also have a strong presence. With platforms such as YouTube videos, we have been able to engage in different forms of storytelling. However, the past few years, like many media organisations around the world, it has not been an easy path. We have a greater challenge. We believe community journalism is very important for a multicultural country like Australia. We’re not able to do everything, but we aim for some of the most interesting stories and journalism of quality. We call upon readers like you to support us and make any contribution. Do make a DONATION NOW so we can continue with the volume and quality journalism that we are able to practice.

Thank you for your support.

Best wishes,
Team The Indian Sun

Comments