Why do so many people talk about moving abroad like it’s just a matter of getting up and leaving?

We did it ( Denmark) and it was enormously faffy if it’s not a company relocation and a lot being paid for/done for you - it often involves ‘a lot’ of cash too - even if renting many countries have deposits of 2 and 3 months deposit still plus first months rent , plus setting up utilities and healthcare isn’t always easy till you have every bit of ‘in the country legally’ bit of paperwork - same with leasing cars etc - if it’s a younger couple and you haven’t got much you are taking and are renting something simple then yes it can be easier, once it involves houses, cars, kids , businesses etc - it’s not a simple job - we had to come back for elderly parent reasons after 20 months and do the reverse - UK ( because we are British) seemed a doddle in comparison

Depends what you do. I've lived in 4 countries and yes, each time I just souled for a job in the next country, packed my case and got on a plane. What's complicated about that? It's only slightly more paperwork than moving city, or have you never done that either?

Emigrating isn’t a separate life category to moving abroad on a work visa, though. You might start on one and end up staying and switching to another visa. You might emigrate to one country and move on to another, after two or five or ten years, or decide to return home after twenty years— it’s not a binding commitment. I live in my home country now, after spending nearly 30 years in several different countries.

I think British people have an odd attitude to emigration. Look at most migrants worldwide. They’re not ‘privileged’, in the overwhelming majority of cases, even if you take away refugees and asylum seekers and leave yourself with purely economic migrants looking for a better life.

I do live abroad. Left in 2011 to study (self funded, no bank of mum and dad) and never went back. That wasn't the plan but life happens! It isn't easy, no. I mean in 2011 it was quite easy logically. I put my stuff into an overnight Eurolines bus from Victoria to Brussels and I just... never came home. However, post Brexit those options are certainly fewer. The EU isn't desperate to have young people with limited experience and skill coming in (neither is the UK) and fees for studying are astronomical for non-EU. There are still ways but it's much more expensive.

But apart from logistics, I always tell people that it is enriching for sure but living permanently abroad is a funny old life. It's not for everyone. You lose your friends and family. Not right away, but over time their lives back in Blighty move on without you. That's normal and good! But you do have to accept that and it can be hard. You also have to accept that the new country will be different and some things will be better and some worse than in the UK. I speak the language fluently here but I don't speak the "culture" fluently and I never quite will. I miss a lot of things from not having grown up here. So there is always outsiderness. And if you have caring responsibilities, that is magnified. And if your spouse comes with you, there are emotional considerations to that too.

You have to think seriously about the decision to move abroad. It is not quite as people paint it.

Know what you mean op.
I spoke to someone recently who was helping their in laws move to another country ( transporting belongs) I was like wow big change... When I mentioned stuff like tax, voting registration, medical ... She said oh they not doing any of that will fly back frequently.
So I think most people just go like an extended holiday not actually moving their full life. they were going one European country to another.
I know people who have gone US lot tape work mostly sort it and Australia go young easyv get first visas from there work to do when in Oz to extend

It's true that it doesn't happen overnight. But it really is as simple as deciding you want to do it, and then putting things in motion and doing it. It took 11 months from the time we decided we would start exploring leaving the UK, to the time we arrived in our new country. Things worth having can rarely be achieved overnight.

Yup. There is no paperwork to fill in when leaving, and no departure questionnaire. I was once approached in a uk airport by a surveyor once though, where to, holiday, business or migration ? .Not a great way to collect data.

And when I did leave, there was no surveyor there that day, so my data was missed.

In fact, the hardest part of the actual trip is getting the airline to accept a one way ticket. I have had this twice. They don't seem to like one way tickets because if you are refused entry to the destination, they have to fly you back. So I was told.

Yes -they went from a method that was under counting to one hopefully more accurate.

More people left than they estimated or previously picked up - so people are leaving which tracks with what people in RL seem to be managing.

So the oh don't bother even looking no-one will want you posts are odd in my view - maybe that will be the case and older and less assests/skills you have more likely that is but the why do people even bother looking ie know your place - stay in your crab bucket - posts are just as annoying as the flippant I'm leaving posts the OP complaining about IMO.

We like our life here. Not keen on the political classes but we like our sport too much to leave! And our dc.

The ONS data showed a surprising increase because they changed the method. They went from random questionnaires to checking NI account activity.

I've never met anyone who thought it would be easy - and ones who I know have properly emmigrated it's often years of working towards it or family who did it in 60s under very different circumstances.

But I know enough people who have done in last few decades that it's clearly not impossible. The ONS figures were recently updated round migration because the more people left than expected.

I assume most people talking flippantly about leaving aren't the serious ones doing it - but people often younger are clearly doing it so bit bemused by the tone of some posters of not for the plebs - if people don't decide they want to and then actaully look at their circustances they'll never know if it was ever possible for them.

The internet is listening

There are few countries that would accept the traffic artists if they had a choice.

I don’t have children or own a home so it is easier for me to move to another country on a whim. Obviously not overnight as I still need to get a job/visa/plan it but certainly easier than if I had more commitments.

I think the people ranting about the country going to the dogs and those who have options to leave are not the same people.

Clearly, on this thread there are some people who move in privileged circles with people who do have options. They are not the same people as those painting roundabouts!

There's also a growing demographic of people who pissed off abroad to enjoy the low taxes yadda yadda, and then rock up after 25, 30 years in order to spend the twilight of their lives whining about how bad the UK is.

The statistics don't lie.

Regardless of the anecdata spouted on this thread of people claiming everyone in their social circle has a second passport /second home in another country etc, the fact is only 2% of people hold a second passport and a portion of those will be people who themselves migrated to the UK and still hold their original citizenship/passport. Another chunk will be those holding both a UK and an Irish passport.

So quite clearly, no, for the vast vast majority of people (98%) it's not going to be straightforward to just move abroad.
Even if you do have things like a second passport of citizenship of another country, most people living here do have emotional ties to the UK that they aren't likely to just abandon such as family here, children, elderly parents.

To add to the anecdata? I know dozens who've talked about moving abroad. I know none who've ever actually gone through with it.

Tbf moving abroad was easy for me but I was 20 with nothing tying me down and dual nationality. I started a new life abroad taking only one suitcase of clothes with me.

Same as the Brit "ex-pats" in Spain who voted for Brexit.

"Ex-pat" is a term I strongly dislike. Call them what they are, migrants.

Yup. If you are Chinese, then Dual citizenship is not an option.

Unless you are an Olympic snowboarder. Or possibly a football player.

I know a number of young doctors disillusioned with the NHS who have thought about leaving the country but not done so once they really looked into the practicalities. I do also know other HCPs who have gone elsewhere and are happy with their decisions but I doubt any of them would call it easy, and definitely not quick. There are lots of hoops to jump through and it can be quite costly. Obviously it's possible for plenty of people and it will be easier for those with sought after skills and who already have money, but I don't think it is as easy as many think.

There is something slightly amusing about people who move abroad because "there are too many foreigners in the UK".

It certainly tells you a lot without needing too many words.

I was going to say that went swimmingly for him but then realised I had him confuzzled with John Stonehouse and Reggie Perrin
Even with an EU passport in hand, it is not really that easy to up sticks and leave one country to move lock stock and barrel to another, even in the European block. 30 years ago, I foolishly turned down the opportunity I had to get myself an EU passport because of my father’s nationality, saying: “it’s fine, I’ve got a British passport, we’re already in the EU, I have no need of another EU passport”, and little imagining the UK would be so foolish as to leave the European Union. I am still being mocked by my husband for my decision, as post-Brexit, I am now too old to apply for that country’s passport, despite my ancestry. I’m furious with myself, but honestly, in my worst nightmares, I never dreamt of Farage.

Lord Lucan moved abroad overnight, (allegedly)

Couple of things here. An Ozz working visa is not a migrant visa. It's a visa for working holidays.

The emigration figures for the UK have recently shot up substantially, if you are talking about that re "wake up".

The statistics folk changed the method of calculating the data. They changed from random airport questionaries to checking for inactive NI accounts. That's why the numbers jumped up.