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

Australia has a working holiday visa for young people (up to 35 in the case of the U.K.) for up to three years.

you pretty much can just apply and get it.

single visa only, no kids. But I know lots of people who have used it to go to Australia temporaraily, some of whom have stayed.

it’s very easy to get.

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-417

I said on the day of Brexit result that I was planning on moving to France. So that's June 2016.

I took early retirement in 2021 after we paid off our mortgage in 2020 and moved to France in October 2021. So that's just over 5 years.

People do make plans, and then take their time to execute them. Nobody expects to just up and leave tomorrow.

And yes to your last point. I could add ‘Nothing fucks me off like a Brexit voter with an Irish passport from a grandparent they never met and whose national origins they were previously mildly ashamed of, and whose ignorance of the most basic facts about Ireland is staggering.’

OP isnt talking about the practicalities of arranging the move. Whilst that might not be easy, most people could achieve that if it's what they put their mind to.

The difficulty is finding a country with a reasonable human rights record that would actually take you. If you're young and qualified in an in demand professional and can speak the language and /or are wealthy that might not be such a problem, but for most it will be a big barrier.

Quite possibly, yes.

But a lot of people who say that they may move may have lived overseas previously and be contemplating a move back. That's certainly the case amongst a lot of people we know.

We may go ourselves if Reform get in, but that will depend on whether my elderly dad is still alive by that point.

Yes, exactly. So many people on here seem to conceive as the only options ‘somewhere else English-speaking’, with a lot of visa criteria.

Obviously there are logistical hoops with any international move, but honestly, I’ve moved around internationally a fair bit, before and after having DS, and it’s not in my top ten of stressful life experiences. Some of it is mindset, too. If you think moving abroad is a quite usual thing to do, you approach it in much the same way you would moving house.

I agree. I think a lot of the time it’s just an expression of frustration, isn’t it? Like saying you’re going to quit your job if xyz happens. People do move abroad and do quit their jobs, but they aren’t easy options and many more dream about it than do it.

I have family abroad, speak other languages, career in international companies, no kids… and moving abroad would be a massive undertaking. I think stage of life is a much bigger factor than those mentioned above. I’m young to be thinking of moving in retirement yet, too entrenched in a job that pays well to give that up lightly (in none of my roles has a suitable international transfer come up, sadly) and now entering the years parents are becoming increasingly dependent.

What confuses me is people who talk about it like it’s as simple as going down to the shops or moving house.

I assumed that didn't mean instantly - even moving in UK once we had a house to sell and next to buy and schools to sort took time.

I know people pre brexit who spent years jumping through hoops for Australia and Canada - but also know people who work moved to South Korea, USA and China a with seemingly little bother there was stuff to sort obviously but it happened in months not years- so assume it varies with circustances.

I'm surpsied how many of IL friends have grown kids just bit younger than us working and living sometimes with kids in Spain and Portgual at minute.

It’s hard but infinetly rewarding. Like most hard things are

Maybe but clearly plenty don't. A lot of people fancy their chances abroad to an unrealistic degree.

Could you do it now though? Without freedom of movement in Europe and getting older. Would the countries you worked in before still have you?

I moved country several times pre-kids but post dd we kept considering it but just didn't feel it would suit her. If you're a renter and childfree, it's not difficult but with a family etc (pets...) that's a whole other saga. Personally, I found the not-moving much difficult to cope with than the moving.

But there will be others who have permanent residence rights in other countries as well, without necessarily having the passports.

I suppose a lot of people have the means to leave, so they don't consider that others don't. If we could leave we would, but it's almost impossible for us.

But surely it goes without saying that there will be a Process in emigrating with some countries more difficult to move to than others? That's just common sense! When people suggest emigrating they don't need to list all the stages involved do they?? 🙄

💯 agree with your point, see so many news articles that are "This guy moved his whole family to Sardinia and now spends their life on the beach and travelling"
*he is a CEO of a successful business that he can run from the beach that continues to be managed by the 300 staff back in the uk

Absolute click bait.

Sorry, the population of England and Wales (sorry!)

Apparently less than 3% of the UK population holds more than one passport. This is a lot less than I'd expected.

Nothing fucks me off more than a Brexit voter with an Irish passport from a grandparent they never met.

Not to mention getting a job and speaking the language. Most countries have got enough of their own people, so unless you have something specific to offer it's not easy to get in anywhere you would want to go. And of course the grass may not be greener when you get there.

It's not becusse you have to find a country that will take you. That's the point OP is making.

Perhaps you are underestimating how many people could leave pretty easily?

I'm British but have three countries where I could move to without needing to organise visas etc - because of family connections/permanent resident status from having lived there previously etc.

A lot of people who talk about it perhaps have no clue of just how bloody hard it is to terminate your life in one country, and set one up in the other.

The logistics are something else. Selling or renting out your house, selling your cars, selling, biffing, or storing decades of accumulated shit, figuring out what you're going to take, and arranging, that, terminating accounts, jobs, schools, doing all of that in reverse at the other end, ditto health care, tax numbers, don't forget the pets, finding somewhere to live, making do with the least amount possible while you wait for your shit to arrive . . .

We've done it three times now, once with secondary school age kids.

I have never felt that level of exhaustion and stress before or since.

AND THE COST!!!!

( I find it very confusing when people talk about 'relocating', when they're talking about moving 30 minutes from where they currently live. Erm, that's just 'shifting' luv. . .)

Because they probably know very little about the world. The only people I know who say things like this are of the flag shagging ‘well, if you don’t like it, then move to another country then’ never seen anything about the world beyond a full English in Tenerife sort.

I am an immigrant btw. I’ve moved temporarily to one country and then permanently to another. I went through the full immigration process, took me 10 years, thousands of ££££, to become a citizen of the country where I’ve built my life since my 20s. It was difficult and expensive, and I had sponsorship as a spouse with citizen children, which is the easiest possible immigration route.

I think people listen to too much GB news and think immigration is easy because their experience of the world doesn’t extend much beyond sitting at home digesting whatever they hear on YouTube or Bob at the pub told them.

Yes my Dad was having a rant about how my young adult DC should leave the country. Nice Dad, but since you helpfully voted for Brexit where exactly are they supposed to go? He suggested Dubai.

I have professional colleagues who tried to go to Canada. Both well qualified in a profession you'd think would be in demand, but too old at 45. A friend's son is currently living in Austrailia, but only on a student visa.

The trick is to marry someone from your desired destination.