Has anybody moved away from the UK?

[ForgedInFire]

Where did you move to, what's good/bad about it and how easy was the process?
I'm yearning for a big change and there's nothing keeping us in the UK but I don't know where we would go

hopeful bump

Many years ago...moved to Barcelona...friend was out there...so had a place to stay and got a job within days, I speak Spanish, but not Catalan...after a few years I went to Bilbao as much nicer people but rained a lot and overcast..stayed another year and came back to London....I often think I would move abroad again...probably Spain at some point as nothing to keep me here now...

I moved to Alberta, Canada. Overall I love it but there are definitely ups and downs. I don't have children so only had to worry about moving myself and my dogs which obviously made it a lot easier. I really wanted to come here but it was still a massive upheaval and culture shock. It is beautiful, financially we're very fortunate, and the lifestyle we have suits me perfectly but it is a very expensive place to live, the winters are brutal, and it's just very different in many ways - some better, some worse. I do get homesick and I miss family and friends and a lot of things from/about the UK (especially the supermarkets at Christmas!). I was sponsored by a Canadian citizen to get residency and a work permit - it's not an easy, quick or cheap process to emigrate to Canada. I'm in a high demand profession but again there are a lot of differences and upsides/downsides to working here versus the UK.

I've moved countries many times, my last move was UK-Germany.

Good - better salaries, better hours, culture and education are much more appreciated than in the UK. Great public transport and choice of activities and days out, price of living somewhat lower and I'm in a big city. Country is in a pretty good shape financially and the health system is a bit tricky to understand but effective and modern. Beautiful countryside and mountains, coast... So much green space even in cities. Very outdoorsy lifestyle. Quick access to almost any country on the continent.

Bad - lots of bureaucracy, rigid customs and traditions (on Sundays the country basically closes down, there are also set rest hours during the day, etc). Not easy to integrate into the community, food isn't amazing and the weather isn't great either.

I'm an EU citizen so moving here was extremely easy from a paperwork point of view. Finding a place to live is a nightmare. Setting bills is a nightmare. Registering with the council and health insurance, cars, schools, taxes - all a nightmare. You need a lot of initiative and patience when arriving here.

Don't even think about it without a good level of German. I've been here over a year and my German still isn't great, it holds me back massively. You can get away with English but people don't appreciate it when you don't make an effort (and quick).

I love it here from a professional point of view, it's the best country to be in for my job. I might move somewhere else in 2-3 years if an attractive opportunity arises, but from a practical point of view, Germany is a great place to be.

You don't say what you're looking for, if you have children, if you would need jobs, climate, English-speaking vs any language...?

I moved to Portugal two years ago, best thing I ever did. It was extremely easy, but that was pre-Brexit, so it’s more complicated (though not necessarily difficult) now.

We’re in the process of moving to Portugal. Currently living in a rental in the UK still with the absolutely bare minimum (two cups, two plates, one change of towels, etc.) and we are desperate to get there.

I’ve been going to Portugal for many years as my DH is Portuguese and feel like a local as I’m always with Portuguese friends and family (I haven’t actually done a lot of the touristy things!).

The good is obviously excellent weather
Lovely cheap food (eating out - supermarkets are pretty much comparable in price)
Friendly people and lots of people willing to speak English with you
Beautiful places to visit (beaches, cities, countryside)
Good school system and healthcare system
Wine is delicious and cheap(!)
Films at the cinema are in English with Portuguese subtitles so that’s a nice thing you can do for a bit of ‘normality’
Some say low cost of living but that really depends on where you live and what kind of lifestyle you live

The bad is the Portuguese love a bit of bureaucracy but it’s fairly navigatable if you know what you’re doing
Cars cost an absolute fortune and it’s very complicated to bring your own from the UK
Outside of certain areas you will struggle to find a wide variety of cuisines, especially the more niche cuisine food (if you love things like Greek, Lebanese, or Mexican) as the Portuguese love their own food!
Also vegetarian food is becoming more popular but you can struggle for options
It can get quite chilly in winter in some areas and a lot of houses are NOT built for the cold - no central heating!
Wages are low generally and there’s a lot of overqualified people as having a university level education is quite normal in Portugal. DH has lots of friends who are qualified architects/designers working as baristas or in hospitality

As someone else said, the process of applying for residency has changed but still doable. If you want to get proper Portuguese citizenship to regain a EU passport there is a language test so you have to be able to speak Portuguese.

I love Portugal and if you ever want to know more you can DM me and me (or DH !) will be happy to help.

I moved to the USA. It was an easy process for us because DH is a US citizen by birth, which is obviously not an option everyone has! We didn't have kids, nor did we own real estate or have a huge amount of possessions before we moved so it was quite a simple process. I was lucky as I was able to move my job over to the US, which made things much smoother. DH spent 3 months looking for a job, and we had to do a second relocation for that job.

Don't underestimate the energy and resources it takes to start your life from scratch in a new country though. That first year was a constant learning experience- driving, insurance, taxes, cultural norms and mannerisms etc. Even going to get groceries takes longer and more energy because it's all new and that's without any language barrier.

Health insurance cost aside, we have a much higher quality of life here. Because of the cost of rent and housing in the UK we just couldn't get ahead.

Yes, moved to Nz nearly twenty years ago.

Expensive housing, you need to drive distances outside of cities, road network isn’t great / few motorways, but roads outside Auckland/ Wellington are empty by contrast. White ware is more expensive. House build quality is questionable you do have to be careful what you buy here.

Lower cost of living outside purchase of a house ( insurance, rates - we spend roughly half considering we have a much larger property than in the Uk. It is beautiful, no class system, people tend to be more helpful, the health system is far better ( dh is now chronically disabled/ ill we get a generous carers allowance, serious amounts of equipment ( his free electric bed was delivered on Friday for instance), doctors appointments within 24-48 hours ( you do pay a fee here, costs depend on the area you live in from 10 pounds to very expensive in posher areas) prescription costs are lower. Had DH been ill in the UK we would be a lot worse off both financially and physically, I don’t believe he would receive the same level of care. The pay I would get in the Uk ( left when I was mid twenties) is far more here. I really prefer it,
I source our Uk tv but with Amazon and Netflix home entertainment is easier to find, but have a few special websites that ensure we have access to virtually all Uk tv series. Four season climate that is a lot milder than the uk. Universal Accident cover ACC ( system is not perfect but far superior to suing people).

I really like NZ and do not regret emigrating at all, but it is quieter than the UK and if you like sport, running around the countryside, beaches it is perfect ( we don’t, but sporty types thrive here).

Exactly the same as @VetOnCall. Moved to Alberta exactly10 years ago (anniversary was yesterday). My husband was offered a job here and they sponsored us both to come over and helped us get PR. We subsequently applied for Citizenship once we were eligible.
Far more opportunities here. We’re earning more than we ever could in the U.K. But as was said, cost of housing and other expenses are much higher here. Everywhere is a really long drive or a relatively expensive flight. Covid means my MIL and sister haven’t visited for a couple of years.

DH and I moved to Australia 15 years ago. It was easy back then, we just got sponsored in a job and then applied for permanent residency and then citizenship a few years later. Depends on the job you do.

Good - the people, very friendly and calm, no petty nonsense, the outdoorsy life is fantastic, schools are excellent, weather is good 9 months of the year (too hot in summer!), lots to do, lots of places to explore. Plenty of well paid jobs, houses tend to be bigger. Childhood for kids IMO is better - sport is everywhere or music or other activities. You don’t get groups of lads hanging about with nothing to do. Doing well at things isn’t looked down on. Effort is rewarded not derided.

Bad - It’s a long way from everything. It’s expensive (although we came from London so didn’t notice it that much). There isn’t the breadth of things to do in terms of culture etc but it is still there.

We do consider coming back to the U.K. occasionally but we were given the opportunity recently and didn’t take it and it’s kind of made us realise that even if we could go back, we do think of this as home now.

Moved to the Cayman Islands 13 years ago on a whim. I was single and in my 20’s.

Pros: weather (obviously), lifestyle, friendly community (both locals and expats), ease of living on a small island, everything is close by, great tax free salaries, great work/life balance, great education for kids, no community covid, the list of pros is long and extensive.

Cons: cost of living; this is one of the most expensive places in the world to live, distance from everything; closest city is Miami for shopping, distance from family, dubious politics, ancient views on homosexuality.

There is nothing that would get me to move back to the UK right now but my god I miss my family.

Moved to Spain early last year. I am still a EU citizens and my family have residencia through that. We have a UK company that we run from here with staff in the UK, so work is not an issue. I would not move here without a job, because there aren't any .
I have teenage boys and was getting increasingly anxious regarding their safety in our local town . Violence seems to of escalated especially towards young teens . Traffic is another issue, taking so long to get anywhere. Obviously the weather is a massive factor as well. But the biggest factor was Brexit. I love Europe
We know we have made the right move and will never willingly move back to the UK, but whether we stay in Spain after the DC have reached 18 or go somewhere else, we are unsure. Fortunately our work allows us that freedom to go anywhere as long as there is WIFI.
Starting new, making friends has been fairly easy, we have joined sporting clubs and my son's friends family have now become our friends.

Moved to US 9yrs ago, planning to move back next summer. Never intended it to be a long term move and ready to go home (though doubt that will be forever either)

DH was offered a job by a US company who sponsored our visas then green cards and now we’re citizens as well.

There are so many great things about where we live but ultimately it’s so far from home, the people we love, and Europe, and every summer holiday is spent rushing round the U.K. trying to see everyone. Want D.C. to be secondary educated in the British system

I moved to East Africa (I use a region as I have lived in more than one county here) 5 Years ago. DP was offered a Job and I also managed to get a work Visa. It is not easy as the visa process is complex, slow and full of corruption, DP had his Visa sponsored so it was sorted for him, we did mine alone and it took 2 years and the eventual paying of a local relocation company to push it through. However the lifestyle is wonderful, the weather is great, life often revolves around being outside and enjoying this. The regional travel opportunities are fabulous and in general life for children is good, children here seem to stay children for longer and lead a much more active lifestyle.
It does however have its downfalls, governments are corrupt and not 100% stable, there is always a small panic about civil unrest whenever big events happen, corona, elections etc. It is also considerably more expensive than you would think, to maintain a lifestyle equivalent in terms of luxuries to what you would have in the UK is not cheap food is expensive, well maintained and equipped housing is expensive, health insurance is astronomical etc.

Moved to Denmark 14 years ago. I like:

• low expectations for parents of small children
• good working conditions (trade unions) and bosses who understand their role. People say quite often thats not my problem and theyre right.
• I feel safe. Very little street harassment, no one talks to you because minding your own business is the norm.
• Good work life balance. If you answer mails etc out of work hours youre seen as incompetant.
• lack of tiresome banter
• less computer says no mentality
• Janteloven. Youre not allowed to think youre better than anyone. Its great that youre good at handball but that doesnt mean youre more important or valuable than anyone else.
• there must be space for everyone in society.

I dislike:

• people are nice but not friendly. My friends consist of my 2nd mother group (4) and 1 friend from studying.
• its about 10-30 years difference from uk. You never know if theyll be ahead or behind. My local supermarket JUST got Butternut squash.
• its quite sexist and racist. Theres a me too and equal pay movement happening.
• the schools and education are different. I cant decide if I like it or not. I have to use brownie activities with my guides for example.
• banks dont lend nor do they give the same level of interest.
• a lot of inverted snobbery. More focus on sport than arts.

If you can get a job offer before you come then move. Otherwise dont.

Thank you this is all so interesting. It's a bit of a pipe dream at the moment. We aren't high earners so very limited on where we could go and it wouldn't be for a couple of years but I want to start thinking about it