If you could move to a country on the below list which one would you pick and why?

[chirpyduck]

Or if anyone has already lived and worked in these countries any advice is greatly appreciated or any advice from anyone who has relocated as well as I'm sure there are pitfalls as well as benefits!

I have one dc in year 5 and dh and I are late 30's can move to one of these countries through work. I don't want to miss the opportunity so am currently investigating which one sounds like we could make it work.

Argentina
Australia (Sydney)
Belgium
Canada
France
Germany
Indonesia
Italy
Japan
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand
Panama
Singapore
Netherlands
Thailand
Vietnam

Canada without a doubt.

Shared language and all the cultural crossover that comes with that.
Commonwealth nation.
Good climate with proper seasons.
Hospitable, friendly people.
Not too far from home on a plane.

It's good to hear positives about Argentina; it's somewhere I'd like to travel. For those of you that lived there or stayed a while, where were you based, and where would you recommend?
Thank you! :)

Year 5 in Germany is the first year of secondary school, but year 5 in Germany matches up with year 6 in the UK if that makes sense. They start two years later and there is no reception year.

We are near Tandil. I haven't seen nearly enough of the the country to be very helpful. But its a very friendly country, constantly let down by their shoddy government. You could throw a dart at any part of the map and they would be delighted to have you visit.

@BooseysMom bushfires not wildfires.
Just out of interest have you ever lived in Australia?

No, I haven't. I studied the country obsessively when I was younger..for a school project and because I fell in love with the wild horses they call Brumbies. I'm part of their groups on fb. I'm not pretending to know everything about wild fires there but I'm just saying I wouldn't like to live there and watch the wildlife (like koalas for instance) burn.

Oh sorry, yes I meant bush fires!

I have lived in France, Switzerland and Germany, which is where I have been based since 1988.
France I quite enjoyed, but the bureaucracy was very annoying, ditto Switzerland, which is VERY expensive even if you are being paid in CHF. I love Germany, though. Clean and tidy, organised, good public facilities and transport. Healthcare system is efficient. I live in an area that is strategically-placed as far as getting to other places - France is about 40 minutes' drive away, for example.
Obviously some things have changed over the years, but I do like not being spied on by CCTV, for example.
There are still seasons. We can have snow in winter (roads cleared within hours even in my small village) and hot summers. A PP mentioned lack of digitalisation, but, unless you live literally in the middle of nowhere, the infrastructure is fine. I have been doing online banking for at least 20 years and we were early adopters/testers for the internet back in 1997.
If I had to move again, I would probably choose Luxembourg, where I have worked on numerous occasions. It has my perfect combination of German orderliness and French food!

I've heard the bureaucracy is a bit much in France. Did you have to learn a language @FelicityFlops ? If so was it really restrictive to not speak the language. Obviously I imagine it to be but I have also 'got by' when working abroad and wonder how much I could get by so I might be able to learn a language.

Canada - Vancouver.

If you're WFH all day in English, you have limited time and opportunities to really learn the language. I also learn languages relatively easily, but without ongoing social interaction, there's a massive hurdle. And if you're planning from the start to be involved with English-speaking "expats" then you're putting yourself in a notoriously monolingual community.

An international move is not equivalent to a month in a country. Having foreign kids in hire DC's class isn't the same as being the foreign kid.

Move somewhere native-English speaking.

And if you're planning to move back after GCSE age, then please factor on putting DC in an international school with either IB or English curriculum. Or stay until after leaving exams.

When abroad, you and your husband will always speak English with each other, and if you live in an expat community on top of that, you’ll never reach even a basic level in a foreign language. If your children go to an English speaking school, they will never master the local language either. If language learning is high on your agenda, avoid expat communities and English speaking schools for your children. I know several people who spent years abroad as kids with their parents and never learnt the language for the above mentioned reasons. What a wasted opportunity.

Thanks. @HeavenlyHiraaniTigerlilyHutchenceYatesGwhen I ask about languages I have two 'tiers' in my head, one if I move somewhere like France I would attempt to immerse myself as much as possible in the language, meet new people and also pay for classes in French to up my language skills. Would definitely put dc in French speaking school if we went before senior school and I'm sure they would be fine. If they learn the language I would continue them in French speaking school. My hours are very flexible I doubt I won't ever get time to speak the language. I would also probably stay somewhere like France forever.

However, if I went to, say, Japan I would stay for my dc school in years to keep things stable but probably not attempt to learn the language outside of reasonable communication needs and certainly not to become fluent and would most likely live in an expat community.
I am now thinking I have to decide if I'm aiming for a permanent move or not to help decide.

I'm also wanting to go somewhere I could never really easily live and work in without this opportunity as although I only have a British passport I do think the eu is not so difficult to move to if I really want it to happen.

Canada is currently winning I think overall as ticks a few boxes but I'm not sure I can handle the cold!

I'd pick Germany or the Netherlands or Belgium.

But if it's a temporary opportunity I'd probably go for New Zealand, Canada or Australia for a completely different (but English speaking) experience.

Canada, thought west coast side. British Columbia or Alberta. Beautiful and so much space. Decent quality of life

If not Netherlands I think for me. I'm bilingual french so would choose France but others are right the bureaucracy is unbelievable, though weather in the south glorious!

Japan/Mexico/Panama/Vietnam I think are too different for me, I would consider Argentina if Buenos Aires though probably not over Canada or the Netherlands. Good luck! Wherever you decide, I hope you enjoy it

Australia, my sister emigrated there 30 years ago and doesn't regret it for a second. I have visited many times and always felt completely at home there.

I live in Japan and love it a lot. Definitely recommend (although I can't say it suits everyone. Your character has to somewhat match local people's mentality, otherwise you'd feel miserable and I've seen that a lot)

Your character has to somewhat match local people's mentality, otherwise you'd feel miserable

I think this is VERY true. I think this is probably why I want to come back to the UK ultimately. I like the German attitude mostly, but there is a rigidness and a sense of "we must do this according to ordnance 5674" and a reluctance to change anything without robust reason/evidence. I think the UK is a bit more laid back and doesn't take itself so seriously.

I think it depends on other factors such as how long it would be for, which part of the country, and your income. But instinctively I'm tending towards Canada if it is a fairly long stay. But would love to try somewhere like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia for a shorter stay.

If it was likely to be a really long term move and I still had family in the UK (especially parents) then I think I would probably want to stay closer to home than Canada. I'm not sure I know enough about living in the European countries that you mention to choose between them - and a lot would depend on the exact city.

Argentina - don't know anything about this country
Australia (Sydney) love this city as feels clean and fresh with young vibrant feel
Belgium - Brussels is a great city with good transport links and public transport
Canada - could see myself living in Vancouver, was there for about a month but many years ago now
France - adore the people and the food, the countryside and way of life
Germany - don't know this country, although have visited but back in the 1970s
Indonesia - don't know this country
Italy -
Japan - expensive but really culturally different and to me that would be exciting
Malaysia - multi cultural and English was widely spoken
Mexico - to dangerous for me
New Zealand - same as Canada

Panama
Singapore - clean sterile not for me
Netherlands - ticks lots of boxes for children, life style

Thailand - great for holidays but not for living
Vietnam - don't know this country

Japan would be top of my list

NZ, Netherlands next

@ivykaty44 I don't think its just Sydney that your comment applies to in Oz. The whole country has a much more positive "can do" mentality than here in the UK in my experience.

@Imnotswallowingthat second that!
Again, Australia would be my choice over Canada OP.
Much stronger ties between the two countries than say with Canada.
For those saying it's too hot, it certainly isn't. It can be very mild pleasant and you get used to the weather fast😆 and there's one thing that never changes...big blue skies and wide open spaces ...incredible places to bushwalk, beaches to yourself (depending on where you go) but it doesn't have that crowded cramped and rushed lifestyle that we have in UK.
Things are efficient because the population is so low for a country so big!
Australia's have an incredible can do attitude and joy to life , unmatched by any other country.

People who have never been here can't really justify their comments with "I've done some research for a school project" seriously!!!!

New progressive Labor government in power. Dealing with many changes and acting on climate change targets.
Koalas are burning in your front yards.
Look beyond a 5 minute news reel that gets shown in the UK on whatever happens to be happening in Australia...floods/fires.
I'd worry more about what's happening in the UK. But maybe that's why OP wants to move.
Australia all the way.

*koalas aren't burning in your front yard should say!
(And no they have t all perished already!!!)
Action is being taken.

Germany or France.