Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Shocked so many young people seem to be moving abroad

226 replies

lonielou · 15/01/2025 18:52

First off, I know this anecdotal and perhaps someone here will have stats on this but I have one DD, been chatting to her tonight. She is 23, her school year are 23/24 now and we were chatting about what everyone from her small school are doing now. She was in a class of 14 at a prep school in south west London, we have discovered of her class

2x Live in Australia
1x USA
1x Hong Kong
1x Dubai
1x Kuwait
1x Germany
1x France

That leaves 5, DD is one of those and looking to move in the future but is still studying.

DD has no contact with 1 of these people so in theory could be living abroad.

Now I know this is anecdotal and she may just be in a particularly adventurous group but I also know several friends with kids living abroad, Australia and the Middle East seeming to be the big ones.

AIBU to be shocked by this? It feels like a lot of young people (all with the degrees or doing degrees) who could contribute so much to society just leaving!

OP posts:
Anniedash · 15/01/2025 21:12

We are losing all the young qualified while we have net immigration of 1 million per year of low paid net takers from the system. Not inflammatory, just factual.

This cycle of decline and stagnation is deeply baked into the UK economy, that this country is doomed z

22nws · 15/01/2025 21:13

My DC is only 18 and already 3 of his peers have gone to uni in the states. I fully understand why they go abroad.

mathanxiety · 15/01/2025 21:14

MolkosTeenageAngst · 15/01/2025 19:27

I think a small class of students from private school won’t be very representative of young people across the UK. Your DD and her friends are likely all from families with above average income, who could afford holidays abroad so have some experience of travel, who have a good education so have good job opportunities beyond the UK and who have the security of families with the funds to help them if it all goes wrong when they’re abroad. It doesn’t surprise me privately educated kids from wealthy upper middle class families end up abroad but I’m not sure you would find the same high numbers from your average state school in the middle of a deprived estate for example.

Again, I disagree. At least a third of my classmates from a non-private secondary school in Ireland live abroad, only a few of whom have a degree. They definitely don't fit the profile you outline.

UmbrellaEllaEllaElla · 15/01/2025 21:15

I think its common as the younger gen are seeing there are better opportunities elsewhere.

Jingleballs2 · 15/01/2025 21:15

Good on them. The UK has gone downhill rapidly and don't think it will stop any time soon! Plus the weather is abysmal.

22nws · 15/01/2025 21:18

7plusthinking · 15/01/2025 21:11

This.

Tories have fucked this country , it will take years to fix.

Show quote history

It was fucked well before then. Remember it was labour who introduced uni fees. Kids DS knows have gone on free ride scholarships to the US instead. I remember being in hospital in 2008 (no staff, no beds) and I remember education under the last labour govt - way beyond unruly. It's got worse and worse and worse. I think brexit, covid and the ukraine war had more impact than the conservative govt. Not that I voted for them - I certainly didn't. But if they took 14 years fucking us, you'd have thought the electorate would have voted them out long before now. But no, because the other side are just as bad. They offered us Corbyn fgs and lost the election over it.

22nws · 15/01/2025 21:21

Prammyy · 15/01/2025 20:05

I have twins half English/Polish age 15. One is already telling me she is going to live in Poland. I will need to apply for Polish citizenship for them as they have only British at the moment. She is blaming me to coming and living in UK she said she can't understand why I did this move 20 years ago. I have family support in Poland for her and if she wants to go there is not a problem also with EU passport she can move around.

20 years ago, things were different. Lots of Polish people came over as they could earn here and send money back home. My kids actually did this as a geography case study.

Nowadays you can earn money and have it all taken by essentials. No point anymore, I'd choose Poland for sure.

LozzaChops101 · 15/01/2025 21:24

Not a lot to stay here for!

Maddy70 · 15/01/2025 21:26

Brexit has largely killed EU ambition. But outside the EU so many are going for it

Who can Bla my r them. Brexit removed their life chances

Nottodaty · 15/01/2025 21:27

I have friends that moved to Canada and they are now settled and went onto have children, their brother went to America. Another moved to Thailand to teach 25 years ago never returned! And even this week I have a friend moving to Dubai.

It’s always happened.

My daughter partner is looking already to see where his job could easily be moved to & I think she would go too :( My younger daughter (15) in conversation often dreams that she can move abroad- New York apparently!

My daughter friendship group (state school) two moved to study and now work in France. One to Italy. They all had family links though. A few a still travelling & working odd jobs abroad where they can. One is hoping to move to Australia.

It’s lovely to have the opportunities but does feel a little sad to see the talent leave here. My daughter boyfriend is an engineer and is struggling to find decent paid work here, enough to plan for a future, so doesn’t see the point in staying here if he will struggle to buy a house and have to move away far from family anyway to achieve these things.

IsThisTheWayMyArmadillo · 15/01/2025 21:29

Those are countries with good standards of living and employment prospects, I don't see why not? I don't find it surprising at all.

7plusthinking · 15/01/2025 21:44

22nws · 15/01/2025 21:18

It was fucked well before then. Remember it was labour who introduced uni fees. Kids DS knows have gone on free ride scholarships to the US instead. I remember being in hospital in 2008 (no staff, no beds) and I remember education under the last labour govt - way beyond unruly. It's got worse and worse and worse. I think brexit, covid and the ukraine war had more impact than the conservative govt. Not that I voted for them - I certainly didn't. But if they took 14 years fucking us, you'd have thought the electorate would have voted them out long before now. But no, because the other side are just as bad. They offered us Corbyn fgs and lost the election over it.

Show quote history

The NHS, Schools and housing costs are nowhere like they were before the Tories got in, immigration wasn't a mainstream topic like it is now after the Tories introduced the highest level of legal immigration in history - (The irony on that is UK young people are doing exactly what migrants are doing from developing nations to us )

Yes, under Blair it wasn't utopia, but it was NOWHERE as bad as things are now for anyone but the super rich.

Blue278 · 15/01/2025 21:55

Am telling mine to look abroad for their futures. I do love this country but it’s too hard for young people now.
They can’t afford a life here in London.
Am also looking at retiring abroad myself.

getahhtmapub · 15/01/2025 22:05

We left the UK just after Brexit for NZ. Almost all of our friends have also moved out of the UK. 2x Australia, 2 x Canada, Spain, Germany, Ireland, France, Dubai, Japan, HK.

All high earners. All with at least one degree. I had no interest in staying in the UK. None of us have any intention of ever moving back.

Snowmanscarf · 15/01/2025 22:09

It’s not a new phenomena. Maybe its seems alot because your dc gas reached that age when people move.

For the record, I only know two people who are working abroad.

getahhtmapub · 15/01/2025 22:12

Anniedash · 15/01/2025 21:12

We are losing all the young qualified while we have net immigration of 1 million per year of low paid net takers from the system. Not inflammatory, just factual.

This cycle of decline and stagnation is deeply baked into the UK economy, that this country is doomed z

Immigrants are net contributors not net takers.

www.davidsonmorris.com/immigrants-economic-contributions/

See section b(3)

Bloatedhelp · 15/01/2025 22:20

All I’m seeing on YouTube are videos of people speaking about moving from UK to Canada/USA/Oz/NZ etc

I’m in my 30s and know of

A family member in her 20s in the Middle East
Four friends moved to Australia, didn’t know each other
Two work friends in Germany
A neighbour moved to NZ
Colleague in NZ

All in the last couple of years

I appreciate this is anecdotal but I know what you mean!

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 15/01/2025 22:22

Tubetrain · 15/01/2025 19:41

Chatting to the newly qualified drs that I know, none plan to be in the uk in 5y

Yep, the 'brain drain' is the reality.

Tiredofallthis101 · 15/01/2025 22:23

Not shocking to me.

Anniedash · 15/01/2025 22:24

getahhtmapub · 15/01/2025 22:12

Immigrants are net contributors not net takers.

www.davidsonmorris.com/immigrants-economic-contributions/

See section b(3)

Show quote history

So you found a link to the website of an immigration lawyer saying immigration is bringing net contributors.

Now go look at some official figures for the truth.

HellsBalls · 15/01/2025 22:26

getahhtmapub · 15/01/2025 22:12

Immigrants are net contributors not net takers.

www.davidsonmorris.com/immigrants-economic-contributions/

See section b(3)

Show quote history

It’s common knowledge they are not.

Plouik · 15/01/2025 22:27

getahhtmapub · 15/01/2025 22:12

Immigrants are net contributors not net takers.

www.davidsonmorris.com/immigrants-economic-contributions/

See section b(3)

Show quote history

You can only get the stats to show non-EU immigrants are net contributors by including the taxes their children might eventually pay when they grow up.

Plouik · 15/01/2025 22:29

A lot of people are fleeing to Aus, NZ, USA, Dubai etc. Tbh though all these places have their problems. The NZ economy isn't so hot at the moment. Nor is Australia. Dubai have human rights abuses. USA have guns.

Snowmanscarf · 15/01/2025 22:37

Yes, I’ve heard from friends in Australia that things aren’t to rosy there at the moment either.

LaPalmaLlama · 15/01/2025 22:41

As balance, I lived in Dubai and Hong Kong for a combined 15 years and then moved back and am happy I did. I hope my dc will live overseas for at least a bit as the world is a big place and good to see some of it but I’m not as pessimistic about the uk as some. Everywhere has issues and living abroad is in some ways easier as you don’t feel responsible for solving the issues in other countries - if Uk had France’s government issues people would be bemoaning the end of days but as it is they’re just like “oh yeah I’m moving to France. It’s great there”.