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

[Ballondor]

Don’t get me wrong, I understand for some people, it is easy - those who’re mega-rich, those with a different or dual nationality. But I see it regularly on here and other social media - if this happens, I’m leaving; it’s crap here, I’m leaving; if they do that, I’m leaving.

As I understand it, post-Brexit, just upping sticks, uprooting your entire life, and rocking up somewhere is a slightly more convoluted and lengthy process. It’s not something you can get sorted overnight.

Not sure I understand your post/rant. If someone wants to better their life, why not? Just because you can’t move quickly doesn’t mean it’s not a worthy plan. Is that you Rachel Reeves?

A lot of people I know (me included) have another passport - EU, US. Part of long-term EU freedom of movement + big Irish diaspora… I’m sure about 80% ot people I know have this option.

If you work for a big company at a relatively senior level, moving to another country can be straightforward.

Most people I know that have left have done it via the above - there are connections with where they are going already.

You clearly don’t understand my rant.

I have no problem with people wanting a better life, wanting to move somewhere else. I’ve considered it myself, occasionally.

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

Moving to Australia, Canada, wherever, isn’t just a matter of deciding you want to do it and then doing it, and a lot of people won’t get in because they don’t meet the criteria. And it doesn’t happen overnight.

Nobody is specifically mentioning moving overnight though, are they?
To be fair, it wasn't an overnight thing pre-Brexit either. You'd still need to get a job, housing, learn the language of you didn't speak it already.
I'm not sure what your specific grievance is, really.

Maybe you are misunderstanding the fluidity of others lives? Many we know have multiple passports and homes, so they don’t have the basic set up issues that you may have? That’s notwithstanding that if for example you don’t have assets, savings etc, you are unlikely to be able to move, due to financial restrictions. Council tenants living on UC for example are vastly less fluid than those who own homes in more than one country. Do you see what I mean?

I agree. The reality is that only a tiny minority of people in the UK are able to emigrate to another country, these days. But of course, almost everyone on MN or their partners have high flying jobs paying at least £100k, with companies that have international offices, so that’s why you get so many people here saying they’ll be leaving soon. I’m being a bit tongue in cheek, but you get my point.

I agree generally it’s not something you can sort overnight but tbh I can’t blame anyone for wanting to up sticks for a better life. The grass might not turn out to be greener but there’s no harm in trying. My son works for a multinational company and went to Oz on a secondment. The company sorted out visas, accommodation etc. Even then it took a few months. 7 years later he’s still there and now has citizenship.

If you dont have kids, it really is just a matter of moving tbh

Wish I knew that before becoming a mum. No regrets but wish I had been brave

I disagree, we know many with second homes, particularly in London - many also have more than one passport. It may be rare for your social group. The issue is of course if those with money, who pay higher taxes decide to emigrate for financial reasons - will the UK be better or worse off?

Even for the mega-rich using the Golden Visa route, it takes time. If you speak to them, they might mr tion " we're moving next year," without a flicker of change in their everyday life, but that's because there's a lawyer, tax advisor and specialist agency handling the paperwork in the background.

It's rarely that simple.

I see a lot of "if you're not happy why don't you leave" which also assumes that anyone who expresses the slightest concern about the way the country is going can just up sticks and go somewhere else.
I am Irish living in the UK and while I could leave if there was danger to life, actually moving back to Ireland, leaving my job, DH leaving job, finding schools for DCs would take a great deal of planning (and a lot more money than we actually have).
I do dream of moving somewhere more hopeful and I hope my kids get out (but don't go too far!) while they have the flexibility and potential to do so. Have no idea where would actually be better though.

Probably the same people who say LTB, or ‘Why are you still with him?’ - as if it’s all so easy….

The trick is to marry someone from your desired destination.

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.

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.

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. . .)

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.

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.

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.

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

💯 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.

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?? 🙄

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