Last Updated on: 22nd November 2023, 11:50 am
Over half (54%) of Brits cite better weather as one of the top reasons for working
- Almost half of Brits (46%) wouldn’t expect a pay rise if moving to work in another country
- USA is cited as the country most Brits want to work in, with UAE named seventh
New research reveals that given the opportunity two-thirds of Brits would welcome the opportunity to pack up their life in the UK and move overseas for work.
The findings from Bayut, the UAE’s largest property portal, reveal the main motivation for two-thirds of Brits (65%) looking to move to another country is for a better quality of life, followed closely by over half the nation (54%) wanting better weather and a third (31%) willing to move for more money.
With the often grey, wet and unpredictable UK weather, there are no surprises that Brits fancy moving to a warmer climate. More exposure to the sun not only increases our mood and Vitamin D levels, it allows for greater enjoyment of life out of doors*. According to the recent research, money is not as important as quality of life or the weather to Brits. With almost half of those surveyed (46%) admitting they wouldn’t even expect a pay rise if they were to move to another country.
The top five reasons Brits want to move abroad are:
- Quality of life (65%)
- Weather (54%)
- Salary (31%)
- Cheaper cost of living (27%)
- Culture (26%)
America leads the way as the top destination for expats, followed by Australia and then Canada, with UAE seventh on the list. America is the most popular with the younger generation, with 39% of millennials wanting to move there compared to only 13% of baby boomers. Moving down under to Australia is most popular with Generation X (34-44yr), whereas baby boomers seeking the quiet life and nearer retirement aged favour Canada (21%).
Due to increased salaries and significant tax-breaks the UAE, is becoming increasing popular with younger generations looking to work hard and fast. The UAE is most popular with millennials, who enjoy the tax benefits, great weather and everything an ex-pat lifestyle brings. This could be one of the major factors why 88% of the UAE’s 10 million population come from abroad.
A spokesperson from Bayut comments: “We wanted to commission research to find out what are the key reasons Brits become expats. We expected an increase in salary to be cited as the main pull so it’s interesting to see that this is in fact ranked third. We are really pleased to see UAE is in the top 10 destinations for expats as not only can we guarantee better weather but also a good quality of life and increased salaries due to different tax laws. For Brits who are looking for the perfect opportunity abroad we provide the largest inventory of residential properties and commercial real estate for sale and to rent in the UAE. This survey shows that there is a real appetite for Brits wanting to work abroad in warmer climates and the UAE in particular.”
The Bayut research has identified the following countries as the top 10 in 2020 that Brits would move to:
- USA (23%)
- Australia (20%)
- Canada (19%)
- New Zealand (17%)
- Spain (12%)
- France (6%)
- Italy (5%)
- UAE – (4%)
- Switzerland (4%)
- Norway (4%)
- Portugal (4%)
- Germany (3%)
