In this article, we take a look at the 10 best countries for expats. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the expat community, go directly to the 25 Best Countries for Expats.
10. Canada
HSBC Explorer Survey Score: 0.66
InterNations Report Score: 0.57
CEO World Report Score: 1
Average Score: 0.74
Canada ranks highly for most economic, social and cultural indicators, and immigrating to the country is also easier than most others, making it one of the best countries for expats.
9. Australia
HSBC Explorer Survey Score: 0.97
InterNations Report Score: 0.84
CEO World Report Score: 0.44
Average Score: 0.75
Australia is the biggest economy in Oceania. It is one of the best countries for expats. From lavish outdoors, to world-class healthcare, quality of life as well as financial opportunities, Australia has a lot to offer to expats. Immigrating to Australia is also easier than it is for most other countries.
8. Bahrain
HSBC Explorer Survey Score: 0.80
InterNations Report Score: 0.73
CEO World Report Score: 0.74
Average Score: 0.76
Bahrain, like Qatar and Oman, has a huge job market for expats. There are 0.65 million expats in the country, with more than half of them of Indian origin.
7. Vietnam
HSBC Explorer Survey Score: 0.5
InterNations Report Score: 0.88
CEO World Report Score: 0.92
Average Score: 0.766
Vietnam, like Mexico, has an excellent future economic outlook. Out of China’s lost share of exports to the US in 2019, due to the latter’s shifting supply chains, Vietnam gained the biggest trade share, at 20%.
In addition, the country incentivizes the inflow of expats, by creating job opportunities for foreigners. Expats in Vietnam can earn $78,000 annually on average. Couple that with a low cost of living, averaging at $1,500 per month for a small family even in highly urbanized cities like Hanoi, and you get one of the best countries for expats.
6. Spain
HSBC Explorer Survey Score: 0.63
InterNations Report Score: 0.92
CEO World Report Score: 0.76
Average Score: 0.77
Spain attracts expats mainly due to its cultural influence and heritage, making it one of the best countries for expats whose primary motivation is culture. The quality of life is also high in Spain.
5. Singapore
HSBC Explorer Survey Score: 0.77
InterNations Report Score: 0.82
CEO World Report Score: 0.72
Average Score: 0.774
Singapore is a city state located in Southeast Asia, and is one of the most developed countries in the region. Its strategic location allows expats to conveniently travel to countries like Malaysia and Thailand as well. Its popularity as an expat destination can be gauged from the fact that there are 1.2 million foreigners in the country, making up more than 20% of its total population.
4. Portugal
HSBC Explorer Survey Score: 0.58
InterNations Report Score: 0.94
CEO World Report Score: 0.90
Average Score: 0.80
Portugal is another country on the list of best countries for expats, which offer cultural and historical attractions to foreigners.
3. Taiwan
HSBC Explorer Survey Score: 0.61
InterNations Report Score: 0.96
CEO World Report Score: 0.96
Average Score: 0.84
For its high economic development, Taiwan’s cost of living is surprisingly lower than other countries in the region like Singapore and Hong Kong. On average, an individual can expect to spend an average of nearly $1,600 a month on utilities, groceries and other monthly expenses.
2. Thailand
InterNations Report Score: 0.86
CEO World Report Score: 0.86
Average Score: 0.86
Thailand is one of the best countries for expatriates, owing to low cost of living, huge job market, economic freedom and beautiful landscapes. There are more than 0.1 million expats in Phuket alone, according to International Living.
1. United Arab Emirates
HSBC Explorer Survey Score: 0.91
InterNations Report Score: 0.90
CEO World Report Score: 0.98
Average Score: 0.93
Our research based on the three reports shows UAE is the best country for all kinds of expats, including wealthy individuals looking to open their business in another country, foreigners looking for high-paying jobs and those looking for adventure.
Wealthy expats are attracted to the UAE due to its friendly business environment and a corporate tax rate of 9%, one of the lowest in the world. It also has one of the biggest job markets for foreigners in the world, with 90% of its workforce made up of migrants.
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