As 2014 draws to an end, stats are being gathered about the year: we know about the top-grossing movies, the most successful companies, the most tweeted celebrities, and much more. But, to us, one of the most important insights to explore is about Expats and their experiences in their new homes.

A survey was recently conducted of almost 14,000 expatriates from over 160 countries and their life experiences in their new countries. The survey focused on areas that are very interesting: general quality of life, working abroad, family life, leisure and making friends abroad, international romance and expat relationships, and personal finances. The findings are enlightening: they make us better relate to the experience and understand that we are not alone (though sometimes, expats feel this emotion above all others).

Top Expat Destinations of 2014

Surprising indeed, the top countries in which Expats take up residency do not focus on a specific region, or even a continent. In fact, in the top 10, 5 continents are represented:

Top Expat Destinations

Ecuador (South America)

Luxembourg (Europe)

Mexico (North America)

Switzerland (Europe)

USA (North America)

Singapore (Asia)

Spain (Europe)

Philippines (Asia)

Australia (Australia)

Hong Kong (Asia)

 

Expat Impressions

The Internations survey goes on to explore various topics like:

  • The most welcoming countries

Mexico, Spain, New Zealand, USA, and the Philippines top the list. While Spain tops the Feeling Welcome category, Kenya takes top spot in the Language category.

  • Top destinations for working abroad

The European nations almost sweep this category with the top five being Norway, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, and Ecuador. However, in the Job and Career subcategory, Senegal takes top spot and Nigeria is in third position. In Work-Life Balance, costa Rica is second only to Norway.

  • Where expat families thrive

This section examines factors like education and childcare: their availability, quality, and cost. The top 5 are all European, without exception: Sweden, Denmark, France, Austria, and Germany.

  • Cost of living abroad

In the personal finance category, however, Europe only appears at number eight (Switzerland). The top five are Ecuador, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, China, and Philippines.

 

More Survey Results

To find out more interesting findings from this fascinating report, visit http://www.internations.org/expat-insider/2014/

Written by Einat Mazafi
Einat Mazafi is the owner of NY International Shipping, an International Shipping and moving company based in New York. She is also a specialist in providing the best relocation solutions to clients worldwide.