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Thinking of starting a new life in another country: emigration factors to consider


The global economy has had a significant impact on emigration as individuals and families seek job security and economic stability.


A study by GfK with results published in early 2014, on behalf of Zurich Insurance Group, of over 7,750 respondents in 12 different countries revealed that North America is rated as the most appealing destination to start a new life (31%), closely followed by Austria/Germany/Sweden (29%), and Australia/New Zealand (28%).


In making the decision to emigrate (with the intention of it being permanent), people considered several factors when deciding the country of choice. These included job security (43%), a low crime rate (39%), and political stability (38%). The condition of the economy was a significant factor, particularly employment opportunities. When considering emigration, 49% factored in unemployment rates (especially in Southern Europe where over 70% of Spanish and Portuguese respondents were preoccupied by unemployment and therefore sought countries with low unemployment rates).


Insurance was also a factor for respondents, including illness and disability insurance (22%) and pensions (20%). Austrians (49%) and Germans (44%) were more concerned about the availability of insurance coverage in the new country, whereas Australians and Mexicans were far less concerned about insurance (10% each), preferring to focus on low crime rates. Russians were mostly concerned about natural disasters when deciding where to go (24%) in contrast to the Spaniards, Italians, and Portuguese (5% each).


Austrians (38%) and Germans (29%) were most likely to emigrate for love, compared with only 12% of other nationalities.


Overall, 38% of respondents were considering emigration or had already emigrated. However, almost half of those who were thinking of emigrating (15%) felt too anxious to actually make the move.


Not all respondents were interested in emigrating. A total of 62% were not thinking of moving from their country. Of those not considering emigration, 17% believed they already lived in the best country, while a further 17% felt most secure at home.


Finchannel.com

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