Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1 - www.movehub.com
MoveHub analysed the data of
over 180,000 move enquiries from
1st April 2015 to 31st March 2016
to determine the most popular
countries for professional migrants.
2 - www.movehub.com
Foreword “These movers are what we have
MoveHub is the number one resource and wanderlust have all played their dubbed ‘professional migrants’,
for people moving abroad. Our part in encouraging people to uproot
network of removals companies, themselves and relocate overseas.
packing, international shipping, and moving for job opportunities and
visa specialists help over 180,000 By looking at their movements we can
people per year to arrange their see which countries are offering the
international relocation, handling best combination of jobs, weather, motivated by growing economies
everything from how to pack the to and lifestyle and which places have
which local schools are best in their made people want to up sticks and
new town. seek opportunities elsewhere. This is and better quality of life.”
the MoveHub Global Moving Trends
MoveHub’s clientele are largely people Report 2016.
moving for work, either sponsored by
their existing company or with a job
offer in hand. Others are following
family members, or some are retiring -Ben Tyrrell, Head of MoveHub
back to their homeland to be near
their children and grandchildren.
These movers are what we have
dubbed ‘professional migrants’, they
are moving for job opportunities and
motivated by growing economies and
better quality of life.
13 The United Kingdom 3.1 20 Most Popular Countries to Move to from the UK
3.2 UK Professional Migrants are Moving Together
3.3 Professional Migrants Moving to the UK for Jobs
18 The USA 4.1 20 Most Popular Countries to Move to from the USA
4.2 Post Super Tuesday Destinations
4.3 Moving Abroad Enquiries by US State
4.4 Professional Migrants in the USA
28 Final Thoughts
5 - www.movehub.com
The professional migrant
1.1 - PRIMARY REASONS PEOPLE MOVE ABROAD
This report focuses on the main
demographic MoveHub helps move
abroad: professional migrants. They 34.8%
are people generally changing their 29.7%
current country of residence for career 20.9%
progression, financial independence,
and the chance to see the world.
Global
work (either with a current or new
employer) They are split between young,
• 29.7% move for something single professionals and very
Migrants
new (environment, culture, lifestyle) young families who are concerned
65.8%
• 20.9% join family (married with making the move in order
age: 25-44
partner, parents, or children) to have a more financially stable
future.
65.6% of those MoveHub helps
move abroad are between the ages The least common motives are
of 25-44: the premium age range for for retirement (0.9%) or to join an
professional migrants. Almost a third unmarried partner (9.6%).
(31.8%) have a job prior to moving.
9.6% of them even receive a relocation
budget or their employer pays for their experience across different industries, a wide range from medical specialists
move. and fill the gaps of many countries’ and health professionals to engineers
publicly published skilled occupation and teachers, depending on the
Professional migrants have career shortage lists. These occupations span country.
8 - www.movehub.com
Top 30 According to MoveHub’s latest data, career opportunities
combined with an appealing lifestyle are the reasons behind
Australia (4th) (see following sections for further details).
Countries
professional migrants moving to major cities such as: While Spain (5th) has one of the highest unemployment rates in
• New York the EU for 25s and over, it has been improving over the last year
• Amsterdam and the Spanish economy is one of the top growing economies
People are
• Sydney in the region, perhaps accounting for this.
• Dubai
• Melbourne More people are moving to Canada (6th), New Zealand (7th),
Moving to
and Ireland (8th) than there are people leaving. A boost in their
More people are moving to France (1st) and the UK (2nd) -also economies has renewed interest in these countries and helped
at the top of the list from the previous year - than any other attract a new set of professional migrants. The UAE (9th and
country, due to many factors including job opportunities. Germany (10th), both popular countries for job seekers, round
Many of those moving to the UK are from the USA (3th) and out the top 10 destination countries.
Countries
• London economy. The unemployment rate last recorded by Eurostat for
• Paris under 25 year olds is 24.6%, making it more appealing for the
• Melbourne younger professional migrant to move abroad. Discover more
People are
• New York about moving to France.
• Los Angeles
Enquiries have gone up by 2 places each for both moving out
Leaving
The UK had the highest rate of professionals leaving in the of the UAE (now 8th) and Germany (now 10th) since the last
last year. Most stated that they were doing so for a or a better financial year. Greece moved from 27th to 30th this year, and
quality of life (29.9%) as well as easier career progression Spain also shifted from 11th in 2014-2015 to 13th.
(17.3%). The most popular destinations for these people were
in countries such as Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
India (12th), Brazil (19th), and China 5 Ireland 15 Italy 25 Hong Kong
(21st), respectively for people leaving, 2.02% 0.68% 0.19%
have had strong economies up until
recently, and MoveHub has seen an 6 Canada 16 Belgium 26 Thailand
increase in enquiries originating from 1.99% 0.41% 0.17%
India (86.0%) and China (19.2%) since
the previous year. Enquiries for moving 7 New Zealand 17 Netherlands 27 Turkey
out of Brazil have actually decreased 1.80% 0.41% 0.17%
by 4.0%.
8 UAE 18 Denmark 28 Qatar
1.45% 0.37% 0.17%
54.4% of people
moving out of the UK
named the weather as
a big factor.
13 - www.movehub.com
3.1 -
20 MOST POPULAR COUNTRIES 1 Australia 11 Italy 10 of the top 20 destination countries
TO MOVE TO FROM THE UK 13.65% 2.10% are within the European Union, while 8
% of total moves are in the Commonwealth.
2 USA 12 India
12.32% 2.05%
5 Canada 15 Cyprus
5.09% 1.61%
6 Ireland 16 Netherlands
4.53% 1.50%
7 UAE 17 Singapore
4.51% 1.17%
9 Germany 19 Thailand
3.23% 1.01%
Kingdom
named the weather as a big factor. This the Office of National Statistics (ONS), emigrating out of the UK than those
is supported by the fact that 40% of there are now fewer people emigrating coming to the UK in the last year.
international moves from the UK are to for the main purpose of finding a job.
notoriously sunnier countries such as: This suggests that the decision to leave There are more people emigrating
is being triggered by other factors to the Middle East, Central Asia, East
• Australia outside of purely economic ones, Asia, South Asia, and South East Asia
• USA unlike many other countries. primarily looking for work than those
• Spain immigrating to the UK from these
• France Indeed, only 25.3% of people told areas, according to the ONS.
MoveHub that low job prospects was
While the main reason for long term a key reason to move out of the UK. MoveHub reports that more people are
-Ben Tyrrell, Head of MoveHub Why move to the UK 28.2% of those moving to the UK do migrants give to the ONS for moving
so in order to pursue a degree, which to the UK in the last financial year is
The number of those immigrating to is a decrease of 8% compared to the to accompany a family member that
the UK in search of work has steadily previous year. is moving or meet one already in the
increased in the last 3 years according UK (12.4%). However, there has been
to the ONS, owing to the availability While the UK is home to 4 of the top a decline in the number of people
of jobs in the country. In general, job 10 universities in the world, the rising claiming this as their main reason to
related reasons for moving to the UK costs of tuition in the UK makes free move to the UK - about -13% from the
increased by 9% from the last year, or low cost programmes countries previous year. Read more about the UK
which is also reflected in the data from such the Nordics or Germany more here.
MoveHub. attractive to foreign students from all
over. This is supported by the 19.5%
The job market in the UK has increased increase in international students since
by 15% in Q1 of 2016 compared to the 2010 to over 300,000 in Germany,
previous year. For every vacancy in the according to the country’s Federal
UK today, there are 2.2 unemployed Ministry of Education and Research
people - the lowest figure since 2005, (BMBF).
says ONS Vacancy Survey/ Labour
Force Survey. The other most prominent reason
18 - www.movehub.com
4.1 -
20 MOST POPULAR COUNTRIES 1 United Kingdom 11 Brazil
TO MOVE TO FROM THE USA 20.89% 1.77% “The controversial presidential
% of total moves election has increased the appetite
2 Australia 12 Sweden for Americans moving abroad,
6.52% 1.74% with New Yorkers being the most
keen to relocate overseas. Political
3 Canada 13 Italy uncertainty seems to have shaken up
3.73% 1.73% citizens across key US states including
California, Florida and Texas.”
4 Germany 14 Mexico
3.49% 1.56% -Ben Tyrrell, Head of MoveHub
5 France 15 Netherlands
3.49% 1.39%
6 Ireland 16 Singapore
3.23% 1.24%
10 Spain 20 Philippines
2.11% 1.01%
19 - USA www.movehub.com
The USA Moving out of the USA
31.14% of the MoveHub moves out
of the USA are to the UK, Australia,
moves from the USA to abroad come
from the following states:
• New York
moving out of these two cities in
particular, followed closely by San
Francisco.
and Canada, suggesting that many • California
American professional migrants are • New Jersey More Americans are actively pursuing
primarily seeking English speaking • Florida travel abroad; the number of US
countries. • Texas passports issued by the US State
Department increased by 10.4% from
The American states with the highest New York and Los Angeles were 2014 to 2015. This jump is not just
population are not necessarily the ones recently named 2 of the 10 most due to renewals, as the number of
with the most MoveHub enquiries for expensive cities in the world by The passports issued in 2015 was 53.6%
moving abroad. Most of the enquiries Economist, and MoveHub reports more than those issued in 2005. While
(50.9%) from the last year concerning a significant amount of interest in not all 126 million US passports in
20 - USA www.movehub.com
4.2 -
POST SUPER TUESDAY DESTINATIONS 4.3 - MOVING ABROAD ENQUIRIES BY US STATE
% of Enquiries Population Rank
1 United Kingdom 1
20.2% 17.9%
14.9% 2
2 Australia 3
7.6% 4 7.3%
11 5.9% 4.9%
3 Canada
4.1% New York California New Jersey Florida Texas
4 Ireland circulation are being primarily used for March 2016. naturalised US citizens while 55.2%
4.1% living abroad, this is a significant jump are not US citizens. The US’s strict
from only 7 million in 1989, according Who is moving to the USA rules might explain why the non-US
5 Germany to the State Department. passport holders make the move.
3.9% Most of the professional migrants
More of those moving out of the USA who are moving to the US through Those moving from abroad have
6 France have ties to their new country or fit MoveHub are those between the ages more degrees than those moving
3.3% the criteria for short term working of 20-34. The US Census Bureau backs within the USA by a difference
visas (1-2 years) in their new resident this up with 43.2% of those who move of 8.9% to 45.0% depending on
country than long term work visas. to the USA falling within the same age the level of the domestic move:
This is because America does not have bracket. regional, state, or county.
The upcoming presidential a reciprocal arrangement with any
election is one of the reasons nation, such as the countries within the There is an almost even gender split, as 29.3% of professional migrants aged
MoveHub has seen an increase EU or APEC do. 50.8% of overseas movers to the US are 25 and over moving to the USA from
of almost 30% in enquiries for male while 49.2% are female. abroad have a Bachelor’s degree or
moving out of the USA for March The presidential election this higher. The level of education is higher
2016 compared to 2015. upcoming November has prompted 4 out of 10 people moving to the US than those moving within the country
a gradual increase in enquiries for are a US passport holder, either born in at a regional (26.9%), state (21.3%), or
moving out of the USA, with an the USA and returning home, or born county (20.2%) level, according to the
increase of 29.3% from March 2015 to abroad by American parents. 5% are US Census Bureau. This trend is also
21 - USA www.movehub.com
4.4 - PROFESSIONAL MIGRANTS IN THE USA
43.2% 50.8%
50.8% 55.2%
age: 20-34 Male
M ale Foreign Citizen
seen in the previous financial year. USA (age 65 and up, depending on
26.6% of these professional migrants one’s year of birth, according to SSAA)
told the Census Bureau that their main are coming to the USA to work in
reason for moving to the USA is for a sales (a third), production (a third),
new job or a job transfer. 14.7% are or the service industry. Only 1.1% of
moving for family reasons other than a those moving to the USA are doing so
change in their marital status. primarily to retire.
22 - USA www.movehub.com
For every person that
moves into New South
Wales, Victoria, and
Queensland, 3 people
leave these Australian
states.
5 - Australia
23 - www.movehub.com
5.1 -
20 MOST POPULAR COUNTRIES 1 United Kingdom 11 Philippines “Australians moving abroad are
TO MOVE TO FROM AUSTRALIA 23.80% 1.55% seeking out English speaking countries
% of total moves for culture comforts. London’s thriving
2 New Zealand 12 Fiji Aussie expat community makes the UK
16.90% 1.30% the top destination of choice for the
third year in a row.”
3 USA 13 Spain
8.79% 1.27% - Ben Tyrrell, Head of MoveHub
5 Canada 15 Italy
3.98% 1.07%
6 Germany 16 Netherlands
2.28% 0.96%
7 Singapore 17 Sweden
1.96% 0.80%
8 France 18 Turkey
1.92% 0.69%
9 India 19 Thailand
1.63% 0.67%
10 UAE 20 Greece
1.56% 0.67%
24 - Australia www.movehub.com
Australia Moving out of Australia
Australia has long been a popular
choice for emigration, especially from
and Queensland. Northern Territory
and Tasmania are home to the least
amount of enquiries with less than 1%
other English speaking countries such
as:
• United Kingdom
the UK. However, this trend may be each. • New Zealand
changing as a recent survey of our • USA
customers showed that 3 people leave 5.2% of those moving out of Australia • Ireland
Australia for every person that moves told MoveHub their company was • Canada
there, particularly in Victoria, New paying for their move or that they have
South Wales, and Queensland. a relocation budget that covers the Australia’s relationship with the top 2
cost of the move. countries makes it easier for Australians
76.1% of enquiries MoveHub received to live and work in these areas, which is
for moving out of Australia came from Those currently living in Australia more part of the reason they are a significant
the states of New South Wales, Victoria, often than not choose to move to portion of moving abroad enquiries.
25 - Australia www.movehub.com
5.2 - MOVING ABROAD ENQUIRIES BY AUSTRALIAN STATE
32.22%
23.92%
19.94%
17.53%
Gaining an UK Ancestry visa is fairly is also another reason people are Victoria, and Queensland attracting
straightforward for Commonwealth uprooting after 6 to 15 years for their more overseas women than men,
countries like Australia, as long as one previous home country. according to ABS’s records.
has the link back to the UK. Australia’s
relationship with New Zealand allows Who is moving to Australia Unsurprisingly, those born in the UK
Australian citizens to more easily live make up the largest group of those
in work across the Tasman Sea than in 28.2% of Australia’s population was moving to Australia in the last year
other countries. born overseas, according to the with over 1.2 million and 5.1% of the
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), an total Australian population; which is
The cost of living in Australia is quite increase from 24.2% a decade before actually a decline from 5.5% in 2000
high when compared to the UK or and highest percentage since 1894. and 5.4% just last year.
USA on a country level, despite the The average age of overseas residents
Australian dollar taking a dip late. in Australia is 26.5, the prime age of the “Britons make up 5.1% of the
professional migrant and a step up the Australian population, more than
The relaxed lifestyle associated with career ladder. any other country”
the country is one that some foreigners
cannot adjust to properly, according There are more men moving to the The number of Britons in the Australian
to recently returned professional Northern Territory than any other state population is 1.2 million, almost
migrants. Missing family back home in Australia, with New South Wales, twice as much as the next largest
26 - Australia www.movehub.com
“No one loves Australia more than 5.3 - TOP AUSTRALIAN MOVE ENQUIRIES BY COUNTRY
Britons. Despite the distance,
Brits have a real sense of affinity
with the Aussies, and love the laid 55.34% from the UK
back lifestyle and warm weather. 11.03% from New Zealand 79.23% Professional migrants from France,
Interestingly, there are more 7.46% from the USA Move from South Africa, UAE, India, and
expats from the UK in Australia 3.00% from Ireland English Speaking Sweden make up the rest of the
countries
than from New Zealand, despite 2.38% from Canada top 10 countries.
their proximity.”
-Ben Tyrell
group, New Zealanders, with just over in Queensland (19.9%) and Perth in
600,000 according to the ABS. The Western Australia (17.5%) are more
number of overseas-born residents attractive to families. The least popular
from New Zealand (2.6% of the states are Northern Territory (1.2%) and
Australian population), China (2%), and Tasmania (0.7%), reports the ABS.
India (1.8%) are steadily increasing,
compared to 2.1%, 1.1%, and 0.7%, In terms of family migration, 78%
respectively, the year before. of the family visas for Australia are
partner visas, with the most applicants
Overall, most people are moving to coming from China (11.2%), India
New South Wales (32.2%) or Victoria (10.8%), and the UK (9.0%) reports
(23.9%), which remain the most the Australian Government. 14.6%
popular destinations for overseas were parents joining their children in
arrivals; these statistics correlate with Australia. Read more on moving to
MoveHub’s data showing the most Australia here.
enquiries for working in Sydney and
Melbourne. These are most popular
with the younger professional migrant
demographic while cities like Brisbane
27 - Australia www.movehub.com
MoveHub has seen
a 14.94% increase Conclusion
Seeing how people move year to There has been a 15% increase in
6 - Final Thoughts
28 - www.movehub.com
References:
• British Council - https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/iu_bc_outwd_mblty_student_perception_sept_15.pdf
• Eurostat - http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do
• ONS - https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration
• Irish Post - http://irishpost.co.uk/number-british-citizens-seeking-irish-passports-surges-past-12-months/
• Ireland’s DFA - https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/great-britain/passports/top-passport-questions/current-processing-time/
• GOV.UK - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2015
• BMBF - http://www.wissenschaftweltoffen.de/publikation/wiwe_2015_verlinkt.pdf
• The Economist - http://www.eiu.com/public/topical_report.aspx?campaignid=WCOL2016
• US State Department - https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/statistics.html
• US Census Bureau - http://www.census.gov/hhes/migration/
• SSAA - https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/
• ABS - http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats
• Border.gov.au - https://www.border.gov.au/
MoveHub is the UK’s leading resource for moving abroad. We provide our users with information at every stage of their
relocation journey, from shipping solutions to finding their perfect new neighbourhood.
Contact: info@movehub.com
29 - www.movehub.com