The Friendliest (and Not So Friendly) Places for Expats. You'll never guess the top 3!
Visiting another country for a brief period is one experience, but starting a new life in a foreign land is a whole different ball game. Internations, a community group for ex-pats with 4.5 million members in 420 cities worldwide, recently released its Expat Essentials Index. This index takes into account important factors for newcomers such as digital accessibility (like online administrative services), housing affordability and availability for ex-pats, ease of handling administrative tasks (such as opening a bank account or obtaining a visa), and language considerations (like the ability to navigate without knowing the local language or ease of learning it).
Internations reported Canada, the top North American country, is considered to be among the top 10 best countries for ex-pats to settle in. The country's friendly local authorities make it easy for newcomers to navigate the system, and the process of opening a new bank account is relatively hassle-free. Additionally, Canada boasts a robust digital infrastructure that provides ex-pats with seamless access to online services and resources.
Although Canada is an attractive destination for ex-pats, it's not without its challenges. One of the most significant issues newcomers face is the high cost of housing, which can make it difficult to find affordable accommodation. Despite this, many ex-pats find that the benefits of living in Canada far outweigh any drawbacks.
On the other end of the spectrum, the bottom three countries where ex-pats struggle the most to get settled are Germany, Japan, and China. These countries present significant obstacles to ex-pats due to language barriers and challenging digital infrastructures. For many, navigating local authorities and accessing essential services can be a daunting task, making it difficult to settle in and feel at home.
So which country came on top? Internations ranked Bahrain as the top location out of 52 locations. Newcomers have reported that obtaining a visa, finding housing, accessing government services online, and getting around without knowing the local language are all relatively easy in Bahrain.
According to ex-pats, the following 10 places are considered to be the easiest to settle in:
1. Bahrain
2. United Arab Emirates
3. Singapore
4. Estonia
5. Oman
6. Indonesia
7. Saudi Arabia
8. Qatar
9. Kenya
10. Canada
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