Countries you would to MOve to live

February 11, 2009 9:52 PM

Help me to create a list of possible countries to explore expatriating myself and family to if i am fed up with life in these united states, and think the prospects of things improving here are slim to none. May be eligible for UK citizenship based on parents. I realize the possibilities are extensive , so help me to narrow down ahe list based on questions that might best define my preferences and possibilities Thanks!
posted by dougiedd to grab bag (26 comments total)

Are you going to let us in on what some of those preferences might be, or are we just supposed to guess?
posted by ook at 10:10 PM on February 11, 2009 [1 favorite]

Look here for European citizenship: http://www.metafilter.com/72420/Are-Americans-leaving-the-US

The question can't be answered based on your information. Why do you want to leave? based on your statement that you don't expect things to improve I could assume economic reasons. The economy is currently bad in most countries, this limits your options.
You could look in the current issue of "The Economis", they have statistics on the last page changes in unemployment, GDP, consumer prices etc. per country.
Probably countries like Denmark or Norway would be your best bet if (IF!) you can get a work visa.
posted by yoyo_nyc at 10:17 PM on February 11, 2009

What languages do you speak or are you willing to learn? What lines of work are you capable of doing? Who makes up your family, and if there are children, how will you want them schooled?
posted by Night_owl at 10:18 PM on February 11, 2009

I think your first question should be "What countries *can* I move to?". The possibilities may not be as extensive as you think.

Unless you work in a specialised field, or can expand on "May be eligible for UK citizenship based on parents", you might as well forget your expatriation dreams, especially with a family.
posted by ryanbryan at 10:52 PM on February 11, 2009

Permanently moving to Europe was tough a few years ago as an American. Now, I'd say it's pretty much impossible unless you work for a major company that's going to sponsor you (i.e., you're essential for a given position or project).

There are lots of opportunities to teach English in Asia, but not if you have a kid or kids. If it's just you and a wife, and you both have college degrees and clean criminal records and can pass drug tests, you won't have any trouble moving to Korea, Japan, or China and entering the ESL world.

But yeah, need more info. on this one.
posted by bardic at 11:26 PM on February 11, 2009

speak Japanese and Thai
Am a family doc
school: anything but No child left behind. Home schooling would be fine
posted by dougiedd at 11:36 PM on February 11, 2009

Why are you interested in moving? Any connections (parents, for example) from any country in particular? I'm not trying to piss on your dreams of escape, but I do need to point out that you might be taking one pack of hassles (economy sux! this place is so provincial!) and replacing them with another (homesick! kids bullied in school for their accents! spouse can't find work!).

The tier 2 & 5 system for work visas in the UK (and the tightening of the ancestry-based visa requirements) are making it a real headache to move here, even if you are being transferred to a UK office of the company you work for in the US. It can be done, but the bar has been raised considerably.

If you're OK with the idea of teaching in a foreign school, and have teaching experience and references, you can move overseas pretty easily. It's harder if you are married, as you'd need to find a school willing to hire you and your spouse, or one that was willing to provide couples accommodation. My best friend's brother and his wife taught English in Kuwait for a couple of years, and are now teaching at a school in China... they had two kids whilst in Kuwait and managed to find a post in China for them as a family without too much effort. But even before the kids, their options as a married couple were pretty restricted at the ESL job fairs.
posted by Grrlscout at 11:42 PM on February 11, 2009

We need to know, at the very least, the citizenships you and your parents hold/held.
posted by mdonley at 11:43 PM on February 11, 2009

Just saw that you're a doc. US educated GP? Hmm. Check out the General Medical Council and the NHS Professionals websites as starting points.
posted by Grrlscout at 11:54 PM on February 11, 2009

I see from your history you're a medical administrator of some sort.
Australia wants medical administrators.
(I'm not sure if we want their families too).
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 11:55 PM on February 11, 2009 [1 favorite]

And if you've got a medical degree and you like country areas, seriously, come over, it's nice down here.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 12:03 AM on February 12, 2009

Permanently moving to Europe was tough a few years ago as an American. Now, I'd say it's pretty much impossible unless you work for a major company that's going to sponsor you (i.e., you're essential for a given position or project).

This is pretty true. In simple terms, EU countries have to consider EU candidates before non-EU ones. Companies that will sponsor you do exist, but with layoffs at some of the big employers (like Philips and ING here in the Netherlands), there are probably hiring freezes going on, too. However, the employment situation might be different in the health care industry.

If you have language concerns, you can definitely live in the Netherlands if you only speak English and no Dutch (not easy, but possible), and it's a great country in which to live. If you would consider the NL, I'd normally recommend looking into the knowledge migrant program, but bringing non-Dutch speaking kids might be complicated.

If you're looking at anyplace other than Canada/the UK/Australia/any other primarily-English-speaking country I'm forgetting, I would recommend starting your search with regards to your kids' education options. I imagine each country handles children who don't speak the language differently. Then, you can narrow your list and start looking into immigration laws and looking for a job.
posted by transporter accident amy at 12:08 AM on February 12, 2009

"It's harder if you are married, as you'd need to find a school willing to hire you and your spouse"

I know that in South Korea lots of schools prefer to hire couples since it's cheaper (one bedroom apartment vs. two separate studios) and presumably they'll be more mature or stable. (Lots of people come over here and promptly flake out and want to leave.)

Having kids though would be a deal-breaker for many schools. IMO, you wouldn't want to raise a kid in a Korean public school anyways due to the persistence of corporal punishment.
posted by bardic at 12:40 AM on February 12, 2009

I'd also look into Canada. I know that that as of last year they were eager to bring in foreigners with certain educational backgrounds and skill sets. As an MD you'd probably be over-qualified, but who knows. And obviously, no language barrier unless you move to Quebec.

But who'd want to live there AMIRITE?
posted by bardic at 12:42 AM on February 12, 2009

I deal with a number of people in my profession who are planning on being ex-pats when they retire... Panama and Thailand are the two that I hear about most often, Costa Rica is too violent and unstable compared to Panama.
posted by olddogeyes at 12:45 AM on February 12, 2009

If you're a GP you could most likely get your certification and a job in Australia or New Zealand, although you'd most likely find it easiest to work outside a major city.
posted by rodgerd at 1:53 AM on February 12, 2009

I guess my imediate question is what is it about the life in the States that is making you feel fed up? Do you feel a disconnect with the culture of governing ideology? If you explain a little about what the sort of society you would like to live in then we can advise you of countries that are like that? Obviously if you have UK citizenship and therefore EU passport then there are a lot of opportunities there. For me personally I have a lot of time for the Scandinavian lifestyle but that may be anathema to you.
posted by numberstation at 4:12 AM on February 12, 2009

Canada
The Bahamas
The Cayman Islands
Thailand
Japan
Cambodia
Laos
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:27 AM on February 12, 2009

Belgium is very friendly to expats. Lots of English-speakers among the natives (particularly in Flanders and in the Brussels area) and a large expat community in Brussels and Antwerp. Healthcare is some of the best in the world. Not sure about the schools. (There are some private English-speaking schools, but they are incredibly expensive.)

Not sure how hard it is to get a work permit--you'd be golden if the UK citizenship thing worked out--but I suppose being a doctor wouldn't hurt.
posted by col_pogo at 4:55 AM on February 12, 2009

AUSTRALIA - no contest. Probably Melbourne. US and Aus have relaxed entry requirements between countries.

Pros - Great work/life balance. Good housing, schools (public and private), reasonable public transport. Great climate.
Cons - Domestic help is expensive. A long way from anywhere.
posted by lamby at 5:34 AM on February 12, 2009

Moving to Italy without a work permit is a breeze. Law enforcement is lax and I lived there for 2 years, consulting for several large Italian corporations, and never bothered with a work permit. If you have an American passport, you can effectively work anywhere in mainland Europe, assuming you are able to fly under the radar and not get a job as an employee at a big company. I rented a place on the gray market and my girlfriend babysat and taught English (also without papers). Strangely, our cats were there legally and I spent tons of money on their paperwork. Being an illegal is awesome. I drove as fast as I wanted on the Autostrada and loved getting tickets on the Metro since I knew I would never have to pay them.

I lived for a year and a half of that time in Turin, which I loved. There is a small English-speaking community there, though it's not anywhere near as big as Milan or Rome. If I were to just pick up and move, vs. having some kind of employment, I might consider a city like Catania, in Sicily.

Italy is great for the lifestyle, the food, the women, the clothes...but gets old if you like air-conditioning, modern plumbing, efficient services, 24-hour stores, etc. MeFi mail me if you want more info.
posted by charlesv at 8:13 AM on February 12, 2009 [1 favorite]

You might look at Getting Out: Your Guide to Leaving America.
posted by PatoPata at 8:37 AM on February 12, 2009

My girlfriend used to go here in Milan.
posted by charlesv at 9:07 AM on February 12, 2009

lamby, it's technically true that we have relaxed entry requirements for US citizens. That's for visitors, tourists and holidayers. Working visa and permanent residency rules are pretty fierce, even for Americans, unless they have a special skill ie. medicine.

Pros - Great work/life balance. Good housing, schools (public and private), reasonable public transport. Great climate.
Cons - Domestic help is expensive. A long way from anywhere.

All of those should be in the 'pro' category. People's Socialist Republic of The Arse End Of The World, baby.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 12:35 PM on February 12, 2009

wow: lots of thoughtful replies. thank you all
as to my political and social leanings, i think the Scandinavians are closest to the mark in most respects
for medical work, clearly AUS, NZ and CAD seem the easiest choices
The months i have spent in Italy were nearly the happiest in my life but then again it was vacation time so that doesnt count
Interesting to me that South American countries never get mentioned as possibilities...why is that?
posted by dougiedd at 2:22 PM on February 12, 2009

dougiedd: Professionally the best thing about working in New Zealand for a doctor is probably ACC and the resultant lack of medical litigation.
posted by rodgerd at 10:58 PM on February 12, 2009