Spain is the most popular European country as Brits seek the sun and Mediterranean lifestyle
Recently we published the results of our 2018 National UK Emigration Survey showing the countries worldwide that British migrants most want to move to.
Today we are publishing the European subset which reveals the most desirable European destinations for British migrants following the Brexit vote.
All of the countries on the list are in the EU or EEA, with the exception of Turkey and Switzerland who both still have other trade agreements with the EU.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Spain, France and Italy top the list, followed by Cyprus, Portugal and Greece. This clearly demonstrates the popularity of southern Europe as the British desire the sun, sea and Mediterranean lifestyle.
The survey results do emphasise the popularity of Europe with British migrants and show that British sun seekers will still be keen on achieving the Mediterranean dream long after Brexit.
The countries at the top of the table also demonstrate British people’s desire to migrate for lifestyle reasons such as retirement as much as economic reasons which is the top motivator for EU migrants coming to the UK.
This same pull towards lifestyle migration also explains why so many Britons go to considerable lengths to retain elements of home life once they have settled abroad. Sky Sports subscriptions, British-style pubs along the Spanish coast and weekend gatherings built around the Premier League fixtures all tend to follow the migrant out of the UK. Football in particular remains a defining thread in expat life, and there is now a small ecosystem of forums and blogs dedicated to navigating these logistical hurdles. Within these dedicated expat threads, members debate whether the best bitcoin casinos or traditional wire transfers offer a more reliable way to bypass local banking restrictions. These same online communities also tackle the question of which broadcasters still work once you are no longer on a British IP address. Geo-restrictions are a recurring frustration — most UK gambling and streaming platforms simply do not function outside Britain — so anyone planning a move tends to look into the practicalities well before the removals van is loaded.
But according to PSS International Removals’ Managing Director, Liam Witham, British nationals wanting to migrate post-Brexit should not be too concerned.
“I cannot see how people migrating to and from the EU will stop post-Brexit. There has always been a tradition of British people moving within Europe whether it’s for retirement, work or lifestyle reasons. British migrants have always been welcome and I believe that will continue.”
The transition period agreement between the British Government and EU means that not much will change until 2021. As Liam Witham comments, “Although it will likely still be possible for British people to move to Europe post-Brexit, I would recommend people don’t delay. There is a little uncertainty over what will happen in 2021 so, if you are planning to move why not move sooner? You’ll have the certainty of status currently provided to UK citizen’s residing in the EU before Brexit and you can also begin enjoying your new life in the sun sooner.”
The Top 20 European Countries British People
Most Want To Move To
The 2018 League Table
RANK |
|
COUNTRY |
PERCENTAGE |
EU / EEA |
| 1 |  |
Spain | 21.0% | EU |
| 2 |  |
France | 12.0% | EU |
| 3 |  |
Italy | 11.5% | EU |
| 4 |  |
Cyprus | 8.3% | EU |
| 5 |  |
Portugal | 6.7% | EU |
| 6 |  |
Greece | 6.5% | EU |
| 7 |  |
Ireland, Republic of | 4.6% | EU |
| 8 |  |
Germany | 4.5% | EU |
| 9 |  |
Malta | 4.0% | EU |
| 10 |  |
Turkey | 3.0% | Customs Union |
| 11 |  |
Iceland | 2.8% | EEA |
| 12 |  |
Netherlands | 2.5% | EU |
| 13 |  |
Switzerland | 2.2% | Trade Agreement |
| 14 |  |
Sweden | 2.1% | EU |
| 15 |  |
Norway | 2.0% | EEA |
| 16 |  |
Canary Islands | 1.8% | EU |
| 17 |  |
Austria | 1.2% | EU |
| 18 |  |
Denmark | 1.1% | EU |
| 19 |  |
Poland | 1.0% | EU |
| 20 |  |
Belgium | 0.9% | EU |
