What are the Top 5 Countries in the World for Quality of Life?
We take a closer look at the pros and cons of the top 5 countries that have been named the best for expatriates seeking quality of life abroad by the latest NatWest survey
If you have a choice about where you relocate to abroad, you may as well choose a nation famed for offering its residents a high standard of living and a decent quality of life. Which is why we thought we’d examine the top 5 countries for quality of life today, and see what the pros and cons of each are for expats.
We Brits are famous for being as at home abroad as we are at home, but part of our ease of integration comes from picking the right country to call home in the first place. Some Britons have to relocate to a given nation for employment, but the majority of us are free to roam and explore – so where should we be headed if we want to have a good standard of living overseas?
The Centre for Future Studies and NatWest International have released their latest Quality of Life Index, (although – note to the PR company responsible for promoting the Index - it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to get hold of a copy), and according to their findings, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France and America top the tables when it comes to the ‘lifestylie’ on offer for expats! Therefore, read on to discover what’s so good and what’s perhaps not so good about each country in turn.
1) Living in Australia
In the 2010 Quality of Life Index Australia has moved up two places and knocked Canada off the number one spot; it becomes the best place for expats to live abroad if they really want the best lifestyle - according to the expatriates surveyed anyway.
The Pros - the reasons cited in Australia’s favour by the expats surveyed range from the usual positives such as the climate and ease of integration, (thanks to language and cultural similarities), to the perhaps less well considered bonuses such as the fact that there are solid professional employment opportunities for those with the right skills in Australia, and that it is easy to own property in Australia as an expat, (69% of expats surveyed in Australia owned property there as opposed to an average of 31% worldwide).
The Cons - Australians are beginning to complain about their country’s immigration policy as the ‘multicultural’ card is played. Immigrants from non-Western/white/English speaking countries are moving in and integration is being ‘forced’ on native Australians and some are finding it difficult to swallow. There is a real and growing sense of unease across all sectors of society – and as a result of this, any immigrant - even a Brit – is one more too many for some Australians. For Britons moving in the last thing they perhaps expect to face in Australia is a racial backlash, but this can be a reality for some.
Other than this, other negatives are the fact that Australia is so similar to the UK, but not on every level, so that some who opt for Australia because they think it will be wholly like home are disappointed. For others, they feel isolated being physically so far away from their friends and family.
2) Living in Canada
Canada was the number one nation for quality of life until Australia knocked it off the top spot this year…but it still has an awful lot to offer immigrants.
The Pros - Canada’s inclusive immigration policy is a definite bonus for families wanting to settle in together because where one member of a family is seen as a potential asset and therefore worthy of a visa to move to live, work, invest or employ in Canada, other members of the family can apply for residency and to be sponsored by the original visa holder.
Canada actively works to keep families together – and this is seen as a real reason for why more immigrants manage to settle in to Canadian life easily. Other positives in the country’s favour include the fact that its economy has not suffered in the same way ours has in the UK, and expats rank its housing standards and quality of the natural environment as strong positives in its favour.
The Cons - the Canadian weather has to be the number one downside for the majority of people! In addition, whilst the nation has a ‘good’ immigration policy, it still requires dedication, money and even a lot of patience to get a residency visa.
3) Living in New Zealand
New Zealand is an exceptionally positive choice with Britons considering expatriation because it ticks an awful lot of very important boxes, it is also a country that always scores well in the NatWest International Quality of Life Index.
The Pros - New Zealand scores well with expatriates for its ease of integration, good health and education provision. As stated it is a favourite with Brits because it is just so easy to settle in on a lot of fundamental levels – i.e., many ‘native’ Kiwis herald from the UK originally anyway, English is the most commonly spoken language, the systems in place for everything from government to law are similar or even the same as in the UK in most cases, and so it’s easy to move in and get on with life seamlessly.
The Cons - New Zealand is like the UK on many levels, but it’s like a UK of yesteryear in places as well! Elements of life and some locations across the nation are basic, even primitive, and there is a lack of sophistication when you step off the beaten track that some Britons really struggle to adapt to cope with. New Zealand is also very isolated, and it does not have the Australian climate either!
4) Living in France
France often tops polls when it comes to quality of life, and as we discussed in an article on Monday, there is an awful lot to be said in France’s favour, particularly for expatriate Britons. However, as we also went on to further disclose, France is not perfect – which is why it’s just outside the top 3 for NatWest’s Quality of Life Index perhaps.
The Pros - the nation scores very well with Britons looking just at location factors. For example, it is cheaply, easily and swiftly accessible from all parts of the UK, you can access such a vast array of different climates and geographical delights in France too. France has a wealth of culture and history and it has a very good standard of education available. Property is still cheap in many regions and the cost of living can be a lot less than in the UK.
The Cons - You need to speak a decent standard of French to ever integrate successfully! What’s more, racial tension is an issue in France as it is in Australia, (and many other nations besides), and Brits are immigrants as much as the next expat and so need to be aware of this! Healthcare in France is ok, but it suffers underfunding and Brits usually have to have insurance to top up their level of cover. France also perhaps suffers because many Brits have a rose tinted view of the country, and when they move in and realise it is not perfect they react against it strongly.
5) Living in America
America is really only ‘up there’ on the index for professional expatriates, it is not a country considered by many retirees and it’s also seen more as a temporary relocation destination rather than a permanent new home abroad by most expats surveyed.
The Pros - for those who have employment in America the pros include living in a nation where English is the number one language spoken, where ease of integration is easy for Brits as they are widely welcomed, where it’s not so difficult to get a visa because you have secured employment, and where healthcare and educational facilities and standards are very high. Cost of living is relatively well accepted as well, and the entertainment options in American on offer for families are exceptionally good.
The Cons - America is a bit like Marmite – expats seem to either love it and thrive or hate and resent it! It can be very hard to get a visa and immigration officials are famed for their unpleasant handling of any visitor to America. Whilst many of the major cities are easy places to settle in as an immigrant, massive parts of America have real issue with ‘foreigners!’ It can be hard to scrape below a surface that is suffused with fast food and cheap and nasty culture to find any ‘real’ American culture and quality, (although it is possible and those who persevere can fall in love with this vast nation of contrasts.)
Health care is only good if you can afford it, and it is not a myth, ‘normal’ Americans don’t walk anywhere, the car really is king.
In Conclusion
All the countries considered as offering expatriates the best quality of life abroad have pros in their favour and cons going against them – this is simply because no one nation is perfect, and a choice about where you want to live abroad is always going to be wholly subjective! It’s good to have indices such as the NatWest Quality of Life Index as they are based on broad opinion, and from broad opinion you can perhaps perceive which values and facts are important to you when you’re looking for your ideal home overseas.
However, as has perhaps been a bit of a theme this week, one has to note that no one nation is perfect, and to find the best country in the world for you and your family you will have to do your own assessment and accept that there is no country that will tick all of your boxes!
http://www.shelteroffshore.com/index.php/living/more/top-5-countries-for-quality-of-life-10870
