Where to settle outside Europe for disenchanted expats

If you’ve finally decided to leave both the UK and the EU to their own Brexit devices, where’s the best place to go outside Europe?

Whether you’re still in the UK and fearful of what might come next or already living in Europe but not sure you’ll be allowed to stay, it’s maybe time to wake up from the nightmare of uncertainty. Some 1.3 million British expats are living in EU member states and are facing the same dilemma as EU citizens in the UK. All across Europe and in the UK, the spectre of not knowing how the next six months will affect jobs and lives is hovering. At the very least, UK expats in Europe have a good choice of new locations outside the EU and the UK in which their statuses won’t be wrecked by either the British government or its EU equivalent.

If a tropical paradise is an unfulfilled dream, Costa Rica can make the dream come true. The country’s glorious natural beauty contains around six per cent of the planet’s bio-diversity, making it a paradise for those who care about nature and its species. For families, the education system is modern and professional and healthcare facilities are world class with hordes of US citizens arrive annually as medical tourists to take advantage of high-quality, low-cost private facilities.

Although its reputation for a high cost of living may well rule out many would-be expats, those with good private pensions or expertise in the financial sector could make a successful move to Singapore without much effort. The city state is known for friendliness, safety and sparkling cleanliness, although the words ‘culture shock’ do get a new meaning in this city-state. Would-be expats nervous about Asian cultures in general should remember that some 40 per cent of Singaporeans are expats themselves, one reason why the state has four official languages including English.

Canada has one major advantage for British expatriates – it’s English-speaking through and through. It’s also packed with natural beauty and boasts an excellent quality of life, especially if you’re looking for an inspiring position in Vancouver’s tech sector. Canadians in general are welcoming to foreigners, and the country’s culture isn’t dissimilar to the UK’s prior to Brexit, thus making culture shock unlikely. The second option may sound surprising, but Kenya’s fast-growing, major urban hubs offer a great deal to expats wanting to improve their work/life balance. It’s not all about safaris and nature reserves, although these are two good reasons for living there, as the growth in the urban middle class has opened up good job opportunities.

New Zealand is an old favourite for expats from the UK searching for security, safety and a quiet life. Its newish reputation as a southern hemisphere hub for expats from across the world was recently enhanced by its eighth position in the World Happiness Index – a rare honour in these troubled times. Healthcare and education are top-notch, and almost the entire population is English-speaking, although a number of Maori words are in everyday usage and should be learned. Due to its island setting, the cost of living is high but is still less than that in the UK. The country attracts would-be incomers in the environmental and educational sectors, as well as those simply looking for a slower, more enjoyable pace of life.