Zemira

How to choose a country to move to: 8 questions to ask yourself first

4 November 2026 · up to date as of 4 November 2026

ArmeniaSwitzerlandEstoniaCroatiaLithuaniaRomaniaUnited KingdomGermanyPolandPortugal

Moving abroad feels final, but the statistics say otherwise. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that 20 to 50% of immigrants leave their new country within five years — going home or moving on. In Germany and the Netherlands the share reached two thirds or more over 2010–2019. Researchers at Germany's Institute for Employment Research (IAB) estimate that around 260,000 immigrants leave Germany every year, and name the economy and quality of life as the main reasons.

Leaving is not always failure: some people reach their goal, others return to family. But in the stories of those who were disappointed, the same reasons come up again and again. We collected them and turned them into eight questions worth asking yourself before you choose a country.

1. Do I have a legal route to residency and citizenship — and does it rest on a perk?

The first question is not «where is best» but «where am I allowed». The route to residency and citizenship depends on your passport, profession, family and origin, and the differences are huge: in Armenia citizenship is possible after 3 years, in Switzerland and Lithuania after 10.

A separate trap is moving for a temporary advantage. Some Americans chose Portugal for its NHR tax regime, and when it closed, many began thinking about moving on. Residency rules change too: the UK has announced that indefinite leave to remain will now take 10 years instead of 5. Choose a country where your route does not depend on a single perk.

2. What will it really cost?

Money is one of the most common reasons people go back. Stories of failed moves talk about debts, savings that ran out before a job came along, and rents that kept rising.

Plan for three things: the cost of the first month (in many countries a deposit plus rent in advance means up to six months of payments), ordinary monthly costs, and a buffer for 3–6 months without income. The gap between countries is huge: by our data for November 2026, one person needs about €1,000 a month in Narva, Estonia, and about CHF 4,400 in Zurich.

3. Will I find work in my profession?

This may be the most underestimated problem. According to the OECD, about a third of highly educated immigrants work below their qualifications — largely because their foreign degrees are not recognised.

For Ukrainians who left after 2022 the picture is harsher still: according to data from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), almost 60% of employed refugees work below their skill level, although about 70% of them hold a university degree. Nurses work as assistants, engineers in low-skilled jobs. In Germany, IAB data show average full-time earnings of Ukrainian refugees of about €2,600 gross, against almost €4,500 across the country.

What to do: find out in advance how your degree is recognised in your chosen country, how long it takes and what it costs — and honestly plan for a period of working below your level.

4. Am I ready to learn the language?

Language is the «root of the problem» in almost every story of a failed move. Without it, it is hard to find skilled work, talk to a doctor or the police, or make friends. Many hope English will do — and are disappointed.

The good news: language is the lever that works. In Poland, a 2025 survey found that 63% of Ukrainians already speak Polish well or fluently, and 78% of those who arrived after the full-scale invasion are working. Mind the paperwork too: in many countries the language is needed not only for life but for permanent residency and citizenship — from A2 in Latvia to B1 and above elsewhere.

5. Can I keep my citizenship?

People often remember this too late. Romania and Armenia allow dual citizenship, while Lithuania requires everyone who naturalises, even EU citizens, to give up their previous passport. If keeping ties with your home country matters — an inheritance, parents, the option to return — this can decide the choice.

6. What happens to my family?

Kindergartens, schools and health insurance for a non-working spouse often cost more than expected. Two examples from our data: in Croatia the children of a foreigner with temporary residence are not covered through the working parent — each costs about €125 a month; in Estonia voluntary public health insurance for a non-working adult costs about €272 a month.

7. How will I live day to day — not on holiday?

A holiday shows a country at its best. Daily life means damp homes in winter, rainy months, waits for a doctor, pavements and transport. Americans disappointed with Portugal named exactly these things: the weather, building quality, infrastructure. And in expat surveys, bureaucracy and house-hunting are among the main sources of stress: in Germany only 16% of foreigners find it easy to find housing, against 45% worldwide.

8. Who will I spend time with?

No calculator can count this — ours included. Loneliness is named as one of the main reasons for going home early. In Germany almost two thirds of expats say it is hard to make local friends, against 41% worldwide. The same thing repeats in the stories of those who returned: everything seemed fine — work, money, a settled home — but a «foreign mentality», feeling «neither here nor there», missing family and friends.

What helps: before deciding, live in the country for a month or two — not as a tourist, but with everyday life. And think in advance where you will find your people: language courses, work, communities, hobbies.

The bottom line

A failed move rarely has a single cause. It is usually a combination: less money than planned, work below your level, slow progress with the language, no friends. Most of these risks are visible in advance — if you ask the right questions.

The first three — your legal route, budget and priorities — our questionnaire works out across 52 countries: which routes are open to you, how many years to citizenship and what life costs in each city. The other five are up to you.

This is general information, not legal or financial advice.

Sources

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