If you were going to emigrate, which country would you choose ?

I’ve got it planned in my head, in the Chianti foothills overlooking Florence, please. I’d prefer a luxury villa and beautiful gardens if possible, with plenty of room for friends and family.

We were lucky that throughout the 1990s my inlaws had a wonderful holiday house with an acre of land in the south of France. When they decided to sell up we, their DC all cried out but to be fair we would never have wanted the upkeep, taxes etc. We enjoyed the most fabulous free holidays for 12 years.

Italy has been mentioned. While it is great for the many holidays I’ve spent there, I lived and worked there in my late 20s. I was so glad to come back home.

This is an interesting thread. I’m going to start a new one asking who has emigrated, if so why and did they come back and if so why.

Being half Italian, not surprisingly, my choice would be Italy. I feel so at home there, love the culture, food and family values. It would have to be northern Italy (where my Mum came from) as recently (after years of being a sun-worshipper) I prefer the slightly cooler northern climate.

Had a house in Spain for twenty years and was employed by a local newspaper and ran a business same time. Miss Spain and little hope of returning due to Brexit.

My nephew lives in Spain, married to a Spanish girl. I wonder if that gives him permanent residence? I don’t believe he intends to return to the UK.
Interesting that no one would choose to live in the USA just now!

Australia still has a lot to offer, if you’re young and willing to work hard you will be made very welcome a have a very good lifestyle whatever your skills. If you’re retired and have family there there are lovely small towns with a comfortable feel to them. I have family in Queensland and Victoria either would suit us fine.

Australia is great and I have friends there. But my brother lives in Canada so I would love to be near him..
Therefore Canada.

David49

Australia still has a lot to offer, if you’re young and willing to work hard you will be made very welcome a have a very good lifestyle whatever your skills. If you’re retired and have family there there are lovely small towns with a comfortable feel to them. I have family in Queensland and Victoria either would suit us fine.

It really is not true that you can emigrate there whatever your skills or just because you are a hard worker.

If you are retired and wish to emigrate to Australia you have to prove that you have a certain amount in assets before you can do so. Your British State Pension will remain static at the amount it was when you left the UK too. A limited number of Parental Visas are available.
Of course, you would have to be able to fund your own healthcare too.

Yes- you have to have a lot of money these days - a real lot. I have to say beasties and snakes etc are a non- issue. You rarely see snakes and are quite safe so long as you are not daft enough to walk barefoot through very long grass. They are scared of humans unless you tread on them or something. You wouldn’t touch a spider but who would do that anyway?

Nanato3

Spain. Though I've never been abroad in my life

That's so interesting!
Why Spain then?

If I were doing this it would be Italy or Southern Ireland.
The places I'd have gone to though (say) 20 years ago are not the same anymore with too much (for me) development and more tourists.

Of course, 20 years ago the world was a different place I think.

It was better, more innocent then. Almost everywhere but that’s another topic I suppose.

Quite correct ten pound poms have long gone but that applies to most countries you have the have a skill they need.

Unless

You have money and can afford to buy your way in

Canada.
I live in France at the moment but it doesn't feel like emigration.
We'll either stay here or return to the UK.
We're too old to emigrate now. OH is 80 I am 71.

Norway.

nanna8

Yes- you have to have a lot of money these days - a real lot. I have to say beasties and snakes etc are a non- issue. You rarely see snakes and are quite safe so long as you are not daft enough to walk barefoot through very long grass. They are scared of humans unless you tread on them or something. You wouldn’t touch a spider but who would do that anyway?

You wouldn’t touch a spider but who would do that anyway?

Me. In my defence, I didn't see it, it was on a plant pot I picked up in the garden. It was very painful indeed (bug not poisonous thank goidness).

bug not poisonous thank goidness
But affected my ability to spell.

Blossoming

Norway.

When we went to Cyprus in late winter/very early spring one year we met Norwegian people who went to Cyprus for months to avoid the Norwegian winter.

Allira

^bug not poisonous thank goidness^
But affected my ability to spell.

Chuckling away here Allira! 😁

I never want to emigrate but if I did it would either be Siberia or Iceland as I love cold and winters and thick snow!

Australia or Canada

I have emigrated to Luxembourg.
A wonderful, clean and safe country with great modern infrastructure and an excellent health service.

We even have free public transport. Yes free Bus, tram and trains,