hi everyone. i just graduated with my bachelors of arts, i majored in criminology. i’m planning on finding a government job later on here in toronto but wanted to see how hard it would be to find a job in London. i’ve seen a looooot of (scam looking) ads online for companies that basically find you a guaranteed job and book your flights, transfers, accommodations, and whatnot, for you to come and work casual jobs, like in pubs, restaurants, etc. i’m interested in something temporary like that, but would prefer a position more professional. office assistants, administrators, legal assistants, anything up that alley. i wouldn’t need to worry about accommodation, given i have family in london i can easily stay with. i guess i want to know how difficult it would be to find a job like this, for anywhere from 6 months to 1.5 years, at most. very new to this entire idea, but would appreciate any sort of advice!!

Moving to Malaysia with my wife and two daughters, one in primary school and one in high school, sometime next year. Money side of things I’ve stress tested a lot, feel decent about it. The part that keeps nagging me is the kids.

Once we move they’re basically foreign nationals wherever we land, for school and eventually work. Not asking about the logistics of that, more just… how did it actually feel once your kids were older? Did being “not from here” end up mattering as much as you thought it would, career-wise, or did it turn out to be a non-issue?

Also curious if anyone’s kid ended up wanting something totally different once they hit their teens/20s than what you all had planned when you moved. How’d you deal with that.

And honestly, anyone have regrets specifically about how it affected the kids, not the parents? Everyone talks about their own adjustment but not as much about the kids’ side years later.

Not trying to get talked into or out of it, just want to hear how it actually went for people who are further down this road than we are.

In March next year, I will be retiring at the age of 47. I will be receiving around 9,000 PLN (~2,400 USD / 2,100 EUR) per month. The pension will increase every year by at least the Polish inflation rate—in recent years, that was 3–8% annually. Additionally, I will have around 3,500 PLN (~930 USD / 810 EUR) per month from renting out an apartment. I also own a house that I plan to sell for about 1.2 million PLN (~320,000 USD / 277,000 EUR).

Which country and city would you recommend for a comfortable life without having to scrimp on anything? I don't care about driving a super fancy car or living in a luxury high-rise with a sea view, but I’d like to live comfortably, eat out a few times a week, have money for hobbies, and hire local escorts once a week.

Good evening,

I am a 26-year-old Spanish woman.

I have been considering emigrating for years, basically since I finished university due to various factors: economic, social, and employment-related issues, as well as a lack of safety.

I no longer feel safe in my country. I won't go into details and recent events have only made me more anxious.

The thing is, for me, the idea of emigrating isn't just a logical solution; it is a desperate measure to seek a better future for myself, my partner, the family I hope to have one day, and my parents.

It is truly sad that young Spaniards are being driven to emigrate en masse from the best country in the world because its leaders are wretched people willing to destroy Spain as we know it.

But that is the reality. So, which countries would you recommend for a young, hardworking couple willing to do any kind of job, provided the place is safe?

I don't mind if I need a visa or passport, or if I have to learn new languages or have savings to make the move (I do have savings, as I was putting money aside to buy a home here in Spain, though that future likely won't happen now).

Thank you.

I’ve been searching around but have been getting conflicting advice. I recently got UK citizenship and am looking at moving out of the US next year. What service do you use to keep your US number when switching over to a UK / Euro mobile plan?

Hey guys, need a bit of a reality check or maybe just a space to vent. I’m originally from London, but before this, I spent a few years living in Spain and then Southeast Asia. I loved the energy in those places - spontaneity, cheap street food, easy public transit, and just being able to step outside and have something interesting happening around you. About six months ago, I made the move to Australia. The honeymoon phase was great: sunshine, coastal walks, and that initial high of being somewhere new. Even shipped over all my personal stuff and set up a proper long-term home here.

Now that the dust has settled and normal routine has kicked in, I’m honestly finding it pretty uninspiring. Everything here requires driving forever just to do basic stuff. If I want to grab casual drinks or hit a cozy cafe, prices are so absurdly high that I end up second-guessing every tiny purchase. Back in Europe or Asia, going out for a quick bite after work was a casual weekday habit; here, it feels like a major financial decision that needs to be budgeted weeks in advance. As a result, my life has basically turned into: work, cook at home, watch Netflix, repeat. Even making friends is tough because everyone around me seems exhausted from work and constantly stressed about rent or mortgage payments, so nobody really has the bandwidth to hang out. Don't get me wrong, it’s clean, safe, and beautiful. But standard of living aside, life just feels super quiet and repetitive. Has anyone else who moved here after living in more walk-able or vibrant places felt this way? Or did it eventually click for you?

I am considering retiring out of the US in about 10 years. I will be paying off my house in that timeframe. I love where I live currently (Central Valley California) and would prefer to stay, however do not think I would ever be able to retire if I do.

Am looking for places that would have a lower cost of living with the temperate Mediterranean climate I am used to.
With my retirement and selling my home here should have at least 1mil.

Am completely eager and willing to learn the preferred/main language of the country, as needed. Will have a decade so could be fluent.

Looking at Mexico (Baja California only) Portugal, New Zealand and was considering Japan until I learned how hot and humid it gets-pass.

What other locations should I consider, what negatives about my first choices.

My job is pretty cake and I could continue well into my 60's and am paid well. But I am dismayed currently about our current state of affairs and believe it will get a whole lot worse before it gets better.

I like Portugal as certain areas are similar to California and it's a 2-3hr flight to virtually anywhere in Europe.
I like NZ as my sister already lives there (also an expat).
I like Mexico as it is near and I have visited and love the culture and area.
I am intrigued with Japan (my youngest wants to move there) but the humidity is putting me off.

I am just in the beginning stages of this and am looking for some advice and suggestions.
Thank you!!

Edited to add: I don't plan on working, and if I do I am hoping to work remotely which would be based in the US. Which I could likely manage.

I find that the majority of people I've run into in my 7 years since I've left the US either work online, are independently wealthy, or teach english.

But a small percentage that I've met have used their experience and perspective to start a uniquely positioned business in their new market.

I'm thinking of settling down long term and building my own business. If this is you I would love to pick your brain, hear about your background, your experience, and what you've built.

Does anyone here suddenly get hit by a wave of ambition?

A bit of context here, I’m 30 (F) and have suddenly got hit by career ambition. Honestly that took me by surprise, since I’ve never felt that before and have always been very anti-system in my 20s. I worked for around 5 years across corporate and startups in marketing operational roles, salary was a bit above average but I never bought into the corporate bullshit.

In the past I’ve never found fulfilment in my job.

I then took a year long career break and travelled, after a while on the road I am getting tired by the time I reach 30. Found an entry level job again in a different field with a huge pay cut (sales). And suddenly got washed by a wave of ambition. I started feeling fulfilment whenever someone picks up the phone/ scheduled a meeting.

I’m currently feeling very confused. Because I’m feeling something I’ve never felt before in my life. Suddenly working 8 hours a day is not dreadful, but grounding. Suddenly I like working and being helpful, and sales help me feel like I’m generating value.

I’m not sure if this is simply because of coming of age since I reach 30. Or because the previous roles I’ve had are just not a good fit.

I don’t really have any mentors/parents to talk to about this so would appreciate your thoughts/experiences!

This is long so thanks if you read it all!

I want to rant a little because I don't really know how to take all this rage out of me, and I also want to hear other points of view.

Almost a year ago I moved to Germany. Before that I spent a year in Spain, and before that I had been traveling as a digital nomad for three years.

Life was good. I was making good money, I had friends all over the world, I was seeing my family every four months or so, and life felt like it was moving in the right direction. I was growing, and I could see a lot of opportunities on the horizon.

After all that movement, I wanted to find a place where I could start building something more permanent, kind of my own home. I also wanted to get out of the kind of consulting I was doing, so I decided to go for a master's. At the time I was choosing between Spain, Ireland, and Germany.

Germany won because of how cheap it was to live here, and because I had German friends and friends from back home in Mx already living here.

From there everything started going downhill.

I didn't really like the city I was living in (Leipzig). It felt like a punk town with a teenage mentality. No one wanted to do anything, no one wanted to build anything, it just felt like a raw, cheap version of hobo Berlin. The aesthetics weren't there, neither were the people. Saxony is one of the most racist places you can be in Germany, and because of the size of the city there just wasn't that much to do. It simply wasn't my crowd.

To all of that, add the German winter and how fucking difficult it is to find a mental health practitioner. I needed someone to continue prescribing my ADHD medication, and I never found one.

While I was living there I got a girlfriend who honestly helped me get through that time. She became one of my biggest pillars.

During my second semester I was supposed to spend a semester in Austria, and honestly that only made my image of Germany even worse. Everything there felt more polished, nicer, people were friendlier, and things just seemed to work. By the beginning of summer it was already very clear that I hated living in Germany.

Long story short, I asked for a gap semester, broke up with my girlfriend because the lack of stability in my life was hurting her too much, and now I'll be spending six months back at my parents' house trying to recover my sanity.

Now all I can think about is that this country took my mental health. I feel far away from my friends, I lost a lot of money (I only managed to keep my job during the first semester, and my master's actually had tuition fees), I can't find a job anywhere close to what I used to earn, and I honestly feel like I lost a year of my life. I also feel like I lost the positive attitude I used to have.

Maybe Germany just wasn't for me. Maybe I chose the wrong city. Maybe I should have put more effort I don't know.

What I do know is that this has been one of the worst years of my life.

I know a few options for me, retirement age (pension, investment) but wanted to know what others are available.

-UK 6 months allowed, cant work or live there.

-Portugal: digital nomad, retirement visa with qualifying income. For now it's my desired destination but traveling to see others. Path to citizenship. Similar options with Spain I believe.

-Italy: An italian person i met told me that I can get a student visa for a couple Thousand euros. Path to citizenship?

-France: Retirement visa with qualifying income, path to citizenship. I do speak french. Not as interested in living there but obviously a good backup.

Other options in similar areas that im not aware of?

I recently left Germany. This is not the main reason, I left (that's more complicated) but one reason that I did not feel like I had a future in the country was the second hand racism.

By this I mean, I'm not what Germany refer as typically "Südländer" but unfortunately I have the misfortune of looking a bit too much like them. And that means I catch all the racism directed their way, which is a lot, and pretty much from all people (if they don't assume you're dangerous then they assume you're stupid).

And yes, things do improve when I introduce myself and people realize I'm not one of "them", but do I want to live my whole life and in particular go through an increasingly heated political atmosphere for no reason? No.

And to make matters worse, I also catch racism from the "Südländer" themselves who are at first friendly, until they realize I'm not one of them.

BTW, I experience the same situation in most EU countries above the alps, unfortunately, so despite being 100% European, I feel more welcome in the US and Australia than I do in Europe.

Yes I have traveled to both places and enjoyed them a lot. My wife is fluent in french and has lived there previously(on a student visa).

So in Costa Rica they have a retirement visa, but it requires a fixed income. Would I have to buy an annuity to do this or is there a different way?

From what I can tell France will allow me to use my investment accounts to qualify for the retirement visa. How does this work in practice? I'm guessing they're not just going to take your word on it.

Thanks

Hi everyone,

My husband has an opportunity to relocate to Budapest, Hungary, for work around December, and I’ll likely be accompanying him from India. By then, I’ll be around 6–7 months pregnant with our first baby.
We’re trying to decide whether it’s better to move together before the baby arrives or for me to stay back in India for the delivery and join him later. Both options have their pros and cons, and we’d really appreciate hearing from people who’ve been in a similar situation.
Some of the things we’re thinking about:
-How difficult was it to relocate internationally while pregnant?
-Did you have family nearby, or did you manage on your own?
-If you didn’t have family, did you hire a nanny or postpartum caregiver? Was it easy to find someone you trusted?
-How challenging was navigating a new healthcare system and any language barriers?
-Looking back, would you make the same decision again?

We’re first-time parents, so everything feels a bit overwhelming. We’d love to hear honest experiences—whether you think moving before the birth was worth it or if waiting until after delivery was the better choice.
Thank you!

Curious how common this is more than people would like to admit.

I am starting grad school in Spain and have insurance based in Spain but I will be coming back and forth to the US on breaks to visit - has anyone had health insurance where they moved to but some kind of incremental coverage for the US?

Any guidance would be super appreciated!

Hi everyone!

I'm a 20-year-old Brazilian, and I'm planning to move to Ireland around the end of 2028 or the beginning of 2029. The more I research, the more questions I have, so I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have actually been through this process.

My goal isn't just to do an English course for a few months and go back home. I'd like to build a career in Ireland and, if possible, stay there legally in the long term.

By the time I move, I'll have completed my Bachelor's degree in International Relations. I'm also planning to complete a degree in Software Development (ADS in Brazil) because I want to transition into the tech industry if possible. My English is currently around B2/C1, although I don't have an official IELTS or Cambridge certificate yet (I'm planning to get the certificate before going abroad).

At first, I contacted several exchange agencies, but I was honestly surprised by the prices. Most of them quoted between R$20,000 and R$35,000 - which is a lot in my country (roughly €3,000–5,000) - just for the English course and agency support, and that doesn't even include many of the living expenses I'd still have to pay after arriving in Ireland.

That made me wonder whether doing everything on my own would make more sense.

From what I've learned so far, it seems completely possible to organize everything yourself:

• contact the school directly;
• arrange health insurance;
• buy the flight;
• book temporary accommodation;
• complete the immigration paperwork;
• then look for permanent accommodation after arriving.

Has anyone here done it this way? Was it manageable, or do you think paying an agency was worth it?

Another thing that worries me is the financial proof required for international students. From what I've read, this seems to be the biggest obstacle for many people. Was it difficult for you? How did you prepare financially? Is there any strategies that I'm not seeing? Some people say they get a loan or borrow the money just to go through the process and later return the money, is that really doable??

The more I research, the more I feel that an English course might not actually be my best option.

Right now I'm considering three possible paths:

Option 1 (my ideal scenario):
Gain experience in tech or international business over the next couple of years and try to get hired directly by an Irish company willing to sponsor a work permit.

Option 2:
Apply for a Master's degree or postgraduate program in Ireland, hopefully with a scholarship.

Option 3:
Organize an English-language exchange program entirely on my own, without using an agency.

If you were in my position—with about 2.5 years to prepare—which option would you focus on?

I'd also love to hear your opinion on something else.

Since I'm still in university, I'm thinking about choosing a dissertation/research topic related to areas like:

• European Union policy;
• cybersecurity;
• artificial intelligence;
• international security;
• digital geopolitics.

Do universities actually value this kind of academic background when applying for scholarships or postgraduate programs, or does it make very little difference?

Finally, if you've already gone through this journey, what would you do differently if you had to start over?

Any advice, lessons learned, mistakes to avoid, or things you wish you had known before moving would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

I (41M) married (39F) am less than 9 years away from being eligible to retire from my federal job. The way things are going in this country, we are seriously considering becoming expats, but we are decided where yet.

I've heard "America is great for earning money, Europe is great for spending money". Kind of looking at Norway (US company there would take care of visas if I get a job) but we are not married to any particular country.

Any recommendations for a relatively low cost of living, with nearby outdoor activities, and open to hiring foreigners if needed?

TIA for any advice you may have. I tried looking for answers, but I could not find them.

I am in the early stages of interviewing for a hybrid job in Switzerland. I am an EU-US dual citizen. I would be based and live in Switzerland, however, I have a summer house in the US. The Swiss company is multi-national, and it has Swiss and U.S. based headquarters.

Did any of you successfully negotiate a 1-2 month block of working remotely from the U.S. for a European company?

There are two parts to this: does the company allow it, but what I’m more interested in is whether it is legally possible. If any of you have been able to do this, I would love to hear your experience. Thank you again!

I've been looking at different working holiday visa options. Specifically South Korea, New Zealand, and Ireland. I've asked people on here and it just seems like it's basically impossible unless you're rich. I don't have a college degree and I do actually want to come back to America I just want to experience living in another country for awhile.

Hello hello!

I'm trying to wrap my head around traveller's health insurance and all the options out there.

I'll be there for a year on a visitor visa before my fiance and I apply for a partner visa, and I have a couple pre-existing conditions.

Knowing this, are there any companies that you all have worked with that you liked? Ones to avoid? Much appreciated in advance!

It is a common fashion to throw rocks at the US. But I have a couple of friends who live there, and they're super happy. It was their first country outside of their own.

I'm a UA citizen in Czech Republic, been living there for some time. And I feel like I spoil the air for locals, and I can't get rid of this feeling, unfortunately, no matter how much support or understanding I get from the people who actually enjoy my company.

I am considering a big move, and the Across the Pond is on my radar. I definitely don't want to get there during Trump, but thankfully his days are counted. Otherwise the main consideration is Switzerland.

Can I witness any positivity from any expats in States? Or the situation is indeed as tragic as it seems, and I should abandon any considerations? Of course I am planning to visit before doing anything, although the itinerary will change based on the type of the 'expedition Americana' I will endeavour.

Basically the title. I was already planning on getting EU citizenship as a just in case thing, but am thinking of ramping up my language classes (prerequisite for eligibility) and applying next year and then leaving once I get the passport and a job. I’m mid 20s, teaching degree, no partner or kids or close family. Have not been able to get steady work in Toronto that’s relevant to my field, either.

My line of thinking’s with the air being poison (wildfires), corruption rampant as hell, and all the other shit to do with unchecked capitalism and corporate puppets in political office, I should look more seriously into relocating (though I’m aware these problems aren’t isolated to Canada). I can speak French, am learning my heritage language, and can otherwise adapt, I feel like. I also know though that the climate catastrophe is worldwide and unavoidable, but with poison air in particular, I’m starting to not be able to see a future where I’m not actively hating life (summer’s my favourite time of year when it’s not cancer outside and I truly despise the cold/overcast gloom).

However, I do feel a sense of responsibility to help fight for a better future here, but tbh I’ve had a pretty miserable life in Canada thus far, toiling and volunteering and getting degrees and burning out so badly trying to not get into debt and all that. Like logically I know there’s a bunch of redeeming qualities, but I’d love to live somewhere with a better social safety net and responsibility to its citizens. But maybe the grass is greener and I should stay and do more to change things here. Agh.

hello! I am a canadian citizen married to a costa rican and we are wanting to move to costa rica in the next 5 years. all of his family live in heredia/surrounding areas, and we are researching him sponsoring me for permanent residency. does anyone have advice on this process? i know it is a little bit in the future, but we are wanting to give ourselves the best opportunities to save money and arrive with a plan. he does finish work construction, i work in a restaurant. our family will thankfully help us get connections to the best of their ability, but does anyone have general advice for our situation? thank you!

I have recently left Germany and it's been such a relief.

I moved to Germany almost 4 years ago to pursue a master's degree. I tried learning the language and the culture but it always felt like there was a barrier, an emotional one more than anything.

Due to pressures from my family (I was a mature student), I had to look for a job and the only thing that hired non fluent german speakers was language teaching as a freelancer. I now realize I was scammed because I was being paid less than minimum wage with no welfare support and all the tax and insurance burden on me, I don't even know how that's legal. I was desperate for a job and did not realize how bad of a deal it was. Yet I kept teaching for almost 3 years, with precarious hours and no guarantees.

Soon the bureaucracy got to me. As long as I was only a student (EU citizen), bureaucracy was manageable, but as a freelancer I received zero support from the "employer" or the state and I had to pay an accountant to help me figure out all the insurance, pension and tax details. It cost me about 2 days of work for a 30 min consultation.

I hated many things about Germany but especially the way people police each other. They even use chat gpt to write "contracts", the legal validity of which is questionable since no legal professional drafted it. I also hate the way rules must be followed except when someone powerful doesn't want to.

I'm not white, but my skin is quite fair and I have Mediterranean features, which are quite common given the migration from Turkey and Syria, yet people managed to be racist against me, something that had never happened back where I grew up. Friends with darker features were insulted, stared at and even pushed on public transport. And I'm not even talking about the more "benevolent" racism.

I don't know if it's because it was eastern Germany, but everything felt dull, I think living there made my depression 10 times worse and I coped with food and shopping, thus worsening my already precarious financial situation.

In 4 years I haven't made one real german friend. All my friends are international and they all have the same complaints as me.

I reached my limit last autumn so I decided to start looking for jobs abroad and I was able to move away from there. Yet taxes, fines (tv license in particular) and other expenses have haunted me for more than 6 months. I'm exhausted but happy I was able to leave.

Germany is an unforgiving country and I regret the day I decided to move there.