The American Dream Is Going International
For plenty of Americans, moving abroad has shifted from a daydream to something they are actively researching. Expatsi’s 2024 report drew responses from 116,363 Americans interested in leaving the country, with 54% hoping to relocate within six months to two years. Their preferred destinations range from nearby Canada and Mexico to Mediterranean favorites and some much farther-flung possibilities.
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Portugal Keeps Pulling Americans In
Portugal was the most requested destination in Expatsi’s 2024 survey and also topped its recommendation rankings. It has become especially prominent among Americans researching retirement and remote-work moves, with several residence routes available depending on income and employment circumstances.
Abhijeet Rane, Wikimedia Commons
France Has Serious Staying Power
France placed second among Expatsi’s recommended countries and was also among the ten destinations respondents requested most often. Retirees were one group for whom the company’s assessment frequently identified France as a potential match.
Spain Is More Than A Vacation Fantasy
Spain ranked third among Expatsi’s recommendations and second among its most requested destinations. It has also attracted Americans looking at study as a route abroad, since international students can potentially transition to post-study work authorization.
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Greece Is Catching Up
Greece landed fourth in Expatsi’s recommendations. The country also emerged as a destination frequently matched with retirees and digital nomads, showing that Americans considering it are looking beyond the obvious appeal of Greek vacations.
Mstyslav Chernov, Wikimedia Commons
Switzerland Makes The Cut
Switzerland came fifth in Expatsi’s rankings. It is hardly the obvious choice for someone primarily seeking a low-cost move, but its appearance so high on a test incorporating infrastructure, healthcare, safety and other preferences shows its appeal remains strong.
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Austria Is On The Radar
Austria took sixth place in Expatsi’s recommendation results. Like several countries near the top, it reflects how strongly Europe dominated the destinations that matched the priorities Americans entered into the relocation assessment.
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Luxembourg Is A Small-Country Surprise
Tiny Luxembourg managed seventh place in Expatsi’s recommendations. That put it ahead of considerably larger and more familiar destinations, suggesting Americans exploring relocation are not necessarily limiting their searches to the countries dominating traditional European tourism.
Belgium Gets A Closer Look
Belgium ranked eighth on Expatsi’s list. Its inclusion helped make Western Europe particularly prominent in the results, with neighboring France, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands all appearing among the 20 highest-ranked destinations too.
Slovenia Is Quietly Turning Heads
Slovenia reached ninth place in Expatsi’s recommendation rankings. The result is notable because the country does not have the same profile among American tourists as France or Spain, yet it still matched many prospective movers’ stated preferences.
Norway Has Northern Appeal
Norway completed Expatsi’s top ten. The survey’s recommendation system considers factors including infrastructure, healthcare, safety, climate, visa options and personal preferences, making its high placement more than simply a measure of vacation popularity.
Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), Wikimedia Commons
Germany Remains A Practical Contender
Germany ranked 11th in the Expatsi results. It has also drawn Americans considering education as part of a longer relocation strategy, helped by public universities that can offer unusually affordable tuition compared with typical American costs.
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The Netherlands Offers An American-Specific Route
The Netherlands ranked 12th. One unusual attraction for American entrepreneurs is the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty, which can provide a residence pathway for qualifying self-employed US citizens establishing businesses in the Netherlands.
Australia Still Has That Faraway Pull
Australia ranked 13th and appears prominently in other research on American relocation interest. Its government maintains multiple skilled-migration routes, including employer-sponsored, independent, regional, and state- or territory-nominated options.
Phil Whitehouse from London, United Kingdom, aka Phillie Casablanca on Flickr, Wikimedia Commons
Mexico Is Already Home To Many Americans
Mexico placed 14th in Expatsi’s recommendations and eighth among its most requested countries. Its temporary residency system can provide a comparatively straightforward option for qualifying Americans who meet the required financial or other eligibility criteria.
Canada Is The Familiar Alternative
Canada ranked 15th among Expatsi recommendations and fourth among respondents’ most requested destinations. Separate Google-search research has also found Canada to be the foreign country Americans most commonly investigate when contemplating relocation.
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Sweden Makes The Top 20
Sweden placed 16th on the Expatsi list. Along with Norway, Finland and Denmark, its appearance shows that Americans considering an overseas life are looking north as well as toward Europe’s sunnier Mediterranean destinations.
Jonatan Svensson Glad, Wikimedia Commons
Finland Has Its Own Fans
Finland followed Sweden at number 17. That means three Nordic countries appeared in Expatsi’s top 20, even though the mild climates preferred by many respondents generally gave warmer European countries an advantage.
Ireland Has An Obvious Advantage
Ireland was 18th among recommendations but sixth among the countries respondents specifically requested most often. Americans hoping to work there generally need an employment permit unless they qualify for an exemption or another status allowing employment.
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Denmark Rounds Out The Nordic Options
Denmark ranked 19th. Its inclusion meant four of the five Nordic countries appeared in Expatsi’s top 20, giving prospective movers several northern European alternatives despite the region’s cooler climate.
The United Kingdom Remains A Major Draw
The UK finished 20th in the recommendation rankings but third among destinations Americans requested most frequently. For many workers, moving there requires an eligible position and sponsorship, although Britain also operates several other visa categories.
Italy Is Too Popular To Ignore
Italy missed Expatsi’s recommendation top 20, yet it was the fifth most requested country among respondents. That distinction matters: Americans were actively asking about Italy even when the assessment sometimes matched their circumstances more closely with other destinations.
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New Zealand Is Worth The Distance
New Zealand was ninth among Expatsi’s most requested countries. Its Skilled Migrant Category provides qualifying workers with routes to residence, although applicants must satisfy requirements involving employment, skills, age, English ability and other criteria.
Phillip Capper from Wellington, New Zealand, Wikimedia Commons
Costa Rica Keeps Calling
Costa Rica completed the ten most requested countries in Expatsi’s report. Its residency possibilities include options aimed at retirees, while a separate program allows qualifying remote workers to stay under the country’s digital-nomad framework.
Taiwan Represents A Different Direction
Not every American considering a move is looking toward Europe or the Americas. Expatsi identified Taiwan as its leading recommendation in Asia, giving prospective movers a prominent option on the other side of the Pacific.
Mauritius Leads The African Options
Mauritius was the highest-recommended African destination highlighted in Expatsi’s findings. The Indian Ocean island therefore represents another example of prospective American expatriates considering places far beyond the countries traditionally associated with US emigration.
Arne Müseler, Wikimedia Commons
Colombia Leads In South America
Expatsi identified Colombia as its leading South American recommendation. Its inclusion broadens a list otherwise heavily dominated by Europe and demonstrates that the relocation searches and preferences captured by the assessment extend across multiple continents.
Albania Appeals To Budget-Conscious Movers
Albania did not reach Expatsi’s overall top 20, but the company specifically highlighted it for people prioritizing affordability. Americans can also visit Albania for substantially longer periods than ordinary short European vacations, making exploratory stays possible before committing.
Artur Malinowski, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Uruguay Is Getting More Attention
Uruguay is another destination Expatsi specifically highlights outside its overall top 20. The company has pointed prospective American families toward the South American country when their priorities align with its social environment and broader lifestyle characteristics.
Jimmy Baikovicius, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
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