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Fed up of living in the UK and considering moving abroad? Whether you’re thinking of moving for good or just want to spend a few years living overseas so you can tick it off your bucket list, there are many countries that provide you with the opportunity to immigrate with relatively little hassle.

As international removal specialists, Hackworthy & Sons has helped clients relocate to destinations all around the world and we do our best to provide as much support and guidance as we possibly can. 

Whilst emigrating to other places in the EU used to be a little less bothersome prior to Brexit, there are still so many options and ways to gain access to countries all across the world. 

To help those who want to emigrate but haven’t quite chosen to where yet, we have taken a look into the easiest countries to immigrate to and put together a list (in no particular order) of those countries that reoccurred during our research. 

The Top 10 Easiest Countries To Immigrate To In 2025

1. UAE 

The first on our list of countries easiest to move to is the UAE. Immigrating to the UAE tends to be a fairly easy process for UK citizens due to the simple visa requirements. When visiting the country there is no need for any advanced arrangements for a trip less than 30 days, however, it is required that you have a work permit in place should you wish to stay longer than this or move to the area.

A typical sponsorship would be in the form of an employer, so if you think that the UAE is a place you would like to live, make sure that you have an employment offer in place. You will then need to obtain a probationary 3-month work permit, which will allow you to start working immediately. 

However, in recent years they have made it easier for entrepreneurs, freelancers and digital nomads to make the move too. They introduced a 5-year Green UAE Visa which was designed for those wishing to reside how without sponsorship. You will get an initial 60 day work permit to come to Dubai so you can complete the final steps once you have arrived. 

It is important to note that if you have a family that you would like to join you in the United Arab Emirates, you must be earning a minimum monthly salary of 4,000 AED (approx £800), and if you would like your parents to join you the minimum monthly salary must be 10,000 AED (approx £2,000). Once you and your family have entered the UAE on an entry residence visa, a residence stamp must be applied for within 30 days of arrival. 

Another point that makes it easy to move to the UAE is that there are almost no taxes. The money that you earn in your job is yours to keep with no income tax, meaning that you are easily able to budget whether immigrating to the UAE is suitable for you. This benefit is only available to those who permanently move to the UAE, so please bear this in mind if you are only looking to move to the UAE temporarily, as you may still have to pay tax on your income if you are still a tax resident in the UK living in the UAE. 

2. Germany 

Whilst moving to Germany used to be a little bit more straight forward prior to Brexit, Germany is still classed as one of the easiest countries to gain entry to. 

You can stay in Germany for up to 90 days without a visa, but they offer a variety of other visas for long term stay. The Germany Job Seeker Visa is a popular option which is issued to anyone who wants to find work in Germany, if you are granted it, it allows you to say in the country for usually 6 months. This allows you time to find employment, and if successful, you can apply for a work permit afterwards. 

For digital nomads, they also offer two visas called;

The Freelance Visa (Freiberufler) and The Self Employment Visa (Selbständiger)

There are various stipulations to each visa type, but the main requirement has to do with the nature of the work that you do, the business that you operate. The freelance permit allows you to live and work in Germany for one year, but this can be extended for up to 3 years. 

For more information on how to apply for a residence permit, GOV.UK has some useful information to help you.

3. Australia 

If you’re looking to move to Australia, the easiest way to do so is by applying for jobs that are listed in their official Skilled Occupations List. If you are qualified for any of the occupations found on the list, you ought to find getting a visa a lot more straightforward. Those who want to emigrate to Australia must also be under the age of 45 at the time they submit their visa application and will also have to pass a health assessment, character assessment, and skills assessment.

Like the NHS in the UK, Australia has its own healthcare system, called Medicare, and it is free for anybody who has permanent residency within the country. This makes Australia another easy country to immigrate to, as there is no need to budget for your healthcare when moving here as this is all taken care of as part of your permanent residency. 

The country also has a partner visa for those with an Australian spouse or partner. 

4. Canada 

Canada continues to be one of the best countries for immigration due to its welcoming policies, high quality of life, and vast job opportunities. The Express Entry system, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), and family sponsorship options make it relatively easy to obtain permanent residency.

For those looking to make a permanent move to Canada, the easiest way to do this is by economic immigration or family reunification. Immigrating with family reunification will require you to have a family member that is a permanent resident, citizen, or registered under the Canadian Indian Act, that is over 18 and can sponsor your move.

Economic immigration tends to be the main path people take when moving to Canada and involves you to move as a skilled worker or investor. Canada provides an express entry program, factoring in age, job, education and language skills to allow people to apply for residence based on the future employment success in the country. UK, Australian and US citizens gain an immediate advantage due to the English language being one of the main languages spoken in Canada. With French also being one of the main languages this same advantage applies to French citizens.

You may also gain residency through an independent visa in Canada, this involves a point based system similar to Australia’s. The points will be based on many of those involved in the previous visa options discussed before, being; age, education, training, skill set and whether you have family in Canada, to gain this visa 67 points are required on assessment. 

5. New Zealand 

New Zealand is known for its friendly locals and stunning landscapes. It offers multiple visa options, including the Skilled Migrant Visa for professionals and the Entrepreneur Visa for those looking to start a business.

The Skilled Migrant Visa is one of the easiest routes, and you can apply for this visa is you have a job offer from an accredited employer, and qualify for 6 points for your skills and work in New Zealand.

If you have your own business, the Entrepreneur Visa is an option which allows up to 3 years length of stay. The main requirements are that you must have NZD $100,000 to invest (around £45,000), a business plan, and able to claim 120 points on their points scale. The processing time can take up to 14 months so this is something that would require planning in advance. However, they do allow you to stay for 12 months in the start-up stage of your visa, and then another 24 months once you have shown them that you have setup your business. 

6. Mexico

Mexico provides an easy and affordable residency process through its Temporary and Permanent Resident Visas. Many expats move there due to the low cost of living and close proximity to the U.S.

The Temporary Resident Visa allows you to stay for up to one year, renewable up to four years. This is the most common path for digital nomads and you just need to provide proof of income, health insurance and a clean criminal record. You must have maintained a minimum bank balance of at least $43,000 (tax-free) over the last 12 months and have earned a minimum of $2,595 (tax-free) each month over the last 6 months to qualify, among other stipulations. 

Compared to other digital nomad visa requirements, the Mexico Temporary Resident Visa is one of the easiest to obtain, if you meet their criteria. 

7. Portugal 

As well as moving to Portugal for the stunning beaches and warm weather, Portugal is also one of the easiest countries to move to. You can visit and stay in Portugal for up to 90 days on a tourist visa.

Portugal’s Golden Visa programme is one of the most popular residency-by-investment options, allowing individuals to gain residency by investing in real estate. The country also offers a D7 visa for retirees and digital nomads who can prove stable passive income.

The minimum required value to be eligible for this visa is a yearly income of 8,460 euros. Once you have acquired this visa, you are allowed to obtain a residence permit in Portugal for one year, this can then be renewed for two years successively.

After fiver years of residency with this route you can apply for permanent residency. 

8. Spain

Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa allows individuals with sufficient financial means to live in the country without needing to work. Additionally, Spain offers a Golden Visa programme for property investors. Like Portugal, you can visit and stay in Spain for up to 90 days without a visa. 

They do also offer a Digital Nomad Visa if you work remotely for a company or are a self-employed individual. You must meet the following criteria for this visa;

-The applicant must have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or at least have 3 years experience in their current field

-Minimum income requirements 2,400 euros per month for a single adult

-Clean criminal record

9. Costa Rica 

Costa Rica is yet another country that allows British passport holders to enter the country without the need for a visa, you will be given a 90 day entry stamp, if staying longer than this you may be subject to penalties of $100 per month over your 90 day stay and could be restricted from re-entering the country at a later date. 

For those looking to permanently move overseas to Costa Rica, you must apply for temporary or permanent residence as well as the permission to work if you are looking to work in Costa Rica, it is recommended to seek professional help with these applications.

Costa Rica also has its own healthcare system, this can be easily accessed from British Nationals by becoming a member of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, where residents are required to pay monthly to be entitled to medical treatment if/ when needed. 

10. Montenegro

Montenegro could be one of the easiest countries to immigrate to for British citizens out of all those discussed, due to the flexibility around the duration of their stay. 

You will not be required to have a visa for visits of up to 90 days and will only be required to have a valid British passport for entry and exit from Montenegro.  In the course of 6 months British citizens have the right to go in and out of the country where they have days left in those 90 days, all that is required is that you register (within 24 hours of your arrival) and deregister with the local police, on each of these movements.

To move permanently, you must apply for a longer tourist visa or temporary residence permit before the end of your 90 days have finished. 

You can also access free emergency care in Montenegro as a British citizen as a result of the reciprocal healthcare agreement that they have with the UK, entitling you to necessary medical treatment during your time in Montenegro, as long as you have evidence of being insured in the UK and have a valid British passport.

These are just some of the easiest countries to immigrate to, there are many other benefits to moving to each of these countries in terms of culture, cost of living and more, however these are the countries that we have found to have the easiest immigration regulations. 

If you are considering emigrating, Hackworthy & Sons have over 40 years of experience providing international & european removals and can help you through every step of the process wherever you are moving in the world. 

Have you ever sat on holiday and thought “I could live here”? If the answer is yes, did you consider the challenges that could face you, if you were to put this into reality? Be it a higher standard of living or a slower pace of life, it goes without saying that there are many benefits to living abroad but you don’t want to fall into the trap of identifying the opportunities without also pin-pointing the potential pit-falls.  

At Hackworthy and Sons, we specialise in international removals from the UK and have been helping people move overseas from the UK for almost 50 years. We’ve learned a thing or two in that time and thought we’d share what we’ve found to be the 7 most common challenges of moving to another country.

1. Language barrier 

First up, the most likely challenge you could face is the language barrier. If you’ve never lived in a different country then this is something you will have only ever experienced on holiday. When moving to another country, you have most probably got to know some of the main phrases of the country's language and learn the basics to get you around day-to-day. 

However, when it comes to humour and slang this will take some getting used to for those that don't speak the native language. Perhaps, look at doing some language classes online before moving abroad to ensure that you are comfortable with the basic conversational language in your new home country. 

Truth be told, most people who move overseas from the UK find that can get by well enough on English alone. That said, learning a new language can be incredibly rewarding and will allow you to get the very best out of your new home.

2. Finding a job

If you haven’t moved abroad as a result of a job, then finding a job could be another challenge that you could face depending on the role that you are looking for and the destination that you are moving to.

In countries such as Australia, they have a Skilled Occupations List (SOL) that lists the occupations acceptable for immigration to there. In order for you to qualify for skilled migration to Australia you must nominate an occupation that you have experience in from the SOL and will be assessed by an authorised agency before being eligible to use occupation points. You then require a minimum number of points for immigration to Australia. 

Not all countries provide this level of information and some are certainly easier to immigrate to than others. While not strictly necessary for all common immigration destinations, we would always recommend that you have a job in place before moving overseas. Securing a job offer or sponsor prior to moving is one of the biggest obstacles you will likely face, but doing so will help to ensure your financial security and peace of mind.

3. Loneliness 

It is reasonable to feel a sense of loneliness when moving to another country and away from your friends and family. This is true whether you have moved on your own or with a partner and children, so fully expect to experience some sense of isolation.

Your loved ones and the support they may have otherwise given if they were close can no longer be relied upon as easily and will only help remotely for the most part. Even if you lived far apart before, being countries or even continents apart changes things. It’s strange and hard to explain, but a 6-hour drive is not the same as a 6-hour flight. Again, this will take getting used to at the start of your new life in a new country but once you have begun to meet new people and make friends, you will build a support network around you like you would have had before. 

4. Distance from home

This point is somewhat related to the one above regarding loneliness, however, there is a difference. While loneliness is an emotional response to distance, distance can also introduce some practical issues.

The distance from home removes the ease of popping around to your friends or family should you or they need any help. This is extremely challenging for some to deal with and it’s common to worry about how helpless you may feel should something go wrong back home. 

In times like this, it’s important to remember that the world is a lot smaller than it once was. You can generally get anywhere you’d need to be within a 24 hour period, with a few exceptions, and you may actually find yourself closer to home despite being further away. After all, it takes 3 to 4 hours to get to London from Plymouth, but only 2 hours 20 minutes from Barcelona. 

5. Where to meet new people

As we have just mentioned, making new friends is vital in making you feel comfortable when moving to a new place. Therefore, another potential consideration to bear in mind is how to meet new people, as once you have this solved this will help you make new friends and settle you into your new life. You might want to think about visiting the local shops, gym or even the local parks, where you can strike up conversations easily with those around you. 

6. Finding your favourite foods from home 

You may be very excited about living in another country that provides a different kind of cuisine to what you are used to. However, this also comes with the issue of potentially missing the foods from your old life and being unable to purchase in the country that you have moved to. 

Fortunately, globalisation has made once-elusive food and drink items more easily accessible abroad, especially in countries where e-commerce is well-established. Moving to countries with large ex-pat communities also increases the likelihood of being able to get your hands on your favourite foods and drinks. In fact, you may find new favourites as you try foods and drinks native to other foreign countries as well as your new home. 

7. Choosing The Best Shops

You are probably aware of the best places to purchase items in your home country, however, moving to another country poses this as a challenge you are most likely to face. Being unfamiliar with your surroundings could influence you to shop for food in convenience stores as you have seen them around. However, it is worth researching the other local shops in the area that provide a better value for money. This may require you to travel just a little bit further or may even make you aware of the shops that are near to you that you haven't noticed since moving. 

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Whether one of the seven above or something completely different, you’re going to experience challenges when moving overseas. This is to be expected and you should never lose sight of the fact that these challenges can be overcome, often with surprisingly positive results.

If you’re considering moving to another country, at Hackworthy we have over 40 years experience in internationall removals around the world and can offer budgets to suit everyone, get a quote for your move abroad today. 

Hackworthy and Sons has been a family run business for over 40

years. Taking on second and third generation Hackworthy family members is an intrinsic part of how we run our business so the arrival of our fourth generation family member is great news for the team and the family!

Tom Hackworthy is our newest recruit and apprentice. He is the son of Vicky Hackworthy, granddaughter to the founder of Hackworthy&Sons, Ron Hackworthy. At just 16 years old Tom’s taking to the family business early and is making an excellent start.

His apprenticeship in Commercial Moving will see him work full time, learning our refined trade, and undertaking 10 study modules including health and safety, customer care, regulations, logistics and key problem solving skills.

The Hackworthy family can’t wait for Tom to develop and grow into a fantastic employee and to inspire the next generation of Hackworthy family members.

Hackworthy & Sons is one of the leading, and largest, removal companies in the South West, covering most of Devon and Cornwall. We began our empire in 1972, establishing ourselves as a trustworthy, family-owned business and founded by former RAF pilot Ron Hackworthy. Ron’s son Reg and his wife Ruth now run Hackworthy alongside third generation Hackworthy’s; their son Kevin and their daughter Vicky with the 4th generation also set to join the family business.

We weren’t always a removal company though, we started out as a parcel courier firm but identified that we needed to diversify in order to flourish in the market. We began moving new furniture that then turned into carrying out removals up and down Devon. This was the real turning point, in 1976, in which we started seeing massive growth and potential for more and just four years after Hackworthy was founded the business quickly took off and we began leasing a warehouse in Prince Rock, which we later purchased.

When Reg and Ruth took over Hackworthy in 1991, they began winning multiple national and local removal and distribution contracts and 15 years ago expanded Hackworthy into the self-storage industry. Although the self-storage aspect of our business grew slowly from only a handful of our warehouse units, we eventually saw the potential that the self-storage element had as an individual company. Plymouth Self Storage was born which now operates from 2 sites in Plymouth.

Reg and Ruth together accumulated many awards and accreditations including, in 1999, the BSEN12552 in Domestic Removals. This is a stamp of quality and standards, showcasing a businesses commitment to deliver high-class service and we became one of the very first companies in the UK to achieve this.

Then in 2004 Hackworthy spotted another gap in the market and we decided to expand our current business. SP Cocks Removals of St Austell was our next step and we acquired them just four years before we expanded our Plymouth Self Storage business by leasing a second warehouse.

Hackworthy, Plymouth Self Storage and SP Cocks are all thriving businesses which continue to grow every year. We hope that our history really shows the dedication, drive and enthusiasm that we have for delivering such a high quality removals and storage service.

Hackworthy and Sons is proud to announce that we have become the first removal company in Plymouth to be given the Which? Trusted Traders.

The accredited status is an absolute privilege as we are the first in Plymouth and we had to complete a full complaints audit as well as an onsite visit. Which? are consumer champions so to be recognised as the trustworthy and client-friendly company that we are is something we’re extremely proud of.

This is another achievement and recognition for us in a long line of accreditations from other organisations. You may remember that in 2011 we were awarded the British Standards for Domestic Removals badge after passing an inspection every year for 10 years with flying colours. As well as this we were finalists in the competition organised by the British Association of Removers to find the ‘Domestic Mover of the Year’.

Our Managing Director Vicky Hackworthy is delighted to achieve the coveted accreditation from Which? as she said: “They have been synonymous with championing the needs of the consumer for such a long time, people trust the Which? brand.”

The title comes just as we enter our 43rd year of being one of the leading and now the most trusted removal company in Plymouth.

We have just completed the delivery of a large number of Lenkiewicz’s painting to Leipzig, Germany on behalf of the Lenkiewicz Foundation.

It is the first exhibition in Germany of paintings by British artist Robert Lenkiewicz (1941-2002) to be held at Spinnerei, Leipzig between 23 June and 21 July.

It’s fair to say this is not the kind of job we complete every-day and there was a fair amount of nail-biting in the office but the guys did a great job;

“Our Leipzig adventure is going well so far, thanks in large part to your drivers Jay & Jason. They were very helpful, we enjoyed working with them. They are pictured beside our largest painting Plymouth Building it’s Future.”

JP Somerville, Lenkiewicz Foundation

We wish the Lenkiewicz Foundation every success with their exhibit. 

We are very pleased to announce that we have recently passed a British Standards for Domestic Removals Inspection conducted by Quality Service Standards Limited. The inpection has been conducted on an annual basis since 2001 and we have passed it every year. We were the first company in the South West to pass this inspection.

These are some comments from this years report;

“The company is obviously well managed and operates to a hight standard,”

“The client is recommended for continued certification to this standard.”

We are thrilled with this result and look to continue this high standard of service offered to our customers.

Plymouth based removal company Hackworthy & Sons have agreed to offer their ongoing support to local charity Shekinah. As run as running a Drop-In Centre In Bath Street, Shekinah also run a Hostel in the city as well as delivering a number of key rehabilitation courses for substance mis-users.

Hackworthy & Sons are looking to encourage their customers to donate any unwanted clothes, blankets and electrical items, these items can either be given directly to the homeless, used with their hostel or sold to raise much needed funds via their shop at Union Street. Company Director Vicky Hackworthy explained; “When people move house it is a natural time to de-clutter. Very often people decide to discard perfectly good items, just because they no longer personally need them. We will be asking our customers to allow us to pass on these items to Shekinah, having seen their work at first hand we know that they will point any items to really good use”.

Local businesses can play a significant part in sustaining the future of Shekinah ; “Smart, creative, long term partnerships like these can really change the lives, aspirations, achievements and skills of local, vulnerable people,” says John Hamblin, chief executive, Shekinah.  “Long term corporate support from the business community is essential for our charity to thrive and has a positive impact on all sides.  With Hackworthy and Son’s help, we can drive up donations and continue to move Shekinah forward,” he adds.