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Europeans less keen to move to North America and UK, survey reveals

Europeans are less keen to move to Northern America and the United Kingdom than in the past, a survey has revealed.

Europeans less keen to move to North America and UK, survey reveals
An American Airlines plane approaches the runway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, on April 2, 2022. (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP)

It might be the effect of the pandemic, but Europeans are less keen to move to Northern America and the United Kingdom than in the past, a new EU survey has revealed.

While the percentage of Europeans saying they would be interested to work abroad has not changed significantly over the years (18 percent in 2022 compared to 17 percent in a previous survey carried out in 2009), there are significant changes in their favoured destinations. 

In 2022, Germany was the most popular choice for those who considering moving to another country at some point in the future, followed by Switzerland, Spain, the United Kingdom and Northern America (US and Canada).  

Germany and Switzerland have risen in popularity as a destination to move to among all nations except Slovenia, with the sharpest increases seen in Finland, Luxembourg and Italy.. 

Some 12 percent would choose Northern America and the UK.

The US and Canada remain favoured work destinations in four EU countries – Finland, Malta, Portugal, and Latvia.

Overall, however, their popularity has decreased by 14 percentage points compared to 2009, with the biggest falls seen in in Ireland, Luxembourg, France, Denmark, Spain and Italy. 

Brexit and the administrative barriers it created might have had an impact on the declining interest for the UK as a chosen destination for Europeans.

However, the UK did see a rise in popularity as a work destination among Swedes and Romanians. Interest also remained high in the Netherlands and Portugal, but declined strongly in Cyprus, Slovakia and Latvia.

Going or staying? 

The survey was conducted between May and June 2022 and was carried out for the European Commission to understand EU labour mobility after the pandemic.

The respondents most likely to say they would see themselves working abroad were from Finland (39 percent), Slovenia (33 percent), Sweden, Malta and Latvia (30 percent). The least likely were from Italy (11 percent), Romania, Austria, Cyprus, Greece (13 percent) and Poland (14 percent). 

The number of people saying they would not work abroad has also increased, reaching 79 percent (+6) compared to the previous research. 

Who moves and how to find a job abroad

Demographic data show that women in Europe are more likely than men to say they would move abroad and the same is true for city dwellers compared to residents in rural areas. Young people are more interested in having experiences in other countries too than older generations. 

Almost three quarters, 73 percent of Europeans considering a move would plan to stay abroad for more than one year. 

Personal contacts (51 percent), dedicated online job search tools (34 percent) and online social networks (32 percent) are the main channels used to find a job in another country, according to the responses. 

Austria

Some 13 percent of Austrians would consider working abroad in the future, even for a short time. Almost half of these would want a permanent employment while 28 percent would be keen on an internship. The top destinations for Austrians are Switzerland (23 percent), Germany (17 percent) and Northern America, although the latter saw a drop in popularity of 8 percent. Austrians are more likely than European peers to say they would require a salary offer at least 50 percent higher than the current one to accept a job in another country. Austria is the most popular destination for Hungarians (31 percent). 

Denmark

Just less than a quarter (22 percent) of Danes would work abroad, a drop of 29 percent over 2009, the largest drop in the EU. The majority (59 percent) would be interested in a permanent employment, and 43 percent would be keen on a temporary assignment abroad through the current employer. The favourite locations are Germany, the UK and Northern America, although the last two countries saw a drop in appeal in recent years. A share of respondents above the EU average (26 percent) would move for the same salary and 8 percent for a lower one. 

France

About quarter of French respondents (26 percent) said they would consider working abroad. The vast majority (64 percent) would move for a permanent job and more than 50 percent said they would want to earn more. A percentage above EU average (10 percent) would move for volunteering. The favourite destinations are Northern America (18 percent), although it dropped by 17 percentage points compared to the 2009 survey, Spain and Switzerland. There was no significant change in interest for the UK (13 percent). 

Germany

Germans are less likely than EU peers to be interested in a job in another country (14 percent), although the percentage is on the rise (+3 percent). Some 59 percent would move for permanent employment and 24 percent for temporary assignment with their employer. In a nod to language preferences, Switzerland (21 percent), Austria (15 percent) and Spain (12 percent) are the favourite destinations among Germans. North America saw a big drop in popularity among German – a drop of 13 percent compared to 2009. The UK also saw a drop in popularity from 12 to 6 percent.

Italy

Only 11 percent among Italian respondents would be keen to move, a growth of 7 percentage points compared to 2009. Almost half (44 percent) would move for a permanent employment, 28 percent for traineeship and 20 percent for seasonal work. Spain, Switzerland and Germany are the favourite destinations, followed by the UK, which however lost 10 percentage points. The vast majority of respondents need to be offered a higher salary than the current one to take up a job in another country.

Spain

Among Spaniards, 15 percent would move abroad for work. The majority (63 percent) would want a permanent job and 29 percent seasonal work. Some 36 percent said they would need to earn at least twice as high to make the move. Germany, France and Italy are the favourite destinations, although the latter two lost some of their appeal over the years. 

Sweden 

Some 30 percent of Swedish respondents would move abroad, with a vast majority among them (66 percent) looking for a temporary assignment through the current employer and 47 percent a permanent job. The favourite locations for Swedes are the UK, Northern America and Germany. 

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EUROPEAN UNION

EXPLAINED: What’s at stake in Germany’s European election vote

Any EU citizen living in Germany can vote in European elections, taking place around Europe from June 6th to June 9th, when Germany goes to the polls in those elections. So why should EU citizens living here take notice, register, and cast a ballot?

EXPLAINED: What's at stake in Germany's European election vote

Why does the European Parliament matter? What powers does it have?

Plenty of hot button issues – like national defence and healthcare – are still largely decided by national parliaments. That’s likely to remain so, but the European Parliament has power to act in a few key areas.  

It scrutinises all laws the EU’s executive – or the European Commission – proposes and it can also request legislation. Plenty of recent high-profile EU laws have come at its insistence. These include the end of roaming charges in the EU and GDPR, which now sets data privacy standards around the globe.

Besides regulations on tech and artificial intelligence, expect MEPs to be debating a lot of legislation around consumer protection, food safety, certain action on climate change and transition like the European Green Deal, trade deals, as well as Europe’s support for Ukraine and whether it will eventually be a member of the EU.

European election results will also have some influence over whether Ursula von der Leyen – the first German to be European Commission President since the 1960s – gets another term.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The 2024 European elections will influence whether she gets another term in the EU’s top job. Photo: AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias

READ ALSO: Who is Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen, the surprise candidate to take the EU’s top job?

How are the elections expected to go?

Polls show the centre-right Christian Democrats and their Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union have a sizeable lead for the European elections in Germany. Also, although the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has climbed to over 20 percent at points in national polls, it’s numbers for European elections are trending somewhat lower.

The same cannot be said for the populist right elsewhere in Europe, where polls everywhere from Austria to Sweden to France and the Netherlands show right-wing parties having the potential to make some big gains over their 2019 results.

At the same time, more centrist European political parties on the centre-left and centre-right are still likely to be able to keep a majority in the European Parliament according to the latest polls.

‘Wake-up call’: Far-right parties set to make huge gains in 2024 EU elections

So do MEPs represent their country in the European Parliament?

Technically, they’re not supposed to. MEPs are mandated to act in what they see as the interest of wider Europe – even if that conflicts with the interests of their own country. MEPs are still chosen in election contests that are run nationally though.

Every five years since 1979, voters around the European Union vote for 705 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Brussels and Strasbourg. Each country gets a number of MEPs roughly proportional to its population. With Germany being the EU’s most populous country, it gets the most, with 96 seats.  

However, MEPs don’t sit in the European Parliament based on country as they aren’t supposed to act in purely national interests – but looking at what they see as the interest of all of Europe. They sit in the European Parliament based on party group. So a Green from Germany and a Green from France will sit together. That German Green also won’t be sitting with the German Christian Democrats – who themselves will sit on the other side of the chamber with parties like Ireland’s Fine Gael – a fellow centre-right party.

European parliamentarians say they do that to encourage you to vote in a European way – considering the issues you think will impact all of Europe – rather than treat the European elections as a referendum on your own national government – which studies show often happens.

Elections to borders: 7 big changes in the EU that will impact you this year

Who gets to vote in Germany?

If you are a citizen of the European Union – so German, but also Irish, French, Italian, etc. – you can vote in the European elections. It’s important to note here that you don’t necessarily vote where you are from but instead vote from wherever you live in the EU. So if you’re an EU citizen living in Germany, you don’t need to be German to vote in the European elections in Germany. A German living in Spain would vote there, just as a Spaniard living here would vote here.

Voting in Germany in European elections is open to EU citizens 16 and older.

Germany is one national constituency and the vote is proportional. There also isn’t the same five percent threshold to get seats for European elections as there is for national elections, so smaller parties can sometimes get a seat.

Ballot papers are placed on desks at a polling station in Nuremberg, southern Germany, during regional elections in Bavaria

Ballot papers are placed on desks at a polling station in Nuremberg, southern Germany. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)

EU citizens who live and are registered in Germany should have gotten a letter explaining that they have the right to vote. They may, however, have to register – particularly if they haven’t voted in Germany before. EU citizens who voted in the last European elections in 2019 in Germany shouldn’t have to register.

You’ll need to send a letter or bring a signed form in person to your local election office – and you can get that form online from the Bundeswahlleiterin.

That form also needs to be in by Sunday, May 19th – in time for you to be on the list for the elections in Germany on Sunday June 9th. Once you’re registered, you should be able to vote either in person or via postal ballot. You should also then get an information sheet detailing where you can vote or how to do it via postal ballot if you wish.

If you vote in person, make sure to bring you voter information and some identification showing your nationality. Your EU passport may be your safest bet.

READ ALSO: How to register to vote in Germany in the 2024 European elections

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