Surprise! Americans Are Moving to These EU Countries Instead of Portugal
Surprise! Americans Are Moving to These EU Countries Instead of Portugal
Americans are widely reported to be leaving the United States in greater numbers than ever before. Media outlets claim gigantic leaps in the number of Americans moving to Portugal, but it isn’t even in the top five most popular countries in the European Union. So where are Americans going?
Many move to neighboring countries: 800,000 Americans currently live in Mexico, many of them Mexican-Americans, and 273,000 Americans live in Canada. The next most popular destination for Americans is the United Kingdom, where 170,000 Americans live.
The European Union also draws a large number of Americans each year, and these are the countries they moved to in 2022.
Lithuania
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
A scant 54 Americans moved to this Baltic nation in 2022.
Slovenia
Photo Credit: Twenty20.
117 Americans moved to this Balkan state that’s in the top 10% of countries for healthcare and safety.
Estonia
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
118 Americans moved to Estonia. Estonia is known for its cutting-edge digital government.
Latvia
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
153 Americans moved to Latvia, rounding out movement to the Baltic states. These countries should be higher on people’s lists. In addition to high marks for safety and healthcare, there are many English speakers, and attractive visa options are available.
Slovakia
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
169 Americans moved to Slovakia, a beautiful landlocked country surrounded by Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
Cyprus
Photo Credit: Twenty20.
277 Americans moved to Cyprus in 2020, the Mediterranean island near Turkey and Syria.
Malta
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
320 Americans moved to Malta, the stunning Mediterranean island where most people speak English. Malta has a sought-after golden visa progam that allows immigrants to move simply by renting property.
Bulgaria
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
321 Americans moved to Bulgaria, a large Balkan nation on the Black Sea.
Luxembourg
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
344 Americans moved to Luxembourg, the tiny monarchy between Germany, Belgium, and France.
Romania
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
622 Americans moved to Romania, neighbor to Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia, and Hungary and home to Transylvania.
Greece
Photo Credit: Twenty20.
820 Americans moved to Greece. Greece has popular visas for digital nomads and retirees.
Finland
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
975 Americans moved to Finland. Often named the happiest in the world, Finns prefer to say they’re content.
Austria
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
1,134 Americans moved to Austria. Its capital Vienna was named the world’s most livable city this year.
Poland
Photo Credit: Twenty20.
1,160 Americans moved to Poland. About nine million Americans record having Polish ancestry.
Hungary
Photo Credit: Twenty20.
1,467 Americans moved to Hungary. Hungary has a program for citizenship by ancestry, or jus sanguinis.
Belgium
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
1,902 Americans moved to Belgium. Belgium has a blend of three cultures: one that speaks French, one that speaks Dutch, and one that speaks German.
Sweden
Photo Credit: Twenty20.
2,447 Americans moved to Sweden, the country that prizes equality above all.
Czechia
Photo Credit: Twenty20.
2,513 Americans moved to the Czech Republic for its history, art, and culture.
Portugal
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
3,275 Americans moved to Portugal. Definitely still a top choice, thanks to its visa options for digital nomads and retirees, along with its golden visa program that was still in effect at the time.
Ireland
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
3,831 Americans moved to Ireland. More than a quarter of Americans can trace their lineage to the Emerald Isle, and Ireland has a generous DNA by ancestry policy.
Denmark
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
4,689 Americans moved to Denmark. The bike-friendly culture is beloved by young families.
Italy
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
6,599 Americans moved to Italy. Italy offers incentive programs for immigrants, like homes for €1.
Netherlands
Photo Credit: Twenty20.
6,791 Americans moved to the Netherlands. The Netherlands is in the top 10% of countries for safety, healthcare, and infrastructure, and offers Americans freedoms like abortion, recreational cannabis, same sex marriage, and gender self determination.
Germany
Photo Credit: Twenty20.
9,367 Americans moved to Germany. The country’s diversity, social safety net, and strong economy attract working families, and its free college programs draw both students and parents of teens.
Spain
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
11,156 Americans moved to Spain. The warm and sunny country offers a golden visa, a retirement visa, and a digital nomad visa.
France
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
12,220 Americans moved to France. That’s right – more than anywhere else in the EU, Americans made their home in La République Française. Most were working adults, but others took advantage of options for artists, entrepreneurs, and retirees.
Where’s Croatia?
Photo Credit: Twenty20.
You may have noticed that this EU country is absent from the list. They must have forgotten to turn in their homework. Croatia is still a great choice for Americans seeking a lovely seaside home on a budget.
Want to Move to Europe? Here Are 16 In-Demand Jobs and How to Apply.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Can you guess the most in-demand jobs in Europe? At least 15 countries reported shortages in these 16 fields, and there are more than four and a half million jobs listed on this portal.
➤ Want to Move to Europe? Here Are 16 In-Demand Jobs and How to Apply.
This European Country Goes Mega Viral for Hiring Americans
In 2022, 76,221 Americans moved to the European Union. The largest group, 12,220, moved to France. Still, many Americans who want to move to Europe are concerned about being able to afford some of the pricier destinations and are worried about finding a job. Most countries in Europe don’t offer a digital nomad visa for Americans working remotely, so you’re only able to stay 90 days at a stretch in the E.U.
That may be why 2.3 million people on TikTok have watched this video featuring a less-popular country that’s actively recruiting people in many job roles, including engineers, accountants, servers, retail workers, chefs, and more.
➤ This European Country Goes Mega Viral for Hiring Americans
The 20 Best Countries for Americans To Move To, Based on Data
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
The Expatsi Test is an assessment tool for Americans who want to leave the United States. It asks the regions they’d like to move to, their budget, the kind of visa they might apply for (like retirement, digital nomad, or skilled worker) and their preferences for things like safety, healthcare, infrastructure, weather, geographical features, and personal freedoms, and reveals the top 10 countries that best meet their needs.
Based on 37,546 respondents in 2023, here are the top 20 countries for American emigrants.
➤ The 20 Best Countries for Americans To Move To, Based on Data
Jen Barnett is the co-founder of Expatsi, a company that's helped thousands of Americans on their moving abroad journeys. She created the Expatsi Test, an assessment that recommends countries for aspiring emigrants based on lifestyle data. Jen has an MBA from Emory University with concentrations in marketing and innovation. Prior to Expatsi, she created Freshfully and Bottle & Bone—two businesses in the local food space—and spoke at TEDx on being brave. She lives in Mérida, Yucatán, along with her husband and co-founder Brett, pitbull mix Squiggy, and two rotten cats. How can she help you move abroad?
