Seven nations in the world that are easiest to relocate to

European countries Hungary, Malta and Austria are the easiest countries to relocate to for expats, according to a report by William Russell.

According to the report, with a difficulty score of 3.85, Hungary stands out as relatively more accessible for expats. The salary threshold for Hungary is low, at £12,982, and the fees are just £58. Moreover, there’s no language test requirement, and just one required vaccination for most travellers.

Malta with a difficulty score of 3.87 also presents a less challenging migration process, says the report. Over a quarter of the Maltese population are expats. Most travellers only need tetanus shots, with rabies being necessary for some.


Austria is the third easiest country to move to and has a difficulty score of 3.91. It’s another country with a relatively high expat population (19.3%), and the processing times are just eight weeks, which is relatively quick compared to other countries, the report says.

Apart from these countries, Estonia, Germany, Latvia and Croatia are other countries that have a relatively welcoming stance towards expats.

Countries that are hardest to emigrate to:

Meanwhile, the report says, India, Australia and Finland are the the hardest countries to emigrate to.

There are multiple factors that can make it tricky to move abroad, including Expat population, Recommended vaccines, Work visa fees, Work visa minimum earnings threshold, Estimated work visa processing time and language proficiency tests.

Country with the longest visa processing time:

One of the most difficult aspects of the process can be waiting for your application to go through. According to the Government of Canada’s processing time tool, wait times for a temporary residence work permit for someone from the UK currently stand at around 41 weeks, but these are subject to change, says the William Russell report.

Countries that take language proficiency test:

There are some countries that have made language proficiency tests mandatory for their work visa application process. The report says Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom all require this test. However, while other countries might not require you to pass a test, the application process and documentation will likely be in the local language, the report adds. If the job you are applying for requires you to communicate in that language, then not speaking it is likely to count against you. Also, other types of visas may require a language test.