In the last five years, over 500,000 Britons have left the country to pursue careers and lifestyles overseas, new data shows. The overwhelming majority appear to agree that lifestyles, income, and happiness all improve when sent on an overseas placement or assignment.

While overseas removals saw a slight dip in demand during the recent recession, British expatriates seem to have little interest in returning home. Popular expat countries include Spain, New Zealand, and the Australia, all of which ranked highly in approval from British travellers and expatriates across the world.

However, it’s not all enjoyment and free time overseas. British residents of Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates were less pleased with their foreign lifestyle than many others. Data suggests that those in countries with limited populations and developed economies tend to be happier than residents of countries with booming populations.

Just 19 percent of Britain’s expats intend to return home at some point. Overseas removals are a popular option for expatriates aiming to reduce the cost of a move overseas – by keeping your current possessions, the cost of replacing furniture and electrical goods in a new country decreases significantly.

Nine out of ten expatriates say their quality of life has improved – earning more and enjoying better conditions than they would have in Britain.

On average, pay for managers and professionals who choose to work abroad is up to £20,000 higher than they would get here.

The findings from a study by NatWest underline the reasons why emigration among Britons has reached record highs. It suggests that the attractions for talented and able workers of quitting Britain are strengthening during the recession as private sector wages stagnate and public services threaten to deteriorate.

More than 200,000 British citizens sought overseas removals to live abroad in 2006, followed by another 169,000 in 2007. But in 2007 only 75,000 Britons who had been living or working in a foreign country chose to return – again a record low.

The bank’s Quality of Life report said that 19 per cent of those working abroad currently intend to come back to Britain at some time, down from more than a quarter, 26 per cent, two years ago.

It said: ‘When it comes to living and working overseas the advantages come thick and fast. Working hours are far less intensive and expats say they manage to achieve a better work/life balance with much more leisure time. Professional expats can earn significantly more than their peers back home. On average an expat professional’s salary is up to £20,000 higher than their UK counterparts.’

One comment on the survey, from a British expat, summed up the feeling for many disillusioned Brits:

Of course most people are glad to have left otherwise they would come back…

“People are building lives for themselves and are sick of the UK where your tax money goes towards building a life for those who sit on their backside and contribute nothing to society (and maintain the same lifestyle as you do) rather than building the amazing society that the UK could have…”

“To get to a position in life where you can feel truly happy, you need to find personal satisfaction,” the website advises, adding that for many, this may be as simple as relocating to a country where the sun shines a little more often.

It added that there is no point in remaining stuck in a rut “contemplating your darkest emotions”, when there is a world of opportunity waiting for you.

Another reason why Brits may want to move abroad at the moment, at least for a little while, is the current rate of unemployment.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that more people than ever currently work part-time hours – suggesting that many are settling for a lower income due to the recession and are also looking for overseas removals.

Research, carried out by Mercer, revealed that all five Australian cities included on its annual cost of living survey moved down the rankings significantly this year, primarily as a result of worldwide currency fluctuations.

While Sydney remains the most expensive Australian city for expatriates, it has slipped down the rankings from the 15th most expensive city overall to 66th. The next most expensive Australian city is Melbourne in 92nd place (it was 36th in 2008) followed by Brisbane in 116th (from 57th place last year), Perth one place further back (53rd in 2008). Adelaide is the cheapest Australian city included in the survey, ranked 130th, down from 73rd last year.

What’s more, the survey found that the differences in the cost of living between different Australian states is narrowing, with the cost of common expatriate living expenses now competing on a more level playing field between the states – a trend which mirrors recent remuneration and Consumer Price Index (CPI) trends.

The Mercer research for international movers also stated that this positive data would make the country far more attractive to multinational organisations seeking to manage and contain the costs of a mobile workforce in tighter economic conditions.

“Across the Asia Pacific region, Australian cities are extremely cost-competitive destinations for global workers in comparison to cities such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Osaka, which have all climbed in the rankings this year,” stated Rob Knox, head of Mercer’s information product solutions business. “This helps makes Australia a very attractive hub for companies looking to grow their presence in the Asia Pacific region.”

The August 2009 issue of Emigrate magazine is out now, featuring stories on Perth, Victoria, Australian property, office politics down under, trades, downshifting and much more.

More than 4,000 households in 30,000 areas across the country were surveyed, with the research finding a “big difference” between the sexes when it came to influencing decisions about whether to organise home removals.

The study took into account all sorts of different facets, from subjective reasons like ‘feeling comfortable in the neighbourhood’ to objective criteria where crime rates and employment levels come into play. An underlying feeling was that women were more vocal when it comes to moving home because in most cases, they’re the ones that spend the most time in the house.

Head researcher Dr Mark Taylor said: “Couples were more likely to move if the woman disliked the neighbourhood.
“The study does not tell us why that is, but we can make some educated guesses. Mine would be that it is about relative amounts of time spent in the home or neighbourhood. On average, it is the woman who spends more time there.”

A HSBC International Expat Explorer Survey provides a fascinating insight into life on these shores for non-Brits. It shows that not only do Britons want to escape the sinking ship that is the UK, it seems that almost half (44%) of all expatriates living in the UK are crying out for overseas removals too.

Expatriates who live in the UK have to pay the British government a hefty fee of £30,000 if they want to remain in Britain long-term and avoid taxation on non-remitted funds, effectively eroding the benefit of being an expat in the UK.

Over three quarters of those surveyed by HSBC who were expats in the UK stated that as a result of the recession they have had to scale back all spending and that they are able to save far less than ever before – meaning they’re seeking a return home.