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Many of us dream of moving to a country with better living conditions. Unfortunately, not everyone has a chance to do it, right? Wrong! Everyone can move abroad and obtain a new home.
All you need is to set the right goal, plan carefully all the steps towards it, and make enough effort to complete the plan. Discover the best and most versatile countries to move to in 2021.
European countries
As most European countries are known for their high level of well-being and pleasant climate, no wonder that many choose to move there. However, the immigration process needs to be prepared thoroughly and carefully. There are two ways to get citizenship in Europe. You have to spend either a significant sum of money or a significant period of your life.
In the first case, you purchase real estate or make investments in the economy of the desired country. As a rule, at least €200 000 is required, but in many countries, the donation can be even more solid. For example, UK citizenship may require an investment of more than £2m. Moreover, citizenship will not be issued immediately. The procedure will take from 2 to 6 years depending on the amount invested.
Of course, not everyone can afford it, so moving to study or work in the desired country remains the most realistic option. With a work or student visa, you can stay in the country for long enough to settle in and simultaneously try to get citizenship. The easiest countries to do it are:
- Portugal. Portugal gives citizenship after five years of residence in the country legally. The legal grounds are residence permits (permanent residence). Students and those who managed to get employment in Portugal can also claim a Residence Visa, which increases the chances of applying for permanent residence.
- The Czech Republic. To obtain Czech citizenship, you also need to live there five years legally - the same period of residence as for Portugal. However, an applicant must have permanent residence status. Unlike in Portugal, in the Czech Republic, applicants have to pass a language exam. It is a mandatory requirement to get citizenship.
- Estonia. You can apply for Estonian citizenship if you have lived in Estonia, prior to the application, for at least eight years, of which at least the last five years on a permanent basis. Citizens of the former USSR, whose ancestors came from Estonia, can obtain citizenship in a simplified manner, as returnees. Another option to obtain residency is to invest 65,5 thousand euros in its economy.
There is a popular myth saying that you can easily immigrate to Europe by entering into a fictitious marriage with a citizen of a chosen country. As long as you do, a residence card is guaranteed. A fictitious marriage, however, can hardly be called an easy way to get citizenship. All married couples are thoroughly scrutinized before one of the spouses is granted citizenship. This procedure is difficult to move through even for those whose marriage is real.
Reuniting a family or returning to a historic homeland is one of the quickest and easiest ways to get citizenship in another country. The most thought-out and sought-after repatriation programmes are in Israel.
Israel
The repatriation program is not the only option to move to Israel. You can also try to get a work visa. But please note: for some professionals (such as doctors or teachers), some extra training may be required to get a work permit.
To obtain Israeli citizenship, you must also learn Hebrew and pass the language exam. As part of the repatriation programme, the state pays for language courses. Those who are not eligible for the programme are self-taught. There are other benefits for returnees, including financial assistance. A high standard of living in Israel goes together with high living costs, especially if you don't own an apartment to live in. In this case, financial assistance from the state helps a lot with settling in.
Non-returnees can also obtain Israeli citizenship provided that they have stayed in Israel for at least three of the five years preceding their application. They should also speak Hebrew and be ready to renounce any other country's citizenship. Moving to Israel is most beneficial to those professionals who are in demand in the Israeli labour market. The salaries here are so high compared to the rest of the world that any sought-after employee (not even a returnee) can count on a good standard of living.
Israel is ideal for those who can benefit from repatriation programmes or have a sought-after profession for which no additional qualifications are required. For those who dream of a country with a cool climate and do not mind living next to migrants of all nationalities, Canada may be a better option.
Canada
Canada is a country that does everything to help immigrants settle in. Specialists in demand can try a programme Entry which is provided by the state. Thanks to this programme, a person can quickly assess what level of salary they may claim and how much they will be in demand in Canada as a specialist.
There are also several special programmes available to enable you to apply for residency:
The participants of these two programmes have simplified terms of relocation. They are not expected to be highly qualified specialists or know the language at a high level. The key is to be ready to move to a particular region and help develop its infrastructure.
For the moment, the Canadian government treats migrants very favourablywarmly. In 2020, the Migration Service of Canada announced plans to attract more than 401,000 migrants in 2021 and to increase the number to 421,000 by 2022. However, the coronavirus pandemic disrupted these plans. Due to the lockdown, Canada could not accept foreigners. For this reason, the government should be expected to offer migrants even more favourable conditions after the pandemic ends to meet previously set targets.
With due persistence, anyone can move to a country with a higher standard of living. The core thing is to study carefully all the requirements and conditions and to come up with a detailed plan of what is needed to realize the cherished dream.
