Importance Score: 72 / 100 🔴
Top Destinations for Immigrants in 2025: Iceland Leads the Way
A recent study has identified the leading countries for individuals considering immigration in 2025, with Iceland securing the top position. This Nordic nation emerged as the best country for immigrants, achieving a score of 58.4 out of 100. The rankings assessed 24 crucial factors, including economic stability, cost of living, healthcare quality, and public transport efficiency, all vital for those planning to move abroad. While European nations dominated the top spots, the United Kingdom’s ranking was less impressive, highlighting the varied landscape of global relocation options.
European Nations Dominate the Top Ranks
The study, which evaluated the best countries for immigrants, showcased a strong presence of European nations in the upper echelons. Following Iceland, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Norway, Ireland, Denmark, and the Netherlands all secured positions within the top ten. These countries are recognized for their attractive quality of life and robust economies, making them desirable destinations for those seeking new opportunities.
UK and USA Rank Lower Than Expected
Despite the European stronghold at the top, both the United Kingdom and the United States of America achieved lower rankings than might be anticipated. The USA secured seventh place, while the UK came in at 19th with a score of 46.5. This placed the UK marginally ahead of New Zealand, Spain, and France, but behind Australia, which attained a score of 51.7. This comparative analysis offers valuable insights for prospective immigrants evaluating different countries.
Key Factors for Immigrant привлекательность
Researchers from Remitly, a remittance service, conducted the study, meticulously examining several factors deemed significant for prospective immigrants. These key areas provide a detailed understanding of each country’s strengths and weaknesses for newcomers:
- Healthcare: South Korea was recognized as the leader in healthcare quality, followed by Australia.
- Education: Sri Lanka excelled in education, primarily due to exceptionally low annual childcare costs, averaging $354.60 (£274.13).
- Public Transport: Luxembourg was identified as having the best public transportation infrastructure.
- Safety: The UAE was ranked as the safest nation among those considered.
- Environment: The UK achieved a top ten ranking for its environmental performance.
World Happiness Report: Nordic Nations Lead Again
In a separate study evaluating citizen happiness, Finland once again claimed the top position in the World Happiness Report for the eighth consecutive year. Nordic countries consistently demonstrate high levels of well-being:
- Finland: 1st
- Denmark: 2nd
- Iceland: 3rd
- Sweden: 4th
The UK ranked 23rd, while the USA reached its lowest ever position at 24th, both falling behind Israel (8th) despite regional conflicts. Afghanistan was again designated the unhappiest country, with Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Malawi, and Zimbabwe also ranking at the bottom.
Iceland, recognized as the premier destination for migrants, is celebrated for its stunning natural beauty.
UK Immigration Trends: Historically High
Despite the UK’s moderate ranking in the Remitly study, the nation is currently experiencing historically high levels of immigration. Recent revisions to official statistics indicate that the UK population increased by approximately 906,000 people in a single year.
Revised official figures revealed that net migration for the year ending June 2023 reached 906,000, significantly higher than initial estimates. Data for the 12 months to June of the same year showed that long-term immigration exceeded emigration by 728,000, a figure close to previous records.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has adjusted net migration figures upwards: the year to June 2023 is now estimated at 906,000, a substantial increase from the original estimate of 740,000. A similar upward revision was applied to the net migration figure for the year to December 2023, now placed at 866,000, up from an initial 685,000.
The ONS explained that these substantial revisions are due to more comprehensive data and improved methodologies for assessing the behavior of individuals arriving in the UK from outside the EU.