Most British expats need a confirmed job before leaving the UK
Most British expats need a confirmed job before leaving the UK

It seems an overwhelming number of Brits won’t move abroad until they have a job lined up in their new country.

Latest research by the Office for National Statistics reveals that 40% of British expats chose to leave the UK only if there was a guaranteed job waiting for them – compared to 16% who were looking for work.

This is great news for international recruiters and other expat marketers, as it pinpoints Brits who haven’t yet left the country as a massive target market.

Over the past decade, the number of expats who move for a definite job have largely outnumbered those looking for work year on year. More non-British citizens than natives chose to leave for work reasons – 60% of non-British compared to 56% of natives. A huge 93% of British expats are now of working age, compared to 86% in 2005.

Other reasons for moving include joining friends and family, formal study and a better quality of life.

An expat is defined as someone who changes their country of residence for a period of 12 months or more.

Are you a British expat? Did you have a guaranteed job waiting for you in your new country? Or did you have a completely different reason for moving abroad altogether? Let us know in the comments section.