Best Countries to Move to From USA in 2026

Many Americans are increasingly considering a life abroad due to high living costs, healthcare expenses, and retirement insecurity in America today.

Safety concerns, such as gun violence and political instability, are significant factors driving this movement too. Many seek countries with progressive social policies, better work-life balance, and improved quality of life, including more vacation days and higher salaries.

The desire for strong public and healthcare services also plays a role. Additionally, the rise of remote work offers greater flexibility, making it easier for individuals and families to move.

Overall, these practical and socio-political concerns are prompting a notable trend in permanent emigration for American citizens.

Page Contents

• Reasons for Considering Leaving the US
• What to Consider When Moving Abroad From USA?
• Australia
• Canada
• Portugal
• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Spain
• Mexico
• France
• Germany
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Americans relocating to a new country should consider several key factors:

• Safety and Political Stability: Assess crime rates and political environments to ensure personal safety
• Financial Planning: Research the cost of living, local salaries, private insurance considerations, and comply with U.S. tax obligations, seeking professional advice as needed
• Visa Requirements: Understanding visa rules and obtaining necessary visas and work permits before arrival, exploring options like work, retiree, and digital nomad visas
• Healthcare Access: Ensure adequate health insurance and familiarize yourself with local healthcare systems
• Cultural Adaptation: Embrace local customs, learn the language, and seek strong expat communities for a smoother transition. Alternatively, choose a country with strong cultural ties to America

Australia can be an option for US citizens seeking work, study, family reunification, or long-term residence abroad. Its major cities offer established transport networks, public services, diverse communities, and access to outdoor spaces.

Australia’s public healthcare system is Medicare. Eligibility depends on a person’s immigration status. Australian citizens and permanent residents can enroll, while eligibility for temporary visa holders is limited to specific visa categories and circumstances.

Living costs can be high, especially in Sydney and Melbourne. Applicants should assess housing costs, employment prospects, private health insurance requirements, visa charges, and relocation expenses before applying.

Australia has several immigration pathways. A points test applies to certain skilled routes, rather than every visa category. For example, the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is a permanent visa for invited skilled workers.

Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect and achieve at least 65 points to be considered for an invitation.

Americans may explore the following routes, depending on their circumstances:

• Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) for invited skilled workers who meet the points-test requirements
• Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) for eligible workers nominated by an approved Australian employer
• Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) for eligible international students who have recently completed a qualifying course in Australia
• Partner visas for eligible spouses and de facto partners of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens
• Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300) for eligible applicants intending to marry an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, or eligible New Zealand citizen
• National Innovation visa (subclass 858), an invitation-only permanent visa for people with an internationally recognized record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in an eligible field

Canada can be an option for US citizens seeking temporary work, study, family reunification, or permanent residence. English is widely used across the country, while French is also an official language and is essential for daily life and employment in some regions.

Housing and living costs can be high in cities such as Toronto and Vancouver. Applicants should compare rent, transport, taxes, childcare, healthcare coverage, and employment prospects in their chosen province or territory before moving.

Canada has a publicly funded healthcare system administered by provinces and territories. Canadian citizens and permanent residents can apply for public health insurance. In some provinces, coverage can take up to three months to begin, so new arrivals should arrange private health insurance for that period.

Canada does not have a dedicated digital nomad visa. A person working remotely for an employer outside Canada may visit and work remotely for up to six months at a time, provided they do not enter the Canadian labor market.

Canada offers several immigration routes for eligible US citizens:

• International Experience Canada may be available through a recognized organization for eligible US citizens seeking a working holiday or other youth mobility experience
• CUSMA work permit categories can be available to qualifying US citizens working as professionals, intra-company transferees, traders, or investors
• Employer-specific work permits can be available where a Canadian employer meets the relevant program requirements
• Family sponsorship can be available where an eligible Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsors a qualifying family member
• Provincial Nominee Program streams can lead to permanent residence, where a province or territory nominates an applicant who meets its requirements

Permanent Residence Through Express Entry

Express Entry is Canada’s online system for managing permanent residence applications under three federal economic programs:

• The Federal Skilled Worker Program is for eligible skilled workers with foreign work experience
• The Canadian Experience Class is for eligible applicants with qualifying Canadian work experience
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for eligible skilled trades workers who meet the program’s work-experience and job-offer or certificate-of-qualification requirements

A Provincial Nominee Program nomination can add 600 points to an Express Entry profile. Applicants must intend to live in the province or territory that nominated them.

IRCC states that it processes most complete Express Entry permanent residence applications within six months or less. Timelines can differ by program, application completeness, background checks, and individual circumstances.

Fees and Citizenship

Application costs depend on the chosen immigration route. For Express Entry, IRCC lists a $CAN 950 fee for a principal applicant, before biometrics and other costs, which may include a language test, a medical examination, a police certificate, and an educational credential assessment.

Marriage to a Canadian citizen does not provide automatic citizenship. A spouse may qualify for family sponsorship and, after becoming a permanent resident, may apply for citizenship if they meet all legal requirements. This includes at least 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada during the five years before applying.

Canadian citizenship may also be available by birth in Canada or by descent. Citizenship by descent is fact-specific, and applicants should check the current rules before relying on a parent’s Canadian citizenship.

Considering moving to Canada? Connect with one of our advisors today for a personalized conversation about your situation and to strategize your move to Canada. You can get in touch online or call us on +44 (0) 333 305 9375.

Portugal can be an option for US citizens seeking residence through independent income, remote work, employment, family reunification, or qualifying investment. Applicants should compare housing, taxes, healthcare access, visa charges, and local employment opportunities in their chosen area before relocating.

Living costs differ significantly between Lisbon, Porto, coastal areas, Madeira, the Azores, and inland towns. A lower rent outside major cities may be offset by fewer employment opportunities or reduced access to services.

Portugal has national visa routes for stays exceeding 90 days. A residence visa allows the holder to enter Portugal and apply to AIMA for a residence permit.

US citizens may consider the following pathways, subject to the relevant eligibility requirements:

• The D7 residence visa for people who can show sufficient income from pensions, investments, rental income, or other independent sources
• The Digital Nomad Visa for remote employees and self-employed professionals working for entities outside Portugal. Applicants must show an average monthly income from the preceding three months of at least four Portuguese minimum monthly wages
• The Job Seeker Visa for applicants intending to travel to Portugal and seek qualifying employment. The visa can be issued for up to 120 days
• A residence route for independent professional activity, which may suit eligible freelancers and business owners who can provide the required evidence of their activity and financial means.
• The Tech Visa route for highly qualified professionals recruited by certified companies in technology, innovation, or other eligible sectors.
• The Golden Visa, also known as the Residence Permit for Investment Activity, is for applicants who make a qualifying investment. Eligible options include qualifying investment funds, research activities, cultural support, and qualifying business investment or job creation

Real estate purchases and real estate investment funds do not qualify for Portugal’s Golden Visa. Applicants should confirm the investment requirements and evidence required before committing funds.

Portuguese citizenship can be obtained by descent for eligible applicants with Portuguese ancestry. The evidence required depends on the applicant’s family connection and the circumstances of the Portuguese parent or ancestor.

Naturalization by residence is no longer available to most US citizens after five years. From 19 May 2026, nationals of countries outside the European Union and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries must complete ten years of legal residence before applying. Applicants must also meet language, civic knowledge, criminal record, financial subsistence, and other statutory requirements.

A Portuguese residence permit does not guarantee citizenship. Eligibility must be assessed against the law in force at the time the citizenship application is submitted.

Ireland may suit US citizens who qualify through employment, family reunification, independent means, study, business activity, or Irish citizenship by descent. English is an official language in Ireland, while Irish is also an official language.

Applicants should assess housing availability, cost of living, healthcare eligibility, tax exposure, and job prospects in their intended location before relocating. Immigration and relocation costs vary depending on the chosen route.

Ireland’s public healthcare system includes services delivered by the Health Service Executive. Eligibility for services and the charges payable depend on residence status, income, and the treatment required.

A medical card can provide access to specified GP, hospital, prescription, dental, and community-health services without charge.

Work and Residence Routes

US citizens may consider the following options where they meet the requirements:

• The Critical Skills Employment Permit for eligible highly skilled roles, including occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List. Applicants need a qualifying job offer of at least two years and must meet the relevant salary and qualification requirements.
• The General Employment Permit for an eligible job offer from a bona fide Irish employer. The role must not appear on the Ineligible List of Occupations, and the applicable minimum remuneration requirements apply.
• The Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit for senior management, key personnel, or trainees transferring from an overseas branch of a multinational company to its Irish branch.
• Family reunification permission for eligible family members of Irish citizens or people lawfully resident in Ireland
• Stamp 0 permission for people of independent means who intend to retire in Ireland. Applicants must show an annual individual income of at least €50,000 and access to funds for unexpected major expenses.
• Study permission for applicants accepted onto an eligible Irish course and able to meet the financial and other requirements
• The Start-up Entrepreneur Program is for applicants with an innovative, high-potential start-up proposal and at least €50,000 in funding.

A Stamp is an immigration permission that sets out the activities a person may undertake in Ireland. It is not a separate visa category.

Irish Citizenship Routes

A US citizen born outside Ireland to a parent born in Ireland may be an Irish citizen by birth. The person should confirm their status with the Department of Foreign Affairs before applying for immigration permission.

A person with an Irish-born grandparent may qualify for Irish citizenship by registering in the Foreign Births Register. Citizenship takes effect on the date of registration, rather than automatically because of the grandparent’s place of birth.

Naturalization may be available after five years of reckonable residence. Applicants must show 1,825 or 1,826 days of reckonable residence over the 9 years preceding the application, including 365 or 366 days of continuous residence immediately before the application.

Spain may be an option for US citizens seeking residence through remote work, study, employment, family reunification, entrepreneurship, or independent financial means. Living costs, rent, local taxes, and access to services differ significantly between cities, coastal areas, islands, and rural regions.

Spanish is the national language, and applicants who intend to settle long-term should consider the language requirements for employment, public services, education, and daily life. Regional languages also have official status in some autonomous communities.

A person can become a Spanish tax resident after spending more than 183 days in Spain during a calendar year. Tax residence may also arise where Spain becomes the person’s main base of activities or economic interests. Applicants should obtain country-specific tax advice before moving or spending extended periods in Spain.

Spain Visa Options

US citizens planning to remain in Spain for more than 90 days need the relevant national visa or residence permission. Available options can include:

• A student visa for applicants accepted into an eligible program of study
• A work visa for applicants with the required employment authorization and a qualifying job offer
• A family reunification visa for eligible family members of a person lawfully resident in Spain
• An entrepreneur visa for applicants with an innovative business project considered of general interest to Spain. The visa is valid for one year
• A Non-Lucrative Visa for applicants who can show sufficient financial means without relying on employment in Spain
• A Digital Nomad Visa for eligible remote employees and self-employed professionals working for companies or clients outside Spain

Spain no longer accepts new investor visa applications. This route closed on 3 April 2025, including the former residence-by-investment options.

Non-Lucrative Visa Requirements

The Non-Lucrative Visa is suitable for applicants who can support themselves without working in Spain. It does not permit employment or self-employment in Spain.

For 2026, the financial requirement for one applicant is 400% of IPREM, which the Spanish Consulate in Houston lists as approximately $33,400 per year. Applicants must show an additional 100% of IPREM for each accompanying family member.

Applicants also need qualifying public or private health insurance. The policy must be issued by an insurer authorized to operate in Spain, cover the risks insured by Spain’s public system, and provide full cover without a deductible, co-payment, waiting period, or coverage limit. Travel insurance does not meet this requirement.

Mexico can be an option for US citizens seeking a temporary stay, employment, family reunification, or long-term residence. Living costs, access to private healthcare, public services, housing, and security conditions differ significantly between states and cities.

Applicants should assess local safety information, rental costs, healthcare arrangements, transport, taxes, and employment prospects before choosing a location. The US Department of State issues different travel advisory levels for various Mexican states, so readers should check the latest guidance for their intended destination.

Spanish-language ability can assist with daily life, employment, and communication with government agencies. English may be used in some tourism-focused areas, but applicants should not rely on this when arranging residence, housing, healthcare, or work.

Visitor Status and Residence

US citizens do not need a Mexican visa for eligible tourism, business, or transit visits of less than 180 days. On arrival, a Mexican immigration official determines the authorized period of stay and records it on the visitor document, where applicable. The maximum stay is 180 days, but the period granted may be shorter.

A visitor cannot undertake paid work in Mexico. A visitor should leave Mexico before their authorized period ends and should not describe the FMM as a “6-Month Holiday Permit.”

US citizens who intend to remain in Mexico for more than 180 days can explore the following residence routes:

• A Temporary Resident Visa for a stay of more than 180 days and less than four years. Applicants can qualify on the basis of financial solvency, family ties, employment, or other permitted grounds
• A Temporary Resident Visa with work permission for an applicant who has the required authorization to undertake paid work in Mexico. After arrival, the person must apply to the National Migration Institute within 30 days to obtain a Temporary Resident Card
• A Permanent Resident Visa for applicants who meet the applicable financial-solvency, family, retirement, or other eligibility requirements and intend to reside in Mexico indefinitely

A Temporary Resident Visa without work permission does not permit the holder to receive payment from a Mexican person, company, or other entity for services. Work permission must be authorized by the National Migration Institute.

A Temporary Resident Card can be renewed, subject to the relevant requirements, for a total period of residence of up to 4 years. After 4 years as a temporary resident, a person may apply for permanent residence if they meet the applicable conditions.

A permanent resident has indefinite permission to live in Mexico. A person seeking to undertake paid work should confirm the required authorization with the National Migration Institute before starting employment.

France may be an option for US citizens who qualify through employment, self-employment, study, family reunification, entrepreneurship, or independent financial means. Housing costs, local taxes, transport, healthcare arrangements, and daily expenses differ significantly between Paris, major cities, coastal areas, and rural regions.

A person intending to settle in France should consider French-language requirements for employment, administration, education, housing, and healthcare. The evidence required for a long-stay visa depends on the purpose of residence.

US passport holders can visit France without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This visa waiver is for short visits and does not provide the right to settle or work in France.

A person intending to remain in France for more than 90 days must apply for an appropriate long-stay visa before travel. A Type D long-stay visa can permit residence for between 3 months and one year, depending on the route.

France Long-Stay Visa Options

Eligible US citizens may explore the following routes:

• The long-stay visitor visa is available to applicants who can prove adequate financial resources, accommodation, and medical cover in France. The holder must not undertake employment or self-employment in France
• A salaried-worker visa for applicants with a qualifying French job offer. The employer or French company must obtain a work permit from the French authorities
• A self-employed or liberal-profession visa for applicants who can show that their proposed activity is viable and that they have sufficient resources
• A student visa for applicants accepted into an eligible program of study
• A family-based route for eligible relatives of French citizens or people lawfully resident in France
• A Talent Passport route for eligible employees, researchers, investors, business founders, and self-employed professionals who meet the relevant criteria

France does not have a dedicated retirement visa or Digital Nomad Visa. A retiree who does not intend to work in France may instead consider the long-stay visitor visa.

Healthcare and Tax

Applicants for a long-stay visitor visa must provide evidence of medical cover in France. After moving to France, a qualifying resident can apply for French public healthcare under Protection Universelle Maladie. For most applicants, rights open after three months of stable residence.

Tax treatment depends on a person’s French tax-residence status, income sources, pension arrangements, and the France-US tax treaty. French tax residents are taxed on French and foreign income, subject to treaty provisions and relief from double taxation where applicable. Applicants should obtain cross-border tax advice before moving.

Germany may be an option for US citizens seeking employment, self-employment, study, family reunification, or long-term residence. Applicants should compare housing availability, taxes, health insurance, transport costs, and language requirements in their intended city or region before relocating.

German-language ability is important for daily life, public administration, regulated professions, and most employment opportunities. English may be used in some international workplaces, but it should not be treated as a replacement for German-language ability.

Health insurance is compulsory for residents in Germany. The form of cover and contributions depend on a person’s employment status, income, visa route, and eligibility for statutory health insurance.

Work and Residence Routes

US citizens may consider the following routes where they meet the relevant conditions:

• The EU Blue Card for qualified professionals with a qualifying job offer and salary that meets the applicable threshold. IT professionals can qualify through certain routes even without a formal degree if they meet the work-experience requirements
• A work visa for qualified professionals who hold a recognized German qualification or a foreign qualification recognized as equivalent, and have a qualifying job offer
• A visa for professionally experienced workers who meet the experience, qualification, job offer, and minimum salary requirements. The 2026 minimum salary is €45,630, subject to limited exceptions
• An Opportunity Card for qualified applicants who want to enter Germany without a job offer and search for employment for up to 12 months
• A residence permit for commercial self-employment for applicants establishing a business that meets the relevant economic, financial, and business-plan requirements
• A freelance residence permit for applicants undertaking an eligible liberal profession. Applicants must show that they can finance their activity and support themselves, and must hold any required professional permission

Settlement and Citizenship

A skilled worker holding a residence permit under sections 18a, 18b, 18d, or 18g of the Residence Act may qualify for a settlement permit after three years if they meet the contribution, German-language, livelihood, civic-knowledge, and accommodation requirements.

EU Blue Card holders can qualify for a settlement permit after 27 months of qualifying employment and pension insurance contributions with A1 German. This period is reduced to 21 months for holders who demonstrate proficiency in German at the B1 level.

Germany’s modernized nationality law took effect on 27 June 2024. It allows applicants to retain their existing nationality under German law and reduces the standard naturalization period from eight years to 5 years.

Naturalization is not automatic after 5 years. Applicants must hold a permanent right of residence or a residence permit that can lead to permanent residence, support themselves and their dependent family members, demonstrate proficiency in German at the B1 level, pass the required civic knowledge test, and meet the character requirements.

A US citizen with a German parent, grandparent, or spouse should obtain a nationality assessment before applying for a residence permit or naturalization. Citizenship by descent and citizenship connected to marriage depend on the applicant’s personal and family circumstances, rather than ancestry or marriage alone.