Around 16% of the world’s adults would like to move to another country. Most of them would like to move to the USA or Canada. Europe and Saudi Arabia are also popular would-be destinations.

This is good news for Europe, whose population is shrinking:

“Europe’s population is, right now, peaking, after more than six centuries of continuous growth. With each generation reproducing only half its number, this looks like the start of a ­continent-wide collapse in numbers. Some predict wipeout by 2100.”

If you already live abroad, you’re one of the lucky ones. Many cannot move to another country because they cannot get a visa, or they cannot get permission to work.

Immigration is nothing new. In fact one hundred years ago global migration was much higher than it is today.


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Countries and cities who welcome immigrants can become hubs of creativity and innovation. This makes sense, because recent studies show that living abroad makes you more creative. Mobile people are well equipped to deal with the challenges of globalisation in other ways, too.

But apart from these advantages, Europe’s looming population decline means there is room for more.

What do you think?

Read more:
Milleuristi: Europe’s losing generation
America’s changing work landscape
French bank embraces diversity

About the author

Lucy is English and first ventured out of the UK she was 19. Since then she has lived in 4 different countries and tried to see as much of the world as possible. She loves learning languages, learning about different cultures and hearing different points of view.