Where British workers are emigrating to
Key Points
- British workers moving abroad most often head to the UAE, Australia and Canada, according to a Deel report.
- Within Europe, Spain and Portugal are the top destinations, driven by remote-working arrangements.
- British nationals ranked second among UAE Golden Visa holders on the platform.
- Deel said reports of a UK "youth exodus" reflected the normal age profile of migrants, not a UK-specific trend.
- It said 39.4% of British workers abroad were aged 35 to 44, close to figures for the US, Canada and Australia.
British workers moving abroad are heading most often to the United Arab Emirates, Australia and Canada, according to a report from the global HR and payroll platform Deel.
The report said the three markets topped the list of destinations for British workers on the platform, with tax arrangements, higher salaries and lifestyle options drawing mid-career professionals.
British nationals also ranked second, behind Indian nationals, among UAE Golden Visa holders on the platform, a category Deel said skewed heavily towards high-earning professionals.
When British workers stayed within Europe, Spain and Portugal were the most common destinations, the report said. It attributed those moves to remote-working arrangements rather than office-based roles.
The report also addressed coverage in late 2025 that described a “youth exodus” from the UK, following Office for National Statistics figures showing younger people were the most likely to leave the country.
Deel said the pattern reflected the age profile of internationally mobile workers generally rather than a UK-specific trend. It said 39.4% of British workers abroad on its platform were aged 35 to 44, a share it described as close to the figures for Americans (39.3%), Canadians (39.2%) and Australians (36.2%).
The report said the most common age at which UK citizens were approved for a new work visa was between 25 and 34, matching the profile in Canada, India and the United States.
Deel said its figures were based on its platform data covering more than 40,000 companies across over 150 countries, with the primary window running from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
