• Finland (23rd out of 68 countries), Norway (25th), Denmark (35th), and Sweden (46th) have rather average results in the Expat Insider 2018 survey. The top 10 destinations for expats are Bahrain, Taiwan, Ecuador, Mexico, Singapore, Portugal, Costa Rica, Spain, Colombia, and Czechia. 
• For the third year in a row, Finland is rated the world’s best country for expat families thanks to great education standards and high safety. 
• Norway and Denmark rank among the top 10 countries for working abroad: just the career prospects seem to be problematic, with the two destinations coming in 41st and 42nd place for this factor
• Sweden is the biggest loser of the Expat Insider 2018 survey, dropping 24 ranks due to lower satisfaction with quality of life, working abroad, and the ease of settling in. 
• While working life remains a pull factor for the Nordic countries, expats still find it hard to settle down in the region. Compared to 2017, Denmark, Finland, and Norway’s results in the expat ranking remain largely stable, reflecting a mix of positive and negative aspects, while Sweden has suffered the biggest losses out of all countries featured in the survey. Expats living in Sweden are significantly less happy than last year, particularly with the quality of life, working abroad, and the ease of settling in, as the Expat Insider 2018 survey reveals. With more than 18,000 respondents living and working abroad, it is one of the most extensive expat studies, conducted annually by InterNations, the largest expat community worldwide. Apart from offering an in-depth analysis of life abroad, the survey ranks 68 countries by a variety of factors such as quality of life, working abroad, and settling in. While Finland (23rd), Norway (25th), Denmark (35th), and Sweden (46th) have decent to below-average results, this year’s top 10 destinations for expats are Bahrain, Taiwan, Ecuador, Mexico, Singapore, Portugal, Costa Rica, Spain, Colombia, and Czechia.

Work-Life Balance and Childcare Options Make Denmark a Great Place for Expat Families

Expats seem to greatly enjoy their working life in Denmark: the country ranks 6th out of 68 destinations in 2018, which is its best result ever for working abroad. More than four in five expats (83%) are happy with their work-life balance, which is 22 percentage points more than the global average (61%). Moreover, close to two-thirds (65%) are satisfied with their job security, compared to 59 percent globally. However, their career prospects seem to be a bit of an issue for expats in Denmark: 54 percent are generally happy with this factor, which is very close to the global average (55%). However, just nine percent are completely satisfied, compared to 15 percent worldwide.

Maybe it is partly due to expats having lots of time to spare for their children that Denmark scores that well for family life abroad (4th). What is more, 71 percent of expat parents in Denmark are happy with the available childcare options in general, which is ten percentage points more than the global average (61%). “Denmark is a very good place for children to grow up,” an expat from India comments. In fact, nearly all expat parents rate their children’s safety positively (98% vs. 81% globally), and close to nine in ten (89%) are happy with their health (vs. 76% globally). More than three in five (62%) could even not be any happier with the latter, which is 26 percentage points more than the global average (36%).

Denmark receives its worst ratings for the cost of living and the ease of settling in, ranking 64th out of 68 countries for both. Only 48 percent of expats feel at home in Denmark, compared to a global average of 64 percent.

”It is hard to feel integrated mostly because of the language barrier and because it is not easy to make local friends,” an expat from France reports. In fact, 70 percent find it hard to learn the local language (vs. 45% globally), and 64 percent struggle with making local friends (vs. 36% globally).

A Great Digital Life Comes at a Cost in Finland
Ranking 7th out of 68 countries for its quality of life, Finland has improved nine ranks since last year (16th). Four in five expats (80%) consider the quality of medical care to be generally good, compared to 67 percent globally. The natural environment also plays an important role for the respondents’ general health and well-being: nearly all expats in Finland (96%) are happy with the quality of the local environment, such as the air and water quality (vs. 69% globally). Moreover, the new Digital Life subcategory has helped boost Finland’s ranking, as the country comes in 2nd out of 68 in this category. The majority of expats finds it easy to gain access to a high-speed internet connection at home (96% vs. 75% globally) and to pay without cash (96% vs. 78% globally). Moreover, close to nine in ten (88%) are happy with the availability of government services online (vs. 55% globally), and 62 percent even give it the best possible rating (vs. 23% globally).

Aside from the high quality of life, Finland continues to be a great choice for families, ranking first for the third year in a row. More than nine in ten expat parents (93%) rate the attitude of the Finnish population towards families with children positively (vs. 83% globally), and not a single respondent describes it negatively (7% neutral ratings). Every single expat parent (100%) is satisfied with their children’s safety (vs. 81% globally), and 83 percent could not be any happier with this factor, which is nearly twice the global average (44%). A British expat living in Finland appreciates “the safe environment for kids and the quality of schools“. In fact, more than nine in ten expat parents (96%) judge the quality of education in Finland favorably, which is 27 percentage points more than the global average (69%). Perhaps this is one of the reasons why 67 percent send their kids to a local state school (vs. 36% globally), while just seven percent opt for a local private school (vs. 21% globally).

On the downside, Finland performs poorly in such areas as the ease of settling in —37 percent find it hard to make new friends (vs. 25% globally) — cost of living, and personal finance. Exactly one quarter of the respondents (25%) is unhappy with their financial situation, compared to 17 percent globally. Additionally, 32 percent feel that their disposable household income is not enough to cover all their necessary expenses (vs. 22% globally), and 15 percent even think that it is not nearly enough, which is close to twice the global average (8%).

Norway: Home to Great Working Conditions, but Even Generous Salaries Are Not Enough
Coming in 25th place out of 68 countries overall, Norway even ranks 4th in terms of working abroad, making it into the respective top 10 for the fifth year in a row. More than seven in ten expats (72%) are satisfied with their job security in Norway, compared to 59 percent globally. Moreover, 84 percent are happy with their working hours, which is 22 percentage points more than the global average (62%). This is hardly a surprise as the average working week for full-time employees in Norway has 41.9 hours, compared to a global average of 44.0 hours. A British expat finds it great that “the balance between work and personal life is respected” in Norway.

Although the overall job situation seems to be good, career prospects actually rank a below-average 41st out of 68 countries worldwide. Close to three in ten expats in Norway (28%) are unsatisfied with their career opportunities, slightly more than the global average (25%). “It is difficult to find work without knowing the language,” says an expat from New Zealand.

Even though 72 percent of expats in Norway think they make more money than they would in a similar position back home (vs. 53% globally), their income still does not seem to be enough: the country ranks poorly for personal finance (49th) and cost of living (66th). Close to three in five expats (59%) are unhappy with the cost of living in Norway, compared to just 31 percent globally.

Sweden Is the Biggest Loser in 2018
Dropping 24 ranks since last year (22nd out of 65 countries in 2017), Sweden is the biggest loser in the Expat Insider 2018 survey, coming in 46th place out of 68 destinations in 2018. The country has lost ground across all main indices of the survey, particularly in terms of quality of life, working abroad, and ease of settling in.

After ranking a good 14th for quality of life in 2017, Sweden comes in 28th place out of 68 this year. While four in five expats (80%) were happy with the available leisure activities in 2017, just 66 percent still agree in 2018. “It is a bit boring here,” says an expat from the US, “and I do not like the drizzly weather“.

After ranking in the top 10 countries for working abroad last year, Sweden comes in 24th place in 2018. Less than half the expats in Sweden (46%) are satisfied with their career prospects, compared to 56 percent in 2017. More than two in five newly arrived expats (41%) find it hard to apply for a job in Sweden (e.g. contacting companies, attending interviews), compared to 36 percent globally — more than one-third (34%) even finds it not easy at all, which is 12 percentage points more than the global average (22%). “It is difficult to find a job that matches my qualifications,” an expat from Canada complains, while one from Germany finds it hard to understand “the Swedish business culture“. In fact, almost one in three expats who have recently moved to Sweden (32%) struggle with understanding local business etiquette, compared to 24 percent globally.

Lastly, Sweden also ranked low for the ease of settling in last year (49th out of 68), but it now hits the bottom 10 countries in 2018 (63rd out of 68). It is even rated the worst country worldwide for making new friends, with more than half the expats (51%) finding this hard. This is eight percentage points more than in 2017 (43%) and more than twice the global average in 2018 (25%). Moreover, Sweden ranks second to last for making local friends in particular, only ahead of Kuwait: just 21 percent find this easy, compared to 45 percent of expats globally. “Socializing with local people is quite difficult,” an expat from Macedonia thinks, while one from the US bemoans “the insider culture and the coldness of the locals“. Consequently, it is hardly surprising that more than nearly one in three expats (28%) do not feel at home in Sweden yet (vs. 22% globally), while 25 percent believe they never will (vs. 15% globally).