Where the world is moving
Established, growing, and emerging market trends
Hover over a highlighted country for its complete category list.
As noted in the map above, the top outbound markets (where expats are coming from) include India and China in addition to the global West. GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries – Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman – represent emerging markets for both emigration (outbound) and immigration (inbound). For the inbound markets, Spain is both a top inbound country and one that is consistently considered to have a high quality of life, a category of growing importance for those looking to relocate abroad. However, there have been recent tensions in Spain due to housing constraints and increased cost of living for locals due to the increasing number of expats in the country.
- The Indian diaspora is the largest in the world by official count, consisting of about 35.4 million people of Indian origin across more than 200 countries — this includes Indians living abroad temporarily and those of Indian origin who have settled permanently in host countries. The majority of the Indian diaspora is concentrated in the Gulf region (identified as a growth market in the map above), with about 4.36 million residing in the UAE alone. The diaspora spans four distinct waves: colonial-era indentured labor (Caribbean, Fiji, South Africa), post-independence (1947) professional migration to the West, the Gulf labor boom of the 1970s, and the tech boom beginning in the 1990s, concentrated in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
- The Chinese diaspora is one of the largest and most geographically dispersed populations in the world. Estimates range from 10.7 million Chinese nationals born in mainland China living abroad to over 60 million when including all generations of Chinese descent across 130+ countries. Southeast Asia – Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore – is the historical core of the diaspora. The more recent migration waves span: the colonial era, which coincided with the aftermath of the Opium Wars and saw labor migration from China to the Americas and other regions across the world, and late 1970s migration when China opened its economy. In recent years, the Chinese middle class has grown and the immigrant profile has shifted to those who are wealthier, more highly educated, and more motivated by educational opportunity and quality of life. China has consistently ranked among the world's leading sources of high-net-worth emigration, with the US, Canada, and Australia as current primary destinations.
- The UAE hosts about 9.66 million people, of whom an estimated 89% are expats — the highest share of any country outside the Vatican. Its Golden Visa, a 10-year residency for investors, entrepreneurs, and skilled talent, was expanded in 2025 to include teachers and scientists, extending the path to longer-term residency with zero personal income tax. Saudi Arabia hosts 13–14 million expats, representing about ⅓ of its total population.
- Several countries across Latin America and Eurasia have seen rapid growth in their expat populations in recent years. Colombia's digital nomad visa, launched in 2022 for skilled remote professionals, has drawn a growing number of arrivals from the US and Europe. Georgia — specifically Tbilisi — has emerged as a hub for expats earning in stronger currencies. Thailand, a more longstanding expat destination, has offered its 5-year Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) for remote workers since mid-2024.
- Georgia's Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Protection announced Georgia's first-ever mandatory work permit system on March 1, 2026. This system affects foreigners without a permanent residence permit who are employed by a local employer, work remotely for a local employer, or are self-employed.
- Previously, a foreign national could arrive in Georgia, register as an Individual Entrepreneur online within a day, and immediately begin operating under the 1% Small Business tax option without needing a separate work authorization, which is no longer the case. Foreign nationals engaging in self-employment, freelance work, or entrepreneurial activity, including sole proprietors under the 1% tax option, must now obtain a Special Labour Activity Permit before they can operate their business activities.
- Foreign nationals already registered in the Ministry's labour migration database with active status must obtain a work permit and corresponding residence permit by January 1, 2027. Those who entered the Georgian labour market after March 1, 2026 face the full requirements immediately with no transition period.
- There are some key exemptions and other grey areas, so consult with a qualified Georgian immigration attorney before making any arrangements.
Movement & money
Modern migration in focus
- This is the fastest-growing and most visible new category in the global expat population. The rapid increase in the number of countries offering dedicated digital nomad visas reflects competition among destination countries for a demographic that brings foreign currency spending without competing for local jobs. Some of the more popular receiving countries include Spain, Portugal, Thailand, the UAE (Dubai more specifically), Colombia, Croatia, and Estonia - often for quality of life and lower cost of living.
Countries with a dedicated nomad visa (alphabetical):
Albania
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Brazil
Bulgaria
Cabo Verde
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cyprus
Dominica
Ecuador
Estonia
Georgia
Greece
Grenada
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Malaysia
Malta
Mauritius
Namibia
Norway
Panama
Peru
Philippines
Portugal
Romania
Saint Lucia
Seychelles
South Africa
Spain
Thailand
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay- This is a category that more commonly includes retirees, but increasingly includes Gen Z and millennials relocating for lifestyle, values, and financial flexibility earlier in life as a sort of “micro-retirement”. This expat is typically Northern European or North American relocating to Portugal, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Thailand, or similar destinations for the climate, affordability, and overall quality of life. They typically earn in a strong currency and split time between 2 or more countries.
Remittances
Where Remittances are Sent From
Top sending countries, US$ billions. World Bank 2024.
Top Remittance-Receiving Countries
India has led for 25+ consecutive years. US$ billions. World Bank 2024.
Signals to Watch
Gulf labor nationalization
Workforce nationalization policies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE (Saudization and Emiratization) have become more aggressively enforced. Expanded quotas across healthcare, engineering, marketing, and dozens of administrative roles now reserved for citizens, with rising fines and AI-driven compliance audits. Expats in covered roles may find work permits non-renewable even with strong job performance.
Remote-work tax tightening
When it comes to taxing citizens who live abroad, the US continues to be the extreme case, but the UK, Canada, and Australia governments are tightening enforcement of residency determination. Those governments are using CRS-driven (Common Reporting Standard) enforcement to share account data automatically and audit people who claim non-residence but still maintain homes, bank accounts, or economic ties in their countries of origin.
Climate & conflict migration
As of end of December 2025, 117.8 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations; the highest figure on record. This large-scale climate and conflict displacement is driving destination countries to tighten immigration policy broadly with stricter asylum processing, more border enforcement, and narrower "skilled migration" carve-outs. Those tightened systems don't distinguish cleanly between displacement-driven and voluntary/economic migrants when it comes to visa scrutiny, processing backlogs, or general sentiment towards immigration.
Sources: UN DESA International Migrant Stock 2024, World Bank / KNOMAD Migration & Development Brief 41 (Dec 2025), Reserve Bank of India Remittances Survey, IOM World Migration Report, UNHCR Global Trends 2025 (June 2026), InterNations Expat Insider, Global Citizen Solutions, CitizenRemote & industry digital nomad visa trackers (2026). Georgia: Government of Georgia Resolution No. 70 (February 20, 2026); Georgia Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Protection — Law on Labour Migration amendments (June 2025, effective March 1, 2026); US Embassy Tbilisi — "New Work Permit Rules for Foreign Nationals in Georgia Starting March 1" (March 25, 2026); State Employment Support Agency (labourmigration.moh.gov.ge); Andersen in Georgia — Georgia Work Permits and 1% Tax Regime guides (March 2026); Legal.ge — Georgia Work Permit Requirements 2026 (March 2026); pbservices.ge — Rules for Foreign Nationals Working in Georgia in 2026, including April 15, 2026 amendments (May 2026); employsome.com — Work Permit in Georgia: New Rules for 2026 Explained (April 2026). Figures are indicative and rounded. Any health-related information is attributed to WHO, the CDC, and national authorities.