The freedom to move, reside, and to seek out educational and employment opportunities in other countries is one of the unique aspects of the European Union – with the movement of people having been integral to the social, cultural, political, and economic growth of the continent.

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Millennials are the driving force behind this contemporary intra-European mobility, with more and more young Europeans seeking new academic and professional experiences elsewhere.

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In response to this we decided to investigate the drivers and barriers to youth migration in Europe. This was conducted between November 2015 and May 2016 through the use of a survey targeting young expatriates between the ages of 18 to 28 years old.

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With the intention of mapping the best places to relocate on the basis of individual priorities and preferences, and in order to add to the research base on youth migration, the report details the experiences of young expatriates in seven European countries (the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Poland, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and France). Moreover, it acts as a tool to analyse mobility patterns, push/pull factors, and the financial realities faced when living in another country.

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Based on the growth in financial technologies and new ways to organise personal financing and daily living expenditures, the report also details the experiences of young expats when familiarising themselves with their host country’s economy, and how they have managed, organised, and overcome their financial requirements.As the results of the report reiterate, young talent across Europe are enthusiastic about the new experiences they can gain from moving away from home, in both a professional and educational capacity. Driven by the wish to experience new cultures, to move to a different climate, to improve language skills, or to gain a better education or a more improved career pathway, intra-European mobility is becoming both more commonplace and diverse. Moreover, young people are adapting to life abroad, making use of financial services that are accessible, and easy to use in order to adapt to their new surroundings, lifestyle, and living costs.