In this article, we will take a look at the 20 Best Permanent Residency Countries in the World.
Why Do People Move?
Settling in a peaceful place with good education options for your children and access to excellent healthcare are key aspects for an individual or a family to become permanent residents. For job seekers, labor market mobility is important, and where they can find high-salary jobs quickly. For retirees, high quality of life and low taxes are key. You can read our article exploring the 25 Best Countries for Expats With Low Taxes and High Quality of Life. Overall, practicality supersedes, and several factors are considered before making a final decision. The aim is to choose the best permanent residency country in the world.
Most people tend to spend their lives in their countries of origin, as per the IOM UN Migration Report 2022. Only one out of 30 people fall into the immigrant category. An estimated 281 million international migrants existed globally in 2020, representing approximately 3.6% of the world population. This figure shows a rise of 128 million immigrants compared to 1990 and was almost three times bigger than the estimated figure for 1970. People tend to move to more developed countries that fulfill these key factors including better employment opportunities, quality of life, healthcare, and education.
Importance of Obtaining Permanent Residency
Permanent residency, generally known as a PR visa, confirms a resident’s status in a country other than one’s home nation. Permanent residency allows individuals the right in a foreign country to live, work, study, and even establish a business. PR visa holders usually enjoy social security, healthcare, and various financial benefits in almost all countries.
In addition to that, after obtaining a PR visa one can bring their families, including parents and children who may qualify for free schooling. Individuals are allowed multiple entries until the PR is valid, and these benefits vary across countries. Once the residency permit expires it can be renewed in most parts of the world. There are various categories of permanent residency visas, which include skilled immigration, state/territory/province-sponsored immigration, employer-based immigration, family migration, and investment migration. The easiest way to obtain a PR visa is through investment. Millionaires are usually migrating through investment visas and most of them prefer to move to tax-free countries in the world.
If you want to know where millionaires are moving (See Here: 12 Countries Millionaires Are Moving To).
Which Country Attracts the Most Immigrants
Europe has seen a huge surge in immigrants and the trend has been further driven by European countries easing their immigration processes, mainly due to labor shortages within the EU. According to the IMF, immigration to advanced economies in Europe rebounded significantly in 2022, leading to a record 6.1 million “permanent-type” migrants for the OECD overall. Whereas, the EU countries combined issued first residence permits to approximately 3.5 million non-EU citizens. This reflects a rise of 18% compared with 2021 and a 14% increase compared with the pre-COVID level in 2019, as per the Eurostat.
However, the United States remains the leading country with the highest number of immigrants. Despite that, United States does not rank first on our list of the 20 Best Permanent Residency Countries in the World. Nevertheless, between 2023 and 2024, almost 2.8 million people migrated to the United States, as per the US Census Bureau. The United States is home to the highest number of foreign-born population, which has grown to a record high of 51.6 million by March 2024. This trend is justified by the country’s approach to immigration through various channels. One such method is employer-based immigration, where companies sponsor employees for green cards. Tech giants including Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE), among other US companies, have actively sponsored their employees for green cards.
With that said, let’s take a look at the 20 Best Permanent Residency Countries in the World.
Aerial view of a busy water resource management facility, with a river running through it, dotted with homes.
Our Methodology
To compile the top 20 countries for permanent residency in the world, we gathered the key metrics that influence people to move, including better employment opportunities, quality of life, encompassing health and education. We obtained data from the Migrant Integration Policy Index 2020 and considered factors such as security of permanent residency, labor market mobility, education, health integration, and access to nationality for each country. We took an average of these scores and ranked countries in ascending order of the Insider Monkey Average Score. In the case of tied averages, the cost of living index served as a tie-breaker.
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20 Best Permanent Residency Countries in the World
20. Argentina
Permanent Residency Score: 71
Labor Market Mobility Score: 44
Health Score: 44
Education Score: 26
Access to Nationality Score: 91
Insider Monkey Average Score: 55.2
Argentina is one of the best options for residency in South America. The cost of living in Argentina is one of the lowest in the world. Argentina is also one of the countries that is easy to immigrate to. Argentina ranks among the 20 best permanent residency countries in the world.
19. Ireland
Permanent Residency Score: 50
Labor Market Mobility Score: 22
Health Score: 85
Education Score: 45
Access to Nationality Score: 79
Insider Monkey Average Score: 56.2
Ireland is not a country that is talked a lot about residency due to its small population and lower labor market mobility. However, Ireland has other advantages, making it one of the best countries for permanent residency worldwide.
18. France
Permanent Residency Score: 58
Labor Market Mobility Score: 52
Health Score: 65
Education Score: 36
Access to Nationality Score: 70
Insider Monkey Average Score: 56.2
France is one of the best places to live in Europe, which lies in the heart of the continent and opens gates to other Schengen states. With an average score of 56.2, France ranks among the best countries for permanent residency in the world.
17. South Korea
Permanent Residency Score: 60
Labor Market Mobility Score: 65
Health Score: 40
Education Score: 72
Access to Nationality Score: 44
Insider Monkey Average Score: 56.2
South Korea has become a popular destination for tourists and expatriates. The high standard of living, low costs, and competitive salaries make it a haven for residents. In addition to that, South Korea has a notably high security of permanent residency, which makes it one of the best countries for permanent residency in the world.
16. Luxembourg
Permanent Residency Score: 58
Labor Market Mobility Score: 35
Health Score: 46
Education Score: 64
Access to Nationality Score: 79
Insider Monkey Average Score: 56.4
Luxembourg is another country where you can find highly paid jobs and the standard of living is better than most countries in Europe. Luxembourg is one of the best permanent residency countries in the world.
15. United Kingdom
Permanent Residency Score: 58
Labor Market Mobility Score: 48
Health Score: 75
Education Score: 40
Access to Nationality Score: 61
Insider Monkey Average Score: 56.4
The United Kingdom remains one of the most favoured destinations for expatriates, despite the economic upheaval. The healthcare options, education facilities, and in the end, access to nationality make it one of the best permanent residency countries in the world.
14. Netherlands
Permanent Residency Score: 52
Labor Market Mobility Score: 65
Health Score: 65
Education Score: 57
Access to Nationality Score: 55
Insider Monkey Average Score: 58.8
The Netherlands is a great place for immigrants to settle down permanently with its high standard of living, excellent healthcare, education, and job market. Moreover, the European country’s high ranking in work culture and satisfaction makes it one of the best countries for permanent residency.
13. Germany
Permanent Residency Score: 54
Labor Market Mobility Score: 81
Health Score: 63
Education Score: 55
Access to Nationality Score: 42
Insider Monkey Average Score: 59
Germany is one of the largest economies in the world and the majority of its public universities offer free education. The high quality of life and health facilities also make Germany a great place for permanent residency.
12. Italy
Permanent Residency Score: 67
Labor Market Mobility Score: 67
Health Score: 79
Education Score: 43
Access to Nationality Score: 40
Insider Monkey Average Score: 59.2
Italy is another leading economy in Europe and ranks among the best countries for permanent residency. Italy offers a high quality of life, particularly in healthcare, and is a gateway to the EU market. Compared to the rest of EU countries, Italy has one of the lowest costs of living, which encourages permanent residency.
11. Spain
Permanent Residency Score: 75
Labor Market Mobility Score: 67
Health Score: 81
Education Score: 43
Access to Nationality Score: 30
Insider Monkey Average Score: 59.2
Spain is one of the top destinations among the EU countries as it offers a low cost of living, supported by excellent public healthcare and education. Spain is no surprise being ranked among the best countries for permanent residency worldwide.
10. Brazil
Permanent Residency Score: 96
Labor Market Mobility Score: 67
Health Score: 31
Education Score: 14
Access to Nationality Score: 91
Insider Monkey Average Score: 59.8
Brazil is one of the largest economies in South America and ranks 10th on our list of the best permanent residency countries in the world. Brazil offers one of the easiest immigration policies, which is a key aspect of it being a top location for permanent residency.
9. Australia
Permanent Residency Score: 46
Labor Market Mobility Score: 37
Health Score: 79
Education Score: 79
Access to Nationality Score: 76
Insider Monkey Average Score: 63.4
Australia is one of the fastest growing economies with new job opportunities across various sectors. The Australian government actively promotes permanent residency, granting individuals the right to work and access the labor market, thus it is one of the best options for permanent residency in the world.
8. Belgium
Permanent Residency Score: 75
Labor Market Mobility Score: 56
Health Score: 73
Education Score: 74
Access to Nationality Score: 65
Insider Monkey Average Score: 68.6
Belgium is a great option to migrate to, making it one of the best permanent residency countries in the world. Belgium gives easy access to the EU market, with excellent health and education facilities.
7. Norway
Permanent Residency Score: 71
Labor Market Mobility Score: 85
Health Score: 75
Education Score: 71
Access to Nationality Score: 50
Insider Monkey Average Score: 70.4
Norway is one of the developed nations with a thriving economy and is welcoming to new residents. The country offers abundant work opportunities, attracting expats worldwide. The high standard of living, advanced technology, and healthcare system make it an ideal choice for permanent residency.
6. New Zealand
Permanent Residency Score: 63
Labor Market Mobility Score: 59
Health Score: 83
Education Score: 76
Access to Nationality Score: 92
Insider Monkey Average Score: 74.6
New Zealand is one of the most peaceful countries in the world. New Zealand offers high healthcare and education systems, and easy access to nationality, and ranks sixth among the best permanent residency countries in the world.