10 Most Welcoming Countries for Expats in 2026: Iceland’s Stunning Rise Revealed
Welcoming countries are supposed to make the hard part of moving abroad the actual settling in feel effortless. But feeling truly settled once you land is another story entirely, and that’s exactly the gap a new global study set out to measure. International insurance provider William Russell has released its 2026 ranking of the most welcoming countries for expats, and the results might reshape how you think about your next move.
If you’re one of the growing number of Africans, including many here in Cameroon, dreaming of studying, working, or building a new life overseas, this list is worth your full attention. Below, we break down the most welcoming countries for expats, the most welcoming cities for expats, what actually makes a destination welcoming, and — importantly how a trusted consultancy like CallMaimo Consulting can turn this research into your own relocation success story.
Why “Welcoming” Matters More Than “Easy to Enter”
According to William Cooper, director and co-owner at William Russell, the difference between an expat who thrives abroad and one who returns home within a year usually isn’t the visa process. It’s what happens after arrival.
“A welcoming destination is more about how easy it is to build a life once you arrive than it is about how easy it is to enter,” Cooper explained. “Employment access, healthcare availability, and financial stability all play a real role in whether expats feel settled within the first six to 12 months. These factors can be the difference between returning home and relocating long-term.”
That single insight is the backbone of this study, and it’s why the most welcoming countries for expats in 2026 aren’t necessarily the ones with the flashiest tourism campaigns or the simplest visa-on-arrival policies.
How the Rankings Were Calculated
To identify the most welcoming countries for expats, William Russell scored nations out of 10 across six factors:
- Expat experience
- Migrant population size
- Foreign-born employment rates
- Public attitudes towards immigrants
- Safety
- Visa openness
The data was pulled from credible, well-established sources, including InterNation’s Expat Insider survey, the OECD, the World Bank, the Global Peace Index, and Henley Global. This multi-source approach is what makes the list of most welcoming countries for expats feel far more reliable than a simple visa-friendliness chart.
The 10 Most Welcoming Countries for Expats in 2026
Here’s the full country ranking, out of 10:
| Rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iceland | 8.94 |
| 2 | Luxembourg | 8.69 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 8.57 |
| 4 | Australia | 8.54 |
| 5 | Switzerland | 8.36 |
| 6 | Ireland | 7.89 |
| 7 | Colombia | 7.71 |
| 8 | Czechia | 7.62 |
| 9 | Portugal | 7.47 |
| 10 | Austria | 7.40 |
1. Iceland — The World’s Most Welcoming Country
Topping the list of the most welcoming countries for expats is Iceland, with a score of 8.94 out of 10. Iceland’s standout metric is its foreign-born employment rate of 84.2% — meaning nearly all expats who move there actually find work. Add to that straightforward administrative processes, strong social trust, and one of the world’s lowest crime rates, and it’s easy to see why Iceland claimed the top spot among the most welcoming countries for expats this year.
2. Luxembourg — Built for International Life
Luxembourg secures second place largely because of its extraordinary migrant population: more than half of its residents were born abroad. This means everyday services — banking, housing, schooling — are already designed with international residents in mind. Multilingual workplaces are the norm, not the exception, which is a major reason it ranks so highly among the most welcoming countries for expats.
3–4. New Zealand and Australia
Rounding out the top four, New Zealand and Australia combine strong expat satisfaction scores with genuinely high foreign-born employment rates, reinforcing a pattern seen throughout this list: the most welcoming countries for expats are usually the ones where newcomers can actually find jobs, not just visas.
5. Switzerland
Switzerland posted a visa openness score of 93 and a foreign-born employment rate of 77.1%, landing it firmly among the most welcoming countries for expats despite its reputation for a high cost of living.
6. Ireland
Ireland followed closely, benefiting from an
English-speaking environment, a growing tech and pharma sector, and solid safety scores — all classic markers of the most welcoming countries for expats.
7–10. Colombia, Czechia, Portugal, and Austria
The final four spots went to Colombia, Czechia, Portugal, and Austria — a mix that shows the most welcoming countries for expats aren’t limited to Northern Europe. Portugal, in particular, has become a magnet for remote workers and retirees thanks to its digital nomad visa and lower cost of living.
The Most Welcoming Cities for Expats in 2026
Country-level data only tells part of the story. William Russell also examined the most welcoming cities for expats, drawing on the Happy City Index and Numbeo to assess happiness, safety, and public friendliness.
| Rank | City | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zürich | 9.06 |
| 2= | Singapore | 8.97 |
| 2= | Tokyo | 8.97 |
| 4 | Copenhagen | 8.72 |
| 5 | Munich | 8.63 |
| 6 | Prague | 7.86 |
| 7 | Dubai | 7.61 |
| 8 | Warsaw | 7.52 |
| 9 | Seoul | 7.44 |
| 10 | Hong Kong | 7.26 |
Zürich topped the list of the most welcoming cities for expats, posting a high safety score of 76.7 alongside a notably low social friction score of 24.9. Interestingly, Singapore and Tokyo tied for second — a genuine surprise, given that Japan as a country ranked far lower in the national index. It’s proof that a single city can roll out the welcome mat even when broader national integration is more complicated.
Elsewhere in Europe, Copenhagen (4th), Munich (5th), Prague (6th), and Warsaw (8th) all made the cut, reinforcing that mid-sized, well-run European cities consistently outperform sprawling global capitals when it comes to expat friendliness.
Why London, Paris, and New York Didn’t Make the Cut
Notably absent from the top 10 were London, Paris, and New York — three of the world’s most visited cities. William Russell’s theory is straightforward: scale and density can increase anonymity, making it genuinely harder for newcomers to build real connections, even in cities packed with opportunity. This is an important reminder that “famous” and “welcoming” are not the same thing when you’re evaluating the most welcoming countries for expats and cities for your own move.
What This Means If You’re Planning to Relocate
If you’re weighing your options among the most welcoming countries for expats, a few practical takeaways stand out:
- Employment access beats visa speed. Iceland’s win proves that being able to work legally and find a job quickly matters more than how fast you can get a stamp in your passport.
- Migrant density smooths the path. Luxembourg shows that when a country already has a large foreign-born population, systems like banking, housing, and schooling are naturally more accessible.
- Safety and social trust are non-negotiable. Every country in the top 10 scores well on safety — because feeling secure is foundational to feeling settled.
- City choice matters as much as country choice. Even within a less-welcoming country, a well-run city can still deliver a strong expat experience.
How CallMaimo Consulting Can Help You Get There
Reading about the most welcoming countries for expats is inspiring — but turning that inspiration into a boarding pass is where most people get stuck. That’s exactly the gap CallMaimo Consulting exists to close.
Based in Douala, Cameroon, CallMaimo Consulting is an education and immigration consultancy that helps students and professionals move confidently toward destinations like the ones on this list. Here’s how the team can support your journey:
- University and program placement: CallMaimo works with a global network of partner schools and employers across the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and Europe — several of which feature among the most welcoming countries for expats, including Ireland, Portugal, and Austria — to match you with the right pathway.
- Visa strategy and application support: From documentation to embassy appointments, CallMaimo’s team guides you through the visa process step by step, reducing the guesswork that often trips up first-time applicants.
- Pre-departure and settlement guidance: Because true “welcome” starts after arrival, CallMaimo offers pre-departure preparation and continuous follow-up care, so you’re not left figuring out healthcare, housing, or banking alone once you land.
- Transparent, end-to-end service: Through the CallMaimo app, you can track your application, upload documents, and monitor payments in real time, with a dedicated account manager supporting you from your first consultation to your flight takeoff.
Whether your target is Iceland’s booming job market, Luxembourg’s multilingual workplaces, Portugal’s digital nomad visa, or one of the most welcoming cities for expats like Zürich or Prague, working with an experienced consultancy can be the difference between a stalled dream and a completed relocation. You can book a free consultation or explore CallMaimo’s full range of services to see how they can support your specific goals.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 rankings make one thing clear: the most welcoming countries for expats are the ones that combine real job opportunities, strong safety records, and social systems built to absorb newcomers — not just the countries with the shortest visa queues. Iceland’s rise to the top, Luxembourg’s multicultural infrastructure, and Zürich’s standout city score all point to the same lesson: welcome is earned through structure, not slogans.
If you’re serious about becoming part of the next wave of successful expats, start by learning more about your target country’s most welcoming countries for expats ranking — and then get expert help turning that research into an actual move. Explore CallMaimo Consulting’s services or read more relocation guides on the CallMaimo blog to plan your next step with confidence.
Sources: William Russell’s 2026 Most Welcoming Countries & Cities Report, Euronews coverage of the report
