UK Online Searches For Overseas Relocations Rise Post-Election

Posted on January 9, 2020

It seems that a growing number of people may well have been researching international moving quotes after the general election result that saw the Conservative Party surge to victory.

Data analysis by Google shows that online searches for ‘move to Canada’ climbed by 49 times, while countries like Australia, France and Ireland also saw an increase in search traffic as soon as the exit poll results were made public on the evening of December 12th, the Independent reports.

Interestingly, online searches for alternative countries of residence started to increase eight minutes after the polls closed, with the peak taking place at 08:16 in the morning on December 13th after confirmation of Boris Johnson’s majority was confirmed.

Scores of people also took to social media after the election result to announce their intention to leave the country, although there were also many who said they would stay in order to address the situation even though they were unhappy with the result.

Betting site OLBG was the first to notice the spike in searches related to Canada, with chief executive Richard Moffat saying: “Normally, the search volume for the phrase ‘move to Canada’ is around 1,700 searches a month, or around 55 a day. With the influx of this demand, the term could increase up to as much as 83,300 searches in the month or 2,738 searches in a single day.”

This living abroad checklist could prove useful for anyone planning on relocating overseas in the near future, whether related to the election or otherwise. Tips include visiting expat forums for advice, researching tax regulations and seeking independent legal advice.