Recently, the official U.S. News website published the "2019 Best Countries Rankings," which has attracted significant attention. The report conducts research across nine dimensions—tourism appeal, modernization, cultural influence, entrepreneurship, historical heritage, economic growth, business friendliness, national power, and quality of life—and forms a comprehensive ranking based on an overall assessment of the weighting of these indicators.
This year, Switzerland retained the top spot, while Japan jumped to 2nd place. Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom each dropped one spot from last year, ranking 3rd to 5th respectively. Sweden, Australia, and the United States remained in the same positions as last year, ranking 6th to 8th. The other two countries to make the Top 10 are Norway and France.
For immigration applicants, the quality of life in the destination country is one of their primary concerns. The "2019 Global Quality of Life Rankings" has become one of the most closely watched sub-rankings in this year's U.S. News report.
The selection for quality of life includes not only basic living elements such as food, housing, education, healthcare, and employment, but also non-material dimensions such as job security, political stability, individual freedom, and environmental quality. Let's take a look at the Top 10 countries:
No. 1: Canada
In this list, Canada took the top spot with a perfect score of 10. Among the many scoring dimensions, Canada received a perfect score of 10 for political stability and its well-developed public education system, while its favorable employment situation also received a near-perfect score of 9.9.
Canada is one of the countries with the highest investment in education in the world, and the government attaches great importance to national education. As is well known, the North American education system is a globally recognized high-quality system, and Canada is part of it. Canada implements universal compulsory education from grades 0-12 (0-13 in Quebec), and the proportion of the population with a university degree is as high as 55%.
In disciplines such as business and engineering, Canada's education level is world-leading. Studying in Canada ensures that students receive the best education, laying a solid foundation for their future career development.
No. 7: Australia
In this ranking, Australia is in seventh place. Like Canada, Australia scored highest in the political stability dimension, followed closely by economic stability, which received a 9.6. Correspondingly, thanks to factors such as political stability and its isolated geographical environment, Australia also received a high score of 9.5 in the safety dimension.
The high rating of 9.4 in education also demonstrates the quality of the Australian education system. Australia was once a British colony and therefore inherited the British elite education system, which is highly regarded globally.
No. 10: Germany
Thanks to its thriving employment and economic situation, Germany firmly holds the tenth spot.
In terms of the economy, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, Germany's fiscal surplus reached 59.2 billion euros in 2018, a record high, accounting for 1.7% of its GDP. This marks the fifth consecutive year of surplus, and fiscal stability provides a solid guarantee for Germany to cope with economic risks.
Germany's education dimension stands out with a high score of 9.7, which is inseparable from its renowned rigorous teaching system. On the other hand, the list also gave Germany a high score of 9.1 for its sound healthcare system.
Undoubtedly, among the many evaluation dimensions, the quality of life ranking is one of the most important reference points for families who want to move abroad. In addition, rankings in dimensions such as education, childcare, and elderly care are also aspects that applicants are very concerned about. Let's take a look below.
Top 10 for Education Level
The growth of adolescents has always been seen as the key to a country's future development, so education is not only a matter of concern for families but also a matter of widespread social concern and attention. The 2019 Best Countries for Education ranking conducted research from three major aspects: public education system, quality of education, and university level. The top ten countries are:
1. United Kingdom
2. United States
3. Canada
4. Germany
5. France
6. Australia
7. Switzerland
8. Sweden
9. Japan
10. Netherlands
Top 10 for Childcare Benefits
Many citizens view tax payments as an investment in quality of life because the government uses tax revenue for healthcare, education, and other social welfare protections. As children are the group most in need of care in society, corresponding childcare benefits have become a major benchmark for the public to test whether the country and government can fulfill their promises.
The specialized research ranking for the best places for children to grow up examined 8 major aspects: caring for human rights, family friendliness, gender equality, happiness, income equality, safety, developed public education systems, and healthcare systems. The top ten countries are:
1. Switzerland
2. Denmark
3. Norway
4. Canada
5. Finland
6. Netherlands
7. Switzerland
8. Australia
9. New Zealand
10. Belgium
Top 10 for Retirement
Moving abroad after retirement is very common for Westerners, especially Americans. In recent years, with the increase in ways and channels to obtain overseas status, overseas retirement has gradually been accepted by more and more Chinese families.
Based on the ratings of the "upper class" aged 45 or older, the report selected the best countries for retirement from seven major aspects: affordability, favorable tax environment, friendly living environment, pleasant climate, respect for property rights, and a sound public health system. The top ten countries are:
1. New Zealand
2. Switzerland
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. Spain
6. Luxembourg
7. Ireland
8. Portugal
9. Netherlands
10. Italy
Overall, popular immigration countries such as Canada, Australia, Spain, and Ireland are all on the list, which makes it easy to understand why they have been so popular in the immigration world in recent years. These popular immigration destinations each have their own strengths, which also gives applicants with different immigration goals more freedom of choice.