Rising numbers of young workers are leaving UK jobs to work abroad, adding to concerns among employers about retention, recruitment and the long-term strength of the early-career talent pipeline.
Official figures show that 195,000 people under the age of 35 moved overseas in the year to June, according to the Office for National Statistics. The data comes at a time when many employers are already reporting difficulty attracting and keeping younger staff amid pay pressure, high housing costs and a more competitive graduate jobs market.
While emigration among young adults is not new, workplace observers say the scale of recent departures and the reasons cited point to structural challenges facing UK employers, particularly around pay progression, job quality and perceptions of opportunity.
Cost pressures and job dissatisfaction driving overseas moves
Rising rents, stretched pay packets and dissatisfaction with corporate roles are increasingly cited as reasons younger workers are leaving the UK in search of better prospects abroad.
University of Cambridge graduate Ray Amjad, who relocated to Tokyo after working remotely in web design, said the UK was “losing too many talented young people”, adding that Japan benefited from attracting skilled workers without having funded their education or healthcare.
“It feels much safer here. I can walk around and not worry about my phone being stolen. I can leave my laptop in a cafe for a while and it’s still going to be there,” he told the BBC.
“And the flat I’m renting would be three times the price in London.”
Others cited by the broadcaster said they struggled to see a future in the UK labour market that matched their expectations, particularly when comparing their situation with friends working overseas. Several pointed to high living costs in cities such as London and a lack of well-paid early-career roles as key frustrations.
Early-career talent drain raises employer concerns
For employers, the rise in under-35 emigration is being viewed as more than a lifestyle trend. Recruitment specialists have warned that losing staff early in their careers carries long-term consequences, including higher recruitment costs, weaker succession planning and increased pressure on remaining teams.
Younger workers are also more likely to leave without long notice periods, making workforce planning harder for employers already grappling with skills shortages in areas such as technology, digital marketing and professional services.
The Office for National Statistics has noted that most migrants tend to be young, and has cautioned that recent changes to how migration is estimated make it difficult to compare the latest figures directly with previous years. Even so, the scale of under-35 emigration is drawing attention within the employment sector.
Overseas work framed as a career accelerator
Interviews with young professionals who have left the UK suggest that many view overseas work not as permanent emigration but a strategic career move.
Entrepreneurs and freelancers told the BBC that they relocated once their online businesses became viable, saying they felt constrained by the UK tax system, weather and what they saw as a negative work culture. One business owner said his corporate job had made him miserable and that working abroad offered both lifestyle benefits and professional momentum.
Others described overseas destinations such as Australia, Dubai and parts of Asia as more optimistic and business-friendly environments, where ambition was encouraged and opportunities felt more accessible.
It presents a challenge for employers. If younger workers increasingly see overseas experience as a prerequisite for success or financial stability, UK organisations may struggle to retain early-career talent unless they offer clearer progression, flexibility and competitive rewards.
Graduate pipeline and long-term workforce impact
The departure of younger workers also raises questions about the future graduate pipeline, particularly in sectors that rely on steady inflows of early-career staff.
Employers have previously warned that weaker graduate recruitment, combined with rising living costs, risks creating a generation of workers who feel priced out of UK career paths. If those workers establish themselves abroad, there is no guarantee they will return, even if they initially plan to.
While some young people expect to come back to the UK later in life, many say they would only do so once they are in a stronger financial position or if working conditions improved significantly.
A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said the government was focused on growing the economy and creating good jobs, including by maintaining the corporation tax rate and supporting start-ups to scale.
They said graduates remained more likely to be in work than those without degrees and that young people would seize opportunities when they were available.
But with young workers leaving UK jobs in rising numbers, organisations are being forced to reassess how competitive their roles are in a global labour market where remote working and international mobility are increasingly normalised.
