The best countries to live and work in if you’re LGBT+
How often do you dream of packing it all in and moving to another country?
When work takes its toll and you’re desperate for a change of scenery, it’s tempting to cast your eye abroad and see what other options for LGBT+ wanderlusters are out there.
But which countries offer the best quality of life for LGBT+ people?
According to the experts, Malta is the best place to move if you’re an LGBT+ person looking for a change of pace.
The LGBT+ friendly country became the first place to outlaw gay conversion therapy in Europe, and is recognised for its constitutional dedication to protecting LGBT+ rights.
The Nordic nation of Denmark polled second place, while Croatia placed third. Austria and Spain rounded out the top five.
Although the UK made the top 10, it ranked in just ninth place after questions over its affordability stunted its ranking.
Expert Market, which conducted the survey, thought that Britain was let down by its unusually high rent prices relative to average income.
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“We took a huge number of measures into account while conducting this research, from the price of a cappuccino to equal employment rights,” said Hannah Whitfield, the lead researcher on the project.
“LGBTQ focused issues were given a greater final emphasis than day to day costs. As such, we believe this study provides an incredibly accurate, holistic picture of the best countries to live and work in if you are LGBTQ+,” she added.
The survey also noted that although UK cities have a lot of local legislation to protect LGBT+ residents against hate crime, this has not been rolled out on a national scale.
Neighbouring Ireland lost out to the UK in the rankings, however, placing 22nd out of 26 countries due to the country’s legislation lacking in protective rights for LGBT+ residents.
Latvia ranked bottom of the list, with the researchers claiming that “they do not yet have the infrastructure to support young LGBT+ workers.”
The country does not have strong anti-discrimination protections for LGBT+ people. Latvia also only offers 15 days of statutory holiday a year to employees. Ouch.
