More UK adults eye moving abroad as language skills pay

More UK adults say they are considering a move overseas, with language learning emerging as a factor in relocation plans and career decisions, according to new research from Preply.

Preply's Language and Global Career Mobility Report 2026 found that 87% of UK respondents were more likely to relocate abroad than they were two years ago, compared with a global average of 81% across the markets covered. The study focused on adults in the US, UK and Canada.

Rising living costs and concerns about quality of life were the biggest triggers behind the increased willingness to move, the survey found.

Economic pressure

Across all respondents, 40% said they believed their home economy was weakening. Job insecurity also featured strongly: 44% reported job loss either personally or through someone close to them.

The survey suggests respondents link these pressures to an interest in starting again elsewhere, associating moving abroad with a reset and better access to stability and opportunity.

Language competence appears central to those plans. Ninety-two percent said speaking the local language was essential when relocating, and two-thirds said language learning had already made travel or relocation easier.

Gen Z mobility

Gen Z was the age group most affected by labour market disruption in the past two years, with 63% saying they had been affected by job loss over that period.

Gen Z respondents also reported the strongest intent to move abroad. The survey found that 26% were actively considering relocating to another country, and 38% already spoke another language.

In the UK, bilingual workers reported an 11.5% salary uplift, according to the study. The data suggests some respondents see language skills as a lever for better pay and broader job options.

Learning methods

The findings also explore how adults view language learning. Three in four respondents said learning a language had a strong or life-changing impact on their confidence.

Despite the spread of AI tools, respondents still favoured human-led practice. Ninety-two percent said practising with a real person was essential, and 72% did not believe fluency could come from an app alone.

The results position tutoring and conversational practice as central to adult learners' expectations, even as digital tools become more common in education and self-study.

Workplace benefits

The report suggests employers may be underestimating demand for language learning support as a workplace benefit. It found that 93% of respondents said they would use employer-funded language learning.

The findings come as businesses in the UK and other markets reassess staff retention and recruitment strategies. The research frames language benefits as one way employers could differentiate, particularly for internationally mobile workers and employees looking to broaden their career options.

Preply operates an online language learning platform connecting learners with tutors. It describes its service as human-led and AI-enabled, with more than 100,000 tutors teaching over 90 languages.

A central theme in the report is the role of in-person interaction in maintaining motivation and building confidence, which it links to practical progress for adult learners.

Kirill Bigai, Preply's co-founder and CEO, said:

"These results highlight the role that real human interaction plays in building confidence and practical language skills, especially for adults learning to progress their careers."

Preply expects demand for language learning tied to relocation and career change to remain elevated as workers weigh pay, living costs and job stability across countries.