They might still call Australia home, but expats who have pulled up stumps to chase their dreams overseas are facing increasingly high hurdles to return down under.
New research shows that 95 per cent of Australians living abroad would like to come back, but most of them simply can’t justify it.
The Advance Global Australians Report 2025 reveals just 15 per cent of expats have concrete plans to return home due to the barriers.
Cost of living is a big factor, with 55 per cent of respondents finding it cheaper to shop and eat out abroad. However the chief concern of 68 per cent of the 500 overseas Australians surveyed is the challenge of rebuilding professional and social connections on home soil.
It’s a story Cassandra Kelly, 50, is very familiar with.
Ms Kelly grew up in Sydney but has spent much of her adult life globetrotting.
As a founder of financial and strategic advisory firm Pottinger and adviser and board member of multiple global organisations, Ms Kelly has spent most of her career overseas.
However there came a point, like for many ex-pats, when she found herself pulled back to Sydney as she needed to care for a family member.
While the decision to go back to Australia for the best part of a decade is one she does not regret, Ms Kelly eventually packed up her three kids and moved back to New York in 2015. This time, she has no intention of moving back any time soon.
“Things that stop people going back are the size of the opportunity and not being able to find something commensurate,” Ms Kelly said.
“When they go back, there’s not necessarily a welcoming with open arms. Employers don’t necessarily embrace the life and work experience gained by these potential leaders or employees while overseas.
“International experience, at worst, can be a negative. It can be seen as missing years – the lost years.”
Kate McQuestin is chief executive of non-profit Advance Global Australians, which seeks to advance and empower Aussies around the world.
Ms McQuestin agrees with Ms Kelly that we need to do a better job at welcoming expats back into the fold.
“They are an asset and are critical for ensuring Australia’s competitiveness, innovation, and influence in a globalising world,” Ms McQuestin said.
“The report clearly shows we need to create clearer pathways for Australians to return, dispel misconceptions and leverage their experiences.
“Australians abroad are crucial links and contributors to the growth and global standing of our nation. ”
Another reason Aussies are reluctant to buy a ticket home is they’ve done the maths and realise they’ll be no better off.
When Wagga Wagga’s Paul Harris moved to London 23 years ago he was a young teacher with a few thousand dollars borrowed from his dad in his pocket.
He soon fell in love with the UK and decided to invest the money his father loaned him into starting an agency to place teachers in British schools.
“We didn’t have any money and contacts here so it was a long, hard road,” Mr Harris said.
But unlike back home where many businesses are struggling to keep the doors open, Mr Harris, now 49, has built a highly successful company.
Today, Vibe Teacher Recruitment employs more than 100 staff who place 2000 teachers per day in schools – including many Aussies. Mr Harris won this year’s Global Australian Entrepreneurship award while Vibe was named one of the UK’s Best Workplaces.
As a fellow believer in the transformative power of global experience, Ms Kelly said more Australian employers should embrace an international work history.
“It’s that sense of, you chose to leave – now you think you can just come back? It’s almost like you think you got too big for your boots,” Ms Kelly said.
Her view is shared by many expats, with 80 per cent of survey respondents believing Australians’ achievements abroad deserve more recognition and only 32 per cent feeling comfortable promoting their successes outside Australia.
The veteran businesswoman has a vision to change all that.
“We need to be excited about what Australians are doing offshore, be proud of our overseas Australians and what they’re doing for the world,” Ms Kelly said. “Let’s have offshore heroes – they’re our people making us proud overseas.”