French Expatriates: How Many Are Living a Different Life?

📅 Published in 2016 — Updated in June 2026
📊 The official 2026 figures are in. Source: Decree No. 2026-21 of January 22, 2026, Official Journal.

🇫🇷 French people abroad in 2026 — Official figures

Source: Decree No. 2026-21 of January 22, 2026. Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

• 📊 1,784,975 French people registered in the Consular Register (as of January 1, 2026)
• 📈 +43,033 in one year (+2.47% vs 2025)
• 🌍 Actual estimate: ~3 million (voluntary registration, many do not register)
• 🇫🇷🌍 32.3% dual nationals among those registered
• 🏠 1,234,207 have been in the same city for more than 5 years (sustainable installation)

🏆 Top 5 host countries (2026)

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland — 168,881 registered (proximity, high salaries)
2. 🇺🇸 United States — 168,529 registered (+9,949 in one year!)
3. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom — 141,242 registered (London remains a major hub despite Brexit)
4. 🇧🇪 Belgium — 126,452 registered (Brussels, EU institutions)
5. 🇨🇦 Canada — 119,545 registered (Quebec, French-speaking priority)

These 5 countries concentrate 40.6% of all French people abroad.

🇹🇭 And Thailand?

• 📊 12,000-15,000 registered (Bangkok + Chiang Mai)
• 🌍 Actual estimate: 20,000-25,000 French
• 📍 Concentrations: Bangkok (Sathorn, Sukhumvit), Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya
• 🏫 Lycée French International de Bangkok (LFIB): 700+ students

🚀 Why the French are leaving in 2026

1. 💰 Taxation — Still the #1 driver for entrepreneurs and high earners
2. 🌴 Quality of life / cost — Climate, affordable real estate, food
3. 💻 Teleworking — Post-COVID revolution, millions of “remote-first” positions
4. 🏢 Entrepreneurship — Easier and less taxed in many countries
5. 📝 Administrative fatigue — French bureaucratic complexity

🌍 Trending destinations 2026

• 🇵🇹 Portugal — NHR reformed but still attractive
• 🇦🇪 Dubai / UAE — 0% tax, entrepreneur visa accessible
• 🇮🇩 Bali — New digital nomad visa, low cost of living
• 🇹🇭 Thailand — DTV + LTR have revived attractiveness
• 🇲🇺 Mauritius — Premium Visa, 15% flat tax, French-speaking

📈 Historical development

1995: 900,000 → 2010: 1,500,000 → 2017: 1,831,519 (record) → 2020: 1,775,000 (COVID) → 2026: 1,784,975

💡 My journey: In 2016, leaving France was seen as radical. In 2026, this has become a normal option. States are fighting to attract French talent: DTV Thai, UAE program, Portuguese NHR. And the French answer: +43,000 registered in 2025 alone.

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⬇️ Before it was like that…

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French expatriates are looking for a future!

More and more French people are candidates for the adventure of expatriation, and want to embark on the adventure. French expatriates who leave everything behind. They are leaving job security and multiple aid from France. In short, the French are even more mature now than 10 years ago to leave their comfort.

According to a Randstad Workmonitor study published in July 2016, one in two French people would be ready to live abroad for a job they like but also to get a change of scenery. This study covers 34 countries around the world. It is published four times a year, to a panel of employees aged 18 to 65. In France, the panel is made up of 1000 respondents. Wave 1 of 2016 was conducted between January 13 and January 29, 2016 with 15,000 employees from 34 countries. The results are shown in the image above.

France is an ostrich that tries to minimize the numbers of its expatriates.

Figures from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are incomplete. Just like the unemployment figures in France. According to the ministry, there were 1,710,900 French people abroad in 2016, but in reality this is a figure that would be close to 2.5 million French people outside the country. For what ? Because a large proportion of French people no longer make the effort to register at consulates.  In 2014, the official figure from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was 1,680,500 French. Or 2% less than now. The reality is there: France no longer makes French people want to get involved.

At issue: employment policy for young people and seniors, economic policy & social. Taxes being more numerous in France than in countries outside the EU, it is therefore normal to see the French divorce the country where they were born. The misfortune of France is the happiness of another country which receives these candidates for another life.

French expatriates but not too far away for the moment…

According to the ministry, it is in Europe that we find the most French people.  Between Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the figures are significant. An operation which is not necessarily the most judicious. I give this opinion, but it is up to you to take it or not. By remaining in the Euro zone, you do not necessarily favor your pace of life. You remain subject to European laws, you pay as many fees as in France and you stay in a temperate climate. Wanting to stay in Europe is often the desire to stay close to your family. But it can also be linked to the employer.

Advantage of leaving the EU according to my experiences

Even if it means being an “expatriate”, you might as well live it in a region of the world. Leaving Europe and its cost of living completely is beneficial on several points. For example, the culture in Asia is attractive. Its tropical climate where the sun is present all year round is also a good point. The advantages of a tropical climate are numerous. You buy less clothes, you eat less, you move more, you live outside. So ultimately less daily expenses. Living in shorts or sarongs and flip-flops all year round is possible. Beyond these lower expenses, you will also realize that rents are cheaper. Some cities are at the same price as the French province but for larger areas than in France.

In addition, aircraft performance increases every year. A direct Paris-Bangkok flight with Air Thaï is inexpensive (except July-August).  The time is shortened because it drops you off in 12 hours on the Thai tarmac. In short, the list of advantages of leaving the European Union is up to everyone, but it is very long.

And what about French expatriates in Thailand?

Please note that it ranks 29th among global destinations welcoming the most French people.

12,000 French residents are expatriates and registered in Thailand in 2015. But once again we do not count those who are not declared. It is estimated that 25,000 French people are in Thailand. In 2014, there were 9% fewer, and this figure increases every year. The French candidates for a better life are waking up. The visa conditions open easily, they encourage this enthusiasm for the country. But we must also keep in mind that there is a risk. Also to close immediately once the Thai State deems it useful.

Young people, single people, divorced people and seniors are the most numerous candidates for expatriation. According to CNAV, the old-age insurance fund, in 2015, more than a million French people lived abroad. Or half of the 2.5 million announced above. Obviously, receiving €1000 from retirement and spending it in Thailand is the equivalent of €4000 per month in France. The French Consulate estimates that 20% of French people living in Thailand are over 60 years old.

Conclusion: did French expatriates succeed easily?

Living abroad means fighting to realize your dream, it means relearning what you have learned. If you leave, you must already master a profession, have a professional project, otherwise you will experience failure. Not everything is rosy or green. One thing is certain, once you are there and you have succeeded, you will never want to leave.

See the Randstad article.