Business Insider · 26 Sep, 16:01 · Business briefing

We moved from the US to a small Italian village. Now, my 75-year-old parents are following in our footsteps.

This report details a family’s relocation from the United States to a small Italian village, a move now being emulated by the parents’ generation.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

26%average salary uplift after a professional certificate

2.7xfaster promotion for certified professionals

71%of leaders prefer candidates who upskill continuously

20days to your first credential

The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

This report details a family’s relocation from the United States to a small Italian village, a move now being emulated by the parents’ generation. The story highlights a growing trend where older professionals and retirees seek quieter, lower-cost living environments abroad. It examines the logistical and cultural adjustments required for such a transition. The narrative underscores a shift in lifestyle priorities, moving away from urban corporate hubs towards rural communities. This development reflects broader demographic changes in retirement planning and international migration patterns among expatriates and their families.

Employer demand for Business And Management skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This trend signals a shift in how professionals view work-life balance and retirement. You must consider how remote work enables geographical flexibility. Skills in cross-cultural communication and digital nomad management will rise in value. If you are planning a similar move, focus on adapting your career to a borderless economy. Learn to manage international tax implications and remote team dynamics. Professionals in digital sectors should prioritise flexibility. You should also develop resilience and adaptability, crucial for navigating new regulatory environments. Assess your industry’s reliance on physical presence. If your role allows remote execution, explore locations with lower living costs. Build a network of expatriate professionals. Understand local labour laws if you plan to freelance. This shift demands proactive planning for financial security and legal compliance in foreign jurisdictions.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Business And Management, Human Resources, Finance and Accounting and Tourism And Hospitality — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.