American money transfer company Remitly has published its Immigration Index 2026. According to the study, Moldova ranked 56th globally, falling behind Kazakhstan, which emerged as the highest-ranked post-Soviet country included in the survey.
According to the report, which analyzed 82 countries, Kazakhstan placed 53rd in the global ranking with a score of 36 points. Moldova followed closely in 56th place with 35.3 points. At the same time, Moldova ranked ahead of Georgia (63rd), Azerbaijan (66th), Armenia (74th), and Uzbekistan (75th).
The top five positions in the ranking were occupied exclusively by Western countries: Switzerland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Australia, and Germany.
The study did not include Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, or Ukraine. As a result, the only post-Soviet states represented in the ranking were Moldova, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and Uzbekistan.
Remitly’s methodology is based on 34 indicators, including income levels, healthcare and education quality, safety, cost of living, and the presence of established migrant communities. At the same time, the company’s Vice President Ryan Riley emphasized that “there is no single best destination for everyone looking to relocate.”
Interestingly, Kazakhstan, despite being a member of the Eurasian Economic Union and maintaining close economic ties with Russia, managed to outperform Moldova. This comes despite Moldova’s lack of a language barrier for migrants from CIS countries and its official status as a candidate for membership in the European Union.
