vik_c - 3:07 pm on Aug 31, 2010 (gmt 0)

graeme_p, I quite agree about having to compromise somewhere. Low taxes and healthcare can't usually co-exist. The money has to come from somewhere. I'm trying to avoid countries with a history of internal strife, dictatorship or ongoing conflicts with other countries.

I've looked up every country in Asia. Nothing really comes close. Sri Lanka has a lot of political trouble internally. The infrastructure isn't much and the weather is horrible.

I'm not very interested in countries with an Islamic majority. That excludes a lot of Asian countries.

Philippines seems interesting but Manila seems worse than Mumbai. Other parts may be better as someone mentioned Luzon.

Many countries seem to make it tough for self-employed people to immigrate by requiring them to employ locals. This is odd. If you don't need anyone and are going to earn foreign exchange, why shouldn't you be welcome?

Singapore requires locals to be employed. So does Chile under their new policy. NZ does (under LTBV and Investor Visas). Most of Europe is very expensive.

If some nice country that ticks most of the boxes in the original post invites self employed professionals without requiring them to create jobs they can have so many quality immigrants - professionals and freelancers of every type, people who don't need to hire others. They'll all contribute to the economy.