Bermudians equivalent to an entire parish now live in England and Wales, according to the latest British census figures.

The island’s high costs, limited work opportunities and the chance of better healthcare and education were among the motivations cited by three emigrants who spoke with The Royal Gazette.

The island’s last census was in 2016 and immigration officials are unable to track the number of Bermudians who leave — but Britain, where Bermudians can work and live as British citizens, dominates anecdotal evidence of emigration.

Britain’s 2021 census lists 5,821 “usual residents” of England and Wales who were born in Bermuda.

The category can include people such as children of expatriates who were born on the island and moved back to Britain.

Additionally, some Bermudians were not born on the island, which the census data does not capture.

Of the broad Bermudian-born category, 880 were full-time students, leaving 4,941 who were not.

In 2011, there were 3,875 Bermudian-born residents listed in Britain, suggesting a 50 per cent increase over the ten-year period to 2021.

As an illustration of the diaspora’s size, the population of Devonshire was listed as 5,759 in Bermuda’s 2016 Bermuda census.

A 49-year-old woman, who has lived for seven months in Birmingham with her partner and 15-year-old daughter, told of new opportunity mingled with painful choices.

“I felt pushed out of my country,” she told The Royal Gazette.

She said that jobs had proved impossible to find on the island and the high cost of living coupled with the need for better education and healthcare left the family with no choice.

Despite returning to school for a bachelor's degree and two international compliance designations, she said she “still wasn't even landing interviews” back home in Bermuda.

“I worked for the Government through the pandemic without benefits and insurance.

“Once my contract was up, we decided to go as we had no way of affording to live in Bermuda any longer.”

The family looked at several locations but adopted Birmingham after staying there with friends.

The city’s diversity was a draw, along with an “amazing” school for her daughter.

“The teachers have helped get her everything she needs right down to her entire uniform. They are so invested in her success.”

Contending with “serious health issues”, she said that she was “very happy I'm here and not at home with no insurance”.

Other popular cities for Bermudians were Sheffield and Nottingham, with “a few in Wolverhampton”.

She said that the overseas community was sufficient in size for its identity to endure.

“We had a nice day in the park for Good Friday, and May 24 we had a Jamaica v Bermuda cricket game. It's nice to be able to keep the culture alive.”

She said of leaving the island: “I really felt I didn't have a choice — and that was hard for me.”

Emigration was highlighted during the House of Assembly debate on the Government’s Economic Development Strategy by Jamahl Simmons, a Progressive Labour Party backbencher.

Mr Simmons warned last Friday that the Government needed to compile detailed information on the “genuine and real” reasons Bermudians were leaving.

He said that the Government needed to “move pretty quickly on this because we are losing our people”.

Jason Hayward, the Minister of Economy and Labour, announced last September that an “aggressive” strategy was needed to address the shrinking workforce concurrent with a rapidly ageing population.

Mr Hayward said that the island needed to increase the working population by 25 per cent over the next five years.

Mercedes Pringle-DeSilva, the executive director of Age Concern, told the Gazette last week that the departure of seniors to Britain was “absolutely happening” but for complex reasons — although she confirmed that healthcare was a major contributor.

One senior couple told of moving to Canada despite “absolutely no ties” to the country owing to Bermuda’s unaffordable healthcare — and to be nearer to their children than if they lived in Britain.

“Healthcare is cheaper and as recent retirees we can't afford to live in Bermuda.

“Here we can be self-sufficient and not be a burden on the children.”

Another senior, a British woman on a Permanent Resident’s Certificate who turns 78 this month, moved to Bermuda in 1973 to work in the island’s booming hotel industry.

The high cost of living was among top factors in her decision to move back to Britain this month.

“It’s not just food prices,” she said. “It’s a hornet’s nest of things contributing to people leaving.”

After losing her job 2½ years ago and being unable to qualify for Covid-19 emergency payments, she said, she had applied for 17 jobs in the past two years and got only one interview.

“It was quite clear to me it was age discrimination,” she said. “I can’t even get part-time work.”

She decided to emigrate “just after the new year, when I once again got turned down for an interview”.

She said that the employment agency told her it was seeing 150 to 200 applicants per job advertised.

The woman, who had volunteered at Age Concern, recounted the “very upsetting” story of a senior denied Financial Assistance who was advised to spend “all the money in her bank account and go back to Financial Assistance and then they might be able to help”.

“It was a huge eye-opener about some of the hardship out there and it helps me understand why people are leaving.

“For myself, I had to reduce insurance from FutureCare to HIP, which is $459 a month. For this month, I have no insurance at all.”

She said that she knew of a family of “30-something Bermudians” emigrating to Britain with their grandmother.

“She says that means she can get a new pair of dentures.

“I know of three other families of four or five people, all Bermudians, all going and all taking granny, too, because they know she will get looked after better over there.

“I have asked every young Bermudian I encounter to get their British passport ready. It’s an option.

“I would say most people I know who are leaving can’t afford to stay much longer and they are fortunate in that they have family in the UK.”

She said that a comment she had heard “more than once” was “of course I’m leaving”.

“Another is that Bermuda has passed its sell-by date. I heard that two years ago from a couple. She had status, he was a born Bermudian. She worked in a law firm, he was borderline international business. I think they saw the writing on the wall.

“They were not prepared to wait and see what was going to happen. I think that as well.”

She could not say whether emigration had increased since Covid-19 but she said of Bermuda: “There’s a very, very different atmosphere now.”

The senior said that she had been on the receiving end of anti-foreigner sentiment.

She added: “Not being able to get even part-time work is heartbreaking. The age discrimination bothers me. It sticks in your throat.

“To me the reason why a lot of people are going is a lot of us feel undervalued.

“Older people who can go to family in the UK are leaving because they do not feel valued any more.”