The lack of job prospects in the UK is forcing young people to consider a move abroad to look for work, a survey claims.

More than half of 18 to 25-year-olds questioned said they were 'seriously considering' emigrating.

Australia is the most popular destination followed by Canada and China.

It found that nearly 65 per cent of young people are contemplating relocating abroad, with 52 per cent saying that it was a ‘serious’ consideration.

Adrian Jacob, of Student Currency Exchange, which surveyed 1,982 young people, said: ‘Job prospects in the UK are extremely gloomy for young people with youth unemployment at its highest since records began and things don't look like they're going to improve anytime soon.

‘It makes sense that young people are looking to go where there are more job opportunities and quite probably a better quality of life.’

The findings come after figures recently revealed that more 16 to 24-year-olds are out of work than ever before.

Total unemployment reached a 17-year high, jumping by 27,000 in the three months to January - yet more evidence of the economic slow-down.

The number of young people out of work increased by 30,000 to 974,000, the highest since records began in 1992, with a record rate of 20.6 per cent.

The number of people classed as economically inactive also increased - up by 43,000 to 9.33 million, including 2.3 million looking after a family.

The total claiming Jobseeker's Allowance fell by 10,200 last month to 1.45 million, the biggest reduction since last June.

(Read by Renee Haines. Renee Haines is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)