Finland or Norway.
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Probably Argentina. Maybe SE Asia. But honestly, where ever all my friends decided to move, since we'd prob drag each other to one place or another. Although most likely scenario there is that we'd become a travelling commune with no official country. If the US actually collapsed, I'd lose a ton of money and would need to find some kind of work, so I'd hit up my connections and probably get a remote software gig. Idk, I'll figure it out when it happens.
at least currently these countries are mostly looking for PHDs, MDs in specialities, some engineers, but degrees in stem lower than that isnt encouraged at all. because they know there will be a job waiting the moment they set foot in those countries, but its unwise for someone with a undergraduate/MS since you would have to do much more.
i knew a white guy in my CC that "expatriated" to mexico after my semester with him in a stem class this was a long time ago, kinda wierd he even bother going to school in the CC anyways in the USA, he was gone the next semester.
So, it's not just theoretical for me. I left the US earlier this year and moved to Iceland. Planning started almost a year before that. It is hard for Americans to move to a lot of European countries, and Iceland isn't an exception.
I hired an immigration attorney in Iceland to help make sure I did everything correctly. That cost about $10k as a retainer. It was worth every penny. If you're taking notes, that's pretty much the only one you need. Every country has different rules and laws regarding Americans moving to their country. And just like in America, if you have an issue with the law, you need to hire an attorney. They will help you understand every relevant law that exists that applies to you that may very well not be available in English. Hire a local expert.
I'm not very young, so I paid to move my stuff here. I also paid to move my electric vehicle because gas costs the equivalent of about $10 per gallon, plus there are some serious CO2 taxes here. That cost about another $20k. About two thirds moving the stuff, and one third moving the car.
In retrospect, moving the stuff was a good idea. I have lots of things that are just incredibly hard to get here, or take forever to get if you want them. And I saved enough money to be worth it. If you look at something like a KitchenAid mixer, it costs the equivalent of $1k here. If I sold my old one for used price and bought a new one here, I'd lose most of a thousand bucks. So you only need to do that a few times to make moving your stuff worth it.
I also saved money on importing my car over just buying a new one, but it was such a fucking hassle that if I were to do it again, I'd have just bought one here. I didn't save enough to make it worth it.
I'm not sure how useful my experience will be now. When I started talking to my immigration attorney, I explained that it seemed likely to me that after trump was reelected that Americans were going to panic and rush for the exits. I felt that it was likely that the countries would respond by doing exactly what America does: freak out about having too many immigrants and change the rules to make it harder to get in.
Based on a recent conversation with my attorney, it seems that I was right. The rules have changed enough that the path that we used for residency has now been more more seriously restricted. The attorney's office was inundated with requests from Americans and they were working 12+ hour days for a few months just trying to respond to all the requests.
I know some folks have strong feelings that people should stay and fight. But I feel like we have fought the good fight for a long time. That went all the way from starting non-profits, to being involved locally, and all the way to running for public office. I'm not interested in identifying myself too much, but I will say that that the person we lost that election to was openly known to have been fired previously for having embezzled money, but voters didn't care because they got to vote for team (R) in our red state.
So from my perspective, there is a cancer that is eating America. I've tried hard to remove it. I've tried hard to treat it. Ultimately, it seems to have metastisized to the point that it is incurable. You can either keep up with the radiation and chemo and be miserable until you die, or you can stop treatment and do your best to enjoy the time that is left.
For me, moving to Iceland is my version of stopping treatment to enjoy what life I have left. And if you want to fight to the bitter end, or if you want to search for a better life in another country, I wish each and every one of you the very best on your journey.
Ireland. I'm a firm believer that if you move to a region that speaks a different language, you need to make a genuine effort to learn that language. After having 3 years of foreign language (including a year of Gaelic when I lived in Ireland as a child for a year), I know it's not my thing, so an English speaking country is a requirement for me. Ireland is gorgeous, and still in the EU. Scotland would also be top of the list if they split from the UK and joined the EU.
We're thinking Scotland. There's some real nice homes for reasonable prices. My wife's already a UK citizen so that helps.
Not much, though - I'm English, and we worked out it would cost £20k for the various visas. On top of that, you need to pay an NHS premium, even though you would already be paying for it through the usual national insurance deduction from your salary. It will also take 10 years before they are a citizen.
We decided to stay here (Germany). Less costs and, sadly, better health care.
The kind of american that usually comes to Mexico is very nice, very welcome. Maybe the exceptions are the very loud and self absorbed ones that go to resort locations and act like they're better than everyone there.
As long as people want to integrate and cooperate they are more than welcome.
Now, the sad part is the gentrification that comes with a lot of people moving and outpaying rent vs the locals. Now the average cost of living in Mexico city is about 50% higher than the average salary, and about 100% higher than the median salary. Another very negative thing is that now a lot of locals have to communicate in english because American people will come and not learn spanish over multiple years living here. There are zones where everything is in english now. It's okay speaking english, it's not okay expecting english from everyone.
So a few pointers:
- Integrate, pay taxes, consume locally
- Try and move into already gentrified places, avoid displacing more people
- Push for social policy, increased affordable living spaces, invest in the country where you move into to improve the locals' life
Be friendly, but that's always
La ciudad de México is what I've been thinking of. seems like a fabulous place. doubt I could take the heat and I'm more likely to end up in Asia, but Mexico City and Toronto are top contenders
Luckily mexico city is not actually that hot, quite humid though
Moving somewhere and not knowing the language is extremely common. My mother has been in the USA for 40 years and speaks very little English. She focuses on Spanish speaking neighborhoods and businesses.
Many of her friends have also been here decades and speak zero English too.
It's inconsiderate at best to expect people to speak your foreign language and get angry that people don't speak it. That's more of my point.
And even that, after gentrifying an area no longer welcoming non-english speaking people or treating them as second class is worse
I absolutely agree. I didn't make my point of learning the native language. I'm annoyed by native Spanish speaking immigrants purposefully not learning English while living in the USA for decades.
It seems it also happens with Americans that migrate to other countries.
The Netherlands probably, but with the massive grain of salt that I suspect that choosing a "ideal place to live" without actually having been to that place is likely to result in a skewed idea of what a place is truly like, and as I've never been outside the United States I have that issue when thinking about any other country. I also doubt they or anywhere else that might make my list of ideal places would want me, seeing as I'm just some random factory worker without any especially rare skill.
To me The Netherlands is just weed, bikes, trains, and canals. Sounds great.
I'm also fairly sure it's not going to be as great as it sounds. And the language will probably be annoying and not very useful elsewhere.
treadful@lemmy.zip Netherlands also has a xenophobia problem. It's not as progressive as people think, at least not anymore.
That being said, it's not a bad country. Also one of the easiest EU countries for Americans to immigrate to.
Also one of the easiest EU countries for Americans to immigrate to.
What makes it easy?
treadful@lemmy.zip well, easy is relative, but it's this treaty: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DAFT
Californian - i want us, oregon, and washington to join canada.
It would be a dream if CANZUK happened, then it was joined by California and Cascadia. We could call it CACACANZUK.
That said, you would already be a powerful nation without joining anyone else. Don't wait for us to get organised.
I feel like if CA were to leave the US it would join Mexico, not Canada
fuck no lol joining mexico is submitting yourself to the rule of cartels. Theyre super corrupt.
Mexico == cartels????!?!!!?!??
the cartels hold massive influence over the govt, straight up killing their legislators in significant numbers at times.
There is serious violence, but CA has law enforcement in place with experience dealing with the Cartels. The power they weild in Mexican Government would be outweighed by the 30% increase in population and the doubling of the size of the Mexican Economy.
Of course the violence that would be required to result in CA leaving the union might result in destruction of that economy. Hard to say.
Here in Canada we're trying to catch America's brain drain. We especially need doctors quite desperately.
Nurses and caretaker staff "Pflege" are needed here in Germany too, but not sure how viable the pay is.
Check out bchealthcareers.ca for an example of what is being done to encourage medical professionals to make the move to Canada. This site is B.C. specific but it includes doctors, nurses, and allied health professions.
As a member of the CAF, if the US Armed Forces are getting rid of LGBTQ folks, I would be proud to welcome them as my comrades in arms.
Canadian Air Force?
Canada is certainly on my list of hopeful places.
Honestly lots of Western Europe, but personally: Iceland, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, etc.
Objectively places like Spain, Portugal, Malta, etc. would work.
I have no delusions of ever making it as an immigrant in any of these countries. You need a lot of money.
Or have a MD with a specialist or a scientist with a in demand field that is. But I suspect doctorate levels people are quite far and few between, which is why Europe is even entertaining them. They don't want BS, or MS holders there's too many of them and they are the ones in the most need for a career or jobs, because usa have very low prospects, even before trumps attack on stem funding.
No, you need to find some job and rent a room
As a US citizen you have right to work in most of those countries. Without that right, it would be a different story
That is not as easy as it sounds, it would be the same situation for immigrants going to the USA as they would if they try any European country
As a US citizen you have right to work in most of those countries.
Nope. Absolutely none of those appear to allow working with just a US passport.
Without that right, it would be a different story
... Because I think it is.
But, to be fair, I only did a little searching. If you have a reference - like a page from the gov of Denmark saying "Yanks are cool: come in and get to work" - I'd love to be proved wrong. My nephew needs to see the world, and working is how it's done.
Yeah, I also checked and I was wrong. Not needing an entry visa is nice, but in order to work legally, one needs to find a job before (or there are talent pathways in some countries, but they would work for most other countries).
I am just one of the "non-EU" (and non-US of that matters) people, whom Denmark doesn't like to have, but I'm still living there waiting for my perm residence.
It's always easier to think: "aah, other people have it better!" :)
As a US citizen you have right to work in most of those countries.
No you don't, you need a visa to be able to work here, depending on your area of expertise companies might sponsor your visa.
I suspect most of the fields are stem or at least niche
Sure, but finding a job and housing in most of the places I listed is quite challenging, often even for citizens of those countries, but especially immigrants.
Checked and found that US citizens don't have inherent right to work in EU - it's only easier to travel, not to settle down.
And speaking of renting - it really depends. If we're talking about Copenhagen, it is expensive, the market is broken (thanks AirBnb), and it's really hard and expensive to move in. I burned through my savings and owed some money to my employer before I could invite the rest of my family into a freshly-rented apartment. But if we're talking about "a bed under a roof", it's super easy to find a room on FB Marketplace, and live with a couple of other internationals.
So if it's just about "getting out of US" (crazy, I never thought it would be a thing, I'm sorry for them), then finding work is a must, but in a big city you usually can find something. It's only hard to find something nice and permanent
yes, permanent employment that allows you to stay in the country is a must. As a trans person in the US, it's been difficult to know whether to give up my career and whole life for basically constant instability and risk living as an immigrant in another country, especially when trans rights are getting stripped everywhere else too. Getting trans healthcare in Europe is not always such a breeze even for citizens.
Still, I appreciate your optimism and willingness to see the possibilities- that's important to know.
Denmark is fine for trans - nobody cares who you are, in a way that you have the same rights.
right, but when comparing my chances of economic survival, somewhere like Prague seems even more likely to work than Denmark just from a competition perspective, and Prague seems equally "idgaf" in attitude towards trans people (not that this kind of tolerance is the same as acceptance, non-discrimination, or integration)
I pursued an engineering BSc with the desire to emigrate but got distracted by the success of SpaceX and wooed by the challenge of Mars colonization. Then the US health insurance industry got in the way, I failed out and didn't make it back until COVID. I graduated in 2022 with the first university degree in my family but was crippled by student loan debt and unable to save to leave. Was finally able to escape the rural Midwest a year ago and made it to a city with plenty of aerospace companies right as everyone stopped hiring. The cherry on top was the CEO of the company whose engineering feats initially inspired me throwing fascist salutes at inauguration.
Odd jobs and parental support have mostly kept me afloat, but they can't help forever and I am a few months out from having to move back. The military industrial complex slid into my DMs recently with the offer of a fat paycheck and loaded resume in exchange for my ethics and morals. They even dangled a carrot of potential transfer to a NASA climate science project after the contract is up, but I'll be surprised if it's still funded by then. Frankly, I broke down when I realized the project I'd be working on.
I'll hear back about the position early next week and I'm desperately hoping it's a no and I'm back to the drawing board, but if it's a yes I'll be starting in a couple weeks. The BBB will very likely lead to losing the best, most effective and enabling healthcare I've received so far, and the salary would cover the insurance plan I'd need to maintain that care. Its a short contract and the salary would also enable me to save enough to emigrate but I already feel compromised. I've dreamed of contributing to space exploration and am instead being bullied into contributing to it's militarization by a country I've opposed for the entirety of my adult life.
I've looked into joining the Ukrainian Foreign Legionnaires and would much rather contribute to European defense against Russia, but I honestly just want to pursue an MSc or even PhD and turn my brain towards mitigating and adapting to climate change. I've worked so fucking hard, dreamed so fucking big and bounced back from defeat time and time again for this? Fuck.
Tl;dr: Masters/PhD in Sweden or Germany but barring that I'll work for any European defense company that will take an american immigrant.
Probably Finland, or another Nordic country. Idk, I just like the cold and the woods and figure those oughtta fit the bill
Costa Rica 🇨🇷
Our country attracts a lot of American tourists, they mainly go to the beaches and national parks but I have seen them on my city sometimes
I'm fine with it, I highly suggest you learn Spanish since we are a Spanish-speaking country, and you can only see English on the tourist areas
Also if you want to become a citizen you need to do some sort of exam that for most foreign people is hard. Just so y'all know
I love your country and am considering moving there. I just got divorced and I'm going to do a big shake up of my life. If I don't get this job in Texas and I can get my balls in order, I might just do it. Ticos son la gente muy generoso y amistosa. Tengo solo un poco español pero vivir en Costa Rica? Yo estudio muy rapido en la pais.
Hi, I am an American and will be visiting your country very soon! I've never been outside of the US and know very little Spanish. I'm going with a family member who is getting dental work done and well be in San Jose. We're very excited for the trip, do you have any tips for first timers?
Thanks for visiting us!
Regarding San Jose, unfortunately there isn't a lot to do there, the most you can do is visit museums (National Museum, Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Jade Museum, alongside others, visit some volcanoes (Poás, Irazu, and maybe the Turrialba Volcano), visit old buildings (Plaza de la Cultura as an example), and that's pretty much it
I think you would like places like Monteverde or La Fortuna.
Regarding money exchange, do it on Banco Nacional (BN) or in Banco de Costa Rica (BCR). If you do it on the airport or in any other place you might be scammed
Use Uber, if you use taxis they will know you're a tourist and will charge you the double
Avoid Jaco, it's kind of dangerous
And finally, be careful with prices on the airport, a lot of things are overpriced such as this

Learning Spanish thoroughly would be difficult, but I think I could get to conversational with a couple months effort. Taking tests is my one great talent. Tests don't scare me. History? Government? Society? I will learn that in a week if I can read the material I will be tested on.
Finding work scares me. I can't live outside the country for my current job.
Canadian here. I'll welcome anyone who voted against Trump.
Those who voted for Trump or didn't vote at all can die in a ditch.
Thank you for that. For me, if I make a big move, especially out of country, I gotta go somewhere warm. I live in the mountains of WV and last winter nearly ended my life, for real. I was just talking this through with a friend- is it better to flee or stand our ground against the fascists?
Don't come to Ireland. I've lived in the US for nearly two decades, made lots of friends and even helped some to immigrate here. The harsh reality is, however, that we're going through a really bad housing crisis, with our own homeless numbers growing every month, and house prices and rents exploding (a recent statistic showed that our growth in rents is four times the EU average). So, please, for our sake and yours, try a different country.
I went to Norway. Big recommend. That said, I refuse to call myself an expat or use the term expatriate. I am an immigrant. I think it is weird that white westerners get a special word and everybody else are filthy immigrants.
To me expat always referred to people that only stay temporarily, mostly sent abroad by the company they work at. As opposed to a migrant that is meaning to stay permanently (and eventually gains citizenship).
TIL the definition differs regionally (see wiki) and mostly not as I thought it was.
It's semantics but the difference between expat and immigrants is an expat intends to return to their home country some day, where an immigrant does not.
it's racism
if a westerner works with plans to return they are called expat, if it's a non western, they are called migrants labour or foreign workers and are treated like shit.
Yes, but connotatively it is just a marker of privilege. Especially here, since what we’re talking about is immigration, not temporary work.
For anyone who's thinking UK, I'd advise not - we're about 4-5 years behind you in terms of imminent fascism and whilst there's still technically a chance to avert it, its very unlikely - especially since Starmer is being even more awful than the Tories.
Also, God, the weather
the country i was to go to is the imagined America of our ancestors like Langston Hughes, the land of equality and opportunity and liberation and diversity, full of immigrants working for their own and their shared futures
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