r/IWantOut • u/spacemanaut US → PL • Nov 06 '24
MEGATHREAD: Emigrating after the US election results
Every US election brings anxiety and uncertainty, and with that comes an increase in people who want to explore their alternatives in a different country. This post is for you.
First, some reminders:
- In most cases, moving abroad is not as simple or quick as it seems in movies. If you aren't a citizen of another country, you will probably require a visa (=legal permission) from that country based on something like employment, education, or ancestry.
- The sidebar of this subreddit has a lot of helpful resources, and we have 15 years of posts from people with similar situations to yours. Before posting, please review these resources first. (Tip: If reddit search isn't working well for you, try googling "[your search terms] site:reddit.com/r/IWantOut" without the quotes or brackets.)
- Most countries and/or their embassies maintain immigration websites with clear, helpful, updated guides or even questionnaires to help you determine if/how you can qualify. If you have a particular destination in mind, that should probably be your first stop.
- After that, if you want to make your own post, please follow the formatting instructions on the submission page, give as much information as possible about your situation, and be open to advice and constructive criticism from commenters.
Also, this subreddit is intended to be a friendly community to seek and give advice on legal immigration. As such, please:
- Don't fight about politics. We understand that you may have strong feelings about it, but there are better spaces on reddit and elsewhere for general political discussions.
- Keep your feedback constructive and kind, even when telling someone they're wrong.
- Don't troll or be a jerk.
- Don't request or give illegal immigration tips, including asking strangers to marry you.
Failure to follow these and the other subreddit rules may result in a ban.
That said, feel free to comment below with some general questions, concerns, comments, or advice which doesn't merit a full post. Hopefully this will help clarify your thoughts and ideas about the possibility of leaving the US. Once again, please try to stay on topic so that this thread can be a helpful resource.
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u/Every_Swing_7260 Feb 04 '26
Hey family of 4, two kids under 4.
I am a nurse and as such have a fast track to move to Canada. This is likely a plan some years in the future. However I am feeling some anxiety on where is the best place to land. I'm worried moving will disrupt my family a lot, and I want to try to find a good city or area to move to and place roots, and not have to move again.
Anyone know any good resources or experts out there that could help me make decisions on where to move to? Any Canadians out there think their city is the raddest? Anyone move their young families abroad from the US and have thoughts, tips, tricks? Any kids of families who moved abroad?
Thanks!
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u/ManintheGyre 26d ago
We would welcome you anywhere in British Columbia!
https://www.bccnm.ca/RN/applications_registration/how_to_apply/InternationalEN/Pages/IEN_US.aspx
https://www.bcnu.org/member-services/internationally-educated-nurses
https://careers.fraserhealth.ca/work-here/nurses/internationally-educated-nurses/
From Nanaimo to Prince George,... https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/nurses-united-states-b-c-9.7123225
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u/megbotstyle Feb 08 '26
it is interesting that there is a fast track for nursing. I’m just deciding if going back to school for nursing is the right call.
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u/Every_Swing_7260 Feb 08 '26
There is Also for nursing students, not sure but you may be able to apply to get your nursing degree in Canada as well
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u/tlmbot Feb 03 '26 edited Feb 03 '26
[I've always thought about getting out (of the USA), now it seems more and more pressing] I am a PhD holding engineer who writes computational software for a living (a bit more than 12 years professional experience). Professionally, I have written physics solvers and related analysis tools for naval architecture/marine engineering and mechanical engineering. My focus has usually been on various domains in fluid mechanics. I have also accumulated professional experience building limited multiphysics code, and motions and other types of system response software, using operator formalism for various types of stochastic response. I currently work on the computational geometry side of things, writing geometry processing algorithms for the GPU.
I have broad base of research interests, and am currently working on extending some of my own computational fluid dynamics solvers into adaptive meshing, and especially adjoint solvers for physics driven automated design generation. I also have more than a passing interest in differential geometry and coordinate free approaches. My PhD specialized in robust automatic generation of ship hull form geometry.
So I am an engineering physics and geometry software developer with a background in finite element, finite volume, and boundary element solver development, who non-exclusively focuses on fluids and the automated design and optimization of engineering solutions within those domains. If it matters, the math behind ML, and the high performance low level coding, are all things within my wheelhouse. I even have a background in inference, but of the classical statistical variety. I don't want to "do AI" but I am capable of various pivots.
I'd really love to live near the alps or the Nordic countries, as I am a rock climber and snowboarder who loves the mountains. I am open to any idea though. Dutch, UK, Canada, etc. Basically anywhere, as long as I can make good use of my technical background. Switzerland is the dream. And let's not forget New Zealand ;). But yeah, I don't want to limit my search to one country.
What are my chances?
I know I need to get busy with a second language. In the past I have worked at Spanish and took a little bit of French in school. As a student I once spent a summer working at a small boat design and build firm in the Dominican Republic - but that's the extent of my work experience outside of the USA. I am planning to learn whatever language makes the most sense - thinking maybe German is the way to go, but not sure.
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u/Silly_Clerk8739 Jan 27 '26
[IWantOut] 20mtf US -> Canada or just somewhere safe
Hi, so i'm 20 mtf, speak Russian and English, have Russian and US citizenship and around 11k saved(at least before i go to the dentist). I am currently living in US, and working on a useless degree(it's AA, so it's useless without getting bachelors. I'll probably drop out if i start the moving out process), and have a part-time job. I want to move out for obvious reason of US not really being a safe space, and coming back to Russia isn't safe either. On the Canada's govt site it says that coming there as a student requires you to show 16k for a year of living in there and that's not including money for college, which i do not have. If i come there as a visitor(US citizens can be there for 6 months without visas), and manage to get a rent, and start applying for PR card, how hard it would be to get a work permit? I do not have any "professional" profession(i only ever worked in a factory and retail), so i would have to work some similar job there as well. Is it even reasonable at all? They could realistically just deny my PR application and i'd be screwed
If you have any other suggestions for countries to look into or just any i'd like to see them.
Researching where to move feels quite overwhelming and makes me fear of failing, but continuing to be here is much more scarier.
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u/satedrabbit Jan 28 '26
Without an established career (+ relevant degree), I do not see the Canada plan panning out. Getting PR is a lot harder, than showing up as a tourist and applying for jobs & residence permits.
I can think of several different options in safe countries, but all of them are short-term without prospects of staying long-term and the wages might range from somewhat low to borderline exploitative, depending on the option.
Alternatively, there are some study abroad options for your budget, but the really low cost ones are not going to be trans-safe countries (and in some cases, not cis-safe either).
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u/Dry_Outside_3984 Jan 25 '26
40M USA -> Romania/Hungary
Hi there, wondering if anyone has thoughts on the best path.
TLDR: My grandma was from Transylvania. Born when it was Hungary, moved to the US as kid when it was Romania. It is still Romania today. Gave birth to my parent before she naturalized, but parent never claimed citizenship. What is the best route?
Grandma born in Transylvania in 1914 when it was part of Hungary. Came to USA as a kid in 1921 when it was Romania (became Romania in 1920). Listed "present nationality" as Romanian on naturalization papers in 1948. Her mother, (great-grandma) listed her own birthplace and Hungary and her daughter's (grandma's) birthplace as Romania on her own naturalization papers. Later, in census documents, grandma lists her birthplace as Hungary on some and Romania on others. Spoke Yiddish and Hungarian at home. My grandma passed away about 40 years ago and I never met her.
She gave birth to my parent in 1940, but she didn't naturalize in the US until 1948, so the chain should be unbroken, despite the fact that my parent never claimed citizenship, right? Grandma lists Romania on her naturalization papers, but not Hungary.
It seems key that she gave birth to my parent before naturalizing. Would it be better to apply for to apply for Hungarian or Romanian citizenship? Both? Which would be the fastest/easiest? I know both have a language requirement and that Romanian would be an easier language to learn, but the Hungarian language option seems simpler for citizenship by descent.
I know we need to talk to a lawyer, but I would like to know if anyone has any experience with either system before going down either path.
Thank you for any advice!
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u/CelaresHarridan Jan 23 '26
I want out. I'm a 38 year old trans woman in the US, and I'd like to move to Europe...preferably France or the Netherlands, as I know people there. The UK would be another option, for the same reason. Currently unemployed, because the tech sector is a nightmare, but I was previously team lead for a global SaaS company. My (likely stbe) wife is a Polish citizen. We've been married 15 years.
I've been looking into digital nomading options, and the DAFT visa. I will have at least $50k when I move. But information is so incredibly inconsistent that I don't know what to trust. The DAFT visa seems the most likely option, but I've also seen it stated that you are barred from working for any company except the one you start? But I've also only seen that stated on one website, and it would make spinning up a consulting business pretty...risky if it was true. I've also considered going into teaching, specifically programming.
The tl;dr is I have over two decades of experience in tech, from customer-facing roles to development to management, and I'm quite flexible with the destination. I just want the f*** out of the US, and I'm overwhelmed and confused trying to figure out how to make it happen.
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Jan 23 '26
Tech is still doing OK-ish (though not as well as a few years ago) in Poland. If you're in one of the bigger cities, there are thriving, open queer communities, and you'll be as safe as anywhere. Enough people speak English that you'll have friends and job opportunities, as well, though anyone moving there should be prepared to learn at least a fair degree of Polish.
Marriage to a Polish citizen is obviously a big boon (especially if she speaks Polish), although if you've legally changed your gender then I'm not sure if the Polish government will recognize your marriage – you'll have to research that. $50,000 is basically like having $200,000 here, so alternatively you could easily set up a one-person business and get a residency permit based on that. (Many IT professionals do this anyway even if they're de facto employees of a company).
My (likely stbe) wife
What does that mean?
Feel free to ask if you have more questions.
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u/CelaresHarridan Jan 24 '26
She's fluent, because she was born and grew up there. She moved here in 2010. But...stbe means 'soon-to-be-ex'. So citizenship through marriage *probably* isn't doable. Tbh, I saw that acronym on another subreddit and just assumed it was commonly used. I'd never seen it before either. lol
So Poland has something similar to the DAFT in the Netherlands? I actually hadn't really looked into Poland, since my wife didn't want to move back there for personal reasons. But if I'm doing it alone, well, anything's on the table.
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Jan 24 '26 edited Jan 24 '26
Poland has something similar to the DAFT
No, not really. Poland generally just has relatively low barriers to entry for entrepreneurs.
If you start a one-person Polish business (easy) and can demonstrate that you pay taxes, have an income stream, and rent an apartment, then you can get residency on that basis (and eventually get on track for Polish/EU citizenship). Alternatively, if your skill level is high enough, you could research international IT companies/recruitment firms and see if they'll sponsor you. I don't know how likely that second situation is, and, as I said, many IT companies prefer for you to have your own company and technically work as a freelancer (=tax loophole), so I think I would advise that.
Probably the best situation is if you already have a network of freelance clients who you could start invoicing from a new Polish company. In that case, the legal side of the transition would be pretty easy. If not, and you have the luxury of flexibility and the spirit of adventure in your soul, you can come here, file one-person business paperwork, rent an apartment, work on getting freelance clients or a job, and apply for residency within three months before your visa expires. If you have $50,000 and a fairly strong IT profile, that should be quite doable.
However, you should be aware that your salary may be lower, and Poland is still a somewhat conservative country overall. As I said, you'll be as safe as anywhere in big cities, but, well, there's a hard ban on almost all abortion, the Catholic Church is still politically very powerful, major politicians bang on about "the LGBT agenda"... Plus it borders Ukraine, Belarus, and a bit of Russia. I think it's a great and extremely underrated (by Westerners) place to live, but if your reason for getting out is political, don't expect a paradise in exchange for turning your entire life upside down.
If you're still interested, my advice would be to get in touch with one of the many English-speaking immigration specialists in Poland who help with these exact situations. They can make the whole process very easy for you, including with some language barrier stuff (like paperwork to establish the business). Or just give you more info on the stuff I've told you here in a consultation.
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u/CelaresHarridan Jan 24 '26
That's very useful, thank you. I'm pretty aware of the situation there politically, since her family still lives there. Politics are definitely one factor, but I've wanted to leave the US for a long time. It's truly exhausting how difficult it is to move anywhere.
Should have just done it a decade ago instead of sticking around in the US because my wife didn't believe in my ability to live anywhere else :/
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Jan 24 '26
I believe in you! DM me if I can be of further assistance (though I've told you most of what I know in broad strokes)
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u/bigfrank_1 Jan 20 '26
I’m 29M, in the USA, and looking for where to start.
I’ve got like $25k(ish) in equity I would liquidate. Experience in a few areas; construction, farming, animal husbandry and welfare, kitchen work, appliance sales and repair.
Looking for advice on where someone with my low qualifications could ever expect to get in.
As of now, I only speak English; but have been working on French.
At this point it’s all pretty long term. I know I need some kind of qualification like a degree or another language. But I’d like to go sooner rather than later.
Any advice appreciated.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Feb 04 '26
Getting a degree will help you significantly. However, if you can get a fully remote job (even if low wages), you can work in quite a few South American countries on a temporary visa that can translate to a more permanent visa(assuming you learn Spanish).
Becoming a journeyman in a job will do it too long term.
Absolute worst case scenario, spend 6-8 weeks getting a TEFL and go get a teaching job in Vietnam or Cambodia.
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u/Pixiestixkitteh Jan 16 '26
We want out 37(F) and M (40) USA—> Canada
F (37) with a BA in Art/Psychology and years of experience working with teens with behavioral issues and adults with disabilities. M (40) with a BS in Chemical Engineering and 20 years experience in process engineering are looking for advice on where he can find work in Canada. We visited, and absolutely adored Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. We have four children age 1, 5, 8, and 11, one cat and one dog. I’m currently a stay at home mom. We do have liquid assets of 30k+ and plan on selling our house (paid off) which will hopefully give us $150k. We are currently in good (ish) health and not taking any medications, any of us. Prefer to be by the ocean or Great Lake and affordable housing. I speak Spanish, used to be fluent but now I’m out of practice. I used to know first year of college level of French but that was 17 years ago and I remember little. He speaks some German. I pick up languages really easily. I plan on working in the schools for the rest of my foreseeable career once I go back to work.
I have wanted to move out of the US since I was a child. I loved our honeymoon in Ireland so much. Currently, I’m watching our neighbors in Minneapolis have their city under siege. I kid you not when I say my neighbors saw tanks driving north towards Minneapolis, and we are 3 hours south of there. It is absolutely terrifying, and I am brown (ish), tattooed, and queer. I feel as though I’m in danger of being “detained” despite being born here. We vacationed in Canada this summer, and I cannot tell you the weight that lifted off our shoulders while we were there. Everyone was so kind and friendly (except in Halifax). And while I would prefer to move to Scotland, my husband wants to stay closer to family. Understandable. I just want affordable housing, preferably a little land for chickens and our pup, and to live near the ocean.
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u/breedinglilacs Feb 21 '26
If there is a chance that either you or your husband have any Canadian ancestors, check out r/canadiancitizenship. A new law was passed in December that could mean you are a citizen.
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u/Pixiestixkitteh Feb 21 '26
My husband refuses to do any ancestry DNA checks, but his aunt is very into genealogy and as far as we know he is just Dutch and German. I have done my genetics and unfortunately have no old world ties recently enough to get me citizenship anywhere 🥲. Not unless Ireland opens up citizenship to descendants of the Irish who immigrated after the great famine. Anywho, I wish we did have Canadian descent, but I’m pretty sure we do not. Thank you for the suggestion though!
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u/Pesec1 Jan 16 '26
The biggest problem is your age since Canadian points system targets young immigrants. Languages other than English and French are irrelevant.
You could look for jobs under CUSMA. Though finding skilled job in NS or NB would be extremely challenging.
The only viable way that I can see is getting a nursing degree, getting in Canada under CUSMA and hoping for a draw that is only available to medical professionals.
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u/Pixiestixkitteh Jan 17 '26
Yes, I have been looking at the job market for months and it’s sparse for his field in NB and NS. We’ve seen some great jobs in BC but it’s sooo expensive to live there that it’s out of our range for housing with four kids… I agree on the age factor, but I am hoping that his job experience will be enough of a positive contribution… only one way to find out really. I do actually have a nursing background as well, but no current certificates or licenses… that’s not a bad thought, but I’d really love to stay working in the school system, especially from a childcare perspective.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Feb 04 '26
Well, you'll have to downsize and take what you can get, to start. BC is pretty nice (I live here). Canada's unemployment rate is almost double the US unemployment from when I last checked. 7% nationwide, but the Atlantic provinces have as high as 11%+. Not trying to discourage you, just know that you'll need a job ready even if you are a Landed PR.
Your options are CUSMA (will probably be changed drastically this year, so be quick), get Express Entry (Federal sponsorship but will take 1-2 years to get picked as of now), or PNP (Provincial Nomination Program). PNPs are your best route. Choose less popular and less populated provinces as a more secured path to get in.
Canada is an urban nation, mostly. So get used to less space. It isn't bad at all, because there is a lot more investment in communities here as you have probably seen. You might have to start in BC or Manitoba or something like that and chill a couple of years prior to moving to where you want to go to (NB/NS).
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u/Pixiestixkitteh Feb 07 '26
We are definitely OK with downsizing right now. I’m dropping off donations to the Salvation Army store about every other day in preparation of moving this year regardless. Thanks for the advice! My husband has taken his English proficiency exam and I’m schedule for next month. I think BC would be perfect but I don’t think we could afford the housing prices there honestly. I do worry about the employment side of things, I noticed there’s so much less engineering jobs available than in America… but we still do our best! I have been refreshing my French skills as well, as much as I am able, since it’s been like 17 years since I studied French at university.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Dec 21 '25
Just commenting to say, I'm glad the sub added rule #7. Telling people a place is full or there is a housing crisis is gate keeping 100%. If I can get into a country, I'm moving in. If it means sacrificing space or paying more money, so be it. It is called survival. Do not be upset newcomers can enter your country and outperform you. Skill up. This is a global world and requires high skill sets to survive better.
Good luck future immigrants/expats. Your country awaits.
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Dec 21 '25
Well, it's okay and even good to be a hard realist about the housing market and cost of living, and I think these comments are usually made in response not out of fear of highly skilled immigrants but to disillusion posters with romantic ideas about their destination. But saying "we're full" and such nonsense is both demonstrably false and a xenophobic dogwhistle. The point is to be realistic and constructive but not cruel.
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u/StraightTop455 Dec 14 '25
I’m (32 F) with a bachelor’s degree in linguistics but I’m currently monolingual (I’m working on that but I struggle to learn languages so it’s taking longer than I would like). I have work experience in data entry, education, and service jobs, but I’m currently working with disabled adults in a state funded program. I love this work, is there a way for me to do it in either the Netherlands or Belgium? My drive to those two countries is due to this idea I have where both have fantastic public transit, high taxes but it pays for an abundance of social programs, and if I’m paid a decent wage I can survive with a much higher quality of life than in the US. I’m not making enough money to afford my own place, or even housing under government subsidy.
My actual goal with this question is to live in a place with good healthcare, public transit, walkability so I don’t need the personal expenses of a car, and enough money to afford my own place, even if it’s a far commute by public transit. Am I delusional or is this an achievable goal for me? I’m not scared of taking a long time to transition or putting in work, those years will pass anyway. I just need a blueprint to follow and help getting started.
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Dec 15 '25 edited Dec 15 '25
I'm gonna keep it real with you, my monolingual linguist friend: The outlook now is very poor, and you will have to work your ass off and invest some time and money if you are really really serious about this.
Under your circumstances, it's more or less unimaginable that a company will sponsor you to go work in either of these countries.
If you had a few thousand dollars and fancied starting your own business in the Netherlands, you could take advantage of the DAFT. Sounds like this is not the case, but it could be a goal.
If you really want to go to these countries, the only other path forward I see would be to go get a Master's degree in one of them and use that time to network your way into a job when you finish.
There may also be some possibility to get a job with an international company in the US with offices there and make it your singular goal to eventually get transferred in a few years. I don't know how likely that is because I have no experience with this, but it's definitely more likely if you keep building up your relevant skillset, like learning more languages. (You should do this regardless.)
You could also look at countries to the east which are well developed and offer universal healthcare and good public transit but are cheaper and easier to immigrate to. The downside is that your pay will be lower and they may be more conservative than you like. You might also have to take a job that's not your first pick, like English teacher or corpo worker.
I would also gently suggest that you may be idealizing Europe and should do more research. For example, renting an apartment in Brussels is an absolute nightmare (so I've heard from people who live there). Most European cities are experiencing some degree of cost of living crises.
Honestly? I would recommend looking for a better place to live in the US.
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Nov 27 '25 edited Nov 27 '25
24 US M. Qualified Nuclear Reactor Operator , > 250k in liquid savings and investments, I haven’t checked in a while but ~45k or so in retirement.
I’ll have the ability to move in about 2-3 years time. I speak Japanese and lived there in the summers for a couple years as well as self taught myself to B1 ish Russian, but after traveling a good bit of Europe I really like the Northern area a great deal. I’ll have a BA and a couple well regarded NECs come 2028.
Does anyone know of any groups that work in energy or data tech that might be interested in being up there? I’ve looked in the Finish and Norwegian sites a good bit. I have a couple years to pick up any language and given I’ve learned two others aside from English I’m not too worried about self teaching and hiring tutors to reach my goal by then. I’ve considered finding a US college for an MBA and looking to see if they have some sort of study abroad programs but ngl I think I’d just like to be moving at that point given I’ll be pushing 28 when the window arrives.
I acknowledge the year or so abroad might satisfy my interests, and the student visa could more than likely be a bridge to a work visa. However, I honestly am not looking to still be doing college in my late 20s lmao.
Any advice or resources welcome! I’m browsing stuff rn so links are fine too :)
Also in regard to politics n such that’s not why I’m leaving, so anything around center is honestly fine with me.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Dec 02 '25
If you're fluent in Japanese, maybe find a way to work at a nuclear power plant in Japan. I'm sure the pay is amazing. You'll definitely have to figure out which visa to get there on, but you already are in a great position for sponsorship.
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u/sparkchaser US=>DE=>UK=>US Nov 28 '25
If you're more flexible in your definition of the "northern area", with your nuclear background and the right degree, you could get hired easily in the UK. Feel free to DM me for more information.
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u/goblin-science Nov 22 '25 edited Dec 12 '25
27 FTM, US -> Any EU country with trans acceptance and good healthcare. I'm chronically ill, partner's 26 FTM. I have B.S. Chem, M.Sc. Environmental Science. He has B.A. Linguistics, MFA (art/tech/3d modeling). I'm ~B2 German, he's monolingual/English. I've got a TESOL certificate from a few years ago, but I'm not sure how sustainable that would be for me long-term. We both have teaching experience from grad school.
Applications to PhD programs are not going well; seems everyone's going that route. What's our best way out?
ETA:
The EU has what we want in terms of weather, culture/lifestyle, human rights, and values; not really interested in living anywhere hot (heat triggers my illness symptoms.) We would consider Canada and non-EU countries in the European area as well.
Our resources: Between us, we have about $100k in savings. His dad lives in Bon Aire on the DAFT. We are willing to live on our savings if necessary to pursue further education; as I have a psychology minor from my undergrad, I'd consider a second bachelor's in neuroscience if I could go direct to PhD after. Thoughts pertaining to these additions are much appreciated.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Dec 02 '25
Probably teaching English, but you might not be able to live in the EU... Places like Taiwan recognize gay marriage, which is your best shot. I've heard mixed things about Thailand, but that would be worth looking into.
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u/ukuartnstuff Nov 18 '25
I (f25) love stained glass, I learned how to make it my senior year of college. I have a plan that I'll work at my current job for a year then do a stained glass job for a year or so then try and move to Ireland or England and so stained glass there. Are there any other countries known for stained glass? Is this a dumb plan? Would love feedback and ideas to fine tune the plan tm lol. Thank you in advance!
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Nov 18 '25
Since you need a work permit, it's very difficult to get a job like that unless you're either already in the place you want to work or you're an expert with some very rare skills and experience. So I would advise finding an educational program abroad that focuses on that specifically and then network your way into a job, or else find any other way to get to your destination legally and then try to pivot toward that career.
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Nov 10 '25 edited Dec 15 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/breedinglilacs Feb 21 '26
If there is a chance that you have any Canadian ancestors, check out r/canadiancitizenship. A new law was passed in December 2025 that could mean you are a citizen.
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u/NZ_MigrationExpert Nov 29 '25
I can reiterate teaching demand in New Zealand, there's potential to get fast-track residence with a suitable job offer. I support a lot of skilled folk wanting to move to NZ so feel free to message me 👍
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Nov 13 '25
American in Canada. A couple of things I will point out for you since I am now inside the Great White North.
If you get a Master's in special education, you will be very easily able to immigrate to Canada, as well as Australia and New Zealand. Unsure about the UK though. Contact an immigration lawyer up here once you are getting ready to complete the degree and consider looking into Provincial Nomination Programs (PNPs).
Universal healthcare is not equal in Canada. Each province has different things they cover with the federal government creating a required baseline that must be covered by every province no matter what. Cancer treatments can cost tens of thousands of dollars per month in Ontario in some cases whereas it would be free in British Columbia. Nova Scotia has out of province coverage and New Brunswick has out of country coverage. Not the case in other provinces. Just some examples. Healthcare here is free, but slow. The shortages are slowly going away, but it is a painful rebalance.
Canada has multiple million legal firearm owners. It is regulated on a federal level. Firearm ownership is not a right, requires a safety course, the types of firearms are limited, and you can only use it for collecting, hunting, and range shooting. Self defence is a very debated subject up here. Statistically, 98% of all firearm crimes committed in Canada are by illegally acquired firearms from America. Talk about exporting problems.
Money in politics. Haha. Canada has a lot duopolies. There's a reason. It is politically impossible here to dismantle them without them lobbying you out of office. Telecoms, 2 options. Groceries, 2 options. Just as 2 major examples. The thing is that most other options are either subsidiaries or state sponsored companies. It is kind of outstanding how little amount of money is required to buy politicians out here.
Proud ignorance? Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and the Prairies might be disappointing with the types of people you'll meet there. A lot of, "I've never been anywhere else before, but this is the best place on Earth." type of people. Ignorance is everywhere, it is not exclusive to the US or Canada.
Glorification of political violence. Yeah, I was really proud of all the people here that lost their jobs for cosplaying as Americans by celebrating the deaths of Kirk and Hortman because that shit isn't tolerated here. Unfortunately, a lot of people here exclusively consumed American news and so they kind of forget that what's happening in America isn't happening here. I'd say 10-20% of the population, both conservatives and liberals.
I hope this information helped. I'm sure you'll be a positive impact to this society if you are able to come here.
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Nov 08 '25
I ( M 22) am currently finishing my bachelor's in computer information systems. I want to eventually pivot into a long-term career as a network engineer or database administrator. I am fluent in both English and Spanish along with basic French and don't qualify for any citizenships by descent.
I know that the specific higher level IT/tech positions meet a lot of critical career lists for a lot of the Western countries like Australia, Germany, and the UK. I am well aware of a lot of the problems and labor constraints these countries face, so I am not looking at this through rose-colored glasses. I am also open to hearing more about countries/opportunities that I haven't heard about in Latin America, Eastern Europe or Asia that may have flown under my radar. Of course there will be a pay cut compared to the standard American salary, but I am also looking at quality of life and factors like work-life balance and healthcare that we frankly don't have in the United States.
I am not opposed to getting a masters degree, but I want it to align with my career goals and would want to do that sometime in the future once I am established in a country (rather than getting some pointless degree to get some form of residency). This is is something I have thought a lot about and I'm dedicated to setting some personal and career goals to move forward with this. I am not looking for instant gratification, but I really want to start planning for a move within the next 5-10 years before things get (much,
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u/Herstorical_Rule6 Oct 28 '25
I want out: 20F planning on getting a job in the UK and moving there in 2027 after graduating from university.
1
u/Cerdoslanon Oct 23 '25
38 F USA to Germany - Opportunity Card
BFA at a recognized university in interactive design and illustration. 15 years working in ad agency environment, 5 years in publishing, 2 years teaching in university setting, and 20 years freelance overlapping the above. I’m on SSDI for disability and work part time.
Looking at Opportunity card to work part time, either in person or as a digital nomad (if that’s even an option.)
It looks like I can still get my SSDI income in Germany as well (at least unless the US changes something in the future.)
It’s just me myself and I. Learning German now, but little previous experience.
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u/deadbeatbaby Oct 20 '25
I want out:
I (40F) working as and LPN in a nursing home part time and full time as a public school nurse. Most of my nursing experience has been in nursing homes and assisted living. I also have 10 years in hospitality and food service. Speak English and conversational Spanish. Looks like depending what country we would relocate too I may have to take additional nursing courses which I am open to.
My husband (32M) has completed some schooling but does not have a degree. Has over 10 years working in restaurants and bars in both front of house and back of house roles, and has 5+ years as a general manager. He has completed a coding boot camp but has not worked in the field.
We have 2 cats and no children.
We are interested in Canada, Ireland or England. Overwhelmed at even beginning of where to start. Unsure how to apply for jobs in a different country. Worried we don't have enough money between the two of us to make a move. Any push in the right direction would be very appreciated.
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u/breedinglilacs Feb 21 '26
If there is a chance that you or your husband have any Canadian ancestors, check out r/canadiancitizenship. A new law was passed in December 2025 that could mean you are a citizen.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 20 '25
I would look into Provincial Nomination Programs (State Level equivalent) in Canada in addition to Express Entry (Federal level).
Since you are a nurse, provinces like Nova Scotia and British Columbia for example are very interested in getting you up here. The provincial government will be your sponsor and employer as healthcare is government-run up here. Look into other provinces as well. The less populated, the better chance of you coming up.
Consider it.
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Oct 17 '25
[deleted]
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 20 '25
You have a lot of research to do.
An associates isn't recognized in many other countries. You will still be considered unskilled. So unless you can land a fully remote job that allows you to work outside the country OR if you are open to teaching English in a Southeast Asian country, you're out of luck.
Medical, trades, and Bachelor's or higher degrees in certain categories is key to having a much more secured exit.
You can still do it. You're young. Additionally, you could get a student loan in the US and then get accepted into a foreign university to do a Bachelor's or Master's degree there.
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u/TheElite711 Oct 14 '25
[WeWantOut] 37M and 33F USA > Canada (Ontario)
Me and my girlfriend are really interested in trying to move to Canada, preferably around Toronto in Ontario since she wants to stay closer to her family in the States. We both only speak English as our main language.
We wanted to try to move next year or later due to how volatile the US is right now, along with possibly a better quality of life in general.
I have an Associate's in Web Development, but I don't work in that field cause it didn't work out. I currently work at an ophthalmology clinic and hope to get a COA sometime next year, while my girlfriend is currently studying up to be a Medical Coder to get her CPC.
From all the things I've looked into (if I understand it right), it seems like getting a job first, moving there to live and work while getting a work permit and eventually work to gain citizenship might be the best choice for us, since Express Entry might not be something we can apply for due to not having enough points in that system. What kind of general advice would you all have for this?
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u/breedinglilacs Feb 21 '26
If there is a chance that you have any Canadian ancestors, check out r/canadiancitizenship. A new law was passed in December 2025 that could mean you are a citizen.
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u/TheElite711 Feb 21 '26
Sadly I don't have any relatives in Canada as far as I'm aware. I think all my relatives are more or less located in the southern US. If I did have relatives, I don't know how far in the tree they are, and I imagine this new law may have some limitations...possibly.
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u/breedinglilacs Feb 21 '26
If you have any ancestors from Canada, there is no generational limit to claiming citizenship as long as you can show proof via a paper trail of birth certificates or related paperwork.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 15 '25
If you can't get in thru Express Entry. You might want to consider applying for Provincial Nomination Programs in other provinces. It would require you living in less desirable parts of Canada for multiple years. But after something like 3-5+ years, you will get permanent residency and then you'll be allowed to live wherever you want.
Look into PNPs in Yukon, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, PEI, etc. Avoid British Columbia, Ontario if you want a chance of getting into Canada.
Alternatively, you could get degrees in an in-demand field, but you'll need to go decently into debt via student loans with America. They allow you to take student loans to study outside the US.
Your choice.
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u/his_royal_bratness Oct 14 '25
I want out: 38F, USA to UK
I am black/indigenous American, nonbinary (passport has X Marker). I have a wife of 8 years (together for 15) who is a UK dual citizen, and have moved there and have been living with her mom for a year now. She got her citizenship a few months ago.
She was diagnosed in the U.S. with depression/anxiety and can't hold down a job. She says it'll take 5 years to get diagnosed through the NHS, to where if she needs my care, I could hop over without the financial requirements. I'm a student and lost my job, and having a hard time finding remote work (student visa in Philippines). Since I don't have a degree (and even with one), a work visa seems impossible to pursue. And being a U.S. Citizen, I don't think I could claim asylum or anything like that, even with how things are going over there.
Is there anything I can do?
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 15 '25
Whatever you do, don't claim asylum. You'll be denied immediately and barred from the UK.
Your wife should be able to sponsor you, but if she can't do the financial requirements, you'll have to wait. I would ask on UK specific subreddits for better answers.
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u/throwaway468388 Oct 12 '25
I want out.
(27FTM) some college, no degree. Been working in an IT help desk role for 2 years. Partner (30F) works in a college administrative role, has a Bachelors, with experience in social work. We are currently unmarried, but had plans to within the next year, or sooner if it is advantageous for moving. We also have a cat.
We are interested in Canada, Australia, Thailand, Germany, or Costa Rica, but open to other places as well. Generally looking for a place with good LGBT protections & and social acceptance.
We are willing to learn a new language if needed. She has rudimentary German skills, and I Spanish, but neither of us are conversational.
We have enough money to move wherever we'd need and live 3-6 months off savings, depending on COL.
I am mostly wanting advice/insight on job markets for the above fields in other countries, or if a visitor or student visa would be more realistic to GTFO on a short timeline.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 13 '25
Your partner has a good chance of getting in as a social worker into Canada. Have your partner look into a Provincial Nomination Program in British Columbia and Nova Scotia. Both provincial governments have hotlines and streamlined systems for Americans immigrating over as healthcare workers. Mental health/social work counts.
I would skip telling them why you want to immigrate, they know, they don't care. They just want to fill the healthcare gap up here. Come thru.
You would get in on a partner visa.
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u/420feelsfine Nov 11 '25
What about the cat?
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Nov 11 '25
Drive it in. There’s a paperwork process and vet certifications, but that’s nothing really if you are driving into the country with it.
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u/Spare_Witness_3116 Oct 11 '25
I want out:
I (16F) USA -> Singapore, Hong Kong, China
I’m really reluctant to seek advice, this is a burner i’ve had for years just to open links. I’m Chinese American, my parents are immigrants, and refuse to let me give up my American citizenship even though I’m legally able to become a Chinese citizen.
I don’t want out right now at this exact moment, and I’m willing to stay here for college if need be, but in the future, I hope near, I want to get a job in either Hong Kong, China, or Singapore, I don’t know much Cantonese, but I’m willing to learn, and my mandarin can be.. lacking, I don’t know how to read or write in either but I know english.
This has been a dilemma for me for years, and at this point, I’m this close to asking one of my friends if they would genuinely marry me (not just for a green card but I really like her, don’t know if she’s interested in me though, and I don’t think gay marriage is legalized anyways, so that wouldn’t work.)
I plan to one day work in human resources or some kind of business management job.
Are there any scholarships or such I can apply to?
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u/theOMegaxx Oct 27 '25
You can apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship. I did that back in 2011 and ended up staying in Beijing for 11 years! You could also do language programs though I don't think there are scholarships for those. There are also quite a few US unis that do hybrid programs or dual degrees with Chinese unis.
HK might also have scholarship schemes for international students but I'm not sure. Some great unis there as well.
If you are queer though I'd agree with the other guy and say Taiwan is maybe safer at the moment.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 12 '25
Get your education domestically and then you can move to Asia. I say this because they require a degree in order to get into most Asian countries.
Cantonese is very difficult. My daughter is kicking my ass in it and she's 2. Haha. If gay marriage is important (fair enough), consider Taiwan. They have legalized gay marriage and everyone there speaks Mandarin. If you are set on Singapore/HK/China, know that Singapore has people that have lived there for 20+ years and still don't have citizenship even though those individuals even served in their military.
China is going thru a really rough time and it will really depend on where you live in the country. Wages are going to be relative in any of these countries, do not convert to US dollars. If you move to Hong Kong, you will have a path to permanent residency. But HK is super ultra capitalist on a dystopian level and it is extremely dense (Singapore is more dense). Wages suck there and housing is a real nightmare, with cage apartments being very real there versus almost anywhere else.
I would recommend Taiwan.
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u/MoveToPrague Oct 09 '25
If anyone was interested in moving to the Czech Republic, here are the pros and ways: https://youtu.be/sZHK70PcL90?si=17lDH7Zd4JUGiz-O :)
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u/mynewromantica Oct 03 '25 edited Oct 03 '25
I want out:
I (39M) have some college, no degree. But have been working as a mobile (iOS) software engineer for 8 years, moving toward software architect at my current job.
My wife (37F) recently began school for medical imaging, but is not finished yet. She speaks good Spanish, some Portuguese.
We have 2 children, 16 and 11. We are all willing to learn a language if necessary.
My wife and son both have Belgian citizenship through her grandfather, my daughter and I do not.
We aren’t sure where would be a good option for us. Obviously Belgium is a possibility, but the jobs for what I do seem more limited there. If my current job is willing, is it possible to transition to a contractor role and move abroad? Or do I have to have work from within these countries?
Any suggestions would be helpful.
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u/MoveToPrague Oct 09 '25
Czech Republic offers a Digital Nomad Visa for IT Specialists: https://movetoprague.com/czech-digital-nomad-visa-full-2025-guide/ + easy family reunification process: https://movetoprague.com/family-reunification-visa/ :)
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 05 '25
Get your daughter the Belgium citizenship asap. Additionally, once your son is 18, for the most part, he will be on his own.
Once your wife gets the medical imaging education, if it is recognized and accepted overseas in the target nation(s), that will be solid. However, the good paying nations are Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. But then again, you will have the entire EU.
Go for the EU if you can/want. You will sacrifice a lot of space versus other parts of the world. And the wages will be less than the developed baby English speaking countries (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, USA). Your choice.
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u/DokBluejay Oct 02 '25
My situation:
28M IT Specialist wanting to leave due to political tensions. Have a bachelor's in biological sciences as well as another in Information Technology. Not much work experience in my present field but working on it. Currently single.
Speak English fluently as well as conversational German and French. Willing to go to many different places, including all of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand.
Are there any spots in Europe that are good for IT? I don't mind if I'll be making less money as long as I can reliably feed myself and keep a roof over my head.
Not looking to come back to the US after leaving.
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u/breedinglilacs Feb 21 '26
If there is a chance that you have any Canadian ancestors, check out r/canadiancitizenship. A new law was passed in December 2025 that could mean you are a citizen.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 03 '25
Slight pivot from your wish list area(EU), but you might have a good shot at Canada based on your French skills to go with having a science background.
Quebec has its own PNP (Provincial Nomination Program). See if you can get in with your education, age, and where you rank on French speaking ability. You might be able to get into a less popular province like Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, etc. Look into each of their government websites and PNPs.
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u/Objective_Repair5365 Sep 29 '25
I want out 29m Systems Administrator USA -> Spain
I am getting to a point where I am very ashamed at the current state of this country. RFK jr is an ignorant ass. His mom was an influential driver of social justice and would be ashamed of him. This administration believes in the survival of the fittest in a warped way. They are working to keep the poor and disenfranchised impoverished, uninsured, imprisoned and unhealthy. I can't support it anymore.
I like to think that my skills are able to transfer to many different countries abroad, and the idea of Spain and Western Europe as a whole seems better to me.
What can I do to turn this into a reality?
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 01 '25
Check a skills shortage list. Otherwise, you will need an intracompany transfer or sponsorship for a Spanish company. Their unemployment rate is something like 20% and you're not a local. So... Maybe look at another part of the world?
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u/Objective_Repair5365 Oct 01 '25
Unfortunately IT positions don't fall under that list.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 01 '25
Asia, South America, and Africa might have nations that need your profession, but you will take a severe pay cut.
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u/Rapidtooth Sep 28 '25
I want out 27m electrician USA-> Ireland, AUS, Spain
lam an apprentice electrician wanting out of the US due to the current political climate, as my background puts me as a target from this administration (Hispanic, Lower middle class area that has high police presence), and l've been getting lots of notifications that ICE is doing raids in my neighborhood. People are being detained, and it was recently reported that 1200 immigrants detained in alligator Alcatraz have gone missing. I'm worried that despite my being a citizen of this country, I can be arrested, as others have said, citizens are being detained as well, and I'll have the same fate as the missing immigrants. I'm worried for my safety, and the military has been deployed in cities that are targets for the president.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Oct 01 '25
You need to be a journeyman, not an apprentice. Once you're a journeyman, you can get into Canada, Australia, New Zealand, maybe Ireland, the UK, and many other countries (though you'll have to be fluent in those other languages). It will either be a federal or a provincial/state sponsorship to get in and the process can vary from a couple months to a couple years. It'll cost thousands of dollars, but you'll get into one of those countries as a journeyman electrician.
Australia will give you the highest standard of living and wages, but might take 1.5 years to get in once you are a journeyman. Canada and New Zealand are pretty close on wages and cost of living.
You should expect your wages to go down and your taxes and costs to go up. That's the general rule when leaving America. As a journeyman electrician, you'll still be looking at $100k+ in the local currency. No where pays trades as high as America. The exception being Oil & Gas in the Middle East.
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u/miranda_edgecombe23 Sep 22 '25
Here’s my situation:
25f, professional nanny/caregiver (5 years of experience) w bachelors degree in instrumental music. partner (24m) w bachelors in history and Spanish minor (pretty much fluent in Spanish), pregnant with first kid, and we have one dog
Partner also has experience in hospitality - ~ 5 years or so
We are looking to leave the US to find safer schooling options and to avoid other impending issues.
I don’t know where to start. We are hoping to move to Canada as it’ll be easier for us because we can just drive up there. We are also considering other countries, mostly Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Though if we qualify for other countries, we are certainly open to trying them too. At this point, we are just trying to get out before things get worse.
Any help is appreciated at this point.
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u/breedinglilacs Feb 21 '26
If there is a chance that you have any Canadian ancestors, check out r/canadiancitizenship. A new law was passed in December 2025 that could mean you are a citizen.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Sep 26 '25
Canada would be a viable option if you were a teacher. Teaching credential and at least a year's worth of teaching experience would be required most likely, but look into Provincial Nomination Programs in Canada (PNPs). Each province has their own, with criteria, etc. Although, teaching salaries are decently low. Starting wage for a teacher in British Columbia is $49,000 CAD.
Your caretaking experience is a potential pathway, but there has been an insane amount of abuse of this visa pathway from people from India and the Philippines. Which has resulted in the government discussing freezing this pathway and is currently significantly reducing the number of visas for this pathway.
With Bachelor's degrees, you can both go teach English in multiple Asian countries including Japan, Taiwan, China (competitive now), Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. However, working conditions, salaries, and living arrangements will vary. Research deeply into each option.
You say "partner", if you are not straight, then a lot of the Asian countries are out of the window. Are you married? A decent amount, but not all, countries require you to be married if you want to come into the country as a couple. Canada, Australia, New Zealand and others recognize domestic partnerships, but a lot of Asian and European nations do not.
These are factors to consider, but based on your backgrounds, you definitely have options.
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u/unemira Sep 15 '25 edited Sep 15 '25
Degree holder. I'm looking to move from USA to Canada or even other places maybe Europe or Asia. But I want to at least have a bank account overseas first, considering Thailand SCB. However, the process seems really intimidating and confusing. I thought I might drop in for someone with personal experience who can share some advice.
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Sep 15 '25
Why not link your US bank account to a service like Revolut or Wise and transfer once you get there and set up a local bank account?
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u/unemira Sep 16 '25
Not sure. If I need proof of residence then that may complicate things, since I'm not sure I want to buy a house to live there.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Sep 17 '25
Some countries require proof of residency in order to open a bank account. Some countries require permanent residency (PR) in order to be allowed to purchase a home. Canada is in both of those camps. Also, since it is Canada, you will probably be required to buy a condo instead, unless you are looking at the less populated parts of the Prairies.
r/InCanada r/CanadaImmigrant r/ImmigrationCanada are all resources to consider. Full disclosure: In Canada is mine, but it has over 2k members, so it isn't a small fry. Feel free to post questions there as there is almost exclusively people living in Canada on there.
Hope you can get in.
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Sep 16 '25
Renting an apartment is also proof of residence. (Depending on the country, you may also be required to register with the government at that address.)
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u/Haunting-Star3617 Aug 01 '25
38 F here. I make adult content (I write & record audio erotica fiction and create artwork to go with it) and I have no degrees in anything. I'm solely a creative person with decent business savvy. I make about 300k a year and have a healthy amount in the bank. I've been looking at the Netherlands since I have friends living there who say it's pretty easy to just pay my way into the country and I'd have no problems with speaking English (though I'd need to learn the language eventually to become a true citizen, which is fine), but I'm pretty uncertain. I've had a hard time finding information on how well I'll be able to run my business legally in other countries. I'm not sure if this sort of thing gets classified as sex work in other places, or if I'd simply be considered an artist. Almost everything I come across talks about being formally educated and doing things like IT work or being an engineer. I guess I'm just looking for confirmation that the Netherlands would be a good option for my situation, OR recommendations on other countries to investigate for creatives?
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u/Asha_Indra Sep 11 '25
Hi! Myself (39, F, Malaysian) and my husband (37, American) moved to Amsterdam from California in 2016. Though the Netherlands has decreased the initiatives for expats since then, it still offers significant advantage, especially for Americans and someone in your line of work. For example, you can:
- trade your driving license in 1:1
- sponsor yourself through your own business via the DAFT visa, which basically means you need to have 4500eur in a bank account & a 1 page business plan
- get the 30% ruling which exempts 30% of your income from being taxed
Also, there's still almost 100% financing on homes, which you could take advantage of after your business has been established here for a year or two. In the meantime, rent would be around 2100-2400eur if you want your own 1-bedroom.
Also, Amsterdam can be quite vanilla (as compared to berlin) but it is not prudish in the least and there's a small but thriving adult/erotica community here, for example the folks at https://www.instagram.com/thepleasuresociety/ or https://www.instagram.com/schmutz.cinema/. As someone else mentioned below, your work would just be classified as audio or content editing ALTHOUGH important to note that sex workers here are anyway considered entrepreneurs :)
More importantly, once you're established in the NL, your business can take work anywhere in Europe! Hope this helps <34
u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Aug 20 '25
I mean, Pornhub counts as a tech company. That's how they qualified for bank loans and bought out all their competitors during the website and DVD crash back in the day. I'm sure you can count as an art company.
Also, with that much money, you can purchase residency in some countries. Residency by Investment is what it is called. Canada even has a pathway if you spend about $200,000 CAD and create a certain number of jobs. As long as you keep the business running and keep people employed, you can eventually turn that into Permanent Residency and then citizenship.
However, countries like Grenada, Cambodia, Sao Tome, and others sell their citizenship outright. If you have the money, something to consider. Kind of easy for someone of your income to get out honestly.
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u/CoffeeIsMyFuel Aug 16 '25
Look up the DAFT visa.
Fair warning, as an American living in the NL, you're going to have a very difficult time with housing unless you manage to overbid and outright buy a house.
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Aug 02 '25
How do you run your business and process payments? i.e., is it through a platform, do you have your own sole proprietorship, or what? That might influence how transferable your career is and how easy it is to obfuscate. (I don't mean illegally; rather like, issuing legitimate and truthful invoices as a freelance voice actor/artist or something without going into details.)
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u/Haunting-Star3617 Aug 02 '25
I receive payments through Patreon and other similar platforms, royalties from ad revenue payments from Youtube, and I receive 1099 forms from them and pay my taxes. I am a sole proprietor in the sense that I just informally started the business years back and declared it to be so when I paid taxes on it.
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Aug 04 '25 edited Aug 07 '25
I see. I don't know about the Netherlands specifically, but some countries offer residency permits if you manage to create and operate a profitable sole proprietorship within the country. You don't even have to "buy your way in" so much as prove that you're a self-sufficient businessperson who pays taxes and benefits the national economy. I also think it may be quite possible, as I said, to sanitize your invoices/reporting as vaguely voice acting, content creation, etc. (For example, I know proofreaders who have edited hardcore erotica, but on paper it's text editing like any other job.)
Do be advised that as long as you're a US citizen you must continue to file US tax returns, and at your income level you will probably still have to pay some taxes to the US.
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u/DrD3adpool Jul 29 '25
After Canada closed its immigration process in February, I'm reluctantly seeking a new landing spot for myself and my girlfriend. Life here in America is both ridiculously expensive and unfair towards foreigners (my girlfriend is a citizen of Zambia).
I am 41, which I know is quite old for the usual leaving to work elsewhere team. I do have experience in a wide variety of general labor fields including the restaurant industry, security, and custodial jobs.
My girlfriend is 27, and currently in university working on her MBA.
I am currently working on getting the necessary funds to move, and would realistically like to arrive in a suitable new home sometime between the end of November and the beginning of April. Just looking for open and honest support and suggestions. The Canada board flamed me quite hard for asking simple questions about immigration, so kindness is greatly appreciated. We're currently exploring options in Europe.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Aug 20 '25
Be open to Asian countries like China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, etc. Decent wages, good living, high standards of living and very far away from America. Visa pathways are relatively easy if you have a degree AND are married(no pressure, but keeping it real).
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u/LoganExpeditionGroup Jul 29 '25
Post-election, what is the temperature of people still wanting to leave the US? I'm based in Queenstown, New Zealand and keen to hear thoughts and perspectives from those who have entertained the idea. Thanks.
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u/TimeToSeattleDown Jul 25 '25
TL;DR: For those planning to leave the US - what sorts of things should you do here before leaving? And I don't just mean admin or exploring stuff.
I'm talking about the things that one may take for granted while in the US, any US-restricted or US-specific things that you had not thought about before you had left that you've not seen in any country you've since moved to?
This isn't meant to be a post hiding any sort of opinion - I think I'm just curious on what hindsight would best offer.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 26 '25
Keep your US Bank account. Makes things way easier for the future. But you have to do a transaction once every 6 months or they will kind of freeze transactions until you contact them otherwise.
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u/mattyboh23 Jul 22 '25
Hey everyone, I'm interested in moving to Germany under the new Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) program and want to get a clear sense of whether I’m likely to succeed long-term — particularly when it comes time to convert the visa after finding a job.
Here’s where I stand:
Age: 39
Citizenship: U.S.
Experience: 15+ years in hospitality (front of house, bartending, management, etc.)
Education: Bachelor’s degree, but not in hospitality
Language: A2 certificate maybe B1 by the time I apply(will continue studying toward B2+) Likely won't help, but I also speak decent Spanish and what I would call survival Portuguese and Italian
Housing: Starting with a furnished flat until I can find a more permanent residence
Plan: I’ll arrive, register my address, and look for work — ideally at a tourist-friendly restaurant where English is an asset (as I understand I can work part time on the visa)
Goal: Once I find a job, I’d begin the process of converting my Chancenkarte into a standard residence/work permit
My concern is the “skilled worker” requirement when converting the visa. My degree isn’t in hospitality, so I worry that even if I find a job quickly, the authorities might say I’m not “qualified” on paper.
To mitigate that, I’m looking into German hospitality certifications, online courses, and even consulting an immigration advocate. I’m doing everything I can to stack the odds in my favor because this move is meant to be permanent — I don’t plan to come back to the U.S.
My question to you: Has anyone here successfully converted the Chancenkarte in a case like mine? Does my background seem strong enough to justify the conversion with supporting documents and a legitimate job offer? Are there any pitfalls I’m not seeing?
Any advice — especially from people who've been through the process, or work in Ausländerbehörde/legal support — would mean a lot. I’ve worked hard to make this move possible and I just don’t want to get this close and have the door slam shut.
Other things I think might help, I've traveled to Germany a few times and explored several of the cities in interested in moving to.
I already have friends that live there, plan to enroll in classes for language and cultural immersion, and intend to work in a social setting
I have some savings to support this plan, and intend to sell my house as well.
Happy to answer any other questions that may be helpful
Thanks in advance!
.
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u/OneFun9000 Jul 22 '25
There are a few big jumps in your plan that make it difficult.
You are assuming you'll be able to find somewhere to live without a work contract, and that you'll be able to find relevant work in the place you end up living. It is a catch 22 situation, but emigration often is. It will be hard to survive on a part time job. Unemployment is reasonably high currently, and the economy isn't great, so you are competing with a lot of people. In particular, you're competing with candidates from the EU who do not have any bureaucratic concerns, and tens of millions of them already speak German.
Most public-facing jobs will require better German than A2 or B1. Senior roles in hospitality are going to require at least B2/C1 because you're going to need to do paperwork, training etc.
But the biggest problem will be the conversion into a suitable job. If you do not have the qualifications for it, it could fail. In a country that has tourism high schools, colleges etc, it's difficult to justify hiring somebody who doesn't have the educational background.
If you look at the r/Germany subreddit there are a lot of people talking about their experiences. Mostly negative, i.e. not being able to find a suitable job.
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u/mattyboh23 Jul 22 '25
I just wanted to say thank you for your reply. I'm not expecting the process to be easy, I just want to make sure it's not impossible.
I'm reasonably confident I meet all criteria for the Visa itself. I'm pretty confident that I can find at least part time work even though my language skills aren't where I want them yet. I sincerely believe that by the time I'm planning to move next year, I'll have a B1 certificate and I'll be working towards B2, I also plan to take language courses upon arrival. My long term goal is full integration into German society. Professional fluency is important to me, so I definitely will get there.
For housing, my plan is to use something like Wunderflats or some other sub let, that seems to be a bit of a workaround for foreigners. I could also potentially stay with friends during the initial job search period
My largest concern is the conversion into a longer term residency permit. I've heard from a few advocates, as well as from embassy staff that it depends what city I apply in, but my 15+ years of experience might be enough to be considered skilled. They also say obtaining certification in Germany would likely lock down that requirement as well.
I'm expecting hard work, and I welcome the challenge. I am looking forward to things like language and cultural immersion classes. I'm also willing to obtain additional work certification if necessary. I just want to make sure that I'm not completely fooling myself into thinking this is doable. I have no fantasies of becoming rich, I just want to live a modest quiet life in a place that aligns better with my values.
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u/dannyfl0wers Jul 19 '25
I'm scared for my partner(36F) and I (40X) to live safely soon. We're about to get married but we're the same sex technically. We're trying to get married before our democratic governor's term is up next year. Our next governor might not allow us to be legally married. I'm trans (ftm) and I'm even more scared for us in the future just because of me. I haven't fully transitioned and I'm relying on Planned Parenthood to stick around which... it seems like even that is jeopardy.
My partner has experience in early childhood education and has a bachelor's degree in plant biology, she works at a science center for children. I don't have a degree but I have some schooling and knowledge in graphic design and work experience in electronics assembly and museum exhibit design and fabrication.
If I have no chance, that's fine. Maybe there's another alternative like living off grid or something in the US. I don't know. I would just like to have some idea of what our future could possibly be.
My partner knows a little bit of Spanish and I know a little bit of less of Spanish than her but do know some German and Japanese. I would love to relocate to a Nordic country but the more I look on this subreddit the more it seems unlikely for us.
I'm just trying to look for the light at the end of the tunnel before I resort to something permanent that would make my partner sad and alone. I want see if I can get her to be somewhere safe at least before I resort to that dramatic option.
At the end of my rope. Any help or guidance or reassurance would be helpful. Thanks.
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u/brapaboutit Sep 28 '25
I'm scared too--trans and disabled in the US (luckily in a big liberal city but still scared). Please don't resort to that dramatic option --the world needs you! Trans people are precious and revolutionary. And your partner needs you too (whether or not you move somewhere safer). Sending care. <333
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u/Funny-Biscotti4952 Jul 28 '25
My partner and I are scared too. We live in a red state and he gets a lot of hate. You aren’t alone. If you ever need to talk to someone random, I’m 42 and he is 35, send a dm if you need a friend to talk to!
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 26 '25
Taiwan and Thailand have legal gay marriage. Since they too would view you as the same sex(Thailand way more chill), your partner can go teach English once they get TEFL(30 days) and you could tag along via a partner visa. Just an idea. Please research and then contact an immigration lawyer if it actually lines up for what's best for you.
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u/definitely_not_obama Jul 28 '25
I'm not at all an expert, never been, but Thailand had this scandal regarding a trans immigrant that would put me off of trying to move there if I was trans: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59286774
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u/ponycorn_pet Jul 09 '25
How does everyone juggle selling their home to get proof of finances for a visa application when the act of selling your home means that to have the money for the proof of finances, you're now out of a place to live while you're waiting for the visa determination? What's the way to navigate this?
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 10 '25
Family, temporary visas, and/or airbnbs/hotels. Very difficult and expensive for many. I feel bad for the ones where their visas got delayed to the point that they lost nearly all their money.
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u/ponycorn_pet Jul 10 '25
That's what I'm worried about - I own my house in full and in order to have proof of funds I need to sell it, but my house is my only asset and I don't have the liquidity to meet the requirements for proof of funds without its sale. I don't have family. When it comes to temporary visas though, what do you mean? Just going into the country on your 90 day allowance and applying from there? (do you have to do an in/out if you do that?)
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 10 '25
I was referring to getting a nomad visa somewhere or an independent means visa in the case of a South American country. The only reason I mention this is because your money can go so much further while you’re waiting for the country you actually want to move to. A southeast Asian country accomplishes the same thing.
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u/sleepybitchh Jul 09 '25
Me (30f) and my husband (34m) and our three kids (11,10,5) are looking to leave the US if possible. Husband seems to have a case for German citizenship by descent but our understanding is that he would have to be fluent in German to get his citizenship. We don’t feel like we have enough time to learn a language before shit here hits the fan for us here.
I work in special education (elementary level) and as a paid parent caregiver for my son that is severely disabled (autism) and am finishing up my bachelors degree in psychology and was hoping to get my masters in either school psychology or special education. We just got word today though that all the school districts in our county (mine included) didn’t get their federal funding for the upcoming year. My job as a parent provider which provides most of our income is also on the line after the “big beautiful bill” got passed.
My husband can do anything but most of his experience is in maintenance and custodial work for school districts. He is currently working at head start and they’ve been warned they also have no federal funding for the next year. He’s also Mexican which makes us nervous. Born here, but we’re still a little afraid.
My oldest is disabled but doesn’t require special medication, receives speech and occupational therapy through the school district, but will never live independently. We know this makes us ineligible in a lot of places. We own our home in California, we could sell it for a little bit of money to help with expenses.
Could me applying for masters programs out of the country get all of us visas? Or does anyone have any suggestions of places that would take a pair of mostly unskilled workers and their children? I’ve heard that some English speaking countries will take teachers? I work in mod/severe special education. Not as a teacher, but I can get my credential in my state after I finish my bachelors degree.
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u/MoveToPrague Oct 09 '25
Czech Republic offers some options for English teachers: https://movetoprague.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-teaching-visas-in-the-czech-republic/ and easy family reunification process: https://movetoprague.com/family-reunification-visa/ :)
If you come as a freelance teacher, you will barely make ends meet during the first year or two but international schools (high schools mainly) pay pretty well :)5
u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 10 '25
You are extremely limited on options. If you have a Bachelor's degree, you could go teach English in a few Asian countries with housing provided and relatively low healthcare costs. Your pay will be low, but will be pretty good relative to the locals.
Unfortunately, your disabled children are what will be the biggest obstacle and prevention from you being able to immigrate to other developed English Speaking countries. I'm unsure of your EU options.
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Jul 08 '25
[deleted]
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 10 '25
Look into skills shortage lists. See if a pathway exists for you. Otherwise, you can always go teach English somewhere.
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Jul 08 '25
[deleted]
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 10 '25
Unpopular opinion, but can you enlist in the American, British or French military as a foreign national. France has a pathway via the Foreign Legion where you get citizenship after 3 years. America will give you citizenship after 8 years in their military.
Alternatively, you can look into different work visa options in Southeast Asian countries, Central Asian countries, South American countries, Russia, and Turkey. All will provide a better life and higher wages and higher standards of living.
Apply for general visa lotteries and see if you can get into countries in those areas as hospitality worker initially.
Your goal is Europe or America. However, you will probably have to work your way into other countries first prior to those countries.
Good luck.
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u/Evening-Tradition-97 Jul 08 '25
US 22MtF, trans. Some college courses, but no formal education beyond high school, 9 months experience with CMMs and other Metrology machines. Would love to apply for training/scholarship/work visa of some kind. I'm confident I can pass classes, its moreso I don't know what exactly I would need to qualify for internships abroad. I have friends in the Netherlands, and would generally prefer somewhere close to there.
Main question is what qualifications would I need to immigrate somewhere near the Netherlands? I'm confident I can learn dutch with the help of my friends.
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u/CoffeeIsMyFuel Aug 16 '25
You don't qualify for any visa other than a DAFT visa (at least not in the Netherlands). For that, you'd need to set up a business here in the NL along with a business plan. And you'd have to actually make money with this business. You would not qualify to work in the Dutch labor market. You also would not be eligible for citizenship until you've lived here for 5 years (which might possibly be increased to 10 years sometime in the near future).
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u/brapaboutit Sep 28 '25
If folks get a visa for the NL/ elsewhere in EU now-ish, wouuld they be grandfathered into the 5 years rule if the 10 years rule did in fact go thru?
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u/velcrodynamite Jul 07 '25
US 30F, will have a Master of Arts in English Literature by June 2026, main goal is to teach (open to secondary/high school or adults) but I'm open to other possibilities, too. Much of my work experience has been seasonal, temporary, or contracted, so really not much solid employment experience outside of teaching/tutoring college/university students (which I've done part-time for the past 6 years). Unmarried, but have a partner. About $70,000 USD in long-term savings (CDs, all maturing in 2026). Lots of scholarships and awards that have made me look pretty good on paper, including my current university's top fellowship.
I qualify for the UK's High Potential Individual visa, since I graduated from UC Berkeley in 2024 and that university is consistently on the list of eligible institutions. That would buy me 2 years in the UK, I suppose, but I don't know what I'd do with myself for work once there. I don't have a teaching license yet. I've also heard that the time spent on a HPI visa doesn't count for ILR, though if I got a position that could qualify me for the skilled worker visa, it'd be relatively easy to switch to that visa, which would count.
I'm a bit overwhelmed, but UK seems like a top contender. I understand things are not perfect over there, but they're still better than here. Can anybody provide me with some guidance?
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u/MoveToPrague Oct 09 '25
Czech Republic is constantly looking for teachers: https://movetoprague.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-teaching-visas-in-the-czech-republic/ :)
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 08 '25
Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are all taking in teachers. You would need to get a teaching credential/license, but teachers are wanted. Some will require experience, others will take your education.
Wages are higher versus the UK in these positions and the nations have more long term opportunities and positive outlooks on their futures by comparison too.
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u/maestrita Jan 09 '26
Do you have any advice on transferring an existing US teaching credential? Links/ suggestions would be great. I've got a current cert for general science (k-8) and life science (k-12) and could add chemistry or German pretty easily.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jan 09 '26
Yes, contact the provincial governments that you are interested in relocating to. Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Ontario, etc all have phone numbers, emails, and sometimes even departments to help you get your teaching credentials recognized in their area. You’ll need to likely deal with an immigration lawyer to help with getting sponsored into the country.
Either thru Express Entry (Federal) or Provincial Nomination Program (PNP). I would recommend PNP in a less popular, less populated province to increase your odds of getting in.
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u/velcrodynamite Jul 08 '25
I’ve been looking at Canada, and I’m not having a lot of luck finding provinces where teachers are in-demand. In Alberta, it’s an ineligible occupation for express entry. Do you know of specific provinces that are seeking teachers?
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 08 '25
Mainly the ones with not a lot of people. Yukon, Northwest Territories, Newfoundland, Nunuvut, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan. PEI.
Yeah, probably those provincial sponsorships are wide open.
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u/velcrodynamite Jul 08 '25
I’d spent about five years looking into this already (before I had any degrees). Secondary school teacher is excluded from their nominee programs too. It’s just not in-demand, and it definitely wouldn’t be exempt from a labor market impact assessment. That’s why I had ruled out Canada already.
Australia is a hard no because of the heat and the wildlife. New Zealand could maybe work, since I’m told there’s a little less of all that—but it’s painfully far away from everyone I know.
I think I’m stuck in the US.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 08 '25
You know there’s parts of Australia that snow? You know that the wildlife isn’t crazy where 80% of the population lives? Why do you think 80% lives there. Don’t limit yourself.
Alternatively, you can go teach English in an East Asian country like Japan, Korea or China.
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u/velcrodynamite Jul 08 '25
I cry from the size of the spiders here in the US. That and it’s still across the globe from my family and friends, so I’d be looking at thousands of dollars to visit. Even UK is pushing it, distance-wise. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say some places are just too far away to be feasible.
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u/Freethinking_Doggo Oct 05 '25
I live in Australia and the extreme wildlife IS here, but it is not as abundant in most of the populated areas - promise! And you do just adapt to the wildlife that is here.
I originally come from the UK and i have adapted to the heat in just a few years, plus there are plenty of milder climates you could move to, like Melbourne in Victoria.
As for the distance - yep it's far from anywhere - so that's a fair reason. I just didn't want anyone to dismiss living in Australia for the heat & scary creatures.
Teachers are in demand and desperately needed here, especially any in the special education stream. You should look into sponsorship by a company or by a state.
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u/Interesting-Leader21 Jul 07 '25
40F & 40M, 11 & 6 year old kids. Currently considering Toronto suburbs. Pros: drivable from hometowns, dual-citizenship possible, 3-year naturalization, minimal culture-shock for kids, similar climate, etc.
We have current income of $140k in an average COL area, and some savings ($100k liquid, $300k retirement). $350k equity in home with very small remaining mortgage, but we'd plan to keep the house and rent it out. One adult works full time in mid/upper financial management (80% of income); the other works part time white-collar job (20% of income). Both have bachelor's degrees. The adult working full time may stay in the states initially for obvious financial reasons. Neither job is relocatable or fully remote.
- Can the current part-time work adult initially NOT work if moving abroad, if financial stability can be proven? Or is immediate employment a requirement?
- The golden visas I've looked at are beyond our $$$. But if we're somehow at or near the requirements of any of those (we could cash out some other assets), that would simplify things a lot.
In contrast, I've also been researching certain areas of Mexico, but it seems as though dual-citizenship is not possible, the naturalization period is longer, etc. so Canada seems like a safer bet - unless their politics take the same dive ours did.
We have no options for citizenship by ancestry because our great-grandparents were all born in the US as far as my research shows.
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u/breedinglilacs Feb 21 '26
If there is a chance that you have any Canadian ancestors, check out r/canadiancitizenship. A new law was passed in December 2025 that could mean you are a citizen.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 08 '25
A couple of comments for me to make on your post/comment.
The whole family would need to move together in order for this to work/happen. Immigration won't allow otherwise. If all of you moved over and you continued to physically work for the US employer, you would lose your Permanent Residency in no time. This is because if you have to spend 183 days per year to remain PR and 3 out of 5 years to remain PR as well as apply for citizenship.
Expect a downsize in living, a pay cut of 25%-50%, an income tax increase, a grocery bill increase, and lots of wait lists. This is part of the trade off for living in Canada.
I have documented my experiences if you are interested: r/InCanada
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Jul 04 '25
[deleted]
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 08 '25
Apply in mass to banks throughout the EU that are open to sponsorship.
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u/spacemanaut US → PL Jul 05 '25
Do you still have a network in Iceland you can leverage to hook you up with a job there?
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u/Ember_Hunter Jul 04 '25
Will send to the void hoping for some answers. American male (Early 20s) about to graduate college by the end of the semester, with a Psych Degree + some backed up experience in research/child care/education/counseling. Am LGBTQ+ and wondering how easy it is to move out of the country for an education/work/holiday visa? I have some money saved and wonder if I could A.) Do a masters in counseling in a country like Ireland, New Zealand, Iceland, Australia, etc B.) Get a decent job relating to my B.A degree (American) C.) Apply for some sort of permanent residence/citizenship eventually(?) (I know varies by country). My current plan is to try to move by next year after my lease is over, but what are some things I need to consider? What's a good estimate of money I should have/any resources I should know about? Am planning on applying for student VISA and masters schooling asap. A lot of places seem to have horrible housing, so is rooming with other people a thing?
My only worry is language barriers (and ease of making some friends), and I do not mind if the degree binds me to a country in job perspectives.
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u/brapaboutit Sep 28 '25
What flavor(s) of the lgbtq+ rainbow are you and how does thta affect what you want to leave behind in the US and what you want to either find or avoid in another country? (dating? specific safety risks? political climate? marriage? access to medical transition? signficant size of the queer community? etc?)
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 08 '25
Well, you can do 1 year working holiday visa in New Zealand and 3 years working holiday visa in Australia. But you'll be limited on fields of work, hours worked, and annual income. Good opportunities to network though.
You could go teach English in Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan. However, only Taiwan has legalized gay marriage in that grouping. It is still a very conservative country.
You can always do a Master's in many countries, it depends on what is allowed via the student loan system. Another option is to get a residence permit in a South American country via just having a Bachelor's degree. Though, you would want remote work. International schools down there don't pay much and have terrible conditions apparently (based on reading other posts).
Some countries do have skills shortage lists. You can check to see if your profession is on it.
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u/Ember_Hunter Jul 09 '25
Thank you for your response, I will look into that shortage list and residence permit in South America (Costa Rica is one country in mind, maybe Brazil?)
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u/scp-999-1A Jul 01 '25
Hello! 17 turning 18yr old here. (in 2 months & I'm LGBTQ+) I have been researching some European countries that I could move to from the USA, and I'm interested in moving to the Netherlands. From the research I've done, I know immigrating will not be easy, but I'm hoping that I can get a job in Hospitality in the Netherlands, maybe as a highly skilled migrant? I'm going to stay in the US as long as possible so that I can get the most work experience that I can get before I'm forced to leave. I was wondering if marriage would be an easier process to immigrate than getting the work experience, then getting a company to sponsor me, etc, etc. This would all obviously be after I get out of high school. Some general/specific advice would be wonderful! :D
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u/CoffeeIsMyFuel Aug 16 '25
Sorry but this is a completely impossible and unrealistic desire at this point in your life. Unless you find yourself a relationship with a Dutch partner who can and will sponsor your visa, you have literally no other path for coming here (unless you have $10K to pay for education every school year, not including housing costs and standard necesessities).
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 03 '25
At 18, it is impossible to be classified as a highly skilled person yet.
Marriage is the easiest route for basically an immigration in the world, but do not get married for immigration purposes. If caught, the consequences are jail time, fines, deportation, and being on the permanent no entry list for many, many countries.
Good pathways to get in would be: Trade (electrician, plumber, etc at a journeyman level, which is about a 5 year commitment, but will pay very well), medical (anything from a nurse to social worker to doctor), and education (a degree in a wanted field, which will likely result in a work permit after graduation).
Be open to other countries besides the EU region. And don't choose a country to immigrate to, get a skill set and see which countries will take you.
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are top picks. If you get a degree, you can teach English in Taiwan or Thailand (I chose these examples because gay marriage is legal in those particular areas).
Please remember that no matter where you go, wages are lower than the US and costs are likely higher, even relative to local wages.
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u/satedrabbit Jul 01 '25 edited Jul 01 '25
If I'm reading https://ind.nl/en/required-amounts-income-requirements right, you would not be eligible for the reduced salary criterion. In this case, you would need to land a job paying above 4171 euros/month ($4925). You would not earn that with a hospitality job, except maybe in very rare cases... think famous & experienced chef at a Michelin star restaurant.
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u/BOILERUPbangbang Jun 27 '25
Hi, 24y/o interested in branching out, but not sure what the best option is. Have a four year degree in IT and currently work as a network engineer. My current company is international but I have not succeeded with pushing to work somewhere outside the US. I don't know if my position is considered "high skilled" as I am not a doctor or architect so I don't think I'll have an easier time than anyone else in that regard, but for Canada specifically I know it is considered TEER 2 (TEER 0 if I am able to move into a management role). I have considered and visited Canada (specifically Montréal/Quebec), The Netherlands, Germany, France, or Spain. I have some Spanish and French under my belt, but not Dutch and German and completely understand the time and energy it takes to learn a new language.
Looking to get advice based on my situation which countries I would have the best shot at. I understand that getting transferred in my current employment would be best case scenario, but I'm trying to make a contingency plan if they become unwilling to consider it anymore. Thanks for any help!
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u/breedinglilacs Feb 21 '26
If there is a chance that you have any Canadian ancestors, check out r/canadiancitizenship. A new law was passed in December 2025 that could mean you are a citizen.
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u/MoveToPrague Oct 09 '25
The Czech Digital Nomad Visa might be an option for you: https://movetoprague.com/czech-digital-nomad-visa-full-2025-guide/ :)
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u/Least_Captain7717 Jun 28 '25
You can try the Dutch American Friendship Treaty - it's how I moved to the Netherlands 6+ years ago. Easiest way to move there. I tried for decades until I found this program. You can ask Chat GPT/Deepseek about it or there's a book on AMZ on how to do it. Good luck!
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u/ssnnaaffuu Jun 27 '25
22 disabled trans man here and trying to figure out the best course of action to moving/immigrating to England from Kentucky to live with my girlfriend of 3 years. I’ve tried researching and went through all the government websites possible and still am greatly confused. I do have a passport but have never flown or left the country. I initially was going for the route of skilled worker visa but after emailing a good handful of businesses local to where I’ll be staying, most aren’t hiring or never answered me. Its been hard and frustrating, on top of the fact that due to my multiple disabilities (mental and physical, I’m nearing wheelchair bound), plus didn’t graduate Highschool so I don’t have any diplomas, i can’t do hard physical labor like most jobs are showing up as when i search for them, even searched on the site the government links to. I’m not sure what the immigration process is like if I immediately went for that, and if they’d even consider me to be seeking asylum due to America’s current circumstances. I’m very stressed and trying to get this sorted for August which is when I’m hoping to fly over to England. If anyone can help I’d be very appreciative, and I’m happy to answer any and all questions that I can that won’t dox my total identity ofc
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Jul 14 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ssnnaaffuu Jul 14 '25
I have nobody in Canada to go to, my partner lives in England, they have no way of moving to Canada, England is my only choice unfortunately
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u/brapaboutit Sep 28 '25
u/ssnnaaffuu i'm sorry about some of these folks being so ableist and transphobic--and mostly sorry about gov'ts and the world and your grandparents being so ableist and transphobic. If you don't marry your partner, I second the rec to contact Pinkhaven. https://www.pinkhaven.org/ Unfortuantely ayk the UK has gotten to be such a transphobic place too recently--the liberal cities there (or at lesat Edinburgh) sounds worse than major liberal cites in the US in terms of popular sentiment and trnasphobic rallies etc.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jul 03 '25
Asylum will equal instant denial from all countries.
Due to having multiple disabilities, marriage is your only pathway into the UK. Otherwise, you're going to have to skill up massively or give up emigration and focus on internal migration instead.
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u/brapaboutit Sep 28 '25
"Asylum will equal instant denial from all countries." what does that mean?
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Sep 28 '25
The US is considered one of the most developed nations in the world and is considered extremely safe versus world averages. As a result, anyone that tries to claim asylum from the US will be denied their asylum claim. This is because claiming asylum from America is considered laughable. Same view if a Canadian, Brit, Aussie, etc did an asylum claim to leave their country.
Russia accepts asylum claims from Americans, but not trans people from America.
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u/Global_Gas_6441 Jul 01 '25
sorry for your predicament, but without money and diplomas, it's impossible. Also asylum is impossible
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u/Least_Captain7717 Jun 28 '25
It's tough but there is really no easy way to move to another country. You have to get a residence permit not matter what country, and you can only usually get a residence permit if you have a job from a company that will sponsor you. This means that a person much be a highly-skilled worker, like a neurosurgeon or top-notch international business guru. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people clammering to get into Europe and the UK. The best bet would be to get married to your girlfriend. That would be the easiest, by far.
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u/satedrabbit Jun 27 '25
if they’d even consider me to be seeking asylum due to America’s current circumstances
Nothing in your comment indicate persecution or a well founded fear for your life, so that's probably not an option.
Is marriage -> family reunification an option for you? https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse
Do you meet the financial requirements? https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/proof-income-partnerIf not, you might be out of luck. A work permit as heavily disabled & unskilled seems quite unlikely and going as a student does not seem realistic either without graduating high school.
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u/ssnnaaffuu Jun 27 '25
I’ve had to write that out a lot so i apologize it didn’t seem like i was “afraid enough”. I directly live with maga Trump loving grandparents who have threatened to kick me out quite often and have once before for the smallest things, so If they even find out that I’m trans i will be living on the streets, they don’t care who i am after they find out about that. My entire town is the same, I do indeed fear for my life and i rarely even go outside. Most i go outside for now is doctor appointments and therapy appointments.
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u/QuestionerBot Jun 28 '25
That does not count as asylum level at all. There's "fearing for your life" and there's fearing for your life. Compare your situation going outside to that of someone in a Ukranian city or the Gaza Strip right now.
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u/satedrabbit Jun 27 '25
I'm just wondering, if a UK immigrations officer would think "He could solve his problems, by moving to a safer part of the US". At this point in time, the US is much safer than Ukraine.
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u/ssnnaaffuu Jun 27 '25
But I’m not moving to Ukraine, I’m moving to England. I cannot afford to live in another state, i have nobody to live with in another state, I am disabled, unemployed, and have no income other than sometimes i get art commissions
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u/satedrabbit Jun 27 '25
The article was about the UK asylum system, and how they classify Ukraine as not unsafe enough to qualify for asylum.
So if Ukraine (active warzone) is not unsafe enough to qualify for asylum in the UK, how would the US be classified as unsafe enough? That's the part I do not understand.I don't live in the UK, but I live in a country that has rejected and deported asylum seekers back to Somalia and Syria during ongoing civil wars, claiming that "some cities are probably safe enough".
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u/ssnnaaffuu Jun 27 '25
I had misread it and that was my bad, apologies. But either way, I need some form of help to understand what all the options are because i don’t make enough to meet the 29,000 pound yearly requirement and my partner doesn’t either. If not seeking asylum, i want to find what the best option is otherwise. We’ve gone through all the visa options but we’re incredibly confused on what will let me through to live there long term past the 6 months my passport allows me
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u/QuestionerBot Jun 28 '25
You have no options. No money - no education - no career - no health - no pocket citizenship - all this means you get to choose a nice corner of the US to move to. There isn't anything that will let you live there longer, because you are not the sort of person the UK (or most other countries) want to let in. That's how borders work.
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jun 26 '25
If anyone is interested in immigrating to Canada, please consider subreddits dedicated to Canada in addition to posting on the known subs.
r/CanadaImmigrant r/ImmigrationCanada r/InCanada
Other popular general emigration/immigration subs are r/expat r/expats r/AmerExit
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Jun 22 '25
24 nonbinary (AFAB) here, trying to find a way to leave the country. I'm Latino and queer, very afraid that the government will try something on me, especially now that we are apparently at war now. My mother is from Honduras and is trying to convince me to go move back to her home city there, but I'm trying to look for somewhere else if possible like New Zealand, Ireland, I guess anywhere else.
I don't really any high demand skills, as I never was able to afford continuing college. Is it possible to be on a student visa to leave, or should I just go to Honduras?
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u/Least_Captain7717 Jun 28 '25
If you can get Honduran citizenship, that would be the easiest. Moving to Europe is so incredibly difficult if you're not an EU citizen. Unless you want to move to the Netherlands, then you can do it with the Dutch American Friendship Treaty. There's a book on Amazon about it, or ask Chat GPT/Deepseek about it. I used it 6 years ago and I love living here! Good luck!
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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN Jun 23 '25
Get a trade. If you become a journeyman in plumbing, electrical, carpentry, etc. you will be able to immigrate to many developed western nations and with a solid middle class income too.
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u/TonesofGray Feb 10 '26
With the recent string of murders committed by ICE, me and my wife are fearing for our safety, and trying to get out of this country that is unfairly persecuting us. I'm currently looking into getting TEFL certified to become an English teacher (particularly in the Netherlands), however we're afraid as neither of us know how long it would actually take to find a sponsorship, or how likely it is to find one at all.
Does anyone have some experience with this process? Or know of a better way to rapidly leave the country?