Thinking of leaving the US? Breaking down the costs of moving abroad

Nov 7

Karah Rucker Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Reporter), Alex Delia (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

As election results unfolded and Vice President Kamala Harris struggled to reach 270 electoral votes, Americans flocked to Google, spiking searches for terms like “moving to Canada” by over 5,000%. Many are exploring emigration as a way to escape domestic unrest, but experts said relocation is complex and costly, especially for moving to countries like Canada.

On election night, searches for “immigrate to Canada” began climbing around 8 p.m. EST, with the trend peaking on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 6.

The U.S.-Canada border topped the list of relocation queries, but interest also rose for other countries including Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

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Popular destination countries such as Canada have intricate immigration systems. Canada’s Express Entry program requires applicants to meet high standards in education, skills and language proficiency.

The total base cost for a single person moving to Canada is estimated at $15,264, while a family of four will need about $27,603. These figures cover settlement funds and fees but many applicants also choose to hire immigration lawyers for additional assistance. Those lawyers typically cost between $2,800 and $3,600.

The testing requirements for international travelers have been lifted.

Beyond Canada, countries in Latin America and Europe are also popular among Americans seeking a new home. In Mexico, Americans can stay visa-free for up to 180 days. Residency visa applications have also jumped 70% in recent years.

For remote workers, Panama and Costa Rica offer digital nomad visas with income requirements of around $3,000 per month.

Popular European destinations, including Spain and Italy, also have digital nomad visas with similar income-based or employment requirements.

In the Caribbean, investment-based citizenship programs offer faster routes for wealthier Americans, with St. Kitts and Nevis requiring a minimum $250,000 investment for expedited citizenship that can be passed to family members.

Other countries like Portugal offer visa programs that provide a pathway to residency for retirees.

Experts caution that costs and requirements vary widely by destination. They stress these moves require careful planning around income, job security and tax obligations.

For those seriously considering Canada, it’s helpful to know the country’s recent political leanings. Major urban centers like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal typically lean progressive, while Alberta and Saskatchewan tend to be more conservative.

In the face of post-election stress, mental health professionals encourage Americans to explore coping strategies at home.

“Routine, rest, and limiting exposure to election coverage can be effective ways to reduce stress,” Dr. Ashley Zucker, a psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente, said.

If symptoms interfere with sleep or daily activities, mental health services are readily available.

Tags: 2024 Elections, Canada, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States

[Karah]

IF THE RESULTS OF THE 2024 ELECTION HAVE YOU THINKING ABOUT VACATING THE UNITED STATES AND HEADING NORTH… YOU’RE NOT ALONE. DATA SHOWS MORE PEOPLE ARE CONSIDERING LIVING IN CANADA AND OTHER FOREIGN COUNTRIES FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE NEXT TRUMP PRESIDENCY.

AS RESULTS BEGAN TO UNFOLD ON TUESDAY NIGHT, SOME AMERICANS WERE ALREADY CONSIDERING PACKING THEIR BAGS.

GOOGLE SEARCHES FOR “MOVING TO CANADA” AND “IMMIGRATE TO CANADA” SPIKED BY OVER 5-THOUSAND PERCENT AS VOTERS TUNED INTO THE RETURNS, WITH INTEREST ALSO RISING FOR COUNTRIES LIKE IRELAND, NEW ZEALAND, AND THE U.K.

BUT WHAT DOES IT REALLY TAKE TO MAKE AN INTERNATIONAL MOVE?

CANADA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR U.S. CITIZENS SEEKING A NEW START ABROAD… BUT THE PROCESS TO EMIGRATE ISN’T ALWAYS SIMPLE…OR CHEAP.

THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT HAS AN EXPRESS ENTRY PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR SKILLED WORKERS IN FIELDS LIKE HEALTHCARE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING.

HOWEVER, GETTING IN ISN’T JUST ABOUT HAVING THE RIGHT SKILLS… APPLICANTS ALSO NEED TO PASS LANGUAGE TESTS AND MEET SPECIFIC EDUCATIONAL AND WORK EXPERIENCE CRITERIA.

AND EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE AN EASY PLACE TO HOP OVER TO… THERE’S A SIGNIFICANT PRICE TAG ATTACHED.

AN INDIVIDUAL MOVING TO CANADA CAN EXPECT TO PAY OVER 15-THOUSAND IN FEES AND REQUIRED SETTLEMENT FUNDS, WHILE A FAMILY OF FOUR WILL NEED JUST UNDER 28-THOUSAND TO MAKE THE TRANSITION. AND THAT’S BEFORE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES FOR LEGAL FEES OR MOVING SERVICES.

IMMIGRATION EXPERTS ALSO NOTE THAT THE PROCESS CAN BE FURTHER COMPLICATED BY CANADA’S NEW IMMIGRATION LIMITS, WHICH ARE SET TO CAP THE NUMBER OF PERMANENT RESIDENTS BY 21% IN 2025… SO EXPECT THERE TO BE A WAITLIST FOR MANY YEARS.

FOR THOSE THINKING ABOUT DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS, CANADA ISN’T THE ONLY OPTION. EUROPE OFFERS SOME PATHWAYS, AND COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA ARE ALSO POPULAR, EACH WITH ITS OWN UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS AND COSTS.

IN MEXICO… AMERICANS CAN STAY WITHOUT A VISA FOR UP TO 180 DAYS, AND RESIDENCY VISAS HAVE INCREASED BY 70-PERCENT FROM 2019 TO 2022.

PANAMA AND COSTA RICA OFFER DIGITAL NOMAD VISAS, WHICH ALLOW U.S. CITIZENS TO WORK REMOTELY FOR UP TO 18 MONTHS, PROVIDED THEY EARN AT LEAST 3-THOUSAND PER MONTH.

IF YOU’RE THINKING OF EUROPE, PORTUGAL OFFERS THE POPULAR D-7 VISA FOR RETIREES,

WHILE SPAIN PROVIDES A YEAR-LONG DIGITAL NOMAD VISA WITH MINIMAL RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS.

AND OVER IN ITALY, THERE’S A PATH TO RESIDENCY FOR HIGHLY SKILLED WORKERS.

FOR WEALTHIER AMERICANS, SOME CARIBBEAN NATIONS, INCLUDING ST. KITTS AND NEVIS OR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, OFFER FAST-TRACKED CITIZENSHIP THROUGH INVESTMENT. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS START AT AROUND $250,000 IN INVESTMENT, WITH SOME PROGRAMS ALLOWING APPLICANTS TO INCLUDE FAMILY MEMBERS.

BUT FOR MOST COUNTRIES, THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS REMAIN: A SECURE INCOME SOURCE, AN IN-DEMAND SKILL SET, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF EACH COUNTRY’S UNIQUE RESIDENCY RULES AND FEES.

AND IF YOU’RE STILL SET ON CANADA, YOU MAY WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE YOU’RE MOVING INTO. CANADA HAS ITS OWN DIVIDES JUST LIKE THE UNITED STATES. WHILE THE LAST CONSECUTIVE ELECTIONS SHOW A MAJORITY LEAN TOWARD MORE PROGRESSIVE POLICIES IN MAJOR CITIES LIKE TORONTO, VANCOUVER, AND MONTREAL… AREAS IN ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN LEAN MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE. AND WHILE MUCH MORE NUANCED… QUEBEC IS GENERALLY NOTED AS CENTRIST. THIS CAN BE A FACTOR FOR AMERICANS SEEKING A SIMILAR OR CONTRASTING POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT.

MANY AMERICANS ARE NOT ABLE TO MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS… SO EXPERTS ALSO RECOMMEND REACHING OUT TO A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL IF STRESS BECOMES OVERWHELMING. IN MANY CASES, A STRONG SUPPORT NETWORK CAN BE JUST AS EFFECTIVE AS A MAJOR LIFE CHANGE.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M KARAH RUCKER.