Americans disenchanted with the end result of the US election took to the web to fret. Searches about moving abroad surged following the outcomes of the presidential election campaign.
Google Trends showed that searches related to “leaving the country” and “how to move to…” skyrocketed after it was announced that Donald Trump can be returning to the White House.
Search for “how to move to Canada” peaked on November 6, with Google Trends showing the most interest in the term among Democratic strongholds like Vermont, Maine, Oregon and Washington.
Those who look for “Can I move to another country?” were highest in two key blue wall swing states – Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, which NBC News called for Trump – as well as Oregon, Minnesota and Indiana.
A Opinion poll A study earlier this month found that 21% of Americans said they would consider moving abroad if their preferred candidate lost the race.
However, according to the survey conducted by Casino.org, which provides players with news, information and research, the sentiment appeared to be based more on frustration than actual intent.
Almost 60% of respondents said it was “very unlikely” they might move, while just 2.6% said it was “very likely” they would depart their home.
Where Americans need to move
Canada topped the list again, with one in five Americans selecting it as their preferred travel destination following a disappointing presidential election result.
The UK was second on the list, followed by Japan – the present darling of Asian tourism – at number 3.
The East Asian country is some of the ethnically homogeneous and advanced economies on the earth with low immigration rates. However, given demographic changes attributable to the aging population and shrinking workforce, the country is opening as much as foreigners.
Japan launched a “Digital nomad“Visa earlier this year, allowing qualified foreign nationals to stay in the country for up to six months. The program is open to anyone who works for non-Japanese companies and earns at least 10 million Japanese yen per year (US$65,330).
Here are the top countries where respondents expressed interest in moving if their preferred candidate lost the election:
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- Japan
- Australia
- Italy
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Switzerland
- Spain
- France
- Sweden
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Costa Rica
- Mexico
South Korea also ranked 21st, followed by the Philippines at 22nd and Thailand at 23rd.
Reasons for moving abroad
Among those who expressed interest in moving abroad, culture was cited as the top reason, followed by jobs and healthcare, according to the report.
The survey found that taxes and education were each cited by about 3% of respondents as reasons for moving abroad after losing their preferred candidate.
The survey asked more than 4,000 Americans ages 18 to 65 about their feelings about moving abroad following the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
A NBC News National Poll In September, nearly two-thirds of Americans said the country was on the “wrong path,” up from 73% in January 2024.
image credit : www.cnbc.com