My reading of Canadian immigration rules was that it's very easy for Americans, including or especially those of us who have aged out of the workforce, to go there for up to six months per year. We're welcome to buy property, own a car, etc., but _not_ join the national health system for free, or vote in Canada. Those of us with very gre…
My reading of Canadian immigration rules was that it's very easy for Americans, including or especially those of us who have aged out of the workforce, to go there for up to six months per year. We're welcome to buy property, own a car, etc., but _not_ join the national health system for free, or vote in Canada. Those of us with very great amounts of money we're willing to invest in the country in specified ways will find more immigration doors open. Younger folks with sought-after technical or medical skills -- the list of such skills isn't all that long -- will find a facilitated pathway to long-term resident status or citizenship. People who may face imminent danger or harm, the "enemy within" recently mentioned by the orange criminal-elect, may be able to make a case for political asylum, but it won't necessarily be easy.
Moving to Canada permanently is not a slam dunk. Read the rules; they're easily found on line and are very clear.
Most Americans who go to retire to a country might have to pay for private insurance. This is one of the reasons that Americans Abroad have been fighting to get their insurance have medicare extended to other countries, who generally are cheaper than the US anyway, so the system would save money.
This is what I have read about where people might be able to go now.
My daughter's friend is going to university in the Czech Republic. She is going to a private Anglo-American one, so everything is taught in English. her friend is already fluent in Germany so I think she will pick up Czech.
We know that people coming with professions that are desired are welcome. Also, a lot of countries want you to be able to prove that you have at least 3000€ a month income. They don't necessarily want you to have a lot of money because they worry that it is drug money, but I guess it depends on what they feel you are bringing in as skills too. Doctors are going to be welcome most places.
Thanks for those pointers. I've looked in detail at the visa/immigration rules for Portugal and Spain. Both countries offer so-called retirement visas (called a D7 in Portugal and a Visa No Lucrativo in Spain); each country applies a means test (the money amounts differ a bit); the Visa Dorada is no longer available in either country, having generated a lot of unintended consequences and economic mayhem for local folks. Both countries require those on retirement visas to spend 180 (or maybe it's 181) days/year in country, the underlying point of that being to make visa holders eligible to be taxed.
The process is somewhat confusing and rather slow and cumbersome in both countries but is navigable, even without an agent (though perhaps with a double measure of additional patience and good humor). A reputable agent will of course cost a bit but will slice through much of the BS and make things happen as expeditiously as can be expected. Speaking the local language to some extent will help a lot.
The good news is that both countries are open to retirees who can support themselves, and private medical insurance doesn't appear to cost much more than what I'm spending now in the States. Folks with EU passports will find far fewer hoops to jump through; citizens from parts of the world other than the US and the EU may face different rules. It's somewhat complicated, so as always, read the book and do the homework before taking the exam. ;-)
Thanks for laying this out. I have friends who moved to Portugal in Fall of 2023. He has a job in Chicago in Tech, and they were able to get a permanent residencies in about 3-4 months. She is pregnant and told me they are in Portugals free health care system. Of course it is not free, one is paying taxes. Here is a discussion of some countries with Golden Visas.
Because I am a member of Democrats Abroad and live as an immigrant, and a citizen in Germany it is interesting. Most of my American friends here do not have dual citizenship. I have had it all my life. So, my German friends treat me is if I am a German with the German expectations, while my American friends treat me as an American. I have always lived with that limbo land of cultures. So has my daughter. She grew up having most of her friends be multicultural.
I really think that most people who are unhappy with the US should look into other countries and figure out where they might go. I know Ireland is supposed to be good for retirement and they speak English in addition to Gaelic. I say that people should be looking because it is sometimes easier to bear things when you have an out, and know what it will take.
Most of the Americans that I know in Germany are teaching in Universities and some in schools. Many came here for University or for someone they were dating. Some got married and some moved on but were already fully integrated here. If you move to Europe you can probably get some private pupils to teach English to, for some income.
Apparently some Taiwan is supposed to be a really happy place for US expats. Of course a lot are retirees.
I was in a party on Zoom on election night. It was regional so that was Europe Middle East and Asia. There were shifts of who were the cohosts, and India came on about 3 or 4 am in Europe. Before then the hosts were in Germany and then Italy. It was cool to talk to people who are living in many different countries. We planned for a long time. Since 2016. A lot of parents in the school where I taught were telling their children they would move to Canada if Trump won, and no one did. My daughter asked us if we would be moving to Germany and my husband, who is German, said not so fast. I said, we shall see in my head. The whole 4 years, all of my teaching colleagues were depressed and daily there would be discussions of what Trump had done or was doing, until Covid, and then people were in survival mode. I felt since I was teaching over Zoom I could go to Europe and no one would know. My husband said he was not getting on a plane. So, we weathered it.
There are a lot of publications for expats, and you can look into them. A lot of people have done this and are doing it and provide community for those who come. One should pick a place where you are going to be able to feel comfortable with the government that you can afford.
Agree completely, expatriating is a big and serious decision, and everyone's different and has to find his/her best fit, in several different senses (culture, language, local political climate, religion, geography, climate, and so on). I strongly recommend those considering relocating make at least one extended (multi-month) trip to the area under consideration, to get some of the local dirt under the fingernails, so to speak, before making huge commitments. And of course do lots of homework. I've accumulated dozens of bookmarks and sources; anyone else will quickly do so as well, just by doing some initial research and following up here and there as interests dictate. Pretty quickly it'll become a lot easier to separate helpful signal from run-of-the-mill sales/marketing noise and other BS.
Good point about digital nomad visas; I should've mentioned them above. Both Portugal and Spain are offering them; if I were eligible I'd be _very_ tempted . But I would urge those who want to go for them to be sensitive to the various effects they will have, to learn the local ways of life (including the language!) and to fit in respectfully with them, and _not_ just be rich American high-tech yuppies with lots of money to fling around, assuming life in Lisbon (or Madrid, or Prague, or wherever) is as it was back in Yourtown USA. When in Rome, do as the Romans, no?
I recommended Portugal to a friend of mine. She just got her US citizenship, but is from the Philippines. Her husband is Filipino-American. She has 2 sisters who are married to Swedes and she wanted to buy a house there but can't because she is not Swedish. So, I suggested that she buy a house in Portugal. One can buy a house for 350,00€ or 500,000 in Lisbon, and Porto and places like that, but in other areas, not so in demand it is less, and after 3 years if you can pass the citizenship, you can get a Portuguese passport. You have to live there at least 14 days a year. I suggested that while they are still working they buy a house in Portugal, airbnb it, and make sure to spend at least two weeks, and work on their Portuguese. In fact, I am sure they can find someone in Zoom who teaches people to help them pass the citizenship test. Then, it will be easier for them to buy a house in Sweden.
My daughter was in class in her exchange year in Vienna with a boy whose parents were from Taiwan. From what she told me they flipped properties in Portugal. So, this is part of what is making Expats unwelcome, but at the same time, they were able to live in Vienna, which is a really hard city to get permanent residency in.
I also recommend videos by expats, the pros and cons stuff is helpful. Albania is becoming in I am hearing here in Germany. A friend went on vacation there last spring. Had a great time. Not a lot of people speak English, but people need to learn to use translating software on their phones to get around while learning the language.
My reading of Canadian immigration rules was that it's very easy for Americans, including or especially those of us who have aged out of the workforce, to go there for up to six months per year. We're welcome to buy property, own a car, etc., but _not_ join the national health system for free, or vote in Canada. Those of us with very great amounts of money we're willing to invest in the country in specified ways will find more immigration doors open. Younger folks with sought-after technical or medical skills -- the list of such skills isn't all that long -- will find a facilitated pathway to long-term resident status or citizenship. People who may face imminent danger or harm, the "enemy within" recently mentioned by the orange criminal-elect, may be able to make a case for political asylum, but it won't necessarily be easy.
Moving to Canada permanently is not a slam dunk. Read the rules; they're easily found on line and are very clear.
Most Americans who go to retire to a country might have to pay for private insurance. This is one of the reasons that Americans Abroad have been fighting to get their insurance have medicare extended to other countries, who generally are cheaper than the US anyway, so the system would save money.
This is what I have read about where people might be able to go now.
https://fortune.com/2024/11/06/americans-move-abroad-2024-presidential-election/
Also, in Euro News they are aware that Americans might want to leave. They recommend these countries.
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/11/06/want-to-move-abroad-these-are-the-cheapest-european-countries-for-expats-in-2023
My daughter's friend is going to university in the Czech Republic. She is going to a private Anglo-American one, so everything is taught in English. her friend is already fluent in Germany so I think she will pick up Czech.
We know that people coming with professions that are desired are welcome. Also, a lot of countries want you to be able to prove that you have at least 3000€ a month income. They don't necessarily want you to have a lot of money because they worry that it is drug money, but I guess it depends on what they feel you are bringing in as skills too. Doctors are going to be welcome most places.
Thanks for those pointers. I've looked in detail at the visa/immigration rules for Portugal and Spain. Both countries offer so-called retirement visas (called a D7 in Portugal and a Visa No Lucrativo in Spain); each country applies a means test (the money amounts differ a bit); the Visa Dorada is no longer available in either country, having generated a lot of unintended consequences and economic mayhem for local folks. Both countries require those on retirement visas to spend 180 (or maybe it's 181) days/year in country, the underlying point of that being to make visa holders eligible to be taxed.
The process is somewhat confusing and rather slow and cumbersome in both countries but is navigable, even without an agent (though perhaps with a double measure of additional patience and good humor). A reputable agent will of course cost a bit but will slice through much of the BS and make things happen as expeditiously as can be expected. Speaking the local language to some extent will help a lot.
The good news is that both countries are open to retirees who can support themselves, and private medical insurance doesn't appear to cost much more than what I'm spending now in the States. Folks with EU passports will find far fewer hoops to jump through; citizens from parts of the world other than the US and the EU may face different rules. It's somewhat complicated, so as always, read the book and do the homework before taking the exam. ;-)
Thanks for laying this out. I have friends who moved to Portugal in Fall of 2023. He has a job in Chicago in Tech, and they were able to get a permanent residencies in about 3-4 months. She is pregnant and told me they are in Portugals free health care system. Of course it is not free, one is paying taxes. Here is a discussion of some countries with Golden Visas.
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/11/07/what-is-a-golden-visa-and-why-are-some-countries-giving-them-up-for-good
Because I am a member of Democrats Abroad and live as an immigrant, and a citizen in Germany it is interesting. Most of my American friends here do not have dual citizenship. I have had it all my life. So, my German friends treat me is if I am a German with the German expectations, while my American friends treat me as an American. I have always lived with that limbo land of cultures. So has my daughter. She grew up having most of her friends be multicultural.
I really think that most people who are unhappy with the US should look into other countries and figure out where they might go. I know Ireland is supposed to be good for retirement and they speak English in addition to Gaelic. I say that people should be looking because it is sometimes easier to bear things when you have an out, and know what it will take.
Most of the Americans that I know in Germany are teaching in Universities and some in schools. Many came here for University or for someone they were dating. Some got married and some moved on but were already fully integrated here. If you move to Europe you can probably get some private pupils to teach English to, for some income.
Apparently some Taiwan is supposed to be a really happy place for US expats. Of course a lot are retirees.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2024/07/08/expats-rank-the-best-places-to-live-in-the-world/
I was in a party on Zoom on election night. It was regional so that was Europe Middle East and Asia. There were shifts of who were the cohosts, and India came on about 3 or 4 am in Europe. Before then the hosts were in Germany and then Italy. It was cool to talk to people who are living in many different countries. We planned for a long time. Since 2016. A lot of parents in the school where I taught were telling their children they would move to Canada if Trump won, and no one did. My daughter asked us if we would be moving to Germany and my husband, who is German, said not so fast. I said, we shall see in my head. The whole 4 years, all of my teaching colleagues were depressed and daily there would be discussions of what Trump had done or was doing, until Covid, and then people were in survival mode. I felt since I was teaching over Zoom I could go to Europe and no one would know. My husband said he was not getting on a plane. So, we weathered it.
There are a lot of publications for expats, and you can look into them. A lot of people have done this and are doing it and provide community for those who come. One should pick a place where you are going to be able to feel comfortable with the government that you can afford.
Agree completely, expatriating is a big and serious decision, and everyone's different and has to find his/her best fit, in several different senses (culture, language, local political climate, religion, geography, climate, and so on). I strongly recommend those considering relocating make at least one extended (multi-month) trip to the area under consideration, to get some of the local dirt under the fingernails, so to speak, before making huge commitments. And of course do lots of homework. I've accumulated dozens of bookmarks and sources; anyone else will quickly do so as well, just by doing some initial research and following up here and there as interests dictate. Pretty quickly it'll become a lot easier to separate helpful signal from run-of-the-mill sales/marketing noise and other BS.
Good point about digital nomad visas; I should've mentioned them above. Both Portugal and Spain are offering them; if I were eligible I'd be _very_ tempted . But I would urge those who want to go for them to be sensitive to the various effects they will have, to learn the local ways of life (including the language!) and to fit in respectfully with them, and _not_ just be rich American high-tech yuppies with lots of money to fling around, assuming life in Lisbon (or Madrid, or Prague, or wherever) is as it was back in Yourtown USA. When in Rome, do as the Romans, no?
I recommended Portugal to a friend of mine. She just got her US citizenship, but is from the Philippines. Her husband is Filipino-American. She has 2 sisters who are married to Swedes and she wanted to buy a house there but can't because she is not Swedish. So, I suggested that she buy a house in Portugal. One can buy a house for 350,00€ or 500,000 in Lisbon, and Porto and places like that, but in other areas, not so in demand it is less, and after 3 years if you can pass the citizenship, you can get a Portuguese passport. You have to live there at least 14 days a year. I suggested that while they are still working they buy a house in Portugal, airbnb it, and make sure to spend at least two weeks, and work on their Portuguese. In fact, I am sure they can find someone in Zoom who teaches people to help them pass the citizenship test. Then, it will be easier for them to buy a house in Sweden.
My daughter was in class in her exchange year in Vienna with a boy whose parents were from Taiwan. From what she told me they flipped properties in Portugal. So, this is part of what is making Expats unwelcome, but at the same time, they were able to live in Vienna, which is a really hard city to get permanent residency in.
I also recommend videos by expats, the pros and cons stuff is helpful. Albania is becoming in I am hearing here in Germany. A friend went on vacation there last spring. Had a great time. Not a lot of people speak English, but people need to learn to use translating software on their phones to get around while learning the language.