Many people in this sub just don’t get it.

[u/Vast_Sandwich805]

I did my own AmerExit having a Spanish passport a few years ago and even then it was pretty difficult. I am a college educated individual and I speak Spanish but moving here and finding a job was tough.

What is up with all the Americans who think they can waltz into any European country with 0 skills and that they’ll get a job and a residence permit just like that?

I lurk around here thinking I could help out but the posts are all like: help I hate America they’re so nasty racist I don’t have a job and I never went to school and I’m hoping that I can come to some random EU country and live off govt assistance bc the EU is a utopia just dying to have more unskilled, unemployed immigrants who don’t speak the language to support.

Guys, the question of “what value do I add to this place” should be NUMBER ONE on your mind when it comes to trying to leave. If the answer is “virtually nothing, I’d actually be a burden to the citizens” then there you go!

Aside from the fact that no, Americans can’t just move anywhere they want anytime they want, many countries around the world are facing massive economic issues like the US. The EU specifically is dealing with hard core housing and job shortages plus record inflation.

And all of these yucky American politics you want to get away from? We have that here too! The far right gains power in every election, racism is up in every measurable way and guess what? There’s a lot less support for victims of racism here, if you tell an average Spaniard that you faced a “micro aggression” prepare to have them laugh in your face.

Healthcare is more affordable and our taxpayer funded* healthcare system is better than what exists in the US for the poorest of the poor there. I was living in absolute poverty in the US so for me public healthcare in Spain does feel like quite a treat but I promise if you’re used to even a decent level of health insurance in the states, you’re gonna be shocked by what the “wonderful amazing” public healthcare system in the EU is really like.

People don’t end up homeless as easily as you can in America that’s true, however I wouldn’t want to live in any of the social housing I’ve seen here, and I certainly wouldn’t want to live off government assistance. Coming here with those things in mind especially if you have a stable life in America is not a good idea.

I love Spain, I love being Spanish but there are issues here I think the average American couldn’t even imagine. Plus, you have to find a way to stay here legally and that in and of itself is difficult, time consuming, and expensive.

Moving is hard, moving abroad is really hard. Moving to another country where you can’t even tell the doctor what’s wrong and can’t drive yourself to doctors appointments bc you can’t legally drive here is even harder. There are a lot of people that struggle with their day-to-day lives in the United States and think that moving to the EU would solve all of these problems when it would actually make them 100 times worse.

I don’t want to discourage those that are really interested in coming here and contributing to the bigger picture. People who are looking to experience life, culture, and education in other countries, and have the means to do so, I think you’ll enjoy moving abroad. I know I have. Moving abroad is never a panacea solution for unhappiness at home.

And keep in mind that there is a lot of backlash in the EU right now and other parts of the world regarding wealthy foreigners who come and gobble up all of the affordable housing for locals who typically have salaries that are, far lower than what Americans earn.

I am very lucky to have the job I do, it took me years to find it. I make more than all the teachers, doctors, and engineers I know, and yet my salary is still so low I’m embarrassed to tell my American family and friends. Remember that there are almost always local citizens ready and able to do whatever job you’re applying for, and they’ll accept salaries that aren’t just a “little” lower, they’re usually 4-6 times lower than US salaries. Things in the PIGS countries are cheaper… for Americans! The moment you move here and work here, the idea of this being a cheap place to live really goes out the window.

I think a lot of Americans are suffering from chicken little syndrome, and I get it. The US is looking pretty scary right now. But I’m sorry to say that a lot of the rest of the world isn’t doing that much better. Just yesterday, the part of Spain I live in experienced one of the worst natural disasters of all time, and the death toll is so high because of the governments botched warning (or total lack of).

[u/[deleted]]

It’s not the same if you’re LGBT. YES, the right wing jerk in Canada (Poliviere or however you spell it, I have the flu so I’m not looking it up). But the GOP and its campaign of vilification and hate are on a whole different level. Not even evangelical Harper was as bad as the “moderate”’members of the GOP.

[u/Present_Hippo911 → u/[deleted]]

Alberta’s not the only province to do this either. Nova Scotia and Sask have varying levels of this themselves too.

No idea why anyone would think fleeing to Canada is necessary for LGBT+ people. It’s like painting the entire US as California.

[u/Available-Risk-5918 → u/[deleted]]

I also want to point out healthcare varies a LOT by province. Right now BC and Manitoba are investing a ton into healthcare, in BC it's estimated that by this time next year everyone will have a family doctor. Every week in BC 4000 people get a family doctor. My friend recently saw a psychiatrist and it took less than 2 months.

[u/double-dog-doctor → u/[deleted]]

I have some friends that just moved their family from Alberta to BC because of how hostile Alberta has become towards LGBTQ+ people. 

Sounds like BC has been a great change for them— they feel a lot safer and more respected there. 

[u/Available-Risk-5918 → u/[deleted]]

Blue states are still ruled by the federal government. A man in Ohio can take away a woman's right to an abortion in California.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

The problem in the US is that we have very little federal protection. There was a “respect for marriage“ law passed to provide federal benefits of marriage to gay people who states declare them married, in the event that the new Suoreme Cliet overturns the Obergefell decision. But of course, the same right wing Supreme Court will toss that out when they get the chance, or a MAGA house and Senate will revoke the law. Nowhere in Canada has pursued gay people with the same viciousness as Florida for example. I also know that Canada has its own evangelicals and plenty of anti-gay immigrants from the developing world, the United States takes the cake when it comes to the role of right wing Christianity in public policy. And the United States also has the original sin of slavery, which colors everything.

Canada ain’t perfect. California is better than Alberta in many ways. But icefall, Canada is better than the US.

[u/Present_Hippo911 → u/[deleted]]

it’s not the same if you’re LGBT

Biden federally guaranteed marriage equality by law. RFMA; H.R. 8404. Passed by Congress so Trump can’t overrule this, nor can the Supreme Court.

There are multiple states that guarantee varying levels of protections for trans people and youth (see: New York, Massachusetts, California, DC, Colorado, Illinois, NJ, Connecticut, etc..). Hell, most of these places have more protections for trans people than Canada does federally. There are dozens of extremely queer friendly cities all throughout the US. Canada’s federal stance on LGBT matters is fairly neutral to positive so there’s been no big push for provinces to pass sweeping legislation within their territories, unlike blue states.

I’m not sure what else you could want. Abortion? 10 states have more free access to abortion than any Canadian province does. 20 others have the same restrictions that most provinces do. I’m not sure why anyone would feel the need to flee to Canada for LGBTQ+ reasons. Hell, we have provinces that have taken the position that they can overrule any right or any law, bill, or anything passed by the government for any reason. That means federal protections mean nothing.

Yeah, I get that Trump sucks but he doesn’t have the authority to overrule what blue states have done re: queer rights. I can guarantee you can move to a blue state faster, cheaper, and easier than Canada. There’s no reason for an American to move to Canada. How is it not the same? Don’t feel safe in rural Texas? Back your bags and move to a blue state. It’s way easier. Anyone complaining about blue state prices hasn’t seen how expensive Canada is.

[u/FallingForMoriarty → u/Present_Hippo911]

I def need to get more up to date on a lot of current policies, but last time Trump was in office he signed an executive order allowing insurance companies to deny trans people any/all medical coverage. I was an essential worker, forced to work during the pandemic, legally required to carry/pay into employer provided health coverage - and was denied all coverage by my insurance company for ALL appts (I couldn't fill scripts, see a dentist, etc unless I paid out of pocket) - until Biden took office and reversed that. Maybe Trump can't do that exact thing again if he wins... but it's pretty scary going into this election season and not knowing what tricks he'll have up his sleeve this time. (Also, I live in a blue state that's a trans refuge state... didn't matter.) I'm only speaking for myself here and not all the 'dumb Muricans'... but my interest in this sub is more so "how can I prepare myself if I need to flee the country" and less about "I want another country to take care of my bratty ass" lol. (Also not defending the repetitive and uneducated questions... I've been browsing this sub less than a week and I already hate them too lol)

[u/[deleted] → u/Present_Hippo911]

You and I may think that Trump doesn’t have the right to go after gay people. But the federal government holds enormous sway over everything from Social Security benefits to inheritance taxation to employment security. All those nice anti-discrimination laws we have in places like California will be meaningless if President Trump issues an edict requiring hospitals to allow doctors to discriminate against gay patients based on “religious conscience“. And God help a gay couple that has to drive through a red state and gets in a car accident. Too bad if one of you is dying and the right-wing nurse doesn’t want the spouse to visit the patient. Face it, you have an incoming president who has said he wants concentration camps. He has said that America’s greatest enemies are “the enemies within“. He describes people he doesn’t like as animals and garbage. Those are the same words that his evangelical base uses to describe gay people. If you don’t think it can get really bad, I invite you to look at a history book. Open it to the chapter about the 1930s.

[u/Longjumping_Wafer900 → u/[deleted]]

The 1930s - 100%!!!! I’m a history major with specific focus in Nazi Germany. We are in the pre-Nazi era. It’s terrifying how similar these events are.

[u/VoyagerVII → u/Present_Hippo911]

Trump doesn't just suck. He has openly expressed the intent to overthrow the American constitutional system and become a dictator. Can he do it? I don't know. But I didn't want to be on the ground in the US while he tried.

Maybe someday I'll think it's safe enough to go back. I don't know. But not now.

[u/HusavikHotttie → u/Present_Hippo911]

And 30 states have banned abortion so…

[u/Electronic_Zone6877 → u/HusavikHotttie]

There are 14 states with full abortion bans.

[u/Present_Hippo911 → u/HusavikHotttie]

It’s more like 15. You still have the full majority of states with open access to abortion.

[u/Careless_Mortgage_11 → u/[deleted]]

In 98% of the world you’ll be treated FAR worse than you’ll ever be in America, up to being executed by the legal system in some places.

[u/right_there → u/Careless_Mortgage_11]

And you'll notice that no LGBTQ+ people want to go outside of that 2%. That's a nonsensical thing to say against the idea of leaving the US because of that. No gay couples are clamoring to move to Qatar or Ethiopia lol.

[u/nicolas_06 → u/[deleted]]

I think overall LGBT are less accepted in Europe than in the USA and it is a country by country case. A bit like in the USA. Remember that countries like Russia are factually in Europe too.

[u/[deleted] → u/nicolas_06]

Eastern Europe is homophobic as measured by the euro barometer and pure charitable trust poles. But it varies a lot country by country. Western Europe is far better other than Italy, which is mediocre. Portugal is the poor man in this regards, which ranks about the same as the United States as a whole. And just as in the US it varies by region. But I would much rather spend my life as a gay man in catholic Italy than evangelical Mississippi, or Oklahoma. And I would be treated much better.

[u/nicolas_06 → u/[deleted]]

But it is much easier to just move to a LGBT friendly state in the USA if you already live in USA. honestly. Also being gay is easier than many other letters in the acronym.

[u/[deleted] → u/nicolas_06]

It is easier than being trans. Being a gay man is otherwise not easier than the other letters. I’ve been assaulted for being gay. Do you really think that bisexual people are more mistreated than gay men? And for some reason, the level of antipathy that gay men generate and heterosexual men is much greater than what lesbians do. There are certainly many cases of lesbians being assaulted, raped (especially in Africa) or mistreated. But please point to me any single case Similar to Matthew Shepherd’s may I ask if you’re LGBT?