There are record numbers of "digital nomads" leaving the US and Canada. Will being an expat be the future norm? Will countries have to compete with certain guarantees and bonuses for your residency?
Posted by Bomboclaat_Babylon@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 19 comments
I have long thought that this recent protectionism / xenophobia streak is possibly the last major wave of the traditional nation state's influence, and that future generations will be more informed, and more mobile, and combining this with dropping fertility rates globally, nations will have little choice but to stop regarding their citizens as disposable and start to actually having to work to attract people to move to their country with tangible benefits beyond just propaganda about having a superior culture.
Somewhere around 120,000 Canadians left Canada last year to be "digital nomads". Those people aren't counted in the official net migration loss / net population decline of -0.2% for 2025.
While Japan and South Korea still refuse proper immigration, they are now encouraging more expats to live and work in Japan and Korea, but their own citizens are also leaving in increasing numbers to Bali, Vietnam, etc.
At the same time as locals in most countries harden and become more xenophobic due to government rhetoric, there are also record numbers of people moving around the world, and not just typical increases, but by large increases. Between 2020 and 2024, the global migrant population grew by 10.4%, which is roughly triple the increase in the world's total population (3.5%) during that same period. And this is in the midst of a peak in global anti-migrant sentiment and travel restrictions.
No matter what the governments of the world say, no matter how much they try to pit people against each other, more and more people are becoming increasingly independent of their home nation and going where the money and / or cost advantages / lifestyle advantages are. Do you think your grandkids will see nations more like companies and those companies will have to actually compete hard for them to accept moving there? / a 180 from the current "stay out" government narratives?
WildCombination3887@reddit
It's not only digital nomads, it's a major thing in the US now. I was reading here that since 1935 this was not seen. More than 180,000 americans moved out in 2025. And also the numbers dropped down of people immigrating into the US. It's not a good moment for the country
zyine@reddit
You're assuming the world will need more people for jobs? AI and robotics have nearly eliminated or substantially reduced millions of job classifications, some to a 95% degree.
demostenes_arm@reddit
According to official statistics,120k is the total number of Canadians who left Canada last year.
Assuming this post is not the AI-generated slop that it seems to be, no idea how did you conclude that all of them are “digital nomads”.
No-Caregiver8049@reddit
Noticed that. Over 60% went to the US, and the UK and Australia were next. These statistics are just wrong.
It’s also a misuse of the term “digital nomad” which means “traveling freely while using information and communications technology”. These people are not doing that. They just left for better opportunities.
Ok-Commission-4985@reddit
And it’s important to note that the “digital nomad” market is slowly shifting as companies better understand compensation structures. If you live in Latin America or Southeast Asia, many remote roles are now adjusting salaries based on local benchmarks. So the classic case of a programmer moving to Bali and living like a millionaire is becoming less common.
Some countries have realized that attracting high earning foreigners can help boost their economies, but companies are adapting. Over time, the advantage of moving from a place like San Francisco to somewhere like Ensenada is likely to become smaller.
No-Caregiver8049@reddit
yeah, just looked at OP's post history. He says "When you move from a country that doesn't allow dual, you just don't tell them about your new citizenship", which is mind numbingly stupid.
I found my daily block reddit account though
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
This is an absurd question. No, expats will never become "the norm". Expats represent a minuscule fraction of any country's population.
Subterraniate2@reddit
Don’t blame this nonsense on hippies!
ShinsOfGlory@reddit
If digital nomadism increases, expect many countries to start closing their doors to digital nomads.
Digital nomads sound nice at first but then you realize that most of them are just the modern version of a broke backpacker.
redditaccount760@reddit
It’s sad to think that the future will mean that there will be no cultures to visit and discover when you’ll be traveling. The world is about to become all the same everywhere because of migrations.
Bomboclaat_Babylon@reddit (OP)
Good and bad. It's a natural progression of humanity, and it brings everyone together, which is a general good, but it does make the world less colourful.
RidetheSchlange@reddit
LOLLL, 120k Canadians didn't leave to become digital nomads.
Is this an AI shitpost?
Catcher_Thelonious@reddit
Any data on this Japanese migration to Bali and Vietnam? I can imagine retirees and hippies but no one else.
apc961@reddit
I expect being a working expat will become more difficult, not less.
Mr_Lumbergh@reddit
There are already places in the US such as Maine that at least a few years ago had programs in place to financially attract professionals. Were I live now in Australia there are easier visa tracks but they stipulate living in a regional area for a period of time, which essentially means "not one of the capital cities."
CuriosTiger@reddit
You're a bit of a whacky hippie. Digital nomadism is increasing, but it's still a very small percentage of the overall world population. Meanwhile, employers are taking notice and offering more remote jobs, but increasingly offering them in "low cost of living" countries to save on salaries. Which means more competition for less salary, negating one of the key factors attracting people to this lifestyle.
I could be wrong too, of course. I don't have a crystal ball. But I very much doubt that the digital nomad lifestyle is going to be exempt from the worldwide trend of enshittification.
atchijov@reddit
This is what EU freedom of movement was designed for. And it works pretty well.
Having said that… wirh AI impacting the jobs which are most compatible with remote work… it is hard to say what would happen in 10-20 years. We may live under the bridge or have UBI… or we could be all dead. So relax and see the show.
wittystonecat@reddit
This is the main idea of The Sovereign Individual
JacobAldridge@reddit
No, I think the need for the familiar (both literally, what people are comfortable with, and etymologically, being close to family especially when you have kids) will keep the vast majority of people doing what they’re doing.
If you think intra-nationally now, why do people stay living in a bumf#% town when there are jobs available in bigger cities or other states / provinces? Apart from some gimmicks, we don’t see smaller cities and towns offering incentives so people move there instead of NYC/Toronto … why would they have to to stop people moving to Bogato or Ho Chi Minh City?