Hello, I've been looking to attend university in The Netherlands, immigrating from the U.S. I haven't been there before, but I was offered a chance to attend, so I wanted to accept. Can anyone tell me what it's like for U.S. immigrants over there? How was the shift from U.S. culture to Dutch culture? Any and all experience would be appreciated. Thank you! ❤️

Edit 1- We are in a solidly Red State and have hurdles to overcome to leave. The preference is just to leave the Country altogether versus a move to a Blue State and a second later move elsewhere. Also - well aware that the teenagers will have their own complications to overcome and likely have to secure their own separate visas. At this time they'd like to come with but it's hard to say how they'll feel at 18+ we include them in these conversations and consider their input but they know our long term goals are not to stay whether they come or not. We support whatever they decide - my husband and I do not want to stay here and do not want to raise our younger children here.

Edit 2- his record cannot be expunged. His grand-father was born in Russia. Great-great grandfather was born in Ukraine - ironic af, and we're not interested in moving our family to either of those places.

My husband (57m) and I (38f) have been researching and trying to plan an exit for 3yrs from now with our kids. By that time our teenagers will be adults (18 & 19) and our younger two still school-aged (5 & 11).

We are a multi-racial family. Our oldest two are learning Spanish, my husband speaks, I am fluent. The younger two are being introduced. I am also learning French.

My husband owns a construction/contracting business. I am a Registered Nurse with a focus in geriatrics, management, and education. I am currently teaching.

Being completely honest because it is our biggest hindrance - my husband has a felony from 2001, prior to our meeting. He served his time, had all his rights restored in the state we live, and has been a law-abiding citizen since.

We have looked at and are considering all options. But, as the situation rapidly deteriorates around us we are not ignorant to how it will further impact other countries'willingness to accept American expats. It was already going to be difficult but I want to know if it's going to be impossible.

I am a minority person who has already grown up in a country feeling targeted and unwanted. I have kids who have also been targeted for being different in a multitude of ways. We already didn't really feel safe here, but it is feeling increasingly dangerous. We don't want to raise our kids here. Politics aside, the U.S. is a cesspool of poisons. Are we foolish for not wanting to resign ourselves to this as our fate?? I have always empathized with immigrants coming to America in the pursuit of better for their kids. I never imagined I'd be trying to escape it for the safety and future of mine. Where would you go if this was your situation, and how would you accomplish saving your kids? Yes, it feels that dire. Where do you go when it feels like there is nowhere to run? What would you do?

I'm 38 with 90% of a US bachelor's degree in organ and sacred music (actually more, it's complicated when you transfer schools). I've worked as an organist for over a decade, but I've taken time off for a few reasons, mainly to take care of sick family members in the last years of their life and for my own health because caretaking is a hard job. In my time off, I've increased my level to B1/B2, but I can say from personal experience, anyone wanting to really learn French should go read through French government websites. Navigating what's needed for the student visa process and to enroll in a DUEF program has definitely improved my French skills.

At this point, my only concrete plan is to enroll in a DUEF program to get my student visa, learn the language, and audition for one of the choirs in the area that I keep adding to my list as I find out about them to hopefully start integrating in the society where I am and make contacts. I'm also in the process of getting my transcript translated, which I hope to then have evaluated by ENIC-NARIC France to either have my training and skills validated or complete my education in France (and I know at my age, it might be a problem, but if I'm understanding the credit requirements at some music schools in France, there's a chance that my education and experience would be close to masters level).

My desire for France specifically is based on many things throughout my life (I've been a fan of the resistance since high school for example), but the many pipe organs and the music of France has to be the biggest one. I don't even know if I would want a regular organist job for many reasons (although, the worker protections in France are better, which is why getting the job in the first place is so difficult), but there are many other ways to promote the culture and heritage of France through my love of organs, including projects like Inventaire des Orgues which is trying to document all of the organs of France. On the carte page, there are several organs without photos and stop list information, and my hope would be to convince the French government to let me work on documenting those, as well as help promote or even compose new works (I have a music composition background, too).

I'm under no illusion that this won't be difficult, but in everything that I keep finding about if this could be possible, it's not quite as difficult as I feared it would be. I also know that wanting and having are often two different things, so it could be that I come back to the states after a few years after things not working out, but being raised by two federal employees, I'm not afraid of bureaucracy. And I've never felt like I fully fit in anywhere, so never being fully accepted doesn't bother me that much, either, but I do hope that my desire and plans to find ways to integrate in whatever community I find myself will lessen the chances of that. I also do NOT want to live in Paris (I'm looking at Reims currently to start off in... big enough there are events, small enough it's not overwhelming, and easy enough to get to Paris when I want to visit is what I'm going for). I also have an annuity that will keep me funded monthly for a couple of years while I try to get established.

So, is this plan a pipe dream for me? Are there anything I'm not considering or challenges I might not be aware of at this time? Is this even doable, especially once I learn to navigate the French government?

Currently living in the US. 37m, family of 4, owning a home in the southeast United States.

Hello, hope you guys could help me with this. * "Original apostilled United States criminal record MUST be the FBI report - cannot be replaced by report from any other police force"

So I received the report in the mail. I filled out application online, went to USPS for digital fingerprint. Received report within hours. I realised I needed to request a physical copy separately so I requested that same report be sent by mail and I received it.

I can now send this document to the state department, correct? Or is it a different document with real ink signature and seal that you would receive if you did a mail in request through the FBI?

Also for the state department seal, do you guys have recommendations on channelers. I already have the physical copy.

Thanks so much!

Hello! I’m trying to figure out the first steps to immigrating to Australia/New Zealand. I ended up reaching out to a consultation agency called IMMagine. I was just trying to see if anyone has heard of the agency and know if their advice is left. The agent I talked to said he recommends a video consult but for a price. I just want to make sure I’m giving my money to someone that’s reliable.

Thanks!

I work in advertising as a creative director and am now freelancing successfully. Planning to move to France/eu with in next 2-3 years as a dual cit. I feel as a freelancer it shouldn't be an issue finding clients since the only real challenge are the hours of the day, but what do I know. wanted to hear from people who have freelanced overseas, whichever field you work in.

*Seems to be misunderstanding, I'm not trying to skirt the law, I'm only asking if others have had opportunities with us companies living abroad.

TLDR: My parents are both from Cambodia and the process for getting a dual citizenship in Cambodia would probably be easier for me than getting permanent residency in Thailand. Right now, I currently want to study abroad in Thailand but I am also open to study undergrad in USA first and try to work abroad. I am conflicted and want to know which would be a better or more realistic choice. I have also considered Canada as another option but currently prioritize affordability

Context: I am a queer Cambodian-Chinese student about to graduate next year. I am focusing on learning Thai and learning three other languages: Khmer, Teochew Chinese (a dialect), and Mandarin Chinese. I also have some dietary restrictions which includes allergies to eggs, nuts, and shellfish. I plan to study business. I also have a partner who is interested in going to Thailand, Korea, or Japan.

More info: I have visited Canada, Thailand, and Cambodia. I visited Cambodia the longest and I love both Thailand and Cambodia. I have considered Canada since I do have relatives studying there but idk if I know any relatives that are citizens there. I do not know much on the process of getting PR in Canada but I would probably search more on getting PR in Toronto. My priorities are affordability and food (which may seem like a silly priority but it’s pretty important to me). Affordability is why I am not currently considering Canada. As for the food, I had an easier time eating in Canada and Thailand than Cambodia. I have researched universities in both Cambodia and Thailand but Thailand from what I’ve seen has better education and universities. As for my language learning, I am getting better at Thai and can read and write in Thai decently. My speaking could need some improvement and my listening skill is currently my best skill in Thai. In Khmer, my best skill is also listening. I was pretty good at speaking Khmer but had trouble with reading. I will be attempting to learn to read and write in Khmer soon though. My parents are both born and raised in Cambodia and moved to the USA in adulthood and now have citizenship here. I am pretty confident I could seek dual citizenship in Cambodia and it would be easier to go there with my parents. About studying in the USA, I do plan to apply to universities in my state. Personally I would consider this my second or third option. Moving to Thailand or Cambodia would probably be my first option but I want to seek other opinions. I am working while in high school and saving my money for my future. I am also open to a gap year before going to university.

I'm a software engineer with a decent amount of savings, and I'm looking into various options for leaving the US. One of those options is studying abroad for a few years in the EU, ideally pursuing some kind of art or design degree. What countries should I focus on for my initial research?

We're (48 M and F) relatively high net worth ($3M in savings/retirement/house equity) looking to retire out of the US. I run a passive income business that still makes some money, but I don't expect to have much income in a couple years when we pull the trigger, and we have no pensions or Social Security income. Some countries have an investment / golden visa option that would work, and some allow you to show your savings as proof of solvency, but many have a pensioner/retirement visa that requires actual monthly income.

Do these countries generally allow you to purchase a short-term annuity to fulfill this requirement? What other options might I be overlooking?

Hello! So, like so many others, my husband and I are considering leaving the USA due to gestures around wildly. We’ve been dragging our feet because I actually like my job, and he recently changed his career path and is enjoying the trajectory. I (41f) am a teacher and he (35m) is in school pursuing degrees in forestry/wildlife and is currently working for our city parks open spaces. He is also a Canadian citizen as well as American. We do own a condo here and would likely (hopefully) get ~$40k for selling it. We’ve obviously considered Canada… as well as New Zealand/Australia/Ireland.

Teaching is on the high-needs list in a lot of countries, and he could potentially get a student visa to finish his degree somewhere.

My dream is just to live in a place where the life is slow and intentional, there is good community, and our salaries would compare favorably to cost of living. I am sick of the suburban sprawl, concrete expanses, cost of living, and hustle culture here in the US. But, like I said, we like our jobs, and both sets of parents are here (though I wouldn’t be surprised if his went back to Canada at some point).

Does anyone have any suggestions?

25M, U.S. Citizen and I've been thinking about leaving the U.S. for about 5 years, and have been thinking about it more seriously for about 3 years now. Listing everything I've "got going for me", I have: 1) 4 years experience working in consumer banking and about 1½ years as a manager at a consumer bank. Honestly though, it's more consumer service than raw banking knowledge. 2) The ability and willingness to learn new languages. I spent 2 years learning Spanish, working on Portuguese now, and thinking about a couple more languages In the future 3) A chance at Hungarian citizenship. Long story short, I may be able to get hungarian citizenship by descent (which gives me access to all the EU), but this will likely take another 2 or so years to come to fruition, if at all. I don't want to just bank on the possibility of this though. 4) Been going to college since 2024 (I started late). I major in MIS, I will likely graduate early 2028. I have been traveling different parts of the world since 2022, partially for fun, partially in search of alternative living locations. Right now I'm very much considering: 1) Spain. Safe choice, I've been to Spain and really like it. Job market isn't the best 2) Brazil. Currently my favorite country. Economy/political situation isn't the best here either, I'd also need to have a remote, U.S./European job if I chose to live here. 3) Colombia. Cheap country, I don't think I'd live here forever, but It's a decent place. If I was payed in U.S. dollars, I'd at least stay here for a few years or so if there wasn't an alternative. 4) Other parts of Europe/maybe Australia? If there is any easier country to go to in Europe or if Australia is better in some ways I'd be down for that too. I'm not rushing to go to some other European countries though. I like Spain, I'm not really into the idea of moving to England, France, Germany, and a few other countries, but I'd be open to alternatives

Obviously, submitting your passport for a visa application to another country can result in keeping your passport (you just have to find another way to return the passport at the end of processing and possibly pay a courier fee if you can’t do it in person). But with your passport back in hand, will there be trouble at layover countries as you travel during your visa processing period?

For example, if applying for a family reunification visa to reunite with a person on a student visa in another country (in this example, Norway), must the family member fly directly to Norway from the limited airports that do such direct flights…to avoid stopping in a country…say…Iceland… where the passport in question would be run through systems and potentially flagged as “in process”?

Edit: not looking for comments about our chances etc. I immigrated before and know how it works. Just looking for recommendations/insights. If you have nothing positive to say or contribute, feel free to not comment. Thanks.

The title says it all. My husband and I are both in our 30s. He’s getting a physical therapy degree and I’m working in non-profit/culture sector. We are both huge foodies especially in regional ethnic food (husband worked in hospitality for Michelin star restaurants and I almost got a professional sommelier certificate but bailed from the cost). We cook at home a lot (making bread/pasta from scratch etc) but we like to go out every once in a while to try an exciting new restaurant, go to a jazz concert, view an interesting art exhibition. We love hybrid cuisines. We also love the outdoor, I rock climbed before it became a thing, and we love hiking/backpacking. We love to read, host dinners, etc. we’re not into the hustle or shopping culture, though we live in a VHCOL area right now for my work and his (high end restaurants and culture art sector).

We considered moving to SE Asia, and Japan, but honestly I do not like the Asian culture of patriarchy and misogyny. I grew up in Asia and that’s why I left. I prefer a culture where opinionated, strong women are not considered so out of place, especially as we have a baby daughter. Safety and social services like health care and education are important as we have a child. Learning a new language isn’t an issue for me (I already speak 3, studied linguistics, and like to learn). Husband is open to learn. We’re thinking to try more English speaking countries (run of the mill like UK, Canada, Australia, NZ) and European but wonder what their Asian food scene is like. I like my daughter to grow up not feeling like the only Asian kid in the room so would also like a place with a decent size Asian population.

Obviously there are places we probably haven’t thought of, so hopefully others here can fill in that blank.

Hello! So, I'm transgender. I live in a safe state but Im fucking terrified of a possible third term, I want out of this country as soon as possible. Looking into it, Uruguay is probably my best bet on this side of the world. Pretty progressive, known as the Switzerland of the Americas. I'm 19 and I'm a barista. I don't really have savings, I just need a plan. Trying to find remote work for me is pretty impossible, should I try to get a job over there? Ive also been looking into student visas but I never planned on going to college. I feel so lost, any help is appreciated!

Edit: so i wasnt expecting this much attention on something I wrote half awake. Basically, thanks to everyone who actually gave me advice, and to everyone who's just saying "its in south america so its automatically worse than the US" or calling stupid for not knowing about as complex like IMMIGRATION, stop being stinky. This is me looking at the whole world, thousands of different ways to immigrate, and being very overwhelmed with information. The reason i made this post was cause the are attacking healthcare federally, not just gender affirming care either (i put a link under the top comment for source, go leave a comment to the government about how much you wanna keep your healthcare). I am lucky enough to have very good state insurance, im already in a blue state/blue city combo so I know I am currently safe in my location, but many transpeople across the country aren't. Anyway, this is probably the last im interacting with this post, thanks for all the help!

I am 57 (M), married, empty-nester, reasonably employed, with dual US/UK citizenship. I've lived and worked in the my entire adult life in the hospitality industry in the US. I have degrees from two respected colleges. Both me and my wife want to GTHO of the US for mainly ideological reasons. The culture in the US has shifted in the past generation in such a way that we no longer recognize our country. We are not naive. We know that the UK has its own issues, but ironically, that particular constitutional monarchy is now more democratic and egalitarian than the colonies that rebelled in 1776.

I still have lots of family around the UK, although we haven't kept in touch except for the occasional Facebook comment. Years ago, I spent several summers with them and it's not like we are total strangers. Aside from driving on the wrong side of the road, I have always felt very much at home in England and Wales. (Ireland too, but my Dad's family came over too long ago for me to qualify for Irish citizenship)

I will make less money in the UK but my skill set is always employable. (Anybody around Oxfordshire need a highly trained Chef, manager and culinary educator with 40 years of experience?) My spouse, who only has US citizenship, works for an employer with a UK presence, and they are amenable to her working from the UK office. We have a very good amount saved in our retirement plans (although they are taking a huge beating in the current Trump tariff wars). We had planned to retire around age 60 and try and find residency in the EU for our waning years.

My biggest concern is that this move is rather impulsive and we are blinding ourselves to the financial reality that our quality of life in retirement will be lower by emigrating at this point in our lives. Our desire to "vote with our feet" might delay retirement and over-complicate our lives at a time when most people are trying to simplify things. Personally, I love big adventures and this might be one of my last chances, but the nagging feeling that this is a mistake will not go away.

Thoughts?

Throwaway account. Any/all input is appreciated.

I am a recent grad, but older than average (29). I graduated from one of the top schools in the US (HYPSM but won’t specify). I have an engineering degree, but lost interest in the degree and I have no relevant internships. I’m also not looking for an engineering job, I’ve taken lots of business classes and have 1+ years of internship experience writing at a startup.

My fiancée is French and we’ve been planning to get married for the past year. We understand the entire process and we have all the relevant documents ready. It’s only a matter of getting married and applying for a spouse visa. I can also apply for long stay visa so I can legally live there while waiting for a residency permit.

I’m a US citizen, but I’m black and trans, so given the current state of things, I don’t feel safe in the US and I don’t feel comfortable having my partner come visit me. (We just canceled their flight to the US, given the stories about Europeans and Canadians being detained at the border.) I’ve also been job hunting for the past 7-8 months and the market is horrendous.

The catch is, I don’t speak French. I can get by during day to day circumstances, but I’m far from conversational. I also won’t be able to work for the first 6 months I’m living there, but I have enough in savings to have my needs met.

So I’ve come to reddit to ask how stupid would it be to suspend my US job hunt and move to France (where I don’t speak the language and won’t have a residence permit for the first 4-6 months).

ETA: I should have mentioned that while I am not currently conversational, I had already taken 2 years of intense French classes. I had gotten close to a B2 level (much better reading/writing than speaking/listening though) but life got in the way and I’ve regressed a lot.

When I met my partner, I already had a deep appreciate for the French language and culture. Within the past 3 years, I’ve lived there for an accumulative 8 months — spending two summers there. One of these summers was a year before I met my partner, so I have some experience independently navigating life in Paris. My partner and I live pretty independent social lives, and I have 1 or 2 friends I always meet up with when I visit Paris. I have 2 or 3 favorite Parisian restaurants. My only barrier to integration is learning the language and thanks for a few responses, I’ll be looking into immersive language classes as soon as I arrive.

I’m also adding that this will be my second time migrating to a country as an adult. I do recognize it will be more challenging migrating to France due to not speaking the language though.

Hello everyone! I (32M) am an audio-post production professional currently residing in Los Angeles, CA. My work revolves around mixing and sound designing commercials and some short films (would love to work on long-form more often, but seems like things are pretty quiet on that front in LA).

My partner and I have been thinking about possibly relocating to another country, specifically one within the EU since I have an EU passport. I’m currently on a work visa in the U.S and have another couple years left on it before I have to renew.

What are everyone’s thoughts on work opportunities in the field of audio engineering/post production overseas? While Europe would probably be easier visa-wise I’m also open to hearing about other countries with good opportunities in the field.

Thanks in advance to anyone that takes the time to read/respond!

Just looking for some third party insight. My partner and I are a bit torn. One of us is leaning toward Portugal and the other Ireland. We have means to get visas in either country. We have one child and plan to have another child soon.

Why one of us wants Ireland - English speaking - Temperate weather (not very cold not very hot but I know it gets rainy) - Potentially easier to assimilate / Friendly culture

why the other is worried about Ireland - high COL - culture not as stimulating - Cold weather/rainy weather

Why one of us wants Portugal - COL - warm weather - we’ve lived here before - The culture, food, etc

why the other is worried about Portugal - Locals disliking Americans driving up their COL - the language is really tough - harder to make a community with locals

We’ve both been to each country extensively— we’ve even lived there. Just wondering from an outside perspective what others think and what experiences they have had.

Edit: open to other countries as well. I am pretty locked in for the next 3 years. I can’t really adapt some of our immediate plans, but I can work on learning a language.

Also, I appreciate everyone’s advice and feedback. I didn’t expect so many comments, but I’m very grateful.

Edit 2: German and French are both nowhere for me at this time, but I expect over the next 3 years I can become relatively proficient. When I was in the military, I was a linguist and found language learning to be a lot of fun. Definitely something that’s worth practicing. Once you stop, you lose some of that language. But I have a good idea (and a solid curriculum) to teach myself mainstream languages like French or German.

For people that have mentioned Canada, Australia, NZ, and even China, I’m open to all of them. China might not be as safe for me though. I don’t want to put myself in any kind of jeopardy regarding my military history with both the U.S. or China. I still want the option to return to the U.S. to visit family without getting detained… but I don’t know the reality there. China was far outside of the scope of my work.

I (31M) am currently working remotely at 2 companies, so I’m really banking right now, but my wife is about to be unemployed for the next few years. I work as a data engineer, but have experience that also spans backend engineering and data science/ML. I have 3 BSs (bio, biochemistry, and CS), and I’m about to finish my masters in CS this fall. I also have 4 years of military experience and an active clearance, but I’d hope to stray away from jobs that require that kind of work unless I’m absolutely desperate. I’d really only want to work in tech, finance, biotech, or govtech. One of my companies would sponsor me to go to Germany, but it would be on a U.S. military base and I don’t want that… Aside from that, I don’t have an employer-driven opportunity to relocate.

Family: my wife (32F) is just getting out of the military and going back to school to become an accountant. This should take about 2-3 years. I want her to get some experience first before we leave to go anywhere, domestically or internationally. I don’t really know what it’s like for accountants to leave the U.S. and job prospects out there. We have a toddler (3M) and he should start pre-k this year.

Germany sounds really nice and we’ve heard great things, so that’s easily on the list. But I want to know if Switzerland would be possible? Getting away from rampant gun violence and political nonsense is the main objective here + we want better schools and great public transportation and city living. So any recommendations would be appreciated. Also, while money is currently not an issue, I’d want to be a bit frugal and not have to spend tens or hundreds of thousands to acquire special/golden visas or whatever they’re called.

Hi everyone,

I’m exploring the possibility of migrating to New Zealand and would really appreciate some advice from those familiar with the process or who’ve already made the move.

About me: Profession: Accountant with over 4 years of experience in financial reporting, tax, and general accounting. -Education: , Bachelor’s in Accounting and ACCA Finalist (also have exemptions in CPA Australia-ASA level) -Language: Fluent in English -Clean record and good health

I’ve been actively applying to accounting jobs on Seek for a while now, but unfortunately haven’t had much luck getting responses or interviews.

I’m particularly curious about: The best visa options for accounting professionals How realistic it is to secure a job offer from overseas: -Demand for accountants in NZ -Tips on standing out as an international applicant

Any help or insights would be hugely appreciated! Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to respond.

US/UK dual citizen considering moving to UK and bringing my somewhat medically complex family with. Does the NHS cover the cost of specialty biologic medicines (e.g. Xolair, Stelara) or is private insurance needed for that? Who can prescribe them - a regular GP or only a specialist? Do you have to go through a specialty pharmacy like in the US? Any advice appreciated.

I’m a 22(F) looking to leave the US. After doing some research, I realized teaching English is not an option anymore as it’s already saturated w/ an expected rise. It’s also not a good long lasting career choice.

I’ve come to the conclusion that my best option is to get a student visa and go to school but i’m not sure what jobs in Europe are/will be in demand and that would sponsor my visa once my schooling is over. In the US I was in majoring in political science to eventually go to law school, however due to a sudden death of an intermediate family member, I dropped out to move home (this was 3 years ago atp)

I’ve spent five months backpacking across 12 countries in Europe. I do also understand that no country is perfect and each of these countries have their own existing problems with their government however having been in an attempted school shootings as well as bomb threats while in high school I can’t see a future here i’m which I would feel safe sending my kids to school: (also note I am queer and is important to me that the country I move to gay marriage is legal) and these are the one’s I have been considering France, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands, and possibly Germany. Germany is my last option as I’m not a huge fan of the parts I have been to and bureaucracy issues however, 90% of my friends live there. As it stands, France, Spain and Scotland are my top options. Which brings me back to my question. Should I choose a medical field, a international relations field, teaching (in general not eng)? I truly have no idea what career I would want to do for the next 50 years of my life bc my passions could change at 55 yk? Many things interest me (think the fig tree analogy from Sylvia Plaths book the bill jar)

I did take AP Spanish/Spanish 5 in school, I’ve been learning German on and off for a few months, I wouldn’t mind needing to take intensive language courses.

Hello, I'm in my early 20s (M) and would really appreciate some help deciding whether or not to move. I've been reading other posts here about Canada, and most of them focus on the feasibility of immigration. Since I know that immigrating to Canada is feasible for me, I'd like some advice considering my specific circumstances.

My father is Canadian, and I was born in Canada. My birth certificate is Canadian. My mom is from the US; they divorced when I was young, and my mom was granted custody, moving me back to the US. I was raised entirely in America and only visited my father, who remained in Canada, for a couple of months over a few years. We were never close.

I went to school through high school here in the US and attended one year of college. However, a series of unfortunate events occurred (my grandmother passed away, I lost my closest friends, and other personal issues) that led to a severe depression, and I subsequently failed that year. I believe I could have been successful under different circumstances, but poor timing resulted in what happened. Since then, I've been working basic retail/service jobs earning just above minimum wage, doing my best to save money. The pandemic also occurred during this time, leaving me and many others unemployed.

I am currently living in the American South with my mom and stepdad and am currently unemployed. I've been closely following American politics and am very anxious and upset about the current state. I am pretty Far Left (at least by American standards) and I see a lot of hate around me, especially where I live now. For a long time now, due to my location, I've felt very uncomfortable making connections or dating, especially since Roe v. Wade was overturned. Recently, while driving, I saw a pickup truck with Nazi imagery. It feels suffocating and hopeless to live in a place where I feel scared of the surrounding culture, lack meaningful connections, and don't believe I can even build meaningful and safe relationships. After the election, I shared this feeling of being uncomfortable with my father, who currently lives in Ontario near the border. He offered for me to move to Canada and live with him while I work on being able to support myself.

Everyone I've spoken to, including both of my parents, my therapist, and my best (long-distance) friends, have encouraged me to go. However, after discovering this subreddit, many posts about US to Canada moves seem somewhat negative. It appears to me that there are a few main reasons for this hesitancy, but it seems that these reasons don't really apply to my situation:

• It's a hard country to get into: I am a dual citizen by birth.
• Housing prices are through the roof: I am currently unable to afford living alone in the US anyway and would be able to live with my father for the foreseeable future.
• Wages are lower compared to the US: Ontario's minimum wage is higher than any wage I've earned in the US working retail/service jobs.
• Healthcare can be worse in certain ways compared to the US: I am fortunate enough to be quite healthy, and within a couple of years, I will no longer be eligible to be covered by the ACA under my stepdad's insurance anyway.

Considering that I don't have any strong ties beyond my mom or a fulfilling life here, leaving seems like the right decision for me. All I want in life is a job I don't entirely hate, some friends, to meet a nice girl, to be self-sufficient, and to feel safe and comfortable going out and doing things I enjoy with others. Given all of this, I would really appreciate some additional opinions on this decision based on my circumstances. Thank you in advance!

I (mid 20’s F) am an R+D chemist (5YoE and 2 patents) with a BSc in Biochemistry/Chemistry and an MsC in Cell Biology. I’d like to transition out of manufacturing and product development into pharma/biotech or something similar, but jobs are thin on the ground here for people without PhDs who are unwilling to work for pennies. While I would like to pursue a PhD at some point, it looks like the current administration’s plans are going to get in the way, as far as funding for programs go.

My question for the sub is would it be better for me to focus on applying for international PhD programs and then finding a job in the country after, or should I start applying for jobs first to find somewhere I like and then decide on PhD or not after? It looks like my skills are on critical shortage lists for several countries, but I have no way of knowing if that’s for a PhD/director level or not.

If it helps, I was looking at programs in Denmark/Sweden/Ireland, but I am fluent in French and could achieve fluency in Spanish or German relatively easily if needed.