Why Americans Are Moving Abroad

Americans are moving abroad. And, they are packing up and heading for foreign lands at an accelerating pace. According to U.S. Department of State figures, between 1966 and 1999 the number of Americans living abroad skyrocketed from just 70,000 to an estimated four million. Fourteen years later, the U.S. Department of State again released estimates of the number of American expats living abroad. The new government estimate (January 2013) placed the American expat population at 6.89 million, about a 68 percent increase over the 1999 estimate and a 9.4 percent increase over its 6.3 million estimate in July 2012.. In fact, if all American expats were placed in one state, it would be the fourteenth most populous state in the U.S.

What is motivating us to give up the comforts of home in America to venture into new worlds far from home? We wanted to know so we asked over 200 Americans who said they were actively planning or considering a move abroad. By far the strongest motivations centered on a desire for a sense of adventure and a need for new experiences. Half of those we surveyed said either they wanted a lifestyle change or wanted a new life adventure. Four out of ten said they wanted to experience a new culture. Americans are moving abroad - or want to move abroad - primarily because adventure is calling. Nearly 38 percent said they were looking for a lower cost of living or just wanted to live in another country. Surprisingly, nearly one-third said they were looking for a new business opportunity.

It is not a surprise, however, to author John Wennersten who penned the book “Leaving America: The New American Expatriate Generation.” “Many Americans who relocate are in some ways pioneers looking for a new West,” Wennersten said. ”They are also participants in a larger international development, a global shift that is fostering real economic growth in neglected areas of the world like Latin America, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia.” With technology developments that have brought the Internet, Skype, satellite television and other communication services to even remote corners of the world, Americans can live and work virtually anywhere. Wennersten points out in his book that enterprising Americans are starting a record number of small businesses in many areas of the globe.

Having lived in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for nearly seven years I can attest to the entrepreneurial success of Americans in businesses as diverse as publishing, restaurants, real estate firms, coffee shops, furniture stores and countless other business ventures. Many Americans are moving abroad for the challenge of starting a new business. Our My International Adventure contributor story about starting a business in Puerto Vallarta is a great example of American entrepreneurship.

Living abroad is not all a bed of roses, though. “Although the adventures of American expats are intriguing and appeal to our romantic sensibility, there is a counterpoint to the expatriate game that often does not find its way into travel magazines and lifestyle sections of the American press. Living abroad is not without its difficulties. Even fairly welcoming countries like Canada, France and Japan can test the patience and resolve of the expatriate,” Wennersten said.

Whether you are following your heart to a new life adventure or your head to a new business opportunity, be realistic about setting your expectations for life abroad. Use our guide to help plan your move and prepare you for living and working in that special new place in another city in another country that you will soon call home.