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Why people from developed countries immigrate to USA?

sheri1983

Member
First I don't oppose that but I would really would like to know the reason beneath it, I always have this question in my mind why people from countries that have high life expectancy, high quality of living, Great Healthcare move to the USA.
I mean I always confront people from Netherlands, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand happy to make the move to USA.
 
Well, I just deleted six long paragraphs giving my reasons. They're embarrassing first world problems and nobody needs to waste time wading through them. But I'm likely not representative of people from those countries: you're going to find as many reasons as there are prospective immigrants.

What I would say is that immigrating is a huge deal, and immigrating from a life of comfort and stability is usually done for what the immigrant considers to be reasons that are worth all the upset and cost.
 
There are many different reasons people from developed countries would want to immigrate to the USA, it will vary from person to person.

For me personally, there are a few reasons:

1) Career opportunities - I've studied media and I'm particularly interested in going into film/television and the opportunities here for this industry are severely limited.
2) Culture differences - The culture of the U.S. and Australia seem very similar from the outside, but they're not. At all. Warning: I am talking in generalisations here. In Australia, we like to bring people down when they're getting 'too' successful. In the U.S., peoples genuine fortunes and successes tend to be celebrated. In Australia, 'dreaming big' and 'hope' aren't really a thing here, whereas those are two fundamental things that help most people get by in the U.S., even when things may seem hopeless.The U.S. is a leader in innovation and creativity, Australia is not. Etc, etc, etc.
3) The people - I find Americans to be a lot more open and friendly than Australians. Some Australians have a tendency to be quite 'closed off.' To strike up a conversation with strangers here is not really socially acceptable, whereas in the U.S., I spent a lot of time travelling alone and people would would see that, hear my accent and would be interested to know more about my story. I really don't think we have that same kind of acceptance of outsiders and genuine interest in other people here.
4) Australia is TOO expensive!!!! - This is probably the least important part to me as I want to move to a city in the U.S. that's equally as expensive, but it's a big deal for a lot of other people. I generally don't mind paying a bit more if the price is warranted, but it's usually not. I don't know how many times in Sydney I've paid way too much for a subpar meal with even worse service.
5) The US is simply a more exciting and interesting place - Australia is a beautiful and comfortable country, but it can also be very boring. It's like living in a bubble disconnected from the rest of the world. But mind you, lots of people are very happy living in that bubble - it just depends on what you want with your life. :) We are isolated. You have to travel yonks to get anywhere interesting. The U.S. is very unique in that the country is so different. You can travel from Nashville to New York and feel like you're in two completely different countries. You just don't get that experience here. Going from Brisbane, to Sydney, to Melbourne, it's hardly any different. Everything is just on a bigger and more exciting scale in the U.S.

Mind you, I'm happy that I was born in Australia. I am fortunate and grateful as I know there are many people who would do anything to come here. Australia has been a terrific place to grow up as a child and a teenager (incredibly comfortable and easy lifestyle), but ultimately, now as a young adult I don't feel as if life in Australia is satisfying anymore. I hope this could be of some help to you. :)
 
Well, I just deleted six long paragraphs giving my reasons. They're embarrassing first world problems and nobody needs to waste time wading through them. But I'm likely not representative of people from those countries: you're going to find as many reasons as there are prospective immigrants.

What I would say is that immigrating is a huge deal, and immigrating from a life of comfort and stability is usually done for what the immigrant considers to be reasons that are worth all the upset and cost.

LOL! I'll see your embarrassing first world problems and raise you mine above. ;)

But the OP does ask a very valid question as yes, it would seem strange to want to move from an already privileged lifestyle. So I think it's worthwhile hearing what people have to say about it. I find it just as interesting myself.
 
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First I don't oppose that but I would really would like to know the reason beneath it, I always have this question in my mind why people from countries that have high life expectancy, high quality of living, Great Healthcare move to the USA.
I mean I always confront people from Netherlands, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand happy to make the move to USA.
There are a number of reasons why people would like to move from Australia & NZ.- families want to stay together, more opportunities, travelling, lifestyle etc. New Zealand is a beautiful place, but house prices are painfully high in Auckland where 2/3 of the population live, everything apart water is expensive, its hard to find employment if you are in rural places or abit out from Auckland city and other major cities, we have a wealth of natural resources, crime is incredibly low. People are still attracted to USA for loads of reasons. Some move away for experience, education. Some find attractive partners in usa for marriage.
 
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There are a number of reasons why people would like to move from Australia & NZ.- families want to stay together, more opportunities, travelling, lifestyle etc. New Zealand is a beautiful place, but house prices are painfully high in Auckland where 2/3 of the population live, everything apart water is expensive, its hard to find employment if you are in rural places or abit out from Auckland city and other major cities, we have a wealth of natural resources, crime is incredibly low. People are still attracted to USA for loads of reasons. Some move away for experience, education. Some find attractive partners in usa for marriage.
Your very lady sentence has made my day, you should see me grinning ear to ear.
You find those ones in Russia - that is according to their president.
 
LOL! I'll see your embarrassing first world problems and raise you mine above. ;)

But the OP does ask a very valid question as yes, it would seem strange to want to move from an already privileged lifestyle. So I think it's worthwhile hearing what people have to say about it. I find it just as interesting myself.

Yours aren't bad reasons at all. Mine were really pretty embarrassing!
 
I think all that warm weather just addles the brain. There's nothing like hadean cold, tornadoes and endless flat cornfields to focus the mind on greatness.


Yes and the experiment of the USA would agree with your theory. Some of the best educational institutions are located in grim cold parts to the North or the country and in general the southern states are not known for their intellectual achievements.
 
Yes and the experiment of the USA would agree with your theory. Some of the best educational institutions are located in grim cold parts to the North or the country and in general the southern states are not known for their intellectual achievements.

Then again we have 3 of the best engineering schools in the world - Stanford, Berkeley and Caltech - in CA ;) Plus some other excellent departments in various fields (including my own specialty) in the first two and some of the other UC schools.

As for the south, well... I have my own theory on that but it would upset certain posters to be explicit. Let's just say that there is something else other than hot weather that is typical of the South...
 
Yes and the experiment of the USA would agree with your theory. Some of the best educational institutions are located in grim cold parts to the North or the country and in general the southern states are not known for their intellectual achievements.

That's also why many good things come out of Germany...lol....due to crap weather....what can you do? > Work! Or: invent something. Haha. :D
 
Then again we have 3 of the best engineering schools in the world - Stanford, Berkeley and Caltech - in CA ;) Plus some other excellent departments in various fields (including my own specialty) in the first two and some of the other UC schools.

As for the south, well... I have my own theory on that but it would upset certain posters to be explicit. Let's just say that there is something else other than hot weather that is typical of the South...

LOL...

The "something else" is stupid people - but stupid people can be cultivated by amazing beaches, sunshine and a complete ban on books.

Oh, and CA is special. In Northern Cal we have good weather and books.
 
LOL...

The "something else" is stupid people - but stupid people can be cultivated by amazing beaches, sunshine and a complete ban on books.

Oh, and CA is special. In Northern Cal we have good weather and books.

Re stupid people - maybe better termed as wilful ignorance ...because of ...a certain factor that has nothing to do with beaches.

Yesterday I was chatting to 2 other now-local couples, one from elsewhere in the US, one from a European country (one of the damp ones). We kind of concluded there was nowhere really you'd want to leave to once you'd ended up in NorCal ;)
 
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