Poll: Have your views on moving abroad changed in the last 12–24 months?

By Benevolent_Rain @ 2025-09-26T07:30 (+21)

Much of EA’s funding, talent, and organizational infrastructure is concentrated in the US. If US political or social risks increase, this could affect both individuals and organizations.

Recently, the Sentinel team suggested that some people consider emigration or second residencies as part of personal risk planning.

For this poll, I’m especially interested in changes: people who weren’t thinking of moving abroad before, but now are. If this is happening at scale, it may be action-relevant for EA groups in stable democracies — e.g. by providing visa guides, hosting legal entities, or other resilience support.

How to use this poll:

Neel Nanda @ 2025-09-27T18:12 (+8)

Your poll seems to exclude non US citizen, US residents, who are the most interesting category imo

Benevolent_Rain @ 2025-09-29T08:15 (+2)

Thanks Neel, I totally agree. I hope me updating the relevant answers to "U.S. citizens or green card/work permit holders" is not too hard to understand.

Benevolent_Rain @ 2025-09-26T07:40 (+2)

Non-US (HIC) – not considering moving abroad

Benevolent_Rain @ 2025-09-26T07:40 (+2)

Non-US (MIC/LMIC) – not considering moving abroad

Benevolent_Rain @ 2025-09-26T07:40 (+2)

Non-US (MIC/LMIC) – started considering moving abroad in the last 12–24 months

Benevolent_Rain @ 2025-09-26T07:40 (+2)

Non-US (HIC) – started considering moving abroad in the last 12–24 months

Benevolent_Rain @ 2025-09-26T07:32 (+2)

U.S. citizens or green card/work permit holders – not considering moving abroad

Benevolent_Rain @ 2025-09-26T07:32 (+2)

U.S. citizens or green card/work permit holders – started considering moving abroad in the last 12–24 months

Wyatt S. @ 2025-10-13T23:06 (+3)

a. Probably Canada or Australia/NZ.

b. Lack of ability to do good in authoritarian/anti-science (in particular related to vaccinations and medicine) regimes is the first factor. The second factor is questioning/fluctuating gender identity, which may cause me to be targeted.

Additional Notes: I think I started making serious efforts around June 2024, but I thought the authoritarianism would be seriously limited, so for the sake of my mental health, I decided not to transfer colleges. So far, it seems like most tell-tale signs of authoritarianism (threats to invade countries, kidnappings off the streets) have come to pass. So I am now trying to move again, hopefully by this winter or spring.

Benevolent_Rain @ 2025-10-14T06:07 (+2)

I am really sorry to hear that it got this bad. I must admit I did not actually consider the diversity of our community's experiences when crafting this poll, and instead wrote just quickly, knee-jerk from a white, het-cis, male perspective but you point out that the situation might be much worse for people affected more directly by the aspects you point out and might also extend to reproductive rights and more. I really hope you will soon find a place where you are safe and I feel a bit inadequate for not having capacity to do more than write these words.