The decision to stay in one's country despite governmental shortcomings is a complex issue. People often endure governments that mismanage resources, fail to ensure safety, or weaken the economy, thereby limiting future opportunities. Despite these challenges, the emotional ties to one's homeland, family, and culture can be a powerful deterrent against emigration. Like the metaphorical frog in slowly boiling water, some may not perceive the gradual decline in their situation until significant opportunities for change, like immigration, become less feasible.

An estimated 230,000 Israelis left the country following the October 7th attacks. Some departed temporarily, seeking respite from the war, while others, having lost faith in the army, aimed to start anew abroad, though they hadn't yet figured out how to make their sojourn permanent.

The families are spending a week in Windsor as the Jewish federation introduces them to local community members and shows them around the city in an effort to convince them to settle here. The organization held an event for them Monday night at the Jewish Community Centre to meet people, including others who recently made the move.

Dan Brotman has journeyed across continents, not as a tourist, but as a citizen-in-the-making. Three times he has packed my life into suitcases, leaving behind the familiar for the allure of the unknown. Each move was driven by a unique reason, and each country has contributed to the fabric of the person he is today.

Three years ago, Dan embarked on a significant life transition, moving from South Africa to Canada. This decision was influenced by a combination of push factors from South Africa, including economic mismanagement, the closure of his travel business due to the pandemic, and political instability, and pull factors to Canada, such as its stable economy, safety, and good governance. Reflecting on the journey, he feels liberated from the concerns he felt in South Africa, and is confident in the choice they made, even as he anticipates an upcoming return visit to South Africa.

The escalating conflict between Israel and Gaza has starkly demonstrated the potentially life-saving value of foreign citizenship. It's not just about being on one side of the conflict or another, but also about the enhanced protection and potential escape routes foreign nationality can offer.

As political and cultural polarization intensifies in the U.S., more Americans are mulling over the idea of relocating to foreign shores, though fewer actualize this thought. Recent data from Gallup International reveals a rise from 10% during the Obama era to 16% in the Biden administration expressing the desire to permanently settle abroad. Of those who do relocate, Canada is a top choice, with its merit-based immigration system contrasting the U.S. family-centric model. Beyond North America, many are drawn to the UK and Australia, valuing the work-life balance, inclusivity, and safety these nations offer.

Dan Brotman obtained four citizenships by the age of 36, but that’s far from the most interesting aspect of his journey. Dan’s travels have taken him through countries such as North Korea and Afghanistan, allowed him to vote in foreign countries ranging from South Africa to the US, serve in a foreign military, and later fly helicopters with his previous sworn enemy. A fascinating discussion that takes us around the globe and eventually lands in Canada, where we chat about the new Canadian digital nomad visa and the launch of Rootless Mobility.

Visit any hip European, Latin American or Asian capital city nowadays, and you’re bound to find an increasing number of American Millennial (born 1981-1986) expats working for their US employers, with no plan to return home in the near future. According to the “Deloitte Global 2022 Gen Z and Millennial Survey”, 47% of Millennials are living paycheck to paycheck and worry that they will not be able to cover their expenses. The proliferation of work from anywhere policies as the result of the pandemic, culminating with a skyrocketing cost of living in the US, has spawned a new generation of American remote workers who have redesigned their lives and finances to stretch their US dollars further and quench their thirst for adventure.