NationStates Jolt Archive

So, with all this talk of immigrants, emmigration and immigration, let's turn the tides of this debate onto YOU.

Do you think you could improve your life by becoming an immigrant to another country?

If so, what reasons do you give for wanting to leave your new country, where would you like to emmigrate to, and what are the reasons this country appeals to you? Also, do you think you'd suffer discrimination?

Well, have fun.

As for me....Well I think I'll start:

I really like living in America, however, if I had to become an immigrant, I think I'd try to move to Switzerland. I already have connections there, and will be staying there during this summer and probably the following Christmas break. I really like the language, and while it is not exactly the German I know, I already have an advantage to learning Swiss-German. I already am knowledgable of the politics and economics of the nation, and think its a beautiful nation. My only complain would be its terribly difficult to become rich in Europe. However, I think (if I get rich here first) I'd move to Switzerland for the better community it offers. I'd love to raise my family there, and feel they would be brought up much better in a Swiss community than in the nonexistant community in this country. I don't think I'd be discriminated against too badly. I feel I'd get good at Swiss-German pretty fast, and I already have connections to the country, and understanding of their culture. I'm a bit too tall for a Swiss, but other than that, I should be just fine.....of course I'd never be a native, but I think I'd be a good immigrant.:)

Oh, and I'm talking about the German region of Switzerland.

Comment, debate, and try it yourself!

I think I'll stay in Canada...

but if i MUST Immigrate somewhere....UK, because they speak english there and cause.....Europe is cool

I think I'll stay in Canada...

but if i MUST Immigrate somewhere....UK
...yeah..but do the rest of the OP....

Financially (assuming I do the teaching thing for the rest of my life, which I can't be positive of yet), I would do better moving to Japan.
Not sure what the discrimination level would be.

If I go my other potential route (hospitality), US or Canada is probably the easiest to get going in.

Financially (assuming I do the teaching thing for the rest of my life, which I can't be positive of yet), I would do better moving to Japan.
Not sure what the discrimination level would be.

If I go my other potential route (hospitality), US or Canada is probably the easiest to get going in.

Where do you live now?

I love America and would never leave, but if for some reason I had to... say, attempting to assassinate President-elect Clinton... :cool: I would move to Australia. I visited Brisbane and the Gold Coast during the WESTPAC deployment of '06, and it was awesome. The people are friendly, the beaches are beautiful, the kangaroos are... creepy, and the women are HOT! And they're in shape, unlike most chicks here in the US. :mad:

Plus, they're the most conservative english-speaking country in the world! Jackpot! :p

*clears throat*

I am already a first generation immigrant. My family moved from China to Canada when I was 10 years old to seek better financial opportunities, and give me a better learning environment. Schooling in China, with its massive population, is hardcore drilling of difficult material in every subject. There is a very high suicide rate of high school students, because before they can go into college, they have to do an exam (like the SAT) which completely determines what university and major they will be admitted into. Without the education of a good university, in an environment that competitive, they won't be able to find good enough jobs to support themselves in the future. My parents didn't want me to go through that, so they tried their hardest to move our family to an English speaking country, where I can also learn to speak English fluently, a skill viewed as invaluable in China. At the same time, the Canadian economy is more stable and it's easier to find a higher paying job here than in China, and my parents wanted to improve our financial situations. Finally, the university research here is considered to be more high tech and cutting edge than those in China (because of the drilled "you do what we tell you" way of education), and my parents thought I would have more of a future here.

So basically, my parents went through hell to get me to a better place. God, I feel like crap now. :(

Where do you live now?

Boston.

hmm, i would emigrate to new zealand. i have family connections there and i have plenty of friends and acquaintances from there. i absolutely love the country and i would throw myself wholeeartedly into any endeavor that would enable me to stay. the other option is cyprus, i have academic connections (potential professional connections) there and a knowledge of, and sigificant interest in, the archaeology of the region. i also love the island and the food and the climate.

Well, i live in Canada and my life is pretty good the way it is. If i found a great job somewhere else though, one that i loved, i'd be willing to move. I wouldn't really want to go that far though, so the United States is probably the farthest away i'd move. I love New York City, i'd move there if i had a reason to.

I don't think my life would necessarily be better if i left though. I could use a full-time job instead of the part-time one i have now, but i may be getting another part time one starting in August right in my community, so it's not like i have to leave for that.

I alreasy did improve my life by moving to a different country.

I see no reason for emigrating, as I have a very nice and free life under a decent government here... but if I had to, I guess Norway would do nicely employment and freedom-wise. Outside of Scandinavia, there is Quebec (qu'il vive libre!), Montreal in particular. It has a vibrant gay community and several top-notch hospitals.

I am an immigrant. from London originally. I moved as soon as i turned 18 to Spain.

Reasons? well my father is spanish. i only spoke basic spanish but i was already fluent in french so i did'nt think it would be too difficult. i liked the people, prefered the culture/lifestyle. I saw in spain what i no longer saw in england. Community, optimism, friendliness and change.

I might move to Canada if things get too uncomfortable for me here, financially or otherwise. Or if the fascist dictatorship gets more pronounced here in the US. Not that Canada will be safe, but at least it won't be a party to it until the Anschluss...

I guess Canada because the wimmenz can go topless. Also! Less focus on religion.

I love America and would never leave, but if for some reason I had to... say, attempting to assassinate President-elect Clinton... :cool: I would move to Australia. I visited Brisbane and the Gold Coast during the WESTPAC deployment of '06, and it was awesome. The people are friendly, the beaches are beautiful, the kangaroos are... creepy, and the women are HOT! And they're in shape, unlike most chicks here in the US. :mad:

Plus, they're the most conservative english-speaking country in the world! Jackpot! :p

If given the chance I would leave, if only because of the fact that people like Ustasha want to move here.

I'm already living high on the hog here in the U.S., so I probably can't "improve," but if I had to take a step down without really damaging my quality of life, I guess Western Europe, England, or Canada. Perhaps Australia or NZ - they're also similar.

If given the chance I would leave, if only because of the fact that people like Ustasha want to move here.

With a name like "ustasha" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usta%C5%A1e), you should be able to see the troll for what it is a kilometre away...

With a name like "ustasha" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usta%C5%A1e), you should be able to see the troll for what it is a kilometre away...

Doesn't change the fact that what he said was generally true.

Doesn't change the fact that what he said was generally true.

Queensland isn't that bad. I mean, it's no New South Wales, but...

With a name like "ustasha" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usta%C5%A1e), you should be able to see the troll for what it is a kilometre away...

Amazing spot. Totally dismissed anything that this idiot could ever say.

Some sort of award for troll-spotting should be yours...or an award to be named the 'Fass award for troll-spotting' to be awarded by yourself immortalising this ability of yours...

:D

Australia. I am accustomed to the climate, being from South Africa, and the way of life in general. I like its cultural influences, its relatively good job prospects, its open society and the cute guys with their peculiar accents. :) The only thing I am loath to even think of are the various arachnids populating the continent.

Amazing spot. Totally dismissed anything that this idiot could ever say.

Some sort of award for troll-spotting should be yours...or an award to be named the 'Fass award for troll-spotting' to be awarded by yourself immortalising this ability of yours...

:D

Done.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/DarkSideOfTheSpoon/award.jpg

Done.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/DarkSideOfTheSpoon/award.jpg



Absolutely fucking marvellous.

I guess Canada because the wimmenz can go topless. Also! Less focus on religion.

I must not live in Canada cause I don't see no topless wimmen?!

Amazing spot. Totally dismissed anything that this idiot could ever say.

Some sort of award for troll-spotting should be yours...or an award to be named the 'Fass award for troll-spotting' to be awarded by yourself immortalising this ability of yours...

:D

I'm an idiot and a troll... huh... thanks for flaming someone who's political beliefs differ from yours. You're so open minded! :rolleyes:

I'm an idiot and a troll... huh... thanks for flaming someone who's political beliefs differ from yours. You're so open minded! :rolleyes:

Actually your cute hinting about assassinating Clinton was a bit more than a political belief. I'd watch saying dumb shit like that.

Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt. Literally.

Actually your cute hinting about assassinating Clinton was a bit more than a political belief. I'd watch saying dumb shit like that.

Whatever... if someone made a similar crack about Bush and I scolded them for it, you'd all be crying censorship. Forget it, it's not worth my time.

I'm an idiot and a troll... huh... thanks for flaming someone who's political beliefs differ from yours. You're so open minded! :rolleyes:

There's a difference between being closed minded and rationally concluding that a belief is flawed.

Whatever... if someone made a similar crack about Bush and I scolded them for it, you'd all be crying censorship.

I don't think I would.

Forget it, it's not worth my time.

Of course, your time is greatly valuable and cannot be wasted on such things as internet forums.

Doesn't it say in the Bible not to oppress immigrants?

Exodus 22: 20, or 21 I think...maybe I should do a thread? What do you folks think?

Plus, they're the most conservative english-speaking country in the world! Jackpot! :p

... we are? :confused:

No. No, I don't think so. :rolleyes:

Nah, I like it here in Australia. If I had to immigrate, it might be to somewhere like Hong Kong or Singapore, though. I prefer the urban to the rural, after all.

Do you think you could improve your life by becoming an immigrant to another country?

I am an immigrant.

Also, do you think you'd suffer discrimination?

I haven't suffered any discrimination...not directly noticeable...there's been some subtle sniggering from some casual acquaintances..

But we, legal immigrants, are being discriminated by the govt, in favor of illegal immigrants. :(

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indians_now_face_a_Green_Card_gridlock/articleshow/2072510.cms
WASHINGTON: The fate of tens of thousands of high-skilled Indian professionals waiting to be permanent US residents is being sidelined in an immigration debate that is heavily tilted in favor of illegal workers, according to advocates of high-tech immigration and Indian activists.

Close to 450,000 Indian professionals are caught up in the H1-B-Green Card gridlock, but the immigration bill currently being debated in Congress will exacerbate their agony instead of resolving the matter, activists
for the skilled immigrants lobby say.

Despite the support of US high-tech companies such as Microsoft and Cisco, and business-industry lobbying groups, the ongoing debate centers mainly on the 12 million mostly illegal immigrants, who, under the new proposals being mooted, will jump ahead of high-skilled Indians and qualify to become US citizens. ...
..
Vinod Agarwal's immigration saga is a typical narrative that describes the tortured lives of the nearly half million young Indians mired in the great wrangle currently roiling the United States.

Vinod came to the 'States for his masters' degree in 1997 on an F-1 student visa and changed to an H1-B visa when he was hired by a U.S tech company in 2000. In 2001, his employer started the process to help him secure a permanent resident visa, or Green Card, the first step towards eventual US citizenship.

Thanks to a gridlock arising from complicated rules and a huge backlog, this process, now five years old, could take another two to three years. Among the big hurdles: a yearly limit of 140,000 on employment-based Green Cards for skilled workers.

To further stymie things, no more than seven per cent of Green Cards – less than 10,000 -- are allowed to be allocated to immigrants (including their spouses and children) from any one country. The per-country limitation was meant to avoid monopolization by any one country, but it puts a crimp on countries such as India, China and Russia, which send far more high skilled workers to the US than others.

Because of this mess, Vinod has had to put a hold on some of the most important decisions in his life – like marriage, or making investment commitments. And because his Green Card process is tied to his employer, he cannot make career moves and has to put a lid on his entrepreneurial ambitions and options.

So, a decade after he came to the land of opportunity, Vinod is still a guest, although the contribution of his ilk to the American economy is a matter of record.

According to a recent study, 24% of all the US patents filed from the US are by foreign nationals on temporary visas. Nearly a quarter of tech companies in Silicon Valley are started by skilled professionals who came to the US on H1-B visas.

If Vinod and his type thought the new immigration bill now being debated in the US Congress could address their plight, the were mistaken. The bill, say Immigration Voice activists, has been hijacked by advocates for restricting high-skilled immigrants and those promoting vote bank politics.

"Illegal immigrants are sucking all the air in the room," adds Vikas Chowdhury, a tech professional also caught in the Green Card imbroglio. "The message from the US Senate to legal, skill based immigrants is, 'so long suckers!"

I myself have been here for 4 years now...2 years as student and 2 years as a professional. I haven't filed for Green card yet, because I don't want to be stuck with my current company. Several of my friends who have filed for GC 5 years ago are still waiting...I am not sure if I want to go thru that..

Seriously considering not to file for GC and go back to India after the second term of H1 (another 4 years from now).

That is sad.

I would go to Canada.

Well, I live in Canada now, but if I were to emmigrate I think I would choose to move to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Same personal head of State (though in right of another independent nation), and similar customs and a shared heritage—I think it would be quite comfortable.

Being in Canada, I'm quite happy at the moment, and can't really think moving would improve my quality of life. If I had to immigrate somewhere, I'd go to the UK, because of British accents, British humour, and I wouldn't have to pay all the extra I must pay when I buy tea and candies imported from Britain at the British store downtown.

A year ago, realizing we could pretty much move anywhere in the world we wanted, my girlfriend and I looked around to see where would be best. Our conditions were:

1. Warm to hot weather
2. By the sea
3. International city
4. Open job prospects
5. Highly digital

We came down to San Francisco, Sydney, Singapore, HK and Valencia. Valencia could be interchangeable with Barcelona but I have fuzzy feelings towards Valencia for some reason and it's not so far away from Barcelona.

We settled on HK for its low tax rate, lack of bother and proximity to great holiday destinations, especially diving. I would have settled in Sydney if it wasn't so far away from everywhere though.

It's never been easier to emigrate and it'll probably do anyone a world of good, even if just for a short period.

Better the fool who's sent to roam than the one who's kept at home.

It's never been easier to emigrate and it'll probably do anyone a world of good, even if just for a short period.

Better the fool who's sent to roam than the one who's kept at home.
Good on you. :)

A year ago, realizing we could pretty much move anywhere in the world we wanted, my girlfriend and I looked around to see where would be best. Our conditions were:

1. Warm to hot weather
2. By the sea
3. International city
4. Open job prospects
5. Highly digital

We came down to San Francisco, Sydney, Singapore, HK and Valencia. Valencia could be interchangeable with Barcelona but I have fuzzy feelings towards Valencia for some reason and it's not so far away from Barcelona.

We settled on HK for its low tax rate, lack of bother and proximity to great holiday destinations, especially diving. I would have settled in Sydney if it wasn't so far away from everywhere though.

It's never been easier to emigrate and it'll probably do anyone a world of good, even if just for a short period.

Better the fool who's sent to roam than the one who's kept at home.
I would have chosen Sydney.

Of course. England is depressingly mediocre in all regards, embraces weakness and apathy, and is now reknowned the world over for the delightful phenomenon known as "chav". Hence, given the lack of any genuine principled politician in the UK with the ability to reverse the decline, I'm leaving as soon as physically possible after university, after which I intend to laugh at the stupidity of the "common man" in Britain and the utter mess he elected himself into.

I must not live in Canada cause I don't see no topless wimmen?!

It's perfectly legal but not commonly practiced.

Of course. England is depressingly mediocre in all regards, embraces weakness and apathy, and is now reknowned the world over for the delightful phenomenon known as "chav". Hence, given the lack of any genuine principled politician in the UK with the ability to reverse the decline, I'm leaving as soon as physically possible after university, after which I intend to laugh at the stupidity of the "common man" in Britain and the utter mess he elected himself into.
Unless you can speak another language (Danish, German....)...I'd suggest you move to Australia, or the Midwest of America. Both free, and not a tad bit entangled in the problems that you encounter in England as England is.

So, with all this talk of immigrants, emmigration and immigration, let's turn the tides of this debate onto YOU.

Do you think you could improve your life by becoming an immigrant to another country?

If so, what reasons do you give for wanting to leave your new country, where would you like to emmigrate to, and what are the reasons this country appeals to you? Also, do you think you'd suffer discrimination?

Well, have fun.

As for me....Well I think I'll start:

I really like living in America, however, if I had to become an immigrant, I think I'd try to move to Switzerland. I already have connections there, and will be staying there during this summer and probably the following Christmas break. I really like the language, and while it is not exactly the German I know, I already have an advantage to learning Swiss-German. I already am knowledgable of the politics and economics of the nation, and think its a beautiful nation. My only complain would be its terribly difficult to become rich in Europe. However, I think (if I get rich here first) I'd move to Switzerland for the better community it offers. I'd love to raise my family there, and feel they would be brought up much better in a Swiss community than in the nonexistant community in this country. I don't think I'd be discriminated against too badly. I feel I'd get good at Swiss-German pretty fast, and I already have connections to the country, and understanding of their culture. I'm a bit too tall for a Swiss, but other than that, I should be just fine.....of course I'd never be a native, but I think I'd be a good immigrant.:)

Oh, and I'm talking about the German region of Switzerland.

Comment, debate, and try it yourself!Hard to get rich in Europe... you do realise that Switzerland is quite separate to most of Europe (EU). And that a fair few people in Switzerland are hideously rich - having mansions... with nuclear bunkers... complete with wine cellar... ie. the wine cellar is inside the bunker. So if the worst comes to the worst at least you'll die merry. Unless of course you're a violent drunk.

Just to finish off. You are familiar with the term 'swiss bank account', akin to terms such as 'offshore bank account' and 'the cayman islands'. GDP per capita is above $33k, and in one canton the total top rate income tax is 22%.

However, I hear from a Brtish born Swiss citizen that the Swiss are qutie insular and quite xenophobic in some respects. Good luck being an immigrant there.

edit: I'd probably brush up on my Spanish and move to the North East of Spain.

Unless you can speak another language (Danish, German....)...I'd suggest you move to Australia, or the Midwest of America. Both free, and not a tad bit entangled in the problems that you encounter in England as England is.

French is good, but I rather think that would defy the point of immigrating. New Zealand has always seemed terribly appealing actually.