Record Number of Americans and Canadians Want to Move Abroad, Gallup Study Finds

The desire to move to a different country is holding strong around the world, with nearly one in six adults worldwide saying they would leave their home country if they could. That's about 900 million people globally — 16% of the adult population — who say they'd move permanently if given the chance, a figure that hasn't changed much in recent years but is higher than a decade ago, according to a new survey.

Gallup's report, based on interviews with nearly 146,000 people across 142 countries in 2023, highlights that this movement isn't limited to regions where people have historically moved away, like Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. The desire to migrate is also growing in places like the U.S. and Canada, which are known as top destinations for newcomers. The data reflects what some might already feel is in the air: migration levels are hitting records, a trend that picked up speed again as COVID-19 restrictions eased.

In Latin America, while migration desire has dropped slightly from the peak of 34% in 2021 and 2022, it remains high at 28% — a sharp increase from 18% in 2011. The recent dip is largely because fewer people in countries like Mexico, Brazil, and Venezuela are looking to leave. However, in Ecuador, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, nearly half of adults still express a desire to migrate, according to the survey.

In the U.S. and Canada, migrant-receiving regions, the numbers are climbing, too. The desire to migrate in Canada has more than doubled since 2011, hitting a record 20% this year. In the U.S., 17% of adults say they would like to move elsewhere, significantly up from 10% a decade ago and close to an all-time high.

Meanwhile, sub-Saharan Africa is seeing some of the highest migration interest in the world. Here, 37% of adults say they'd like to leave, up from 29% in 2011. Countries like Liberia, Ghana, and Nigeria top the list, with migration desire remaining strong across the region.

While the U.S. remains the most desired destination, with 18% of potential migrants saying they'd prefer to move there, interest has decreased slightly since 2017. Canada follows closely as the second most popular destination, drawing interest from about 9% of potential migrants globally.

Gallup's findings highlight a clear divide between the dream of moving and the reality. Not everyone who dreams of migrating has the means or opportunity to go, and the gap between "wanting" and "moving" is wide given financial and logistical barriers.