The Tech Exodus Leaving America
Nearly a year after Covid made office culture fully remote, many America-based professionals have been thinking about moving abroad. Specifically, they are considering moving back to their respective home countries.
On Blind, the largest anonymous professional network, a professional at Salesforce posted, “Have you considered (during the pandemic) moving back to your home country? Before the pandemic, it made sense. I never thought I’d say this. I liked living here; I fit into American culture very well. But now I realize that during the pandemic or a tough situation, family is more important.”
According to data gathered by Blind from nearly 1,000 responses, 53% of the surveyed professionals have considered moving back to their home country during the pandemic. Another 17% of the surveyed professionals responded, “I want to but can’t (family, relationships, home mortgage, kids, money).”
32% of Apple professionals responded, “I want to but can’t (family, relationships, home mortgage, kids, money).” 69% of Cisco, 59% of Amazon, and 65% of Google professionals have considered moving back to their home country during the pandemic.
A user on Blind commented on the poll sharing, “Every time I come across a post about moving back to the home country, it almost always boils down to this. Either one manages to build a solid social circle in the country they immigrated to and are happy, or they didn’t manage to do so and yearn for the social life back home. All other reasons about visa, taxes, jobs, TC, affordability, etc., are then just a way to justify the move.”
A Blind user at Geico shared, “Not even a single day since the pandemic, I haven’t thought about going back home.”
A Blind user asked, “Should employers require proof of vaccination before returning to office?”
A Blind user shared, “I made the move 4 months back and couldn’t be happier. Saved close to 2m while working in the US for 8 years. Now back home and happy.”
A Blind user at Facebook shared, “yeah, I don’t know why I’m here either. Almost equal pay, closer to my parents, no racism, better infrastructure, everything in my hometown is better to me … Why I’m still there… I’m too lazy.”
There have been extensive conversations regarding the tech exodus out of cities like San Francisco and NYC. The primary narrative is that these professionals are going to more affordable cities like Austin and Miami. However, there is an untold story about the professionals who want to leave these cities and America all together to return to their home countries.