Poker Refugees first came onto the scene in 2011 after “Black Friday“, which went down in history as the day that online poker officially (and hopefully only temporarily) died in America. We witnessed history in real time as US-facing online poker and gaming sites were seized and shuttered overnight by the US Department of Justice. Since then, thousands of online poker players and sports bettors have escaped America to continue their lives and careers overseas, from friendlier and arguably freer countries. Many of them have used Poker Refugees to facilitate this move.
It was a controversial concept at first – moving abroad – but over time became the new normal.
Earlier in 2016, we saw history being made again as Donald Trump won the republican nomination for president and Hillary Clinton became the first female to win the democratic nomination. Almost instantly, voters on the right and the left started threatening to leave the country and googling how to move to Canada. Sound far fetched? Not so much. You can ACTUALLY move abroad if you want to. Millions of Americans already have voluntarily, simply based on the tangible benefits that life abroad offers (pre-political apocalypse).
Today, we collectively witnessed history yet again as one of the most polarizing political candidates ever – Donald J. Trump – became elected president. Half of the country will claim they want to move, and many actually will.
You may be asking yourself, can YOU move abroad? The answer could realistically be YES, especially if you are already a remote worker, freelancer, online entrepreneur or location-independent in some way.
Forbes estimates that there are already 53 million freelancers in America alone and by 2020, nearly 50% of the country’s workforce will be freelancing in some way (Hey, just in time for the next election!).
The concept of traipsing around the world, working from a laptop first exploded into public awareness back in 2007 with the publication of Tim Ferris’ The Four Hour Work Week. The lifestyle was already realistic back then. Nearly 10 years later, it’s no longer a pipe dream.
There’s even a widespread term for it these days: “Digital Nomads”.
Could you be one of us?
Some examples of remote jobs include:
- Blogger
- Computer programmer
- Consultant
- Data Analyst
- Financial Trader
- Graphic designer
- Online or Affiliate Marketer
- Online Sales: eBay, Amazon, Etsy, etc
- Professional Gambler
- Software Engineer
- Tech Support or Customer Service Agent
- Web Developer
- Writer
- YouTuber
- And 100,000 other job titles
So WHERE can you move to?
How long can you stay there?
You all have many questions, to be sure.
Here’s a list of our most popular time-tested and proven destinations.
Although absolute utopia doesn’t exist, it’s fun to look for it. Start here:
1. Canada: America’s neighbor to the north is easily the most obvious choice of where to move during a Trump presidency
PROS:
- Close to home
- Culturally similar to the US
- English!
- Great infrastructure for working online
- Nature everywhere
- Ski resorts galore
- Poutine – if you like french fries and/or cheese, you will like this
- The Prime Minister is pretty cool
- Tourist visas for up to 6 months per calendar year with a US passport
CONS: High cost of living in the major cities, strict immigration policies, difficult to get permanent residency, oh – and long (freezing cold) winters
2. Costa Rica: The land of pura vida has been a top retirement haven for decades, and for good reason
PROS:
- Easy flight from the US
- Fiber Optic internet now available
- Extensive rental market for short and long term furnished rentals
- Westernized culture and amenities
- English widely spoken
- Consistently ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world
- Did we mention it’s beautiful? CR is the #1 ecotourism destination with one of the best climates on the planet
CONS: One of the most expensive countries in Central America, rising crime rates, disenchanted long-term expats, bad roads
3. Mexico: We hear a lot about Mexicans coming to America, although many Americans are already living south of the border (maybe the wall isn’t necessary after all?)
PROS:
- Driving distance from the US
- Huge, diverse country with cities, beaches and mountains
- English widely spoken in border and beach towns
- Friendly, welcoming local people
- Very low cost of living
- Unlimited Mexican food and cerveza (duh)
CONS: Developing country with lower comparative standard of living, drug trade-related crime in certain areas, wide gap between rich and poor, inconsistent infrastructure and internet speeds around the country
4. Europe: It could be time to hop back over the pond
PROS:
- Highest standard of living in the world, especially in Scandinavia
- Variety of countries to suit any taste
- Drink beer or wine during your lunch hour – or anytime for that matter
- There are more Teslas than pick-up trucks
- Every conceivable amenity from shopping to restaurants to events to nightlife
- Tourist visas from 90 days in the Schengen Area to 180 days in UK & Ireland
CONS: Prohibitively expensive (ever been to Monaco?), locals aren’t known for being the friendliest in the world, very difficult to get permanent residency without familial ties or a lot of money
5. Australia/New Zealand: Life down under is looking up
PROS:
- American standard amenities and infrastructure
- Politically stable, safe, low crime rates
- Surfing & skiing
- Pubs overflowing with pints of beer
- English-speaking
- The Crocodile Hunter Zoo
- More sheep than people in New Zealand
CONS: High cost-of-living, different hemisphere and side of the planet, largely isolated from friends and family back stateside
6. Asia: China was a hot topic during the heated Trump-Clinton battle, but Asia has even more to offer
PROS:
- Extremely affordable – live on as little as $1,000/month or even less
- Never get bored: There are technically 48 nations in Asia – country hop!
- Any choice of climate from Siberia to Singapore
- Amazing food
- Miles of beaches
- Advanced telecom structure, especially in SE Asia
- Did we mention it’s cheap?
CONS: Visa restrictions can be tight with 30-day increments in many cases. Culture shock is an issue for many expats. Also, time zones are opposite the USA.
So there you have it – the world is your oyster! Sure, moving abroad even temporarily is a daunting undertaking, but that’s where we come in. We’ve been helping individuals move abroad for over 10 years – whether you want to go offshore for a month or forever.
Read a bit more about us here
Contact us here
