REAL Reason Gen Z Is Leaving America (63% Want Out) (YouTube Video Transcript)

(00:00:00) Your YouTube transcript will appear here (00:00:00) Gen Z is packing its bags and checking (00:00:02) out of the United States. Millions of (00:00:04) young people are looking beyond the (00:00:06) stars and stripes, chasing a new life (00:00:08) somewhere else. What's driving this (00:00:10) exodus? On this episode of the (00:00:11) Infographic Show, we're explaining why (00:00:13) so many Gen Z Americans want to leave (00:00:15) the country. Travel is a right of (00:00:17) passage for the young, whether you can (00:00:19) afford it or not. Many generations have (00:00:21) fond memories of backpacking through (00:00:22) Europe, staying at lowcost host, and (00:00:25) couch surfing when needed. For earlier (00:00:27) generations, it was just a quick (00:00:28) adventure before returning home, going (00:00:30) to college, and building a life, then (00:00:32) worrying about when their own kid (00:00:34) backpacked through Europe. But Jenz (00:00:36) isn't looking for a vacation. It's (00:00:38) looking for an escape. Unlike the (00:00:40) generations before them who struggled, (00:00:42) but still felt they had a place, Jenzie (00:00:44) doesn't feel left behind. It feels like (00:00:46) the world simply isn't built for them (00:00:48) anymore, and the American dream is (00:00:50) slipping out of reach. And that has made (00:00:52) them wonder, does it need to be the (00:00:54) American dream? Gen Z is known to be by (00:00:57) far the most econic and pessimistic (00:00:59) generations. While millennials are often (00:01:01) fatalistic about their future, Gen Z (00:01:03) simply thinks the system itself isn't (00:01:05) working anymore. Something new needs to (00:01:07) be built or found elsewhere. But the (00:01:09) discontent is across the board. A recent (00:01:12) poll shows 75% of Americans are more (00:01:15) stressed about the country's future than (00:01:16) in previous years, and that can (00:01:18) translate to physical symptoms linked to (00:01:20) stress and anxiety. The stress may be (00:01:22) getting too much for people and so it (00:01:24) makes sense to look for a healthier (00:01:26) place. But how realistic are those (00:01:28) dreams? Currently four out of 10 (00:01:30) Americans report that they have (00:01:31) considered leaving the country in the (00:01:33) next few years. However, those numbers (00:01:34) shift dramatically by age. Approximately (00:01:37) 25% of Gen X and 26% of baby boomers are (00:01:40) considering the move and those low (00:01:42) numbers aren't a surprise. These (00:01:44) generations are older and much more (00:01:46) likely to be settled in with a job and a (00:01:48) family. Upending your life on a whim is (00:01:50) a massive undertaking and it's far less (00:01:52) likely to be possible when you have so (00:01:54) much left behind. But for the younger (00:01:56) generations, they may feel like there is (00:01:58) nothing to lose. As you go down the (00:01:59) list, the numbers get shocking. 52% of (00:02:02) millennials say that they have at least (00:02:04) considered moving abroad, as many of (00:02:06) them are still lagging behind in life (00:02:07) and may not feel like they're risking as (00:02:09) much by making a change. But then (00:02:11) there's Gen Z, which is still starting (00:02:13) out in life with the oldest members of (00:02:15) the generation only in their mid20s. A (00:02:17) whopping 63% of this generation has (00:02:19) considered moving abroad while they're (00:02:21) still in the early stages of their (00:02:23) career and life. They want a change and (00:02:25) that includes a different country. And (00:02:27) it's not just about age, it's about who (00:02:29) you are. The study by the Harris poll (00:02:31) found that black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ (00:02:34) residents were among the most likely to (00:02:36) consider moving. This is likely (00:02:37) attributed to the chaotic political (00:02:39) climate in the United States, where many (00:02:41) rights and laws that were considered a (00:02:42) foregone conclusion before are now up in (00:02:45) the air. But it also comes down to (00:02:47) another color, green. Across the board, (00:02:49) people express serious concerns with the (00:02:51) economic situation in the United States, (00:02:53) worrying that it is no longer hospitable (00:02:55) to build a life, let alone a family. And (00:02:58) if you can't afford a good life, you'll (00:03:00) find it somewhere else. For years now, (00:03:02) younger residents have been saying they (00:03:04) don't feel that the future is set up for (00:03:05) them to succeed. There are countless (00:03:07) reasons for this, but the biggest one is (00:03:09) that the price of, well, everything is (00:03:12) skyrocketing. They feel it at the (00:03:14) marketplace where a simple grocery order (00:03:16) can feel like having your pocket picked. (00:03:18) But it's even more obvious when you get (00:03:20) into bigger purchases. The combination (00:03:22) of inflation and tariffs means that cars (00:03:24) are more expensive than ever. And while (00:03:26) many people have opted to take public (00:03:28) transit instead, those rates keep (00:03:30) shooting up as well due to underfunding (00:03:32) by the government. But that is nothing (00:03:34) compared to where you lay your head at (00:03:36) night. If Gen Z had one factor that (00:03:38) worries them the most, it's that they (00:03:40) don't know how they'll ever be able to (00:03:42) afford a home of their own. Millennials (00:03:44) are already much more likely to rent (00:03:45) than other generations, and that means (00:03:47) that they might be paying the majority (00:03:49) of their monthly paychecks to a roof (00:03:51) over their head, all without ever owning (00:03:53) a home of their own. Rents are rising, (00:03:55) making it harder and harder to ever save (00:03:57) up enough to move out. Plus, the price (00:03:59) of houses are going up as well. This is (00:04:01) due to a combination of market factors (00:04:03) that leads to many vacant houses being (00:04:05) purchased by corporations for rental (00:04:07) instead. It takes a bite out of your (00:04:09) paycheck, if you even have a paycheck. (00:04:12) Besides housing, the other factor that (00:04:13) terrifies Gen Z about living in the US (00:04:16) is their job prospects. A lot of jobs (00:04:18) are about to be shaken loose as baby (00:04:20) boomers all hit retirement age. But the (00:04:23) bigger question is, how many of those (00:04:25) jobs are about to go back into the (00:04:26) market? Companies have become infamous (00:04:28) for combining roles, leaving one person (00:04:31) doing two roles for one paycheck. And (00:04:33) then there's the scourge of outsourcing, (00:04:35) where jobs are sent overseas where they (00:04:37) can be done for pennies on the dollar. (00:04:39) This is especially common in tech (00:04:41) support and other remote positions. And (00:04:42) of course, AI is looming on the horizon, (00:04:45) threatening to automate millions of jobs (00:04:47) and take whole sectors out of the job (00:04:49) market, which means that for Gen Z, the (00:04:51) job market is a nightmare. College (00:04:53) graduates have countless nightmare (00:04:55) stories about applying for hundreds of (00:04:56) jobs and getting zero responses or one (00:04:59) automated rejection email after another. (00:05:02) Those who have gotten to an interview (00:05:03) find themselves in packed cattle calls, (00:05:06) sometimes including millennials who look (00:05:07) even more desperate for a gig than their (00:05:10) Gen Z counterparts. That's led many Gen (00:05:12) Zers without a steady income source, (00:05:14) trying to cobble together enough for (00:05:15) their monthly bills with a combo of (00:05:17) remote work and gigs, many of which (00:05:19) involve unpredictable long hours, (00:05:21) delivering food, or driving people in (00:05:23) ride shares. And in many cases, they are (00:05:26) already behind the eight-ball. Financial (00:05:28) stability can be hard to find in the (00:05:29) United States these days, but it's even (00:05:31) harder if you're already facing an (00:05:33) uphill battle. Gen Z has had the highest (00:05:35) average student debt per generation and (00:05:37) many of them are facing a decadesl long (00:05:40) battle to fully pay it off at high (00:05:42) interest rates. Additionally, health (00:05:43) insurance can be increasingly costly as (00:05:46) subsidies expire and it can be a tough (00:05:48) battle to pay off unexpected medical (00:05:50) costs even if you have insurance. But (00:05:52) one out of network procedure or (00:05:54) uninsured incident can lead to a health (00:05:56) care bill that seems impossible to pay (00:05:58) off and the world around them looks less (00:06:01) and less secure by the day. The baby (00:06:03) boomers and Gen X grew up in a world (00:06:05) where the United States was the (00:06:07) undisputed global superpower, winning (00:06:09) the Cold War and dominating world (00:06:11) affairs. While millennials observed a (00:06:13) far less settled global situation, they (00:06:16) still saw the United States as one of (00:06:17) the most secure countries in the world. (00:06:19) But that is changing. School shootings, (00:06:21) more common in the US than anywhere (00:06:23) else, gave many Gen Z's a deep sense of (00:06:26) anxiety through school. Disputed (00:06:28) presidential elections leading to (00:06:29) violence once seen as a staple of (00:06:31) unstable governments abroad made its way (00:06:33) here. And as divisive politics give way (00:06:35) to political violence, the United States (00:06:37) seems less like a refuge no matter which (00:06:40) side you're on. And it's not the only (00:06:42) area where people feel like it's falling (00:06:43) behind. There are some crises that hit (00:06:46) everyone no matter where you live. There (00:06:48) wasn't a country around where the CO 19 (00:06:50) virus didn't upend life. even if we (00:06:53) can't really get any data about North (00:06:55) Korea's outbreak. But the United (00:06:56) States's response was seen by many as (00:06:58) chaotic with many admiring the (00:07:00) aggressive and carefully controlled (00:07:02) tactics that Australia and New Zealand (00:07:04) took, although they had a geographic (00:07:06) advantage. And then there's climate (00:07:08) change, one of the biggest sources of (00:07:10) anxiety for Gen Z. Under its current (00:07:12) government, the US is seen as scaling (00:07:13) back its efforts to combat its impact on (00:07:15) the environment. And while people might (00:07:17) not be able to escape the impact, they (00:07:19) could at least feel like they're part of (00:07:21) the solution. And increasingly, the (00:07:23) grass is looking greener on the other (00:07:25) side. Of course, it's not enough to just (00:07:27) want to move abroad. You need a place to (00:07:29) move, too. And a safety net is (00:07:31) increasingly appealing. Few millennials (00:07:33) and Gen Z have any desire to give up (00:07:35) their US citizenship, and most will be (00:07:37) leaving family and friends behind in the (00:07:38) United States if they leave. But (00:07:40) fortunately, the United States offers an (00:07:42) option many countries don't. Dual (00:07:44) citizenship. Many Americans are actually (00:07:47) born with it thanks to a parent being a (00:07:49) citizen in another country that conveys (00:07:51) citizenship like this. But it's also (00:07:53) possible in some countries to apply for (00:07:55) dual citizenship in a country you move (00:07:57) to while maintaining your original (00:07:59) citizenship. And Gen Z is looking for a (00:08:02) few things when they country shop. For (00:08:04) one thing, they're looking for a (00:08:05) relatively stable country where they'll (00:08:07) feel safe. That means they'll be (00:08:08) concentrating on a few areas of the (00:08:10) world, especially for those who don't (00:08:12) have specific roots in the country. (00:08:13) China is seen as one of the fastest (00:08:15) growing economic and military powers (00:08:16) with a high standard of living in many (00:08:18) regions, but it's not likely to be high (00:08:20) on many people's lists to immigrate to (00:08:23) unless it's for work due to the (00:08:24) country's authoritarian government. Same (00:08:26) goes for places like the United Arab (00:08:28) Emirates, which combine a modern (00:08:30) economic system and tourist scene with (00:08:32) strictly conservative social policies. (00:08:34) Gen Z might not trust American democracy (00:08:36) anymore, but they are not ready to leave (00:08:38) it fully behind. And they're also (00:08:40) looking for a little help on the way up. (00:08:42) The biggest challenge for Gen Z is (00:08:44) getting out of debt, paying for their (00:08:46) monthly expenses and making ends meet, (00:08:48) and that makes countries with a robust (00:08:50) social safety net extremely appealing. (00:08:52) The highest reason they gave for wanting (00:08:54) to move abroad, with 25% of respondents (00:08:56) referring to this in a 2023 poll was (00:08:59) social programs. These include (00:09:01) socialized healthcare, offering (00:09:02) billing-free doctor visits and surgery, (00:09:04) as well as subsidies for having (00:09:06) children, perks like free child care or (00:09:08) friendly housing policies, including (00:09:10) housing subsidies and rent control. Cost (00:09:12) of living in the US was also a big (00:09:14) factor and many foreign countries have (00:09:16) more government involved in how staples (00:09:18) of everyday living are priced. Gen Z is (00:09:21) looking for that sweet spot and they (00:09:23) have their eye on some countries that (00:09:24) might provide it. The countries on Gen (00:09:26) Z's immigration wish list aren't (00:09:28) surprising. They're the countries that (00:09:30) would be easiest for Americans to (00:09:32) assimilate to. And sitting comfortably (00:09:33) at the top is Canada. It's just across (00:09:36) the border from the US, easy to fly or (00:09:38) drive to and primarily English-speaking (00:09:40) in all but one of its provinces. The (00:09:42) country has actually played host to (00:09:44) American expats before in large numbers, (00:09:46) taking in plenty of draft dodgers during (00:09:48) the Vietnam War. The country is almost (00:09:50) seen as an extension of American culture (00:09:52) by many Americans. Although many (00:09:53) Canadians would strongly disagree, but (00:09:56) it would be one of the easiest countries (00:09:58) for Americans to settle in. And the same (00:10:00) goes for the second choice. The United (00:10:02) Kingdom is another English-speaking (00:10:03) powerhouse with a huge global influence (00:10:06) and very familiar culture to most (00:10:07) Americans. After all, the US used to be (00:10:10) a colony. The country is seen as being (00:10:12) in good economic shape and it has (00:10:14) universal healthcare just like Canada. (00:10:16) However, it's seen as slightly more (00:10:17) volatile politically with both its major (00:10:20) parties in danger of splintering and (00:10:21) signs of the same populist political (00:10:23) movements that have helped to throw the (00:10:25) United States into chaos. And for the (00:10:27) next choice, you've got to go a lot (00:10:28) further south. Australia has many of the (00:10:31) same selling points as Canada and the (00:10:32) United Kingdom, although it may take (00:10:34) more getting used to in some areas. (00:10:36) After all, its place in the deep (00:10:38) southern hemisphere means the seasons (00:10:40) are flipped. Ever seen Santa delivering (00:10:42) gifts and shorts? You will. With (00:10:44) universal healthcare and strong social (00:10:46) programs, the country is seen as an (00:10:47) ideal place to live. Although, because (00:10:49) of the country's huge size, most people (00:10:51) wind up living in one city, and they (00:10:53) don't have as many chances to travel as (00:10:55) easily as in other countries due to (00:10:57) distance. plus those spiders. Fourth and (00:11:00) fifth place go to France and Italy, both (00:11:02) of which are European Union members that (00:11:04) offer free range of movement with other (00:11:06) EU nations. However, both countries are (00:11:08) seen as having rather unsettled (00:11:10) political scenes, making them slightly (00:11:12) more questionable long-range prospects. (00:11:14) However, they have one thing going for (00:11:16) them that will likely always keep them (00:11:18) ranking high on people's lists. Cultural (00:11:20) clout. French and Italian culture and (00:11:22) cuisine are big in the United States, (00:11:24) and many people will always aspire to (00:11:26) move there. But from there, things get (00:11:28) very different. In sixth place, you'll (00:11:31) find Japan. Known as one of the most (00:11:33) stable and technologically advanced (00:11:34) countries in the world. A big part of (00:11:36) why Jenzi is so fascinated with this (00:11:38) country is because of culture, as the (00:11:41) countries responsible for some of the (00:11:42) media the youth are the most obsessed (00:11:44) with. However, many anime obsessed (00:11:46) Americans may be disappointed. There are (00:11:48) no ninjas or Pokémon in the streets. The (00:11:51) country still gets high points for its (00:11:52) strong job market and tech sector, (00:11:54) offering plenty of opportunities for job (00:11:56) seekers. And while the country obviously (00:11:58) does speak another language primarily, (00:12:00) it is a highly international country, (00:12:02) and the odds are most people will at (00:12:04) least speak some English. Mexico is the (00:12:06) standout on this list. It might be the (00:12:08) easiest country to get into. After all, (00:12:10) countless people visit there to enjoy (00:12:12) some cheap margaritas and Tijana every (00:12:14) day. Mexico has a higher crime level (00:12:16) than any other country on the list, (00:12:18) making some areas highly unsafe. But it (00:12:20) also offers the lowest cost of living. (00:12:22) For those who want to shoe the rat race (00:12:24) altogether and enjoy a laid-back life, (00:12:26) Mexico has some appeal, and there are (00:12:29) plenty of spots around the country that (00:12:30) are filled with tourists and expats (00:12:32) enjoying the good life. And the EU seems (00:12:35) to have a strong poll on Gen Z. Spain (00:12:37) and Germany are both on the list in (00:12:39) spots 8 and 9. These countries have the (00:12:41) same selling points as the rest of the (00:12:43) EU: Freedom of Movement, a strong (00:12:45) democratic government, and a robust (00:12:47) social safety net. While both primarily (00:12:49) speak another language, they have enough (00:12:51) tourists that an English speaker would (00:12:53) likely be able to get by pretty easily. (00:12:55) And besides, there's always that high (00:12:57) school Spanish class to fall back on. (00:12:59) These countries have both seen heavy (00:13:01) immigration in recent years, and many (00:13:03) Americans are looking to join the fun. (00:13:05) And sneaking on to the end of our list (00:13:07) is a small country with big clout. If (00:13:10) you've watched the Lord of the Rings (00:13:11) movies, you probably have had a pretty (00:13:13) fond impression of New Zealand. The (00:13:15) island nation, not too far from (00:13:17) Australia, has become a popular vacation (00:13:19) spot, and now a lot of people are (00:13:21) looking to move there as well. Combining (00:13:23) the excellent social welfare system it (00:13:25) has with the beautiful climate and (00:13:26) stable government, it looks like an (00:13:28) ideal place to settle for many. It also (00:13:30) gained attention for what many called (00:13:31) the most effective CO 19 response in the (00:13:34) world. With the country locking down (00:13:35) early and essentially wiping out the (00:13:37) virus by isolating, allowing citizens to (00:13:40) largely get back to normal life within (00:13:41) months. So many people are ready to (00:13:44) start packing, but it may not be that (00:13:46) simple. Americans who want to move (00:13:48) abroad might refer to themselves as (00:13:49) expats, but other countries might see (00:13:51) them more as refugees, and that means (00:13:53) the countries might be fairly selective (00:13:55) with who they let in, at least as (00:13:57) permanent residents. Other countries (00:13:59) might have stricter border controls, (00:14:00) with even Canada being notably (00:14:02) restrictive to anyone who even has a (00:14:04) minor criminal record. Plenty of people (00:14:07) hoping to party at Niagara Falls have (00:14:08) gotten turned away at the border because (00:14:10) of that one DUI they got in college. And (00:14:13) if you're hoping to settle, expect to be (00:14:15) scrutinized. Unless you get flagged at (00:14:16) the border, you're probably going to be (00:14:18) able to pop into any of those countries (00:14:19) for a visit. See how you feel about the (00:14:22) culture and whether you could imagine (00:14:23) yourself living there. But tourists are (00:14:25) usually prompted to give information on (00:14:27) how long they intend to stay and why (00:14:29) they're visiting. So simply walking in (00:14:31) and sticking around usually isn't an (00:14:33) option. To get a job or to take (00:14:35) advantage of the social safety net in (00:14:37) any of these countries, you'd likely (00:14:38) have to apply for citizenship and get (00:14:40) approved. And that can be a lengthy (00:14:43) process. Much like in the United States, (00:14:45) other countries with high standards of (00:14:46) living often have long lists hoping to (00:14:49) get in. Gen Z isn't the first group to (00:14:51) think it'd be great to move to Canada, (00:14:53) and that means finding out what each (00:14:54) country values or what they don't. One (00:14:57) harsh lesson many Gen Zers are finding (00:14:58) out is that many of their dream (00:15:00) countries are actually far less open (00:15:02) than they thought. For instance, New (00:15:04) Zealand screens people who want to (00:15:05) become permanent residents or citizens (00:15:07) for anything that could cause excessive (00:15:09) demand on public services, which means (00:15:11) that many people with conditions like (00:15:13) autism are screened out automatically (00:15:15) and have no chance at being approved. (00:15:17) That might make the dream more (00:15:19) difficult. But Gen Z isn't giving up. (00:15:21) Moving abroad might feel like a solution (00:15:23) to all of life's problems, but as many (00:15:25) have found out, it means a whole new set (00:15:27) of problems. Expats might not be new, (00:15:30) but there is a reason many of them have (00:15:31) historically been retirees. One of the (00:15:34) biggest challenges new arrivals might (00:15:35) find is finding a job. Until you get (00:15:38) your citizenship, red tape might keep (00:15:40) you out of many fields. For highlevel (00:15:42) professional positions, a degree in the (00:15:44) United States might not qualify you (00:15:46) abroad unless you recruited. That's (00:15:48) something that many immigrants to the US (00:15:50) have found out. Many doctors in Colombia (00:15:52) or Vietnam find themselves running a (00:15:54) laundromat or a noodle shop here (00:15:56) instead. And for those young people who (00:15:58) think, "I don't need a job. The social (00:16:00) safety net there will take care of me." (00:16:02) Think again. Because these countries see (00:16:04) the influx coming and they are prepared. (00:16:06) Many of these countries want to know (00:16:08) what you're going to be doing in their (00:16:09) borders. Especially if you're going to (00:16:11) stay. The dream of walking up to the (00:16:13) border and just saying, "Hello, I'd like (00:16:15) to move in." is just that, a dream. If (00:16:18) the mass Gen Z exodus begins, those (00:16:20) regulations are likely to become even (00:16:21) more restrictive. So those who are (00:16:23) planning on it had better get things in (00:16:25) order starting now. But despite this, (00:16:27) the numbers might keep on going up. (00:16:29) Every generation has hit their rough (00:16:31) spots, but Gen Z might be different. (00:16:33) This is the first generation that (00:16:35) doesn't just hope for better times. They (00:16:37) don't think they're coming. (00:16:38) Increasingly, Gen Z seems to believe (00:16:40) that the world's best days are behind (00:16:42) it. And particularly their countries (00:16:44) are. They've developed a sense of (00:16:45) fatalism around their economic and job (00:16:47) prospects. And many of them have given (00:16:49) up trying to do things the old-fashioned (00:16:51) way because they simply don't see any (00:16:53) point in it. And when that happens, the (00:16:55) rest of the world looks pretty great. (00:16:57) While the outside world beyond America (00:16:59) still has plenty of problems and the (00:17:01) world isn't easy for an expat, the grass (00:17:03) is always greener on the other side. (00:17:05) Many Gen Z's just want to feel like (00:17:07) there's hope for them, and they feel (00:17:09) stuck in an endless cycle of debt, (00:17:10) underemployment, and political (00:17:12) instability. If they can pack things up (00:17:14) and start over in a foreign country, it (00:17:16) gives them hope for the future. And for (00:17:18) many of them, they feel like this is the (00:17:20) only way they'll be able to truly kick (00:17:21) off their adult lives. And that poses a (00:17:24) major problem for America. Sure, some (00:17:26) pundits might be happy to see them go, (00:17:28) but to stay competitive, the United (00:17:29) States will need to have the brain power (00:17:31) to compete with the rest of the world. (00:17:33) The boomers are aging fast, and Gen X (00:17:36) and the millennials can't pick up the (00:17:37) slack forever. The United States has a (00:17:39) lot of resources, but it means very (00:17:41) little without one key asset. Young (00:17:43) people. Maybe Jin Alpha can pick up the (00:17:46) baton and oh wait, they're watching (00:17:48) Skippy Toilet again. Never mind. Gen Z (00:17:50) might be ready to pack up and leave the (00:17:52) US, but how does the rest of the world (00:17:54) really feel about them? Watch this is (00:17:56) what the rest of the world thinks of (00:17:58) Americans to find out. or click on this (00:18:00) video instead.