Featured Image Credit: NurPhoto/Contributor / KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/Contributor / Getty
It was all over in a flash, and after so much hype ahead of the 2024 American election, we now know Donald Trump will be heading back to the Oval Office for his second term. Joining the likes of George W. Bush and Barack Obama as presidents who will serve a second term, Trump is only the second (alongside Grover Cleveland) to serve with someone else between. With Kamala Harris earning 224 electoral votes and Donald Trump securing 277, he'll enter the history books as both the 45th and 47th President of the United States.
While Trump had the support of the likes of Elon Musk and Joe Rogan, Harris literally had the backing of Avengers and Harrison Ford.
Many are sure to be waking up unsure of their future, and with Trump's divisive views on everything from immigration to women's rights, his controversial re-election is reportedly leading to a spike in specific searches on Google.
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Experts at QR Code Generator looked at Google searches over a five year period and claimed that US searches for 'move to Canada' are set to spike by 647% by the end of the November 10.
There are 28,722 monthly searches from Americans looking at making the move to the Great White North, but it's not the only new pastures people are looking at. A potential move to Japan comes in second, with an apparent 21,584 searches. Costa Rica, Brazil, and Mexico round out the Top 5, although Trump has already vowed to impose new tariffs on Mexico and famously tried to build a wall on its border.
Discussing why there's a spike in American's potentially looking to move, Marc Porcar, CEO of QR Code Generator PRO S.L, said: "With its proximity and cultural similarities, Canada has emerged as the clear favorite for Americans considering a move abroad."
Porcar speculates that residents might 'struggle' to live in states that are now being governed by representatives who hold 'opposing political views,' but for those looking to move even further afield, he said he's surprised by the likes of Japan and Costa Rica due to potential language barriers.
According to Porcar, Trump's reelection could be the final straw: "These findings reveal that many Americans aren’t just looking for an easy transition, but are drawn to the adventure of a richer, more diverse experience overseas."
Google searches to move to Canada is Up 500%. My intentions is to move to Canada 🇨🇦 become a Citizen, enjoy Universal Healthcare, Democracy, Freedom, Canadian Value, be welcomed around the World, enjoy Legalized Marijuana, much less Gun violence, Women’s Rights etc👊👍😎
— keith (@selectttt) November 6, 2024
After Trump crashed the Canadian immigration site when he won in 2016, it seems Canada was ready for a spike in interest. A spokesperson from the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) explained how the Canada.ca website braced itself for high levels of traffic on election night.
Still, with Canada vowing to cut its permanent immigration levels by 21% amidst housing and affordability concerns for its own residents, the country might not be letting these fleeing Americans in. Donald Trump has vowed to usher in a 'golden age' for America, but according to some Americans, the grass is much greener on Canada's side.
