What countries to people flock to for prosperity?

[ProbableReality]

Do you know of people flocking to other countries because the opportunities are so great? How about India? There seems to be lots of jobs shipped to them from the USA. Does that make India a good place to experience well-being?

Americans will retire in Mexico sometimes, but I do not see young people going there to find a future.

Germany doesn't allow much immigration does it?

Russia?

My Current Opinion: The USA still seems like the place to go if you want to live well. Even with this manufactured economic downturn, the United States is a pretty good place to live.

Please share your knowledge about well-being in other countries, and tell me if people are knocking the doors down to get in.

Thanks!

[rawxstasy]

Canada? I don't know.

I think it depends on the region. I believe that people in west/north Africa try to emigrate to European countries. Probably because it's closer to their homeland. People in Hong Kong used to emigrate to Canada - back in the 80's - I don't know about now.

Maybe China will be the next great place to live.

I think for people living in third world countries US must seem like a fabulous place. Until they get here and try to live on a minimum wage job. But at least they have more personal/religious/political freedom in the US.

[aelle]

What kind of prosperity do you mean? How do you want to achieve it?
The first world is a good place to have a steady job, social security benefits, a retirement plan - a safe, comfortable enough life. Is that what you have in mind?

If you want to create a business, work your ass off and make millions, South East Asia and the former USSR are where it's at today. The population is getting educated, the workers skilled, the industries are strong, their economies are going to boom in the next couple of decades. Also, life in SE Asia is cheap and very very sweet. CIS countries are tougher in that corruption and crime are harsher - you need streetsmarts and a head solidly planted on your shoulders. But I have friends making fortunes out there right now.

China has plenty of small opportunities but for the big game, it's already saturated. It's where you should have been 10 years ago. I'm unsure about India, it seems like a really tough country. I also get the impression that, like Korea, it's a quite closed society where it's hard to make it as an outsider. There are places where people tend work with anyone to make a buck, others where people tend to prefer an opportunity to screw over the foreigner.

As for immigration: it's never a real obstacle. Any country welcomes inverstors.

[aelle]

Originally Posted by rawxstasy

I believe that people in west/north Africa try to emigrate to European countries. Probably because it's closer to their homeland. People in Hong Kong used to emigrate to Canada - back in the 80's - I don't know about now.

Former colonies have kept cooperation bonds (and language bonds) that facilitate immigration. But being a working migrant and an expatriated skilled worker or entrepreneur are radically different situations. I assumed the OP was more in the second position.

[Brutha]

Germany doesn't allow much immigration does it?

It does provide some opportunities for skilled labor or people who are politically persecuted in their home country.

[ProbableReality]

This is a nice start. I guess I was not very specific about prosperity. I was interested in well-being for the average middle class person; a composite of freedom and financial stability.

The economic turn down in the USA got me wondering where our jobs went. Will these shipped out jobs allow others to live a decent standard of living? Or do US corporations hire third world workers who live in poverty?

It is nice to hear about people living well.

[Agota]

People leave Lithuania like crazy and they usually go to UK or Ireland, since you don't need any visas or anything to get there, you just pack your bags and take the first flight. There are so many Lithuanians there that it's scary, since we are such a small nation. No wonder Lithuania always gets the highest number of votes from UK and Ireland during "Eurovision"

[EternalOne]

I may be biased coming from here, but I think that Australia is a very prosperous country to live in. Our standard of living is very high, but then again it also cost a lot to live in certain places within Oz. Living just outside the CBD of Sydney, I pay am amazing amount of $$ on rent per month. But Sydney is a spectacular city to live in and the wages are hight than the national average.

I know Australia is along way away from the rest of the countries, but it is called the lucky country for a reason

[James Fletcher]

Originally Posted by EternalOne

I may be biased coming from here, but I think that Australia is a very prosperous country to live in. Our standard of living is very high, but then again it also cost a lot to live in certain places within Oz. Living just outside the CBD of Sydney, I pay am amazing amount of $$ on rent per month. But Sydney is a spectacular city to live in and the wages are hight than the national average.

I know Australia is along way away from the rest of the countries, but it is called the lucky country for a reason

Shhhhh! It is a great country but we don't want to go telling everyone.

I may cop a lot of flack for this, but I am a bit of a nationalist at heart. I just think that immigration is a little out of control these days, and although it is good to welcome people wishing to improve their ways of life by traveling to a better country, unfortunately I also think that cultural integration is failing miserably.

[ProbableReality]

I work with a young man who would like to go work on a kiwi farm down under.

[VinceG]

If you have prosperity and are looking to keep it, the developing world is a great place to be.

If you don't have prosperity and are looking for the outward signs of it, head on over to the good ole' US of A. Still minting more millionaires than ever.

[Acting Like Godot]

Singapore and Dubai.

They attract the highest number of foreigners in the world into their workforce (on a per capita basis).

[Acting Like Godot]

Australia is great too, but their immigration policies are not so open to foreigners.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by ProbableReality

The economic turn down in the USA got me wondering where our jobs went.

Americans intending to leave the USA to enjoy greater prosperity elsewhere face certain difficulties.

Your income tax laws are extra-territorial. Whichever part of the world you go, your federal government still expects you to pay income tax. This would be on top of the income tax you pay in the other country where you're now working.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by aelle

China has plenty of small opportunities but for the big game, it's already saturated.

No, I think it's a long way from saturation, but it's hard for foreigners to break in.

I'm unsure about India, it seems like a really tough country.

Yes. The number of rich Indians has been growing very rapidly, but the problem is that the public infrastructure - roads, hospitals, public transport, healthcare, water supplies etc - remain very poor.

I also get the impression that, like Korea, it's a quite closed society where it's hard to make it as an outsider.

Yes ...... Other problem is that the large majority of Koreans only speak Korean, so it's hard for foreigners to navigate their way around.

[aelle]

Originally Posted by ProbableReality

Will these shipped out jobs allow others to live a decent standard of living? Or do US corporations hire third world workers who live in poverty?

It is nice to hear about people living well.

Check out this video: LiveLeak.com - "30 Days: Outsourcing" (2006) (Part 1/2)
LiveLeak.com - "30 Days: Outsourcing" (2006) (Part 2/2)

Very interesting stuff.

[aelle]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

No, I think it's a long way from saturation, but it's hard for foreigners to break in.

You're right, I phrased that wrong. I feel that 10 years ago it was easy for a foreign entrepreneur to make a killing in China. Today, it's a lot more difficult, one of the main reasons being that the Chinese competition has improved tremendously. It's also really hard to break through because of the tremendous size of the market. You can't really start a small business ; you need overwhelming force and large fundings to make it in China.

[Agota]

Originally Posted by EternalOne

I may be biased coming from here, but I think that Australia is a very prosperous country to live in. Our standard of living is very high, but then again it also cost a lot to live in certain places within Oz. Living just outside the CBD of Sydney, I pay am amazing amount of $$ on rent per month. But Sydney is a spectacular city to live in and the wages are hight than the national average.

I know Australia is along way away from the rest of the countries, but it is called the lucky country for a reason

I got this impression as well. I worked with many Australians in UK and they all were complaining that minimum wage is so low (let's just remember it's four times higher than minimum wage in my country and prices are NOT four times higher). Yeah, Australia seems like a good place to live in

[elucidate]

Australia.

So many boat people spend their life savings and risk death and great danger to come here, and are willing to be in detention for years just for a chance at a new life. That says a lot!

Agota: Aussies love to whinge, and will find almost anything to complain about. We have it so good here that most don't know how to cope anywhere else, but even here, they complain a lot.

[Acting Like Godot]

Australia is a good place to retire to, but not such a great place to work (taxes are rather high).

Australians are also used to short working hours and a casual, relaxed pace of work. Takes some adjusting when they come out to places like Hong Kong and Singapore (where people just naturally move faster - like in New York).

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Australia is a good place to retire to, but not such a great place to work (taxes are rather high).

Australians are also used to short working hours and a casual, relaxed pace of work. Takes some adjusting when they come out to places like Hong Kong and Singapore (where people just naturally move faster - like in New York).

This is why people from countries like Asia like it though. Because we are so lazy and won't do all the crap jobs, it means they are happy to keep their stores open for hours after most places have closed and work on public holidays.

The tax rate is high compared to other places, but the standard of living, well, what we would consider a mediocre life here would be what they consider to be living the high life...compared to where they have come from.

[Acting Like Godot]

Yes, Australia is blessed with plenty of space; great beaches; and .... the natural resource of COMMODITIES .... without which the happy lifestyle of Australia would not be supportable ....