The US job market is softening. Layoff announcements are at their highest since the pandemic. Even younger employees are having a tough time – 75% of graduating college students don’t have a job yet, according to a ResumeTemplates.com survey from this month. If the US job market is getting you down, consider expanding your search abroad. There are various resources that recommend places to move abroad which could increase your work opportunities, whether you’re looking for a job, have a job or have a remote business.
Which Countries To Consider
If you qualify for a skilled worker visa
Latvia, Ireland and Iceland take the top three spots respectively in the Global Worker Visa Rankings by Remitly. Latvia benefits from a low application fee and short processing time, though it’s not the cheapest (that’s Italy). Canada actually issued the most worker visas as of 2023, and it placed ninth on the last
If you have a fully remote job
Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia take the top three spots in 20 Cheapest Countries To Live and Work in 2025 by The Working Traveler. Earning a US salary while living in a lower cost-of-living country can enable you to save more money – known as geo-arbitrage to followers of the FIRE (financial independence, retire early) movement. Even if you don’t save money, you’ll experience a new culture and community.
If you’re a digital nomad
Costa Rica, Georgia and Thailand are numbers 1, 2 and 3 forBest Countries For Digital Nomads In 2025 by Nomad Capitalist. Judging criteria includes safety, digital nomad community, immigration policy, tax policy and investment opportunity. Costa Rica has a specific digital nomad visa and a vibrant expat community.
How To Figure Out Where To Move Abroad
Where you want to live is a very personal choice. From a career perspective, here are three working conditions to consider:
Professional networking opportunities
If you move to a country where English is not widely spoken, your ability to build professional and personal connections will be limited. Finally, while you might have a fully remote job or business, you still want live connection to your employer or clients some of the time. Consider how easy it is to travel, including the time, effort, and expense. If you’re looking to advance in a company, consider your proximity to headquarters where your work would be visible to leaders and where you would be able to develop relationships with key decision-makers.
Time zone
Many countries in Southeast Asia are desirable for a low cost of living, but if your work is US-based, your schedule will be upside down by the time difference. Even if you can manage it professionally, how much will you enjoy a personal life as a night owl? Depending on how malleable your sleep schedule is, even a smaller time different might still be too disruptive.
Internet reliability
If you pick too remote a region, you may not have access to reliable, fast connectivity. If your goal is to travel regularly, you’ll need to check, not just your home base, but where you plan to travel.
How To Land A Fully Remote Job
If you’re interested in moving abroad but don’t have a remote job or business, you have three choices.
Make your current job fully remote
If your job can be done remotely, negotiate for flexibility so you can move abroad without having to secure a new job. Highlight your wins to show your expertise and ability to thrive. Anticipate and counter objections by thinking through the logistics of how you would cover your role abroad. Propose a practice run, and try a fully remote schedule before moving. Or, try a short-term move abroad, which could be a beta test professionally (i.e., working remotely) and personally (i.e., living abroad).
Find a company to sponsor your move abroad
High-paying remote jobs are on the decline, according to Q1 2025 data from The Ladders. Fully remote jobs fell by 30% from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025. Focus your job search on global companies with openings in the places you’re interested in. This can be US-based companies with an international presence. Or look at companies headquartered abroad who are willing to hire foreign candidates. You’ll need special skills or expertise to be competitive. Highlight experience working in different countries or across different cultures. Highlight language ability and/ or regional knowledge. Highlight technical skills in short supply worldwide.
Create a fully remote job for yourself
If you can land consulting work that can be done virtually, you have created a job for yourself. Previous employers and colleagues are a good place to start since they already know your work. However, your consulting projects don’t only need to be related to your previous career. If you have a discreet marketable skill – e.g., teaching, writing, digital marketing, office support skills – you can build a project pipeline based on these skills. Finally, you can look into buying a small business that doesn’t require your onsite participation.