Americans abroad are part of the migration around small world

Delaware Online, March 4, 2007

While Americans debate the impact of new immigrants into this country, an intriguing analysis has been done about Americans -- particularly retirees -- who choose to live abroad.

There were up to four million American expatriates a decade ago, according to the State Department. Now a private marketing consultant, New Global Initiatives, and the respected Migration Policy Institute have investigated current intentions to relocate. That was defined as foreign residence longer than two years for reasons other than military, government or job duties.

Surveys done last fall indicate interest in emigrating among almost one in five 18- to 34-year-old Americans, with Europe, Canada, Asia, Australia and Central America being the most attractive destinations. With today's ease of movement, a world of possibilities really does present itself.

Adventure figured into the impulse. But equal considerations were living with less stress, disaffection for American political and social culture, and affordability, including health care.

The Migration Policy Institute focused on retirees 55 and older increasingly drawn to Mexico and Panama by specific government incentives for foreign seniors. The lower cost of living was sweetened by special visas for pensioners, low taxes and discounts on ordinary household bills and purchases. But Americans abroad also have been faulted for rising real estate prices and setting up their own colonies in their new locales.

Even with an influx of American-born resettlers, the official census figures show about 360,000 in Mexico and 5,000 in Panama. That's a small fraction of the number of immigrants heading the other way into the United States.

But it's still a reminder that borders swing both ways, and Americans bring immigrant baggage with them too when they're the foreigners.