Surprise Aussie question Americans searched on Google as US election results came in
Some are so dismayed with Donald Trump's election win they are wondering about moving to the other side of the world.
While Kamala Harris graciously accepted defeat in the US election, some of her supporters are not taking it as well. Google searches for moving to another country spiked as Donald Trump began to claim key states in his bid to return to the White House.
A cross-border migration to Canada was unsurprisingly a top search, but countries more than 10,000km away were even piquing the interest of dismayed Americans — an indication of just how much the result hurt for some. 'How to move to Australia' searches began surging as a Trump victory began to materialise, with the increasingly-divisive nature of US politics laid bare by crestfallen Harris voters.
This is not a new phenomenon, with Trump's 2016 election victory causing Canada's immigration site to crash. Strong search results for Australia came from states Harris won, including Oregon, Washington and Colorado.
Young Americans a 'growing cohort' in Australia
According to the latest data from the Department of Home Affairs, the US is the 12th highest recipient of working holiday visas for Australia. Matthew Heyes, founder of Australia's leading job site for working holidaymakers, Backpacker Job Board, says Australia is a "fantastic place" for Americans to "experience much-needed respite from politics" if that's what they desire.
"Though the number of American backpackers is small, it's a growing cohort," he told Yahoo News Australia. "We've seen a huge surge in Irish backpackers traveling to Australia this year, possibly due to economic factors in Europe. And there's no reason why we wouldn't see this trend repeated among American youth.
"There’s no doubt that young, progressive Americans would feel welcome starting a new life down under."
The number of Americans coming to Australia could be boosted further if the federal government decides to completely scrap regional work visa applicants' need to apply for additional 12-month stays. The requirement has been scrapped for UK residents, with Labor weighing up whether a similar move should be rolled out for other countries.
Americans aged between 18 and 30 are currently eligible for three years on the working holiday scheme if the working requirements are met. "It's not quite the full four-year term of Trump’s second presidency," Heyes points out however.
And while a quick Google Search isn't necessarily putting your money where your mouth is, Heyes says there's plenty to entice those thinking of making the move.
"Australia’s got a lot to offer: American backpackers would feel right at home in Melbourne’s progressive, vibrant culture, or they might choose something very different. There's plenty of work available in regional Australia. What better way to escape political disappointment than by living and working on a cattle station in WA or Queensland?"
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
