More Americans are quitting their U.S. jobs to work abroad, study finds

CBS News·May 1

More Americans are quitting their U.S. jobs to work abroad, study finds

By Updated on: May 1, 2026 / 6:08 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google More U.S.-based workers are leaving the country for what they see as greener — and less office-bound — pastures abroad.Over the last five years, the share of employees who have left their jobs in the U.S. to work abroad has more than doubled, climbing from 2.7% at the end of 2021 to 6% by the end of 2025, according to a recent study from workforce intelligence company Revelio.That data includes both U.S.- and foreign-born workers, encompassing those employed by a non-U.S. company as well as those working remotely for an American company."We are looking at a more and more global labor market, [where] everyone can work from anywhere," Ege Aksu, an economist at Revelio, told CBS News. The migration wave is being led by technology professionals. In IT consulting, for example, nearly 16% of people who switched jobs in December 2025 started a new role outside the U.S., according to Revelio's data. That comes as Europe invests more heavily in AI, cloud infrastructure and other tech sectors. "That means more high-quality jobs, more ambitious startups and more serious competition for talent outside