Illustration of a man carrying briefcases going from one half of the world to the other.

Illustration: Sebastian König

Mar 22nd 2026|San Francisco|5 min read

After stepping down as New Zealand’s prime minister in 2023, Jacinda Ardern took up a role at Harvard University. Now she is based in Sydney. Ms Ardern’s decision to live abroad has struck a nerve with Kiwis, who were already worried about high levels of emigration. Anxiety over the former prime minister’s living arrangements hints at a wider trend across the West. Politicians focus on how many people migrate to their country. Less noticed is that people are leaving in record numbers. The rise of the “expat economy” will have profound consequences.

Signage for Mizuho Bank Ltd., a unit of Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (MHFG), at one of the bank's branches in Tokyo, Japan.

Westerners are fleeing their countries in record numbers