Feeling compelled to move
Although criticized for its methodology, the book La France, tu l'aimes mais tu la quittes highlights a worrying trend. According to authors Alice Picard, Olivier Esteve, and Julien Talpin, France has been looking the other way for too long. The book gives a voice to French people forced to move abroad. Most of them are young and educated Muslims who feel increasingly stigmatized in France. Since the 2015 attacks, they have felt more targeted with each new tragedy, even by the government. The ban on abayas in August 2023 is considered one of the latest signs of this stigmatization.
Moving abroad for better career prospects
Expatriation is often glamorized as a modern adventure leading to "the good life." However, the reality is more complex and reveals many painful moves. This last resort isn't just for the poor, who are often labeled as "migrants." Directors, senior managers, young graduates, and professionals also move abroad to utilize their skills better. Despite their excellent educational backgrounds, they don't always get what they want from the job market in their home country. In other words, they don't get jobs that match their qualifications, earn less, and notice a disparity between their position and that of others. Over time, these signals justify expatriation.
Muslim French expatriates abroad discuss this disparity with emotion. Quantifying these departures is difficult. In France, ethnic and religious statistics are generally prohibited (law of 1978). Some studies estimate around 200,000 departures since 2015. Julien Talpin mentions "thousands of thousands" of Muslim French people leaving to escape daily racism, which is particularly evident in the job market: difficulty getting interviews, jobs (especially matching their skills), promotions, etc. Expats in the UK, USA, or Germany feel they can finally work under fair conditions.
Expat women seek to break the glass ceiling
Where should women move to for jobs that match their skills? Many aspiring expatriates ask this question. Some have taken the leap to break the glass ceiling. Their companies reserved foreign assignments for men, making moving abroad the only way to advance their careers. The outdated view of expatriation as exclusively masculine (the golden expat and the cool expat) persists and affects the international job market. Women who leave their country often mention frustration with a labor market plagued by sexism, racism, and disability discrimination.
Unfortunately, many countries still lag in addressing these issues. According to a recent study by The Economist, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and Finland are the countries where "the role and influence of women in the labor market" is most significant. Unsurprisingly, the Nordic countries, which lead on women's rights, top the OECD countries. In Sweden, women hold 40% of management positions. However, these figures might differ when considering the workers' origins or disabilities.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) could even disrupt expatriation plans. In January 2024, the Austrian government faced embarrassment over its AI, accused of sexism. The tool, developed with OpenAI (creator of ChatGTP), was designed to guide job seekers. However, it was full of biases, particularly sexist ones. Men were directed to IT jobs, while women, even with identical resumes, were steered toward hospitality roles.
Moving abroad for better integration
On the surface, walking down a neighborhood street seems ordinary. Yet, such simple acts have become too difficult for many, who have no choice but to leave their country. Uncomfortable stares and offensive stereotypes have become part of their everyday lives. While some comments they hear are legally condemnable, there isn't much they can do to prove it. Even if they could, the victims face immense constraints, sometimes even from the state itself.
Moving abroad is a decision that needs a lot of consideration. Many would have preferred to stay, but they feel forced to leave their families and roots to build a new life elsewhere. In Italy and Eastern European countries, the chronic emigration of young graduates alarms governments. Some call it an "exodus" or "brain drain," posing a short- and long-term economic threat, especially as these countries also face declining birth rates. Young people aren't waiting for possible improvements; for them, it's "now" or never. They leave for better working conditions and higher pay. While some may consider returning one day, few actually do. They build their lives abroad, get married, and start families there.
These expatriates do not want to feel responsible for their country's decline. It's hard to think about macroeconomics when your country offers no prospects. Governments try return campaigns (in 2021, Croatia offered up to €26,000 for its expatriates to come back), but with little effect. More substantial efforts are needed to bring expatriates back.
