- World Population Review Newsletter
- Posts
- Brain Gain: Where Talent Is Moving Now
Brain Gain: Where Talent Is Moving Now
The surprising new havens for ambitious minds and skilled workers.
Philip Saparov
May 26, 2025
In partnership with
Greetings, curious mind and global opportunity spotter,
Something quietly monumental is happening: the global brain drain is reversing course.
For years, the world’s brightest minds made a beeline for the usual suspects—Silicon Valley, London, Berlin. But something’s changed, and the talent tide is turning.
Cost, chaos, and lifestyle shifts are rewriting the rules. New winners are emerging—quietly, quickly, and in places few expected.
If you're watching where the smart money—and smart people—are going next, this edition is your map.
Let’s dive in.
The key to a $1.3T opportunity
A new trend in real estate is making the most expensive properties obtainable. It’s called co-ownership, and it’s revolutionizing the $1.3T vacation home market.
The company leading the trend? Pacaso. Created by the founder of Zillow, Pacaso turns underutilized luxury properties into fully-managed assets and makes them accessible to the broadest possible market.
The result? More than $1b in transactions, 2,000+ happy homeowners, and over $110m in gross profits for Pacaso.
With rapid international growth and 41% gross profit growth last year, Pacaso is ready for what’s next. They even recently reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.
But the real opportunity is now, before public markets. Until 5/29, you can join leading investors like SoftBank and Maveron for just $2.80/share.
This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals. Under Regulation A+, a company has the ability to change its share price by up to 20%, without requalifying the offering with the SEC.
Portugal isn’t just charming—it’s strategic.
Once seen as Europe’s sleepy corner, it’s now a beacon for skilled workers seeking beauty, balance, and bandwidth. In cities like Lisbon and Porto, cobblestone streets echo with the click of keyboards. International founders sip espresso alongside AI developers and climate scientists.
How did this happen? A perfect storm: smart visa policies (like the Tech Visa and Digital Nomad Visa), low living costs, and a culture that values life beyond work. Portugal even offers a non-habitual residency tax break—attractive for retirees and remote entrepreneurs.
The country has turned its lifestyle strengths into economic assets. And it’s working.
🔍 Did you know? Portugal saw a 180% surge in foreign tech talent between 2018 and 2023—many of them under 40, relocating not just for work, but for life.
Canada isn’t shouting. It’s simply doing what it does best—welcoming people with quiet competence.
Its points-based immigration system rewards brains, not connections. Engineers, scientists, healthcare workers, and coders find the doors wide open. Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal are emerging as tech titans—but even smaller cities like Halifax and Saskatoon are drawing remote workers looking for peace, parks, and predictability.
There’s no Silicon Valley frenzy here—just a steady hum of opportunity mixed with quality of life. Bilingual schools, universal healthcare, and a reputation for safety make Canada irresistible to families, too.
And here's the kicker: with abundant resources, Canada is positioning itself as a long-term bet on global stability.
🔍 Big signal: In 2023 alone, Canada welcomed over 320,000 economic-class immigrants—engineers, healthcare professionals, IT specialists, and entrepreneurs.
When it comes to reimagining the future, the UAE doesn’t hesitate—it builds it.
With soaring skylines, tax-free incomes, and strategic location, cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi are luring high-caliber professionals in finance, renewable energy, AI, and biotech. The UAE’s Golden Visa allows top talent to stay long-term—without jumping through bureaucratic hoops.
Here, ambition is celebrated. Infrastructure is dazzling. And services—from healthcare to education—are world-class.
Of course, it’s not without trade-offs: extreme summer heat, conservative laws, and cultural differences. But for many global professionals, the math adds up—especially when opportunity is bundled with high wages and zero income tax.
🔍 Surprising stat: Dubai issued over 90,000 freelance permits in 2022—a 63% year-over-year jump driven by remote-first professionals and creative entrepreneurs.
Let’s talk about Mexico—not as a vacation, but as a vocation.
Mexico is quietly becoming one of the most desirable destinations for remote professionals, thanks to its ideal time zone, rich culture, and surprisingly modern infrastructure. In Mexico City, cafes double as co-working spaces and expat communities are thriving in neighborhoods like Roma and Condesa.
Guadalajara—nicknamed “Mexico’s Silicon Valley”—has a booming tech sector. Mérida offers peace, affordability, and safety, especially for families. And with a generous Temporary Resident Visa, digital nomads and entrepreneurs can stay for up to four years.
Post-pandemic, people want beauty and bandwidth. Mexico offers both—with a side of tacos.
🔍 Emerging trend: Since 2020, digital nomadism in Mexico has exploded, with some districts reporting up to a 200% increase in international residents.
Germany may not move fast—but when it does, it moves with purpose.
Long known for its engineering prowess and economic strength, Germany is now confronting a demographic dilemma: a shrinking workforce. The response? A full-scale courtship of global talent.
The new Skilled Immigration Act makes it easier for non-EU workers to settle—especially in IT, healthcare, and engineering. Cities like Berlin and Munich are not just tech hubs; they’re lifestyle hubs, offering safety, clean energy, and robust healthcare.
For those who value structure, efficiency, and opportunity with a side of schnitzel—Germany is ready.
🔍 Future need: To keep its economy humming, Germany must attract 400,000 skilled workers annually—making it one of the biggest importers of talent in the world.
Nestled between Europe and Asia, Georgia is a secret too good to stay secret.
Its capital, Tbilisi, blends old-world charm with new-world internet speeds. The government’s “Remotely from Georgia” initiative—launched mid-pandemic—offered a clear message to remote workers: “Come stay a while.”
And they did.
What’s the hook? Visas are easy. Taxes are flat (just 1% for small businesses). The cost of living is absurdly low. The people are warm. And the wine? Ancient and world-class.
For freelancers, creators, and small teams tired of the grind, Georgia is a geopolitical plot twist in their favor.
🔍 Striking shift: In 2021 alone, over 10,000 remote workers relocated to Georgia—many of whom now call it their long-term home base.
Let’s not sugarcoat it—some traditional powerhouses are slipping.
The U.S. and U.K. have long been the apex destinations for global talent. But today, rising living costs, immigration bottlenecks, political polarization, and pandemic burnout are making skilled workers reconsider.
Talented professionals want more than a resume badge. They want community, affordability, and purpose. When a great job comes with $4,000 rent and hours of visa paperwork, many say: “No thanks.”
The elite haven’t vanished—but they’re no longer default choices. And that’s a signal worth watching.
🔍 Striking reversal: For the first time in decades, net Indian tech migration to the U.S. has declined, while flows to Canada, Germany, and the UAE are rising sharply.
The Global Talent Compass Has Flipped
Where brains go, economies follow.
The movement of skilled people is reshaping everything—real estate markets, startup ecosystems, even school districts. For investors, policymakers, and global citizens alike, tracking these flows is more than interesting. It’s vital.
Want to spot the next big opportunity? Follow the humans behind the innovation.
Stay curious. Stay informed. Stay global.
Warm regards,
Shane Fulmer
Founder, WorldPopulationReview.com
P.S. Want to sponsor this newsletter? Reach 117,000+ global-minded readers — click here!