U.S. election 2024: Google searches for ‘How to move to Canada’ surge as votes are counted

Early voting results show the race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is incredibly close. As anxiety builds across the U.S., Google searches for “How to move to Canada” are on the rise on Tuesday, with a 400 per cent increase by 8:00 p.m., according to Google Trends.

In 2016, when Donald Trump was first elected U.S. president, a surge in search traffic caused Canada’s immigration website to crash.

Whether or not Americans want to move to Canada, the U.S. election coincides with Canada reducing its newcomer intake. The federal government recently announced plans to cut immigration levels in the coming years, amid rising housing and affordability concerns for many Canadians.

Anxious U.S. citizens search for hope up North

On platforms like X, users are posting humorous, speculative, and serious comments about moving to Canada. Memes featuring Canadian landscapes, political comparisons, and jokes about Canada’s cold weather are trending, alongside discussions on the practicalities of immigration.

Historically, U.S. elections—especially those with high-stakes issues and divisive candidates—have prompted similar reactions. During the 2020 election cycle, Canada saw record traffic to immigration sites, a trend also notable as far back as the 2004 election. The current rise in search interest mirrors past surges, with early results indicating tight races in several states, adding to the tension.

Outlets like PolitiFact report that such spikes often align with periods of political tension, tracing the phenomenon back to the 2004 re-election of George W. Bush, which also saw notable increases in interest in Canadian immigration.

For now, many Americans appear to be exploring the idea online, whether out of genuine interest or as a reaction to an uncertain political climate. As votes continue to be counted, the “move to Canada” search trend offers a unique perspective on how U.S. elections resonate beyond borders.