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Just like taxation regimes have scrambled to keep up with the fact that you can order something from abroad and have ambiguity of where the sales tax will be ap

Just like taxation regimes have scrambled to keep up with the fact that you can order something from abroad and have ambiguity of where the sales tax will be applied - this is the next big thing about to happen: High skilled, (comparatively) rich, healthy knowledge workers will leave the place they reside, move somewhere like Dubai (no tax, few free public services - doesn't matter they're not going to need them) to work for a company based - on paper, somewhere similarly - meanwhile the sick, aging and destitute back in the old country depend on tax-funded public services that have lost their tax base. I don't know what the solution is - but it's something I think needs to be considered. Conversely, people might want to move the other way (say to the nordics), but, I'd wager it being heavily skewed in the first direction.

llampx 6y ago
I think only a fraction of people would move away from their home country just to gain some tax benefits. Doesn't seem like most people I talk to are interested in that.
- uzakov 6y ago
  I would actually say the opposite: many people I know (in the 20-28 years old age group) who work in IT and earn good salaries in their countries have said they'd move if they can make much more elsewhere. I think its not just about tax benefits but also the actual potential salary.
- alibarber 6y ago
  It's not really the tax benefits. I'm using Dubai as an example because I can't think of anywhere else, but plenty of people move there because it has: Better weather, better housing, better roads, lower crime etc than a lot of, say Europe. Of course, it also has a dark side such as no real social support net or anything (criminals, the sick and unemployed can just be deported), but the people moving there don't need that. Yes of course, society, solidarity, etc etc - but in the past that model kind of worked because people didn't really have the ability to just pack up and go - whereas now they can just bring a laptop and their credit card and have a plane ticket, airbnb, leased car and new, and to them better, life with barely any effort.
uzakov 6y ago
You raise great points. I think what countries would need to do is to lower taxes (potentially considered to be controversial by some) to attract talent from other countries and keep existing talent.
- llampx 6y ago
  I think a lot of ageing countries would have a hard time with that. Germany for example, is constantly looking at new ways to generate tax income. For them, lowering taxes, especially middle-class income taxes, is completely out of the question.
  - uzakov 6y ago
    That would/might push away many young highly skilled workers as well as push away any potential immigrants. Its hard decision no doubt

llampx 6y ago

I think only a fraction of people would move away from their home country just to gain some tax benefits. Doesn't seem like most people I talk to are interested in that.

uzakov 6y ago
I would actually say the opposite: many people I know (in the 20-28 years old age group) who work in IT and earn good salaries in their countries have said they'd move if they can make much more elsewhere. I think its not just about tax benefits but also the actual potential salary.
alibarber 6y ago
It's not really the tax benefits. I'm using Dubai as an example because I can't think of anywhere else, but plenty of people move there because it has: Better weather, better housing, better roads, lower crime etc than a lot of, say Europe. Of course, it also has a dark side such as no real social support net or anything (criminals, the sick and unemployed can just be deported), but the people moving there don't need that. Yes of course, society, solidarity, etc etc - but in the past that model kind of worked because people didn't really have the ability to just pack up and go - whereas now they can just bring a laptop and their credit card and have a plane ticket, airbnb, leased car and new, and to them better, life with barely any effort.

uzakov 6y ago

You raise great points. I think what countries would need to do is to lower taxes (potentially considered to be controversial by some) to attract talent from other countries and keep existing talent.

llampx 6y ago
I think a lot of ageing countries would have a hard time with that. Germany for example, is constantly looking at new ways to generate tax income. For them, lowering taxes, especially middle-class income taxes, is completely out of the question.
- uzakov 6y ago
  That would/might push away many young highly skilled workers as well as push away any potential immigrants. Its hard decision no doubt