Passport Marriages: Are Americans Trying to Date Canadians Just for a Way Out?

Publsihed date: 2026-07-01

Key Takeaways

For many Americans, dating no longer happens in a vacuum. Conversations about rent, healthcare costs, job security, and political values increasingly determine whether or not people pursue long-term relationships. As the cost of living rises and political tensions remain high, some singles are reconsidering not just who they want to build a future with—but where that future might take place. For a growing number of people, that question even extends beyond U.S. borders, with Canada emerging as a surprisingly common alternative. 

To better understand how financial stress, political polarization, and long-term uncertainty are influencing modern relationships, Casino Days surveyed 1,000 single Americans who are actively dating and open to a serious long-term partnership. We explored how people weigh emotional connection against practical concerns like healthcare access, housing affordability, and personal rights. We also examined how many Americans are open to cross-border dating — or even marriage — as a strategy for improving long-term stability. In an unsteady global moment, relationships aren’t just for emotional connection anymore: they’re a way to change your life. 

• 48% have become more selective about who they date due to political division, while 23% have reconsidered a long-term relationship, and 14% have ended one over political differences.
• 83% say cost of living influenced them at least somewhat in considering leaving the U.S., including 41% who say it influenced them a great deal.
• 79% say healthcare affordability influenced them at least somewhat in considering leaving, with 32% saying it influenced them a great deal.
• 43% mostly see their future in the U.S. but occasionally consider leaving, while 13% are unsure about their long-term future and 8% either increasingly see their future outside the U.S. or actively plan an exit option.
• 98% rate romantic connection as at least somewhat important in partner selection, and 93% say financial stability is at least somewhat important, including 38% who rate financial stability as extremely important.
• 47% would be open to dating someone from Canada, while 27% say they would like to date someone from Canada and 10% have already dated someone from Canada.
• 52% believe their rights would be better protected in Canada, and 50% say Canada would offer a more stable long-term future than the U.S.
• 68% would feel morally conflicted about marrying primarily for long-term security, while 48% say they would consider marrying a Canadian for security or residency opportunities.

Why Americans Want To Leave

In the wake of COVID-19, political turmoil, and geopolitical conflict, America just isn’t what it used to be. Its citizens are noticing, too. The effort it takes to stay in the USA is no longer worth it for many Americans, and here’s why. 

Many citizens just can’t afford to be American anymore. A striking 83% said the cost of living and inflation had made them consider living abroad. Other financial pressures followed closely behind: 79% pointed to healthcare affordability and access, while 76% said the lack of affordable housing had pushed them toward considering a move overseas. As everyday essentials grow more expensive, staying in the country becomes increasingly difficult to justify.

Concerns about safety and the broader political climate added to that pressure. About 76% cited gun violence as a factor influencing their interest in leaving. For singles who want to start a family, the rise of gun violence in schools is a serious factor in deciding whether to stay in the United States. Another 73% pointed to job security, and 72% to political polarization. For many respondents, economic instability and social tension make the country harder to afford and harder to feel secure in.

Long-term quality-of-life issues also shaped these attitudes. About 70% said access to affordable education had influenced their thinking, while 57% cited climate change. Social policy concerns further contributed to the push abroad, with 64% saying reproductive rights had affected their interest in leaving and 51% pointing to concerns about LGBTQ+ rights and protections. Together, these pressures painted a picture of Americans weighing economic, social, and political factors when considering life outside the country.

People Are Planning For a Future Outside of the U.S.

Amid headline fatigue, constantly fluctuating interest rates, and the growing K-shaped economy, many Americans feel priced out of their own homeland. This leads to a lack of confidence not only in their own future, but their country’s. Here’s how confident — or not — people feel about the future of the United States.

Americans were divided on whether or not they had a viable future in the United States. While over a third (37%) felt confident about staying in the country, 43% were torn, saying they mostly want to stay but still consider leaving. Another 13% think they’d have a better future outside of America, and yet another 5% only see a future for themselves away from the U.S. 

Younger citizens had the least optimistic outlook. Half of Gen Z (50%) said they occasionally thought about leaving, compared with 35% of Baby Boomers. Boomers were most likely to feel permanently rooted, with 44% saying they saw their future in the U.S. compared with 29% of Gen Z. 

Younger respondents were also more likely to question their long-term outlook, with 23% of Gen Z doubting their future in the U.S. to some degree. This isn’t surprising when you consider that the youngest generation entered the workforce just in time for a pandemic, recession, record inflation rates, and increasingly unaffordable housing. Instead of working for an American Dream that no longer exists, Gen Z is creating its own dream. 

What Makes a Perfect Partner?

This lack of optimism does not extend to the dating scene, though. After swiping through countless Tinder profiles, today’s singles have refined what they want in a partner. Despite how much dating has changed with the advent of dating apps and situationship culture, people are still in search of a good old-fashioned love story.

Love still mattered most when Americans thought about long-term partners. Nearly all respondents (98%) said romantic connection was at least somewhat important when choosing a partner, with 53% calling it extremely important. Emotional stability ranked just as high, with 98% saying it mattered and 54% rating it extremely important. Even in a time of economic and social uncertainty, people want to feel that “spark”.

Practical compatibility mattered, too. Most singles (93%) valued financial stability in a partner, including 38% who said it was extremely important. Access to reliable healthcare also factored into relationship decisions, with 83% saying it factored into their choice of a long-term partner. Women placed greater emphasis on financial stability than men, with 46% rating it extremely important compared with 30% of men. Whether this is due to more women believing in traditional gender roles where the man is the provider or because women are more likely to place practical needs above emotional ones, men should be ready to talk about their 401ks. 

Some respondents wanted an equal partner, but others wanted to date “up”. About 39% said they actively seek partners who are more financially secure than they are, while 22% said they had pursued that type of partner in the past. This was significantly more common among younger singles, with 45% of Gen Z purposely “dating up” and 42% of millennials doing the same. For both generations, 21% had pursued a more stable partner in the past. This is over four times higher than the number of boomers actively seeking a partner above their league (10%), showing that the younger generations are willing to put love second.

Dating Across The Divide: How Politics Change Our Relationships

Being tall, dark, and financially stable isn’t enough for many singles nowadays. In an age where politics and political chaos affect our daily lives more than ever, American daters want someone who votes the same way they do.

Political division increasingly shapes how people approach dating and long-term relationships. Nearly half of respondents (48%) say the current political climate has made them more selective about who they date. Singles are using political values as a way to judge larger compatibility. At the same time, political polarization is destabilizing existing relationships — 23% say political opinions have caused them to reconsider a long-term relationship, while 14% report ending a relationship altogether. 

However, not all generations feel so strongly about their partner’s political leanings. Gen Z was the pickiest, with 57% saying that they were more selective about their partner’s political leanings. Surprisingly, the only other generation that kept pace was the baby boomers — 55% of boomers said they’d become more selective about their partner’s politics, as opposed to 47% of millennials and 43% of Gen X. However, Gen Z took a significant lead when it came to dumping their partners over politics: 21% of Zoomers had ended a relationship due to political differences, compared to 9% of Gen X and only 3% of baby boomers. The youngest generation wants a partner on the same side of the political divide. 

Men and women had different takes on political polarization as well. While 53% of women had become more selective of their partners, only 45% of men agreed. However, men were more likely to end a relationship outright: 16% of men have ended a relationship over politics, compared to 13% of women. This may show that men are less likely to think of politics as a dealbreaker early in the relationship, but are willing to leave over their differences.

“My Girlfriend Lives In Canada” Might Be The Truth This Time

For some Americans, meeting a financially stable partner on their side of the political compass, with whom they also have chemistry, is a tough task. That’s why some singles are taking a chance on love across the border. Canada is becoming more than just a maple syrup destination — many Americans are looking to fall in love with a Canuck.

Nearly half of respondents (47%) said they would date someone from Canada if the opportunity arose, while 27% said they would actively like to date someone from north of the border. At the same time, 26% said they had never considered dating a Canadian at all, showing that while curiosity exists, it is far from universal.

A smaller group had taken concrete steps toward international romance. About 11% said they had looked into dating opportunities in Canada through apps, travel, or relocation, and 9% said they were currently trying to meet or date someone there. Some respondents had already taken action through their dating apps — 6% said they had set their location to a Canadian city specifically to meet potential partners. 

Gen Z was most ready to commit to the Canadian lifestyle. Nearly half (48%) of Zoomers said they would be open to dating someone from Canada if the opportunity arose. However, younger singles were far more likely to actively pursue that interest — 32% of Gen Z said they would like to date someone from Canada, compared with just 3% of boomers. Similarly, 17% of Gen Z said they had looked into dating opportunities in Canada through apps, travel, or relocation, the highest of any generation. Interestingly, men were more interested in Canadians — 33% of men said they would like to date someone from Canada, compared with 22% of women. Taken together, the results suggest that while most Americans remain casually open to the idea, a smaller but growing group — especially younger adults — are actively exploring international dating.

Canada Always Comes Out On Top

With confidence in the U.S. being lower than ever, do Americans feel the same about their northern neighbors? Surprisingly, even among those who weren’t pursuing Canadian singles, opinions about The Great White North were largely positive. Here’s why.

Canada is becoming a haven for exhausted Americans. Exactly half of Americans said they believe Canada has a better long-term future than the United States, including 20% who said it would be much more stable than the U.S. A similar share (52%) felt their personal rights and identity would be better protected in Canada. 

Views on LGBTQ+ protections were more divided: 29% said Canada offered stronger protections and social acceptance, while another 29% believed the United States provided stronger protections, and 24% said both countries were about the same. However, Canada has historically been friendlier to LGBTQ+ people, and has reaffirmed that mission in light of America’s rollback of LGBTQ+ rights.

These perceptions also shaped how far Americans said they might go to secure a future in Canada. Nearly half (48%) said they would definitely or possibly consider marrying a Canadian citizen if it improved their long-term security or residency opportunities, including 31% who said they would definitely consider it. 

However, the idea carried clear moral tension for many respondents. About 68% said they would feel morally conflicted marrying for long-term security rather than love, including 30% who said they would feel strongly conflicted. Younger respondents were less hesitant: 63% of Gen Z said they would consider marrying a Canadian citizen for stability and residency. 

Alongside financial stability and that “spark”, singles are putting “Canadian Citizenship” at the top of their relationship wish list.

The Canadian Dream Is Becoming Reality

Love is no longer the only factor guiding romantic decisions. Economic pressure, healthcare access, housing costs, and political stability increasingly influence what people consider a “secure” relationship. Choosing a partner has become about choosing a future — and the conditions of that future.

That shift also shows up in the way people think about relationships. Cross-border dating and even marriage to a Canadian partner were not framed purely as romantic possibilities but as ways to build a more secure future. While most Americans still expect to remain in the United States, the openness to Canadian dating reveals something deeper: people will pursue international relationships if they believe it will improve their quality of life.

Canada’s proximity makes it a particularly natural focus for this kind of thinking. Unlike dating across continents, dating someone across the northern border can feel realistic and accessible. As economic pressure and political stress continue to shape personal decisions, Canada is emerging not just as a neighbor, but as a symbol of a more stable future.

Methodology

This survey was conducted in 2026 among 1,000 U.S.-based adults who are single, actively dating, and either seeking or open to a serious long-term romantic relationship. The research examined attitudes toward political division, economic and social pressures, long-term future planning, cross-border dating, and willingness to pursue marriage with a Canadian citizen for stability or residency reasons. The sample was post-stratified to align with national demographic benchmarks and segmented by age (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers) and gender (male and female). Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

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