An expat is anyone who lives outside of their native country while intending to return, while an immigrant is someone who moves to another country permanently.
One reason why you rarely hear about American “immigrants” to other countries is that it is absurdly hard to relinquish US citizenship. So even if an American were to gain citizenship elsewhere, they still owe US income tax, and are reminded of their status every April.
merc@sh.itjust.works 1 week ago
They still have to file income taxes. But, most places have higher taxes than the USA. Most places also have reciprocal tax agreements with the US. There’s also a deduction of something like $100k, so the first $100k (or local equivalent) you earn in another country isn’t taxed. As a result, unless you’re making high six figures, you don’t actually owe any American taxes.
OTOH, just filing US taxes is a real pain in the ass. In the US it’s made very slightly easier by your employer, bank, etc. all supplying you with the tax forms you need. If you’re overseas, you need to figure out the info you’d need to supply on that form yourself.