Why do Brits and Americans have a special term instead of just using Immigrant?

    • 1984@lemmy.today
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      3 days ago

      To be fair, they are pretty bad, unless you do like America and only allow people with certain skills and intelligence. Allowing refugees from war torn countries is very nice, but ultimately brings that war to the country itself and changes the culture into something very different.

      Source: Sweden.

      • TheGalacticVoid@lemm.ee
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        3 days ago

        Bro skilled people wanting to become US residents or citizens have to wait an absurd amount of time to even have a chance

          • TheGalacticVoid@lemm.ee
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            2 days ago

            No, it’s because there’s a lottery system that has been backlogged for decades. US immigration is such a bad process that skilled people go to Canada instead because the government there actually values those people.

            • 1984@lemmy.today
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              2 days ago

              Ah ok. Yeah I guess they don’t make it a priority for some reason.

    • Kilometers_OBrien@startrek.website
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      3 days ago

      Or it’s a term tied to tax status that is easier to say than explaining taxation status for those living abroad 🤷

      No, it’s all just a big racist conspiracy, don’t bother looking up any definitions or anything lmao

        • Ogmios@sh.itjust.works
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          3 days ago

          Do you seriously need someone to explain to you why there are multiple words with similar meanings in the world?

          • lime!@feddit.nu
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            3 days ago

            well when you challenge an opinion you usually offer an alternative opinion.

            • Ogmios@sh.itjust.works
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              3 days ago

              Usually. But if the premise is particularly stupid I might choose to prompt the speaker to actually think about what they’ve said for a moment.

              Or you could just read any of the numerous other comments here which offer other explanations.

              • lime!@feddit.nu
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                3 days ago

                i did think about it and it matches my experience. i will read the rest of the thread.

                Edit: i have now read the rest of the thread. nobody seems to agree and i see no sources.

                • Ogmios@sh.itjust.works
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                  2 days ago

                  You’re looking for a source for the answer to a question so idiotic that it has probably never been asked before in the history of man?

                  You can’t be a real person.

          • Windex007@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            They aren’t used interchangeably so this implies a different definition or at least distinct connotations.