A brain drain hitting American universities is expected to gather pace before the start of the new academic year as funding cuts and attacks on academic freedom have led increasing numbers of academics to question whether they wish to stay in the United States.

Last month, the historians Timothy Snyder and Marci Shore, who are married to each other, announced their departure from Yale University to join the University of Toronto, citing concerns over the direction of American democracy during Donald Trump’s presidency.

Meanwhile, professors who face funding cuts and uncertain futures have quietly signalled their availability within academic circles—and are now fielding unexpectedly high-paying offers from institutions abroad.

David Lesperance, an immigration and tax specialist at the Canadian law firm Lesperance & Associates, said he was helping “high-profile US tenured professors and top-level researchers” explore relocation options in Canada, Australia and Europe, with many hoping to begin new roles by September.

“Many of them work in medical research, AI, physics, and computer science — these are the hot ticket fields right now,” Lesperance said.

He said one American client was weighing offers from Britain, Australia and China. “He’s passionate about his research, and the decision will come down to which place offers the best funding, lab support and staffing,” Lesperance said.