Placeless Work & Migration

Future Lab #4 TORONTO

21 - 22 Oct 2027

With advanced digital technologies enabling work from virtually anywhere, mobility is no longer solely driven by economic necessity, family connections, or environmental factors.

Individuals are starting to move – or choose not to move – because their jobs come along with them. Digital nomadism is transforming migration in ways that traditional models cannot fully capture, blurring the distinctions between migration, mobility, and remote presence. This shift raises important questions for migration research.

What does it mean to migrate if your livelihood isn't tied to a specific location? 

How do communities and our sense of community change when some people are highly mobile while others remain rooted but globally connected? 

How do governments and social systems adapt to people whose work, identity and sense of belonging span multiple borders in real time, and who are not confined to a single physical location?

The fourth FutureLab (October 2027) in Toronto views digital nomadism as a significant force shaping the future of mobility. Participants are encouraged to investigate how instant connectivity and platform-based work are changing the reasons why in the future people move, or don't move any more.