Not speaking from experience, but as someone also trying to navigate either leaving a PhD for a job or a different program, I am viewing my funded PhD now as a job - one that I am free to leave at any time for any reason I want. There are so many reasons to quit jobs (shitty boss, uninteresting work, a cap on your promotion or progression, poor work conditions, feel you are no longer learning, etc.) and the same applies for a PhD.

I totally sympathize with you as I am going through the exact same thing, and as I am not a citizen of the country/continent my PhD is in and so desperately want to stay here, I have to find something else before I can quit. Will absolutely not list my supervisor here as a reference, but will list people from the past who can attest to my good work. I am creating a new CV now that will include the fact that I've started a PhD now, but I don't think I will address it too much until I get to an interview stage.

I started a PhD 8 months ago as part of a funded project and after courses, my first seminar, and submitting one paper, I am absolutely certain this project and this research group is 100% not for me. I found a few other PhD project at different universities that I am sure are a way better fit. In my application/cover letters for new positions, do I mention that I have already started a PhD? I came to my current program with ~5 years of work experience - not sure if that makes a difference.