Have you been thinking about a life change or possibly a move abroad? Now could just be the right time to take action.
A recent HSBC report shows that expats who move to Singapore are most likely to be happiest with their decision, as the city-state topped the latest list of best places for expatriates to live and work.
In the eighth edition of HSBC’s Expat Survey Explorer survey, expats in Singapore gave the Little Red Dot top marks for quality of life, opportunities for career development and attractive salaries. So, here is the insider scoop on living the expat life in Singapore.
Over a quarter (28 percent of expats) earn more than USD$200,000 per annum, compared to the global average of just 13 percent. The majority (67 percent) of respondents agreed that moving to Singapore improved the quality of life compared to their home country quality of life, with 65 percent of parents also saying they've noticed an improvement in their children’s health and wellbeing, which is high on the lost for families.
Singapore is also seen as a land of opportunity, with over three-quarters (79 percent of expats) expressing confidence in the economy, and more than half (59 percent of expats) praising the city-state for its career development opportunities.
After Singapore, expats voted New Zealand and Sweden the top destinations to consider moving too. The survey conducted in 2015 polled 21,950 respondents about their life abroad, in categories such as financial, wellbeing, career, quality of life, and ease of acclimatisation in their new country.
Results also showed that Switzerland attracts the most career-driven expats; that New Zealand offers the most rewarding and fulfilling life experience; and that Sweden is the most family-friendly country. Overall, quality of life and the desire for new challenges outranked better job prospects as the primary reasons expats cited for leaving their home country.
Entrepreneurial expatriates, meanwhile, may want to consider moving to Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong or London, which were cited as the best places for starting a new business given their economic prosperity. And foreigners working in the Middle East praised their newly adopted home for offering the most generous expat packages and work contracts, many of which include annual trips home and airfare and accommodation allowances.
Below are the top 10 countries for expats to live and work according to the Expat Explorer survey:
1. Singapore
2. New Zealand
3. Sweden
4. Bahrain
5. Germany
6. Canada
7. Australia
8. Taiwan
9. United Arab Emirates
10. Switzerland
Brought To You By Expat Choice
