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The 53 best and worst countries to work as an expat have been revealed, with a European destination topping the list and a popular holiday destination bottoming out.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom and the United States fail to reach the top 20.
The results come from a survey conducted by an expat guide based in Switzerland. InterNationswhich asked foreign workers around the world to rate their local labor market, wage security, and work-life balance.
Read on for the full results and let us know where you’d like to move further in the comments section.
The best countries to work as an expat
Denmark
Denmark tops the list, with one Australian expat telling InterNations: “The work-life balance is fantastic and five or six weeks’ holiday is standard.”
The 53 best and worst countries to work as an expat have been revealed, with Denmark topping the list. The photo above shows the country’s capital, Copenhagen.
More than four in five expats (84 percent) are happy with their work-life balance in Denmark, while 83 percent praise their working hours.
About two-thirds of expats (65 percent) say they can work remotely part of the time, while 82 percent agree that Danish business culture supports flexibility.
However, despite high scores for work-life balance, only 60 percent of expats in Denmark felt they were paid fairly for their work.
Saudi Arabia
A Spanish expat in Saudi Arabia tells InterNations: “I like how there are job opportunities for skilled people.” Pictured above is the capital Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia is second in the ranking, and one Spanish expat told InterNations: “I like how there are job opportunities for skilled people.”
More than half of expats (55 percent) rate Saudi Arabia’s job market positively, while 75 percent say moving there has improved their job prospects.
About six in 10 expats (63 percent) say they moved to Saudi Arabia for their career and 82 percent are happy with the local economy.
However, expats face longer hours, with many working 47.8 hours a week compared to the global average of 42.5 hours.
Belgium
Expats praise Belgium’s third-ranked job security, local job market and career opportunities. Pictured above is the port city of Ghent.
Belgium comes third on the list, and one Zimbabwean expat told InterNations: ‘What do I like about Belgium? The infrastructure and services, the quality of education and job opportunities.’
Expats praise the country’s job security, the local job market, and their career opportunities there.
Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) say moving to Belgium has improved their career prospects, while 76 percent say the local business culture supports flexibility.
Expats also enjoy a shorter work week than the global average, with most spending 40.8 hours a week at work compared to 42.5 hours.
The worst countries to work as an expat
Turkey
Turkey comes last on the list for the third year in a row, with one German expat telling InterNations: “Job insecurity, general inflation and economic instability bother me.” The photo above is Istanbul
Turkey comes last on the list for the third year in a row, with one German expat telling InterNations: “Job insecurity, general inflation and economic instability bother me.”
Nearly two in five expats (38 percent) are dissatisfied with their work hours in Türkiye, while 64 percent rate the economy negatively.
A third of expatriates (33 percent) are dissatisfied with their job security, while 40 percent rate their career opportunities negatively.
Egypt
Egypt comes second to last in the ranking, with more than a quarter rating its work-life balance as poor. The photo above is Cairo.
Egypt comes in second to last, with two in five expats (43 percent) saying they are dissatisfied with their jobs.
More than a quarter (37 per cent) think their work-life balance is poor, while only 15 per cent view the local economy as positive.
InterNations adds: “Hit by a prevailing currency crisis, global shocks and historically high inflation, Egypt’s economy is expected to recover only slowly.”
Cyprus
Two in five expats (40 percent) in Cyprus rate their personal career opportunities negatively, while 41 percent say moving there has not improved their career prospects. The capital, Nicosia, is shown in the photo above.
Cyprus rounds out the three worst places to work as an expat, with one Lebanese expat revealing to InterNations: “Job opportunities for foreigners are rare (especially for students).”
Two in five expats (40 percent) in Cyprus rate their personal career opportunities negatively.
Meanwhile, 41 percent say moving there has not improved their career prospects.
Many expats are also unhappy with their salaries in Cyprus: 41 percent say they are not paid fairly for their work.