New research reveals top destinations and trends among international relocation.
By Debbie Bolla
COVID-19 and the influx of remote work are clearly having an impact on global mobility. Boston Consulting Group and The Network’s study Decoding Global Talent, Onsite and Virtual examines worker attitudes on specific work destinations and shifts in mobility. The research finds that about 50% of respondents are willing to move to another country for a role. What factors have impacted this?
The pandemic, travel restrictions, and remote work have all played a part in the shift in attitudes. The research shows an emerging trend that some international employers are extending job roles without requiring employees to come to the office, removing relocation as part of the equation. This approach may be a game-changer for many. Virtual mobility has an appeal: 57% of respondents say they are willing to work remotely for an employer that doesn’t have a physical presence in their home country and about one-quarter of respondents say they aren’t sure and would need to consider.
The survey also revealed the top three destinations among employees for work: Canada, Australia, and the U.S. Pandemic management has impacted rankings. Canada and Australia have both excelled in terms of pandemic management. Some Asia-Pacific countries have also done a good job of containing the virus, and this has helped them move up in the rankings. In fact, the study finds that two Asia-Pacific countries are among the top 10 for the first time: Singapore, which has moved up 10 spots since 2018 and is now eighth, and New Zealand, which is now tenth. New Zealand has been a model of effective coronavirus management almost since the pandemic began, the survey finds.
Strong pandemic management has also boosted the rating of Japan and South Korea. Japan just edges out the top five at six and South Korea rose rapidly to 12th -a big shift considering its native language isn’t widely spoken. Some of this year’s rankings illustrate the importance that respondents are placing on public health after millions of COVID-19 deaths and widespread business shutdowns around the world.