The global bank HSBC just released its 2017 Expat Explorer Survey and it warrants 15 minutes of exploration. The data is terrifically interactive with a great comparative feature so you can see exactly how 1st place Singapore compares to 8th place Sweden—in case you’re deciding between the two. You can actually size up and compare any of the top 45 expat destinations based on 27 overall criteria, organized by the three main areas: Economics, Experience and Family. Peru, Chile, Kenya, South Korea, Poland, Austria and Norway are all new to this year’s expat list—Norway and Austria being the two most noteworthy as they sprang all the way to 6th and 7th on this year’s survey. Expat life in the Czech Republic made a leap, catapulting from 18th to 4th in the last year.
Interestingly, Brexit had little impact on the UK’s standing among expats from last year’s survey to this one—the UK actually improved one place from 23rd in 2015 to 22nd for 2016. However, the same could not be said for the political unrest and uncertainty the US experienced. For a number of reasons the USA plummeted 14 spots in this year’s survey–behind the nation’s of Russia, Oman, Poland and even getting edged out by Qatar.
In terms of what we teach at CultureWizard, the fact that Britain remained stable in the eyes of expats while the US dropped significantly seems to suggest a cultural shift in how America is perceived. Brexit was a drastic decision with far-reaching implications, but compared to the boisterously anti-immigrant statements made by the new US administration, the rhetoric around Brexit was comparatively mild. Of course, being an expat and an immigrant are entirely different, but that doesn’t mean your new neighbors will know the difference, and who wants to live in a country with an unwelcoming attitude toward foreigners? When you look at the nations most favored by expats, the things they share in common are political and economic stability and a cultural consistency from one year to the next. All of which suggests that culture matters to expats and that cultural shifts can have powerful implications.
When it comes to bringing the family along, Sweden is the clear winner. But it’s also interesting to see just how good the Czech Republic is for raising a family abroad. If kids aren’t a factor and you’re looking to that foreign assignment to boost the career and stack some cash, Switzerland, Singapore and Germany are the go to countries. If enriching experiences and new friendships is your prime motivation, then bust out that box set of Lord of the Rings as there’s no place like New Zealand when it comes to making friends and having fun. And if you happen to sprain an ankle while reenacting some famous battle of Middle-Earth, fear not, it is tops for healthcare too!
What do you make of the HSBC list? Do you think changing politics and perception hurt the United States standing among expats? What do you personally look for when considering an expat assignment?
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