Expats re-evaluate their preferred destinations

After the huge expansion of internationally-based jobs all across the world, it seems expats are now reassessing what’s on offer and where.

As traditional destinations for career-minded expats lose their attraction, new locations are heading up the trend towards the tech sector and its start-up opportunities. Nowadays, politics also play a role in relocation decisions and lifestyle is often a prime requirement, taking over the position formerly occupied by salaries. Over the last two years or so, regular annual ‘best destination’ surveys have had more than a few surprising results as a result of the revaluation of their priorities by working expatriates. The USA is a perfect example of how politics can affect personal choices as, although it’s still a number one destination for expat professionals, it’s far less attractive due to its political volatility.

At present, Germany is a talent magnet at a time when countries such as Switzerland and the UK are clamping down on immigration, no matter how crucial the right person for the right job may be. Italy and France are also seen as less than welcoming to incomers, but millennials with doctorates and masters’ degrees, especially in the tech sector, are more than welcome in Berlin. A new trend is affecting personal choices as regards relocation, with cities taking over from countries as specific locations for special skills. One example is London, still a popular choice in spite of the Brexit threat, but the rest of the UK is now a wasteland for career junkies. Dubai has retained its popularity in spite of its negative press as regards the overall local perception of foreigners across the Gulf States. If relocating is all about the money and not much else, Dubai’s the place, at least for now.

Another shift in expat perceptions of worthwhile jobs isn’t much of a surprise as the digital revolution rolls ever onwards. Two-thirds of skilled professionals looking to become expats are in the tech sector, with artificial intelligence, mobile app development, interface design and other similar skill sets the most popular with international employers. Unsurprisingly, the USA isn’t the land of opportunity any more for a good number of would-be expatriates, with its politics and immigration policies seen as an off-putting trend likely to lead to serious problems somewhere down the line.