- Fourth Global Study on International Mobility Trends by BCG,
The Network, and The Stepstone Group Features Survey Data from More
Than 150,000 Workforce Respondents from 188 Countries
- One in Four Professionals Globally Actively Seek Jobs
Abroad
- The US, Canada, the UK, and
Germany Round Out the Top Five Most Desired Destination
Countries
- Amsterdam,
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and New York Rank Number Two
Through Number Five for Cities
BOSTON, April 24,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite global challenges such
as geopolitical tensions, widespread economic concerns, and
emerging virtual mobility trends from the past several years,
moving abroad for work remains a dream for many workers around the
world, with 23% of professionals actively seeking jobs in other
countries, and 63% expressing an overall willingness to do so.
Younger people and people from countries with fast-growing
populations are the most mobile. English-speaking geographies with
strong economies lead the list of top destinations, with
Australia, the US, Canada, and the UK being the four most
desirable countries, and London
topping the list of cities, with New
York also placing in the top five.
These are among the findings of a new report published today by
Boston Consulting Group (BCG), The Network, and The Stepstone
Group. Titled Decoding Global Talent 2024, the study is
based on survey data from more than 150,000 workforce respondents
from 188 countries, and is the fourth installment in a series, the
previous editions having been published in 2014, 2018, and
2021.
Natives of regions with a labor surplus (owing to higher birth
rates) tend to be more mobile than those who live in areas where
the labor force is shrinking. For instance, 64% of workers in the
Middle East and Africa are actively willing to relocate, and
more than half of respondents in South
Asia (58%) and sub-Saharan Africa (52%) are actively willing
to do so. At the other end of the spectrum, much smaller
percentages are seen in North
America (16%) and Europe
(10%).
"The world's most important economies are facing a major
challenge: the great people shortage. This looming gap in the
global labor market is primarily due to declining birth rates and
mismatches between job supply and demand," said The Stepstone Group
CEO Sebastian Dettmers. "Labor
migration represents a prime opportunity to bridge this gap. We
must adapt our job markets to be more versatile, enabling workers
to move to where they are most needed and where they can find the
best positions for their skills and aspirations."
The survey results reveal that global talent moves abroad
primarily for professional progress, with those willing to do so
citing financial and economic reasons (64% of respondents) and
career considerations such as work experience (56%) as their top
reasons for doing so. For respondents who listed a specific reason
for choosing a particular country, the quality of job opportunities
was the top decisive factor (65%), with quality of life and climate
ranking second (54%). Other country-specific characteristics such
as opportunities for citizenship (18%) and health care (15%) also
play a role but are secondary factors.
"People don't associate countries with certain generally
attributed advantages and choose them on that basis," said
Sacha Knorr, co-managing director at
The Network. "Instead, they opt for the destination region that
most closely matches their own personal criteria for their future
job choice. Companies should take advantage of this, as they can
score points here with job offers that match
talents' expectations."
The study also highlights the fact that workers who move abroad
expect employers to take the lead in supporting their relocation
and onboarding and to cultivate an international, inclusive
culture. Nearly eight out of ten respondents expect to get help
with housing (79%) as well as visa and work permit assistance
(78%), and more than half count on relocation support (69%) and
language support and training (54%).
"Other countries can be a great source of talent. But
establishing a channel of workers from abroad requires employers to
fundamentally overhaul how they recruit, relocate, and integrate
talent," said Jens Baier, managing
director, senior partner and leader of BCG's work in HR excellence.
"They may have to challenge their own biases and look for talent in
markets and regions that they had not previously considered.
Governments also play a strong enabling role in this process. They
must establish policies, incentives, and frameworks that help
employers bring in the talent they need. Employers and nations that
tap into such positive energy from the millions of workers with
mobile aspirations will gain a major competitive advantage and
source of growth."
Download the publication here.
More insights about the survey here.
Media Contacts:
The Network:
Bojan Divčić
+32 472 19 15 41
Bojan.Divcic@the-network.com
The Stepstone Group:
Lea Schröder
press@stepstone.com
Boston Consulting Group:
Eric Gregoire
+1 617 850 3783
gregoire.eric@bcg.com
About the Survey
BCG, The Network (together with its
affiliate organizations), and The Stepstone Group conducted this
anonymous, online survey from October through December 2023. All told, 150,735 people in 188
countries participated.
The survey elicited workers' attitudes on various topics,
including their willingness to move abroad for work, the countries
they would most like to work in, their reasons for choosing those
countries, and their expectations of their future employers in a
new country. The data gathered in the survey (including a wide
range of information on participants' demographic and professional
backgrounds) made it possible to analyze workers' attitudes on the
basis of multiple parameters.
BCG also conducted follow-up interviews with select study
participants around the world—many of whom were interviewed before
and have been followed for several years.
About The Network
The Network is a global alliance of
more than 70 leading recruitment websites committed to finding the
best talent in over 150 countries. Founded in 2002, The Network has
become the global leader in online recruitment, serving more than
2,000 global corporations. The recruitment websites in The Network
attract almost 200 million unique visitors each month. For more
information, please visit www.the-network.com.
About The Stepstone Group
The Stepstone Group is a
leading global digital recruitment platform that connects companies
with the right talent and helps people find the right job. The
Stepstone Group connects more than 130 million job applications
with around 140,000 employers every year. With its integrated
platforms, The Stepstone Group simplifies the candidates job search
as well supporting recruiters with AI-powered solutions for the
entire recruitment process. In 2023, The Stepstone Group generated
revenue of around €1 billion. The Stepstone Group operates in more
than 30 countries—including Stepstone in Germany, Appcast in the US, and Totaljobs in
the UK. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany and employs around 4,000 people
worldwide. For more information: www.thestepstonegroup.com/en.
About Boston Consulting Group
Boston Consulting Group
partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most
important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG
was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963.
Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational
approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering
organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and
drive positive societal impact.
Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional
expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo
and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge
management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and
digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across
the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization,
fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them
to make the world a better place.
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SOURCE Boston Consulting Group (BCG)