Top Countries for Employment Opportunities
Working abroad significantly expands individuals’ perspectives both about themselves and the world. Consequently, many people seek job opportunities beyond their home countries, although they often struggle to decide on a destination. The leading countries for employment worldwide include:
- United Arab Emirates: The UAE is recognized as one of the best countries for work, particularly Dubai and Abu Dhabi, owing to their tax-free income and ideal professional standards for employment.
- New Zealand: Crowned the best country to live in for the fourth consecutive year in 2017, New Zealand’s new job rates soared, driven by the nation’s economic prosperity, which fostered job security and professional advancement according to the highest global standards.
- Spain: A survey conducted in Spain revealed that 90% of immigrants expressed satisfaction with their work experiences there, establishing it as an ideal destination for engineers and professionals in maritime industries.
- Switzerland: For two consecutive years, 2017 and 2018, Switzerland was heralded as the best country to work in all aspects, thanks to its relatively high salaries and its balance between professional and social life, alongside an excellent work culture.
- United Kingdom: According to a global bank, 64% of expatriates in Britain gain practical skills unavailable in their home countries, while 62% experience career progression. The number of job vacancies for expatriates is anticipated to rise to 600,000 by 2022, with the government investing £100 million to enhance employment and engineering projects.
- Japan: Employment in Japan allows professionals to engage with the latest technology, significantly enhancing their skills.
- United States: The U.S. is home to leading global companies across various industries and contributes a quarter of the world’s GDP, establishing itself as one of the finest countries for employment.
- Singapore: Ranking tenth among the best countries to work in 2018, 62% of expatriates in Singapore reported notable career advancements, with 52% feeling accomplished and improving their job-related skills.
- Luxembourg: Luxembourg stands out in technological and financial sectors, offering high salaries, excellent healthcare systems, and advanced infrastructure.
- Germany: Germany presents numerous job opportunities in various fields, notably in research and development, medicine, banking, and information technology, with attractive employment benefits ensuring work-life balance, as companies generally do not require additional hours.
Countries with the Best Work-Life Balance
Psychologists define work-life balance as an individual’s ability to fulfill professional obligations without negatively impacting personal enjoyment outside the workplace. The countries that offer the best work-life balance for employees include:
- Netherlands: According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), working in the Netherlands allows individuals to achieve a balance between their professional and personal lives, as only 0.4% of employees work 50 hours or more weekly, the third-lowest rate worldwide when compared to the global average of 11%.
- Denmark: Denmark ranks within the top 10 countries with the lowest weekly work hours, averaging 39.7 hours compared to the global average of 44.3 hours. A survey of expatriates in Denmark showed that 76% enjoy achieving work-life balance, compared to 60% globally.
- Norway: In a survey of expatriate workers in Norway, 76% rated their ability to achieve work-life balance positively, and 77% expressed satisfaction with their working hours, which average 42.9 hours weekly—1.4 hours less than the global average. However, 72% of expatriates earn higher salaries than in their home countries.
- Sweden: With an average working week of 42.3 hours, Sweden’s expatriates reported a 77% satisfaction rate regarding work-life balance and 65% felt job security, a notable figure compared to the global average of 57%.
- Bahrain: Seventy-two percent of expatriates in Bahrain express happiness due to their ability to maintain work-life balance, as the average weekly work hours in Bahrain is 42.9 hours, lower than the global average, and 70% earn higher wages than in their home countries for similar positions.
- Czech Republic: Although the average working week in the Czech Republic is 44.9 hours, higher than the global average of 44.3 hours, 73% of expatriate workers there reported happiness in achieving work-life balance, with 74% feeling job security.
- New Zealand: Seventy-three percent of expatriates in New Zealand are in full-time jobs, with three-quarters expressing their ability to maintain work-life balance and satisfaction with their average weekly work hours of 42.3.
Best Countries for Education
A survey conducted in 2020, which involved 196,300 individuals over four months, ranked the best countries for education based on various criteria, including educational system management, annual university student demographics, professionals, and academic faculty. The study concluded that the United Kingdom has the most advanced educational system in the world for 2020, followed by the United States, Australia, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Denmark, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland. Japan ranked eleventh, followed by Palestine, Finland, Taiwan, and Singapore in the last five positions of the top 15 educational countries. Below is a brief overview of the educational strengths in some of the analyzed countries:
- United Kingdom: UK universities have historically gained a solid reputation for education since their inception, regarded as ideal for acquiring new knowledge across various fields, including technical, administrative, and commercial disciplines.
- United States: Many individuals pursue studies in American universities, renowned for their advanced educational systems which allow flexible scheduling of courses to accommodate students’ circumstances and offer employment opportunities post-graduation.
- Switzerland: Home to some of the world’s best universities, Switzerland provides cutting-edge specialized information across various fields while ensuring a comprehensive understanding of each area of study for graduates.
- Sweden: Recognized for its reliable and enjoyable educational system, Swedish universities offer general academic degrees and professional certifications in various fields such as engineering, law, and medicine.
- Finland: Finland operates under a full-time educational system, with traditional universities focusing on theoretical subjects and research, alongside applied sciences universities developing industrial and engineering projects for global needs.
- Netherlands: Research universities in Finland empower their students to independently investigate topics of interest after completing the required curriculum, while applied higher education institutions emphasize enhancing practical skills relevant to specific jobs.
- Australia: The United Nations has praised Australia for its educational approach, emphasizing the importance of school attendance, academic excellence, and high performance, with the education sector contributing 5% of the nation’s GDP.
Countries with the Highest Happiness Index
Researchers conducted a survey among a thousand individuals in each UN member country regarding life quality, allowing participants to rate their satisfaction from 1 to 10 based on per capita GDP, life expectancy, social support, corruption levels, personal decision-making freedoms, and generosity. The findings identified the happiest countries as follows:
- Finland: Finns enjoy the highest happiness levels globally due to economic and security stability, relatively high wages, and work-life balance resulting from shorter work hours and generous vacation time. Additionally, they benefit from low corruption and high educational standards, with the government prioritizing overall community welfare in sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
- Norway: The low population density in Norway, with only 14 people per square kilometer, contributes to its happiness, allowing for better wealth and resource distribution, improved healthcare, an expected lifespan of 81 years, low crime rates, and educational development.
- Denmark: Denmark offers free healthcare and education to all its citizens, with government funding for the elderly and children being the highest globally. The country also enjoys security stemming from low crime and corruption levels.
- Iceland: Icelandic citizens benefit from various social, economic, and health privileges, with a high GDP per capita and elevated minimum wage levels, alongside a rich natural resource base and a clean environment with low pollution.
- Netherlands: Approximately 80% of the population in the Netherlands report satisfaction with their living standards and life conditions. The balance of working hours and high minimum wage helps residents maintain personal and professional life harmony, resulting in a conducive family environment.
- Canada: Canada ranks among the happiest countries, attributed to factors such as community safety, economic security with an average annual income of $36,138 in 2012, and work-life balance that reinforces social bonds. The government’s integrity and dedication to enhancing citizens’ well-being further contribute to this happiness, with life expectancy hitting 81.2 years in 2009.
- New Zealand: New Zealand offers advanced healthcare services, with an average life expectancy of 82 years. The country benefits from a clean environment and low pollution levels, alongside elevated educational standards, as 74% of its population continues their education beyond secondary school, with 73% being young adults earning competitive salaries.
For further insights on the immigration phenomenon, you may refer to the article dedicated to this topic.