Other Than Their Home Countries, They All Want to Work in the US

Where outside your home country would you most want to work?

The United States was the overall top pick in the study, “Talent Mobility Study: 2020 and Beyond” by PwC, the multinational professional services network,  The question was directed at millennials who also chose the United Kingdom and  Australia as their second and third choices, respectively.

With the US still the most desired place for work, global mobility specialists and corporate housing here have the edge over other countries–that is, if  the US government can act on immigration reform. The lack of working visas is a tough hurdle that the US government has not been able to address. There are only 85,000 working visas in a year and more than 10,000 companies applied last year. Supply can’t keep up with demand as the US economy continues to soar and more billion-dollar companies emerge almost every month now.

Canada and Germany came fourth and fifth in the list with their respective citizens choosing America also not only for the potential to earn more but to get funded as well.. Global mobility specialists just need to offer a strong incentive for these professionals and for employers to harness their efforts to attract and retain the best.

The sixth country in the ranking handed the Statue of Liberty as a gift. France was sixth, followed by Switzerland, Japan, Italy and New Zealand. Asian cosmopolitan cities Hong Kong and Singapore were in the list, which didn’t include burgeoning Manila, even if it’s one of the most expat-friendly cities in the world.

South Korea, adjudged the most innovative country in the world by Bloomberg, didn’t make it to the list. If language barrier is the obstacle, Manila’s fluency in English seem to be its advantage. Some Americans have business process outsourcing companies in Manila, pumping $18 billion into its Philippine economy annually.

Over half of those surveyed, though, said they would be willing to work in a less developed country to further their career, but not, it turns, if they’re India or China. Only 11 percent were willing to work in India and 2 percent in mainland China. 

Professionals from these Asian countries also pine for work abroad in contrast to Denmark, Finland, Norway and Belgium where their professionals are more inclined to stay put because they came in last in the survey. It may also have to do with how they prefer living in their countries, which are consistently voted for the best countries to live in.

Overall, many of the world’s professionals see America as their ultimate destination. Global mobility will continue to rise with the US as the most favored destination. But the industry also needs to work together to push the US government to enact laws that can help fill the need for talent–not just for big companies but also for emerging startups looking for an extra hand as they face a more global business environment. (DC)