London is where overseas workers want to be, according to a new survey.

More than one-fifth (22%) of respondents said that the UK capital was their preferred destination. 

New York came in second with 16%, and Berlin and Barcelona were third and fourth, both with 15%.

Europe dominates the top 10 with five entries, including Paris in eighth place. 

While the big European and US cities make up two-thirds of the 30 most popular destinations, other regions are catching up.

Dubai, Sydney and Tokyo also make the top 10, in sixth, ninth and 10th place respectively. Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong have also moved up the ranks in the past four years. 

London’s dominance comes despite an overall drop in the appeal of the UK. Before the Brexit vote, the UK was the top European destination for foreign workers. It now sits in fifth place, behind Germany, and is less popular than the US, Canada and Australia.

Reluctance to Move

The uncertainty around Brexit in the UK, along with tighter immigration controls in the US and elsewhere, may be partly responsible for the fact that people overall are less interested in moving abroad for work.

While over half the survey respondents (57%) said that they would move abroad for work, this is noticeably less than the survey result four years ago. In 2014, almost two-thirds (64%) said they would be happy to relocate.

“It could be that the world is becoming less mobile. Or it could be that work itself is becoming more global, making it unnecessary for people to uproot their lives to find satisfying, well-paying jobs,” suggest the survey's authors, at Boston Consulting Group. 

Called Decoding Global Talent, the global survey asked 366,000 workers for their views, thanks to a collaboration with market-leading job boards in over 130 countries.

Attracting Top Talent

As working habits change and we become a more decentralized, more mobile and globally connected workforce, cities will have to compete for talent. Employees will choose where to move to based on the cultural opportunities and standard of life on offer.

When it comes to quality of life, a different ranking places Vienna, Zürich, Auckland, Munich and Vancouver in the tops spots.

Edited by Shawn Chou

Additional Reading

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♦ What Does Living Abroad Do to Your Self-Awareness?
♦ These are the Cities Where People Work the Longest Hours

Original content can be found at the website of World Economic Forum.

♦ These are the most desirable cities for overseas workers

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