EXPAT MOBILITY
Singapore – For the second year running, Singapore has been named the most liveable city for Asian expats, and in the top 10 globally.
The findings, from ECA International's latest annual Location Ratings report, are aimed at helping companies determine expat allowances, to compensate for adjustments required for an overseas assignment.
“When a location has good air quality, excellent infrastructure and healthcare facilities, low crime and health risks - all the attributes Singapore offers – companies are likely to provide just a low allowance or none at all,” Lee Quane, regional director for ECA International in Asia, said.
The report focuses on climate, availability of health services, housing and utilities, isolation, access to a social network and leisure facilities, infrastructure, personal safety, political tensions and air quality.
“However, the impact of some of the factors we use in our assessment, such as distance from home and differences in culture, language and climate will vary according to where someone comes from,” Quane explained.
“For this reason we take into account the home and destination country when analysing quality of living. So while Singapore ranks at the top for Asians, it ranks 66th for someone coming from Western Europe, for example.”
Singapore is one of two Asian cities in the top 10 locations, with Japanese city Kobe in fifth position. The three other cities in the top five were from Australia, with Sydney in second place, followed by Adelaide and Brisbane.
This year, Hong Kong jumped up a few notches from 14th place last year, to 11th. However, the improvement is likely a result of Tokyo and Yokohama’s fall rather than any improvements seen in the city. Air pollution continues to be a major concern for Hong Kong, with the third worst score of an Asian city, after Beijing and New Delhi.
“While Hong Kong is a very liveable city in many respects and has the advantage of being able to offer good schooling, housing, transport connections and goods and services to people coming to the city for business, the bad air quality could impact on the decision of an employee to relocate there,” Quane said.
“In this respect, Singapore has a clear lead over Hong Kong, giving it an advantage in terms of attracting business from overseas.”
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