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The top 10 countries for expats

Thanks to plenty of job opportunities, high wages, and a great environment, Singapore has been ranked as the best place to live in the world for expats.

Surveying 22,000 expats living in 39 countries, the HSBC expat explorer survey found Singapore attracts expats looking to learn new skills.

Nearly three in five (59%) expats said the city-state is a good place for career advancement, while 53% said the chance to acquire new skills at work is better than at home (only 12% disagreed with this view).

The survey added nearly a third (30%) of expats in Singapore work in banking, insurance or financial services, reflecting its place as one of the major financial hubs in Asia.

Although living in the country was found to be expensive, expat earnings were identified as high: an average expat salary of US$159,000 per annum put the country well above the global average of US$104,000 per annum.

New Zealand ranked second on the list, with expats saying they have access to family- friendly amenities, and high environmental standards, which together make for a memorable experience.

ALSO READ: Singapore overtakes Hong Kong, Paris and Stockholm as expensive city for expats

Almost four in five (77%) expats living there stated their quality of life is better than at home and well over half (63%) said making friends has been easy.

Southeast Asia was, in fact, the region with the happiest expat workers, with the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and China making it into the top five countries for job satisfaction.

"As global mobility increases, expat life is becoming more attainable for more people. International companies continue to develop their business overseas and often offer their employees a secondment opportunity, while fast-growing and diverse economies attract people to new, exciting lives abroad," commented Dean Blackburn, head of HSBC Expat.

"At the same time, technology has made it much easier to keep in touch with friends and family from the other side of the world."

Here are the top 10 best countries in the world for expats:

1. Singapore2. New Zealand3. Sweden4. Bahrain5. Germany6. Canada7. Australia8. Taiwan9. United Arab Emirates10. Switzerland

Image: Shutterstock

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