According to a new report, Up or Out; Next Moves for the Modern Expatriate, published by the Economist Intelligence Unit in association with Regus, the global recession has not impacted the number of employees being sent abroad in the way that was previously forecast and the expatriate jobs market will continue to flourish.
The report, which was based on the outcome of interviews held with 418 executives in 77 different countries, found that 39% of those interviewed had plans to increase the number of expatriate jobs over the next five years, with the majority of these roles being available in developing markets such as India, Africa, and China,
Expatriate Jobs research: Major findings
- 80% of executives were of the opinion that working abroad had a positive impact on an individual’s career opportunities.
- 50% of expatriate jobs have a life span of 2 to 5 years.
- Short-term postings are on the increase and there are a growing number of expatriates who commute to their overseas roles, leaving their families at home.
- An increasing number of expatriate jobs are being made available for junior positions.
- 60% of expatriates working abroad felt that their management was out of touch with the environment within which they worked and did not understand the local business environment.
One of the most significant findings of the report concerned expatriate compensation. According to the report expatriate packages are no longer as generous as they once were with more than 50% of the companies surveyed no longer contributing to school fees for their employee’s children. Less than half also offered hardship bonuses to their employees. Discussing this, Paul Lewis, from the Economic Intelligence Unit, told UK newspaper, The Telegraph: “As the world is becoming more globalized, expatriate strategy is changing. Expatriate jobs are no longer considered ‘hardship postings’ but are in demand, especially among younger people.
“This in turn has affected the level of remuneration expats expect to receive – people no longer receive all the benefits which used to be standard.”
Expatriate jobs
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