More than half the women working abroad (51%) are satisfied with their career opportunities.
But at the same time, one-third of them (33%) state that their income abroad is lower than what they would make in a similar job back home, compared to only a quarter of men (25%) stating the same, as InterNations, the world’s largest network for people who live and work abroad, reveals.
Based on the insights of close to 7,000 female expats living in 168 countries in its annual survey Expat Insider survey, the social network compiled a so-far unpublished ranking of the best countries for women to pursue a career.
Key stats
- Mexico, Myanmar, Cambodia, Bahrain, and New Zealand offer the best career prospects for women.
- 51% of women working abroad are happy with their career opportunities, with 13% even very happy.
- Most women who move abroad for work-related reasons found a job on their own (47%).
Moving Abroad for Their Career: Women vs. Men
Although almost a quarter of women (24%) move abroad for work-related reasons, this is still 16 percentage points less compared to men.
Especially among expats sent on foreign assignments, women are still much rarer than men: while only 7% of female expats were sent abroad by their employer, male expats are more than twice as likely (15%) to name the same reason for moving abroad. This is also the case for expats being recruited by a local company (4% women vs. 9% men) and those who wanted to start their own business abroad (1% women vs. 3% men).
However, when it comes to being more self-motivated, women are close to catching up: eleven percent of female expats state to have found a job abroad on their own as their main reason for moving abroad, which is only two percentage points less than among men (13%).
1-Mexico
- Higher salary level abroad: 29%
- Satisfaction with career prospects: 68%
- Weekly full-time working hours: 45 h
2-Myanmar
- Higher salary level abroad: 46%
- Satisfaction with career prospects: 70%
- Weekly full-time working hours: 45.5 h
3-Cambodia
- Higher salary level abroad: 33%
- Satisfaction with career prospects: 63%
- Weekly full-time working hours: 42.4 h
4-Bahrain
- Higher salary level abroad: 65%
- Satisfaction with career prospects: 65%
- Weekly full-time working hours: 40.9 h
5-New Zealand
- Higher salary level abroad: 53%
- Satisfaction with career prospects: 61%
- Weekly full-time working hours: 41.8 h
6-Kazakhstan
- Higher salary level abroad: 62%
- Satisfaction with career prospects: 67%
- Weekly full-time working hours: 45 h
7-United Kingdom
- Higher salary level abroad: 51%
- Satisfaction with career prospects: 67%
- Weekly full-time working hours: 41.1 h
8-USA
- Higher salary level abroad: 62%
- Satisfaction with career prospects: 64%
- Weekly full-time working hours: 43 h
9-Kenya
- Higher salary level abroad: 36%
- Satisfaction with career prospects: 60%
- Weekly full-time working hours: 46.4 h
10-Ireland
- Higher salary level abroad: 51%
- Satisfaction with career prospects: 63%
- Weekly full-time working hours: 41 h
Source Credit: AMEInfo
