Employers and nations stand to benefit as well. But to reap the rewards, they must understand the preferences of mobile workers, which entails answering several key questions: 

• How have the top target destinations shifted? 
• Why do people aspire to move to specific countries? 
• What can future employers and the governments of destination countries do to court global talent?

About the Decoding Global Talent Series

• The Decoding Global Talent series is the largest data source on the mobility preferences of workers globally. Our cumulative data set comprises almost 900,000 responses on where and how people want to work around the world.
• It is a collaboration of BCG, The Network, and The Stepstone Group.
• The current report explores trends in workforce mobility, including willingness to move abroad for work, and provides an updated ranking of top destination counties and cities.
• In this year’s survey, we explored a new dimension of global mobility: the reasons why respondents favour particular destinations. We asked survey participants how they perceive certain countries and why they think they would be happy in those destinations.

WHERE DO PEOPLE WANT TO GO? 

In 2023, Australia, which has been steadily rising through the ranks since we initiated this series, finally topped the list of desirable country destinations. (See Exhibit 1.) Australia became more attractive to respondents from Asian countries, and it rose in popularity among respondents from North America, Africa, and several European countries, including the UK and Ireland. Amid an economic boom as the world emerged from the worst stages of the pandemic, Australia has been actively pursuing talent from abroad, offering job opportunities, visas, and great quality of life.

Overall, though, the upper echelon of the rankings hasn’t changed much. Canada and the US are still top-three talent destinations because of the attractive economic opportunities they offer and because they are, simultaneously, English-speaking countries and global melting pots. The most dramatic change we found in the rankings was Spain’s reemergence among the top ten, after becoming less attractive during the pandemic (the country was hit hard early on). 

We dug deeper to find out how people who are willing to move for work zero in on a destination, leaning on definitions and rankings from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in its 2023 Indicators of Talent Attractiveness report.

We looked, at extrinsic factors—characteristics of countries. We found that one consistent, primary consideration supersedes individual country brands: the quality of job opportunities. Nevertheless, a few countries benefited from a second prominent consideration: quality of life. 

We also looked at intrinsic factors—practical considerations related to the individuals themselves. (Overall, speaking the primary language or languages of the destination country matters a lot, especially among respondents who favour English-speaking countries. Personal recommendations from acquaintances who have experience with the destination country make a difference, too, as does having a diaspora of the same nationality in the target destination. 

WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS AND GOVERNMENTS DO?

It’s no accident that we start with recommendations for employers. Companies that employ international talent are responsible for their new hires’ moves. Our data shows that most respondents want concrete job offers before they move and expect their new employer to support their relocation. 

Governments play a strong enabling role in this process. They must establish policies, incentives, and frameworks that help employers bring in the talent they need.

Recommendations for Employers

Companies that employ international talent are responsible for their new hires’ moves. Our data shows that most respondents want concrete job offers before they move and expect their new employer to support their relocation.

We recommend that employers: 

• Forecast talent needs, and craft an international location strategy.
• Refine the EVP to resonate with new audiences.
• Boost international recruitment channels.
• Offer extensive relocation support.
• Onboard new arrivals—and their families.
• Ensure an inclusive and international work environment.

“People who have moved abroad for work—or aspire to—do so for various practical reasons. But another factor is a sort of joie de vivre that takes hold among mobile talent. Patrick Byrne, a US-born lawyer now in Spain, shared with us, “I love the idea of adventure. Just the idea of living somewhere else, trying something new, experiencing another culture. That alone is an amazing thing.”

Recommendations for Governments 

Governments play a strong enabling role. They must establish policies, incentives, and frameworks that help employers bring in the talent they need.

We recommend that governments:

• Take a strategic approach to managing immigration.
• Boost the country brand with a focus on jobs.
• Build bilateral partnerships and programs.
• Fast-track talent with critical skills.
• Make immigration user-friendly.
• Promote labor market inclusion.
• Promote societal inclusion.
  

Employers and nations that tap into the positive energy that the millions of workers with mobile aspirations possess will gain a major competitive advantage and source of growth. 

The Network is a global alliance of more than 70 leading recruitment websites committed to finding the best talent in over 150 countries. Founded in 2002, The Network has become the global leader in online recruitment, serving more than 2,000 global corporations. The recruitment websites in The Network attract almost 200 million unique visitors each month. For more information, please visit www.the-network.com.

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, the company helps clients with total transformation—inspiring complex change, enabling organisations to grow, building competitive advantage, and driving bottom-line impact. To succeed, organisations must blend digital and human capabilities. BCG’s diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives to spark change. The company delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting along with technology and design, corporate and digital ventures—and business purpose. They work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organisation, generating results that allow our clients to thrive.

The Stepstone Group is a leading global digital recruitment platform that connects companies with the right talent and helps people find the right job. The Stepstone Group connects more than 110 million job applications with over 140,000 employers every year. With its integrated platforms, The Stepstone Group simplifies the candidates job search as well supporting recruiters with AI-powered solutions for the entire recruitment process. In 2022, The Stepstone Group generated revenue of around €1 billion. The Stepstone Group operates in more than 30 countries – including Stepstone in Germany, Appcast in the USA and Totaljobs in the UK. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany and employs more than 4,000 people worldwide. For more information: www.thestepstonegroup.com/en/