It's been years now since employees were ordered back to offices for two, three or even five days a week. Still many workers are chasing the flexibility that comes with working from anywhere.
If you've ever considered switching your job search radius to "worldwide", you're definitely not alone. In fact, there are 800 million people actively looking for a job overseas right now, according to Jobseeker.
A recent report from the online job searching tool analyzed social trend data from September of this year to rank the countries where people around the world wish to work if they could live anywhere else.
Jobseeker used sources like the World Population Review and U.S. News and Word Report to determine the countries in the ranking.
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"People are looking for flexibility, options for remote working and a way to have a work-life balance while keeping a high quality of life," Reyhaneh Mansouri, a career expert with Jobseeker, tells CNBC Make It.
The United States and Switzerland tied for the No. 3 spot. Job seekers from Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, and Japan had the highest desire to relocate to the U.S. for work. While the search for job opportunities in Switzerland is the fastest-growing trend in the U.S. with a 315% increase in demand in 2024, according to Jobseeker.
"In Switzerland, employees benefit from shorter working hours, interesting vacation policies and a culture prioritizing work-life balance," Mansouri says. "This is a key attraction for professionals seeking a healthier and more sustainable work environment."
But it was Canada who came out on top of the list where workers all over the world most want to relocate.
Money Report
Canada is the most desired country for jobseekers who want to live abroad
According to the report, the desire to work in Canada was highest among job seekers in Costa Rica, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
"Canada is a multicultural country that welcomes individuals with different cultural backgrounds," Mansouri says. "The country offers a good, clear, and fast residency path."
Mansouri adds that job seekers also choose Canada because of the language and faster immigration and work permit process compared to the E.U., U.S., and U.K.
Canada is the second-largest country in the world. It has two official languages — English and French — and outperforms the average in income, jobs, education, health, environment quality, social connections and life satisfaction, according to the OECD Better Life Index.
In the country, 70% of people aged 16 to 64 have a paid job and 92% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education.
Canada ranked in the top 10 for best countries and best quality of life, according to the U.S. News and World Report.
The most desirable countries for jobseekers looking to live abroad
- Canada
- Australia
- United States, Switzerland (tie)
- Denmark, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom (tie)
- Japan, Qatar, Germany, Spain, New Zealand (tie)
Australia is the second most desired country for relocation, according to Jobseeker. Folks living in Denmark, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom most desire to work in Australia.
"Australia has a strong job market and economic stability plus a high quality of life," Mansouri says.
Mansouri added that Australia's migration system emphasizes skilled migration and targets individuals with experience and qualifications in high-demand occupations.
Australia ranked as one of the happiest countries in the 2024 World Happiness Report.
About 73% of people aged 15 to 64 in Australia have a paid job and the average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita is $37,433 a year, according to the OECD Better Life Index.
Australia also has one of the strongest job markets in the world, according to the Australian Financial Review.
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