Top 10 Countries for Women to Work Abroad

The decision to move abroad and leave behind your friends and family to pursue your career dreams can often be a difficult one. Perhaps this is why, according to the Expat Insider 2018 survey, only a quarter of expat women (25%) cite reasons related to their career as their main motivation for moving abroad, compared to nearly two out of five men (38%). In fact, a higher proportion of women (28%) move abroad for reasons related to their relationship, giving love or their partner’s job/education as their main motivation for moving.

For women who do decide to make the leap and move abroad for their career, it can be a hugely rewarding experience offering everything from better salaries to the opportunity to explore a foreign marketplace. As International Women’s Day approaches, we take a look at the best countries for women working abroad.

1. Czechia

With great job security and career prospects, Czechia certainly has a lot to offer. Expat women rank the country as the best to work abroad in. This is certainly reflected in satisfaction levels among female expats: more than four in five (83%) are generally happy with their jobs. What is more, nearly eight in ten (78%) are content with their job security.

Moving to Czechia can also improve your career prospects, with over seven in ten expat women (73%) rating them positively, compared to only six in ten men (63%). A woman from Ukraine especially appreciates the “availability of jobs on the market”. However, for women looking to move abroad in pursuit of a better salary, Czechia may not be the best destination. Fewer than two in five expat women working in Czechia (38%) earn more than what they would in a similar position back home, compared to 50% of all women working abroad.

2. Bahrain

It’s easy to see why expat women rate the tiny Gulf State so positively when it comes to their working life. Nearly two-thirds (66%) are pleased with their career prospects. Similarly, the country also offers women a great work-life balance, with more than three out of four female expats in Bahrain (76%) rating this factor favorably. It is therefore no wonder that so many expat women (88%) are generally happy with their jobs in Bahrain.

3. Taiwan

Taiwan ranks as the third-best country for women to work abroad in. Expat women can expect great working hours, with 72% rating them positively. They also enjoy great career prospects, with about two in three (66%) expressing their satisfaction. An expat woman from the Philippines even states that her favorite thing about living in Taiwan is “how easy it is to find a job here”. The education sector seems to provide the majority of opportunities available for expat women, with almost six in ten (58%) working in this field.

4. Norway

Nordic countries are well known for being among the best countries to live as a woman. In fact, Norway comes second in the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap report, beaten only by Iceland. Therefore, it is perhaps no surprise that it ranks among the top 10 countries for women to work abroad in.

Expat women in Norway rate their working hours highly, and 86% are happy with them. In fact, the average full-time working week among women in Norway has 41.4 hours, over one hour less than the global average for expat women (42.7 hours). A female expat from the UK points out that there is the “opportunity to live a healthy life with a good work-life balance” in Norway.

5. Denmark

When it comes to a good work-life balance, you can’t go wrong with Denmark. Denmark has the best work-life balance in the world, according to expat women. An Iranian woman even mentions “the flexible working hours” among her favorite things about life in Denmark. In fact, more than half of expat women (54%) in Denmark are completely satisfied with their working hours. This is perhaps due to the low average full-time working hours, with 38.4 per week.

6. Luxembourg

Luxembourg is an attractive destination for women looking for a well-paid position. More than three-quarters of expat women working in Luxembourg (76%) earn more than they would in a similar position back home. For a female expat from Germany, the fact that her “job is well paid” is even one of the best things about life in Luxembourg. The high salaries enjoyed by female expats in Luxembourg are perhaps due to the fact that almost three in ten women (29%) work in the financial sector.

7. New Zealand

New Zealand may not be known for its great working life, but expat women rank it among the top 10 destinations to work abroad in. A great work-life balance seems to play a major role in their satisfaction with working in New Zealand: close to four in five expat women (78%) are happy with this factor. However, for women in search of better career prospects, perhaps New Zealand should be avoided: only about half the expat women (51%) are satisfied with this factor, compared to seven in ten men (70%).

8. The Netherlands

Most expat women in the Netherlands (92%) are happy with the local economy. Perhaps the strong economic climate also means that there are many career opportunities for expat women. Nearly six in ten (58%) are happy with their career prospects in the Netherlands. Popular sectors for expat women include advertising and marketing and communications, which accounts for 11% of expat women.

9. Malta

Moving to the sunny island of Malta can be great for women’s careers. Nearly six in ten expat women (58%) are satisfied with their career prospects. Many expat women (17%) manage to find employment within the financial sector. However, it is not only the career prospects that make Malta an attractive destination for women. About two-thirds of female expats living in Malta (66%) are pleased with their job security, and the same share rates their overall job satisfaction positively.

10. Australia

Expat women who head “Down Under” for their career can expect high salaries and a great work-life balance. In fact, three in five expat women say that they earn more in Australia than they would in a similar position in their home countries. The popular expat destination also offers an above-average work-life balance —allowing expats to enjoy the local climate. An expat woman from Switzerland points out that “the work-life balance and the weather are amazing” in Australia.