Iberia, Switzerland and Asia are emerging hubs for expats seeking to relocate from the Middle East due to the current conflict engulfing the region.
This is according to Mads Weddell-Wedellsborg, lecturer in international business and strategy at Henley Business School, who kicked off Health & Protection’s Global Mobility and Health Summit.
Weddell-Wedellsborg quoted stats showing one in eight British expats were seeking to leave or had already left as a result of the conflict.
“If we take just the UAE, some of them moved back to the UK, but actually the vast majority didn’t because the UK right now has a lot of struggles with job prospects,” Weddell-Wedellsborg told delegates.
“The local elections last week also showed the challenges for the UK at present.”
However other locations were proving popular for those not tied to the UK.
While Switzerland is attracting talent due to offering some of the benefits expats from the UAE enjoy, Weddell-Wedellsborg added that Portugal and Spain are also emerging as expat hubs.
“What is interesting is that they offer some of the same benefits,” Weddell-Wedellsborg continued.
“Portugal might have a high-tax rate. If you talk to Portuguese individuals, they have a lot of outward movement.
“A lot of their young people go abroad to study and for opportunities, yet somehow they are good at attracting talent – particularly digital nomads because they have made it easier to get access than a lot of European countries. They also have quite pleasant weather. They have good food.”
Though Asia is also attracting these individuals, Weddell-Wedellsborg added: “We’ve seen quite a lot of mobility also pushing towards Asia.”
“I was talking to a recruiter from Vietnam and what they are trying to do now, is offering similar deals to what the UAE did maybe 25 years ago, particularly if you try and attract university professors, they are offering a lot of new benefits.
“They are looking at a lot of key industries where they can attract talent and can hopefully grow as a consequence.”
