Shanghai scores high as expat international career destination

Expats living and working in Shanghai have voted the city as fourth best in the world for career development.

The Chinese city of Shanghai is the place to be for high salaries, stunning career opportunities and an exotic lifestyle, according to the latest Expat Explorer survey. Expat respondents from the education, financial services and manufacturing sectors all gave the thumbs up to the city for its positive effect on their lives.

Average annual earnings in Shanghai topped out at US$202,221, more than double the average global expat salary
and beating out Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore. Expats who took the survey reported integration was easy, even taking into account the very different culture and its difficult language. Some 60 per cent or are attempting to get to grips with Mandarin Chinese, putting their counterparts in other Asian destinations to shame.

Shanghai’s food scene won praise from 43 per cent of expat respondents, a considerably more enthusiastic result than those for Hong Kong with 35 per cent and London with 26 per cent. The vast choice of regional cuisines available in the city is a definite attraction for expat foodies. Results in other global cities depended on career opportunities as well as high earnings, with Mumbai coming up first in the salary stakes at an average of $217,165.

According to Expat Explorer’s CEO Dean Blackburn, everyone now knows the world’s global cities are relying on expat professional talent to drive their expanding economies, thus encouraging ambitious expats to move to whichever city offers the best deal. Others who simply love to work overseas in unfamiliar destinations can choose between treasure troves of new cultural experiences, hubs for exploring and the charm of historic cities with laid-back lifestyles. Blackburn added the tech and financial hubs of the USA and UK are still the most attractive for those with ambition but, given the worldwide results of the survey, many expats would possibly disagree.