Women working overseas earn less than in their home countries

Relocating overseas might work wonders for your career, but can also result in financial drawbacks.

According to a recent survey, over 50 per cent of women working overseas are happy about their improved career prospects, but one third are earning less than they could in a similar job in the home country. However, the differential doesn’t apply to men. Just under a quarter of women professionals move abroad for work-related reasons, some 16 per cent less than the total for men, making the likelihood of women being considered for top overseas positions far less than for their male counterparts. It seems most women who’ve landed a good job overseas have done so under their own steam rather than through a relocation agency.

The survey identified the top tier of countries suitable for ambitious career women, with Mexico heading the list, followed by Myanmar and Cambodia. Bahrain, New Zealand, Kazakhstan and the UK. Kenya and Ireland completed the list but an average of only 37 per cent of respondents said their salaries were higher than in their country of origin. Most women respondents were working in education or healthcare, with only a few posted overseas by their employer.

In addition, the majority of respondents said their main reason for relocating was to improve their quality of life rather than to boost their careers or earn top salaries, with many women who’d chosen New Zealand working part time rather than taking on the commitment of a full-time job. In contrast, 40 per cent of male respondents said their main reason for moving overseas was to improve their career prospects. Even so, 75 per cent of respondents were happy with their jobs, their work-life balance and their job security.