UAE is the World’s Fourth-Best Country to Live and Work

Based on the National News Daily, the UAE jumped 10 places to be ranked the fourth-best country in the world to live and work as an accelerated Covid-19 vaccine campaign and a rebounding economy attract more foreign workers to the country.

Switzerland was ranked the best country to work and live globally, while Australia and New Zealand took second and third place.

Guernsey and Jersey in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Bahrain, Singapore, and Qatar rounded off the top 10, according to HSBC’s 14th annual Expat Explorer study, which polled more than 20,000 people who live and work abroad in 46 countries between March and May 2021.

About 82 percent of residents surveyed in the UAE feel optimistic that life will be more stable and return to normal in the next 12 months despite the global pandemic, according to HSBC.

In comparison, on average, 75 percent of respondents globally were optimistic about life returning to normal in the next 12 months.

Fifty-three percent of UAE respondents also expect an increase in their income, and 57 percent are confident of a better work-life balance over the next year, HSBC said.

Optimism levels were at their highest in Taiwan, with 85 percent of respondents feeling hopeful. Australia, New Zealand, and Vietnam followed this.

“The UAE being billed among the top five best places to live and work globally is inspiring and a clear indication of the huge potential that drives this country’s economy,” said Abdulfattah Sharaf, chief executive of HSBC UAE and head of international.

“The connectivity of the economy combined with the scale of its vision has transformed it from a small fishing and pearling port in the 1940s into global trade, logistics, shipping, aviation, business, and finance hub today. The country’s focus on innovation, infrastructure, quality of life, diversity, and inclusion have made it the destination of choice for businesses and professionals looking to grow and prosper.”