More workers around the world want to come to London than any other city, a major survey has found, despite the fact it is now the most expensive place to live and work in the world.
A poll of 200,000 people in 189 countries found that nearly one in six want to come to the capital to work, ahead of New York and Paris.
The finding comes on the heels of a separate study that found that soaring prices in London have made it the most expensive place to live and work in the world. The capital has overtaken Hong Kong as the priciest place for companies to locate workers and property prices have gone up 18.4pc in the past year alone.
But according to the new study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the recruiter totaljobs.com, international workers are undeterred.
Mike Booker of totaljobs.com said: “This report cements London’s reputation as a truly global city.
“Not only does it offer a wealth of job opportunities in a range of industries, but it boasts some of the world’s top cultural attractions, so it’s no surprise that people across the globe want to come and work here.”
The UK as a whole, boosted by the unmatched popularity of London, is the second most desirable country in the world, the survey found. Only the United States, where 42pc said they want to work, is a bigger draw. Some 37pc of those polled said they want to work in UK, ahead of Canada on 35pc.
The study also found that Britons are less likely than average to want to move abroad for work. On a global basis almost two thirds of workers are willing to up sticks for a job, but in Britain less than half would make the move.
BCG said the discrepancy was in part explained by the current strength of the UK economy.
Rainer Strack, a BCG senior partner and one of the study’s co-authors, said that for those who are willing, the global jobs market is opening up.
He said: “It’s a world in which the geographic barriers to employment are coming down, including in the minds of some of the most talented and highly educated workers.
“This is opening up significant opportunities for individuals and for the many countries and multinational companies that are facing talent shortages of one sort or another.”
Christopher Williams
06 Oct 2014
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/11142074/London-is-most-desirable-global-city-to-move-to-for-work.html