São Paulo – The United Arab Emirates and China are the most attractive emerging countries for young people who’d like to live abroad in order to further their careers, according to a poll made public by the World Economic Forum last Sunday (13), during an event in Dubai. The poll’s result is the same as last year’s.
The UAE ranked 11th and China placed 12th overall, ahead of the Scandinavian countries, of the other BRICs (Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa) and of Singapore, according to the poll. When it comes to youth preferences, the UAE and China take a backseat only to developed countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, which top the ranking.
According to a WEF press release, one of the reasons the UAE is so popular is the good employment outlook. This is so because unemployment was the second biggest concern of respondents, with the first one being corruption. However, in the Arab country, only one out of ten respondents said job shortage is not a problem.
Another aspect, according to the WEF, is that many respondents imparted particular importance to wage and career advances, which are seen as traits of the UAE job market.
“The UAE’s appeal lies in the enviable fact that the country is increasingly synonymous with an attitude that nothing is impossible,” the press release quoted Adeyemi Babington-Ashaye, head of the WEF’s Global Shapers community, as saying. “"The UAE combines excellent opportunities for young people and start-ups with a competitive economy,” he added.
The poll questioned 20,000 people aged 18 to 35 in 187 countries, with the bulk of respondents in China, United States and India.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
