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Expat wealth begins migration from Middle East to Asia

While the Middle East has, in previous years, reigned as the region for expats looking for increased wealth and financial gain, this year's Expat Explorer report shows that Asia is beginning to take the expat wealth crown, with Asian countries dominating the Expat Explorer Economics league tables.

This year five Asian countries feature in the Expat Economics league table top ten - Singapore (1st), Thailand (3rd), Hong Kong (4th), China (7th) and Vietnam (10th). Singapore leads the way, with the country holding the largest proportion of wealthy expats of any country; some 43% of expats in Singapore interviewed in this study earn more than $250,000 per year, compared to a global average of only 7%.

Since relocation, most expats in Singapore have witnessed an improvement in the financial status of their household (74%) and an increase in their own disposable income (80%). Around half (44%) of expats in Singapore noticed an increase of 50% or more in their disposable income, compared to a global average of just under a fifth (19%).

With the high number of expats who have headed to Singapore expecting more money (72%) or expecting a better job (70%), it is unsurprising to see that three-quarters of expats in Singapore (74%) would consider moving to another expat posting after this one. One in ten of those surveyed (11%) said either Australia or Hong Kong would be their next expat location of choice.

The expat wealth trend emerging from this year's Expat Explorer survey is mirrored across other Asian countries, with expats in Hong Kong (70%), Malaysia (61%) and China (60%) likely to have reported moving to their current country to take advantage of a job opportunity and benefiting from an increase in disposable income since relocating (79%, 72% and 69% respectively).

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