KSA Ranked Second Best Country for Expatriates to Work
The Expat Insider survey and its indexes were conducted by the global expat community InterNations.
Saudi Arabia has been ranked as the second-best country in the world for expatriates to work, according to the latest Expat Insider survey. The Kingdom came second only to Denmark on the Working Abroad Index, with more than half of respondents rating the local job market positively.[1]
This marks a notable improvement for Saudi Arabia, which rose from 14th place in 2023. The index evaluates countries based on four subcategories: career prospects, salary and job security, work and leisure, and work culture and satisfaction. Key factors include the local job market, career opportunities, economic conditions, job security, pay fairness, working hours, work-life balance, and business culture.
Saudi Arabia was ranked first globally in terms of career prospects, ahead of the US and UAE. The survey found that 75% of expats in Saudi Arabia feel that their move improved their career prospects, and 62% rate their career opportunities favorably. Additionally, 82% of respondents are satisfied with the state of the local economy, contributing to the Kingdom's second-place ranking in the salary and job security subcategory.
However, expats in Saudi Arabia face longer workdays, averaging 47.8 hours per week for full-time positions, compared to the global average of 42.5 hours. This is reflected in the survey results, with the Kingdom ranking 23rd for working hours and 27th for work-life balance.
The Kingdom also ranked in the top 10 of the Expat Essentials Index, which assesses the ease of obtaining visas, dealing with local bureaucracy, opening bank accounts, housing affordability and availability, digital life, and language ease. Saudi Arabia placed 6th worldwide, ahead of countries like Singapore, Mexico, Indonesia, and Kenya.
The Expat Insider survey and its indexes were conducted by the global expat community InterNations.
Recently, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia completed the first phase of its "Professional Verification" service, part of the "Professional Certification" program. This initiative, covering 128 countries, operates in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a unified electronic platform supervised by the ministry.
The program focuses on high-skilled professions, verifying the compatibility of academic qualifications with the educational level and field according to approved standards, such as the Unified Saudi Classification of Professions and the Unified Saudi Classification of Educational Levels and Specialties.
The "Professional Verification" service aims to prevent unqualified expatriate workers from entering the labor market and improve the quality of qualifications and skills data for expatriate workers.
