Beating out traditional hot spots such as Hong Kong, the USA and Singapore, the two emirates of Qatar and the UAE give female professionals more income, savings and career opportunities across the board.
According to the 2015 HSBC Expat Explorer survey, the UAE tops Qatar by a small margin for women prioritising financial incentives. Over half of the respondents rated career progression, high salaries and the ability to save part of their income as the prime reasons for relocating overseas.
Almost 10,000 expat women took part in the survey, representing 25 countries of origin. Of the two competing emirates, Qatar won out for 57 per cent in the increased earnings category as well as 73 per cent on the savings front. The UAE’s work environment was high on the list of plus points, and 40 per cent of respondents reported earnings well in advance of those in their countries of origin. Over half of respondees were able to save more in the UAE.
On the important global benefits front, 88 per cent of expat female professionals preferred Qatar for its employee benefits, with the UAE just one point below at 87 per cent. As for the rest of the popular relocation hubs, rated for their contribution to the financial side of expat life, the USA took third place with 45 per cent, followed by Singapore and Hong Kong with 42 per cent each.
