As the global economy continues its roaring ascent back to life, it is clear that there will be global winners and losers in the race for talent. A handful of innovative nations have always yielded disproportionate influence and pull when it comes to attracting the highest skilled workers, and there is little indication that this will change in the near future.

So, which countries are currently standing out as global talent hotspots, and why should you want to work there? Read on to find out the most attractive countries for high-skilled workers in 2022.

The UK

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In the Global Talent Competitiveness Index, the United Kingdom came out close to the top, with huge numbers of highly-skilled migrants making the move to Blighty over the past couple of years. First and foremost, it’s an attractive country simply because English is a global language. As many businesses use English, no matter which sector you work in, having a strong command of the English language is essential for success in the UK. This helps to explain the soaring demand for quality English language instruction, with many people now turning to digital platforms like Preply, which offers one-on-one English language training with qualified native speakers. In terms of industry, people are drawn to the booming tech startup sector, which is the largest in Europe by a wide margin, as well as the high quality of life and access to rich cultural opportunities. All of these factors make the United Kingdom one of the most appealing places to forge a career.

Switzerland

Image: Unsplash / Henrique Ferreira

In the most recent Global Talent Competitiveness Index, a comprehensive ranking of the most in-demand destinations for skilled workers, Switzerland came out on top for the second year running. The country scored highly when it comes to job opportunities, especially in the finance and high-tech sectors.

Meanwhile, top talents continue to be drawn to Switzerland’s unparalleled quality of life, which has topped global rankings for decades now. The language of international business in Switzerland is English, but workers usually require French and German skills if they want to access the best of the local job market.

Singapore

The tiny East Asian city-state of Singapore has emerged as the finance and tech hotspot in the region, which helps to explain its ability to attract high-skilled workers from every corner of the globe. The quality of life stands out as a major draw, as well as the highly-competitive entrepreneurial sector, with Singapore being one of the easiest countries in the world to start a business. Singapore is a melting pot made up of hundreds of different nationalities, with English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, and Tamil being spoken widely. 

The United States

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Joe Taylor

Unsurprisingly, the United States has also ranked highly this year, thanks to its dominant position as the world’s largest and wealthiest economy. Most skilled workers are drawn to the huge array of top companies operating in the US, with Wall Street, Silicon Valley, Hollywood, and educational institutions all being top employers of global talent. While the US does not have an official language, English is the de facto language of business and a prerequisite for most of the top positions. However, owing to the huge diversity of the Land of the Free, any skilled workers with Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Arabic skills will find themselves at an advantage when competing on the job market.

These are currently the top countries for attracting international talent. Would you consider moving?