Kuwait least popular expat destination
Kuwait is the least popular place for expatriates in the world according to a recent international report. The low ranking is largely due to Kuwait’s low results for personal happiness and in the Ease of Settling In Index, says the Expat Insider 2014 Report ‘The World Through Expat Eyes,’ released by the InterNations Survey. Expats in Kuwait do not think it is easy to settle down here, make friends, or feel at home.
Only 5 percent of survey participants feel completely at home, and only 7 percent find it very easy to make local friends, which are main reasons Kuwait ranked 61st in the top expat destination list. The ranking was based on several factors, including personal finance, quality of life, family life, working abroad and ease of settling in.
Nearly 14,000 expatriates representing 165 nationalities and 169 countries of residence participated in the online survey which ran from June 10 to June 30, 2014. Ecuador came on top of the ranking, followed by Luxemburg, Mexico, Switzerland and the United States. In the quality of life index, Kuwait ranked 60th overall, and the same in leisure options.
On the other hand, Kuwait ranked 61st in personal happiness, 50th in travel and transport, and 59th in health, safety and well-being. Kuwait ranked dead last in overall ranking in the ease of settling in index. Furthermore, Kuwait ranked last in feeling welcome, friendliness, finding friends, and 34th in language. A majority of expats in Kuwait, or 51 percent, find it difficult to make local friends, while 70 percent say that they have mostly expat friends, according to the report.
In the working abroad index, Kuwait ranked 59th in the overall ranking, but ranked 60th in job and career, last in work-life balance, and 36th in job security. Kuwait also ranked 56th in personal finance and 47th in cost of living overall.
Meanwhile, 21 percent of people surveyed described housing in Kuwait as very expensive, while 29 percent say that they earn less than average.
Also, 37 percent of non-single survey participants in Kuwait say that they live in a long-distance relationship.
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