2017 global mobility survey

The 2017 Global Mobility Survey by the Canadian Employee Relocation Council provides insights based on major industry grouping, country of residence and factors that would most likely motivate or incent a global employee to accept an employer-sponsored relocation for employment.

Key findings

• Almost two in ten (18 per cent) of employees surveyed in 20 countries say they would be “very likely” to temporarily relocate for up to two years and take a full-time job in another country with a 10 per cent pay increase, down seven points from 2012 (25 per cent).
• In addition to the 18 per cent who are “very likely” to temporarily relocate, twice as many could be convinced if the incentive package from their employer was right (37 per cent strongly agree; down eight points compared to 2012 ) or if their employer provides support for their spouse to get a job there, as well (36 per cent; down five points compared to 2012).
• Across most industries, there is less willingness to relocate compared to 2012. Specifically, those employed in telecommunications/IT (20 per cent; down eight points compared to 2012), medical (15 per cent; down eight points), government (14 per cent; down seven points), and education (18 per cent; down five points) are significantly less inclined to relocate than in 2012.
• As for the countries where immediately mobile workers are likely to hail from, close to four in ten (37 per cent; up 10 points compared to 2012) are from Brazil, followed by close to one-third from Mexico (35 per cent; down four points) and South Africa (35 per cent; up two points), and slightly fewer from Argentina (30 per cent; down six points).
• Top four destination countries for relocation are: the U.S. (30 per cent, down four points since 2012), Canada (22 per cent; up two points; up from fourth position in 2012), the U.K. (19 per cent; down three points), and Australia (19 per cent; down one point).
• Key incentives that would motivate an employee to accept an employer-sponsored relocation include:
• a guaranteed option to return to their current role after two years, (36 per cent; down nine points since 2012)
• paid language training if necessary (36 per cent; down six points)
• airline tickets for family visits (35 per cent; down eight points)
• immigration assistance for their spouse or partner (35 per cent; down seven points)
• Four in ten (40 per cent) global employees agree “there is nothing my employer could do to convince me to take an international assignment,” an increase of five points over 2012.
• Global employees place a high value on the kind of country they are most likely to move to:
• high quality and accessible health care system: 82 per cent
• is friendly to immigrants: 77 per cent
• has a good social security system: 77 per cent