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Official expat haven: Amsterdam voted second worldwide work destination


It’s not news to us that Amsterdam is a great place to be an expat. But now it’s here in black and white — it’s officially the number two work destination in the world, despite how much we internationals like to complain about the Netherlands.


At least it is according to a study published by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Despite all the joys that Brexit has brought to the international community, London still clinches the top spot. Take that New York.

You would think the European love affair ends there, with Dubai coming in at number three on the list, but Berlin closely follows in fourth place.


A city of start-ups


One of the reasons Amsterdam ranks so highly is it’s “dynamic start-up scene”, it being a hub for innovation, according to the BCG.

This is perhaps one of the many reasons why 15% of the 200,000 participants said they would like to work in Amsterdam. That’s an increase of 3% since BCG did its last study in 2018. If we continue on this incline, the city will be drawing with London for first place.


Working abroad remotely


The Dutch are no strangers to working at home, but it seems that more people are looking for a virtual commute. BCG’s research found that fewer people were likely to move to another country for work. This is partly due to coronavirus, but also due to stricter immigration policies a lot of countries are now pursuing.

BCG found that as well as a general increase in people working from home, more people were willing to work for a company not based in the same country. However, it seems those that live in the Netherlands are a fan of Dutch companies — only 43% were interested in working for an international employer.


The top ten cities for expats


If you’re wondering where else was on the list, here are the top ten cities for international workers, according to BCG.


Rank City 1 London

2 Amsterdam

3 Dubai

4 Berlin

5 Abu Dhabi

6 Tokyo

7 Singapore

8 New York

9 Barcelona

10 Sydney


Are you surprised Amsterdam is so high up the list? Let us know in the comments below!

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