Bahrain secured a milestone by earning first place globally on the Expat Essentials Index for the second consecutive year and additionally securing a coveted position within the top 10 best destinations for expats in the 2023 Expat Insider Survey by InterNations.
Of the 53 countries surveyed, Bahrain ranks ninth globally and first in the Middle East and North Africa. Affirming the island nation’s competitiveness as the leading destination of choice for living and working abroad on an international playing field.
The Expat Essentials Index measures the ease of setting up daily lifestyle services when settling abroad, as stated in the 2023 Expat Insider Survey by InterNations report. “Administrative topics are not a reason for concern in Bahrain, nearly nine in ten (86 per cent) say that opening a local bank account is easy (vs. 62pc globally). ..59pc do not struggle when dealing with bureaucracy and the local authorities (vs. 39pc globally).”
Beyond outperforming the global average on the Ease of Settling In Index, Bahrain was recognised for its ease of settling in, despite being unable to speak the local language, in addition to its innovative and creative business culture.
Respondents noted improved career prospects and positive results across the board in terms of the friendliness of Bahraini society and social life, earning Bahrain sixth place globally in finding friends.
“It is rare to find a country that goes a step further than work-life balance,” said Bahrain Economic Development Board Strategy Chief Nada Al Saeed.
“Owing to Bahrain’s 4,000-plus years of legacy as a centre of trade, hospitality is in our DNA. As such, it comes as no surprise that respondents described Bahrain as a welcoming place where one can excel careerwise, easily make friends, and find a sense of belonging within a tolerant and forward-looking community.”
She highlighted the demand for a diverse workforce globally with the rise of international trade, the growth of multinational corporations, and the increasing interconnectedness of the world. “Ranking first globally with a negligible language barrier is a testament to Bahrain’s highly skilled, bi-lingual talent pool, which is backed by a digitally driven regulatory framework that offers streamlined services essential to expats settling in, earning.
Bahrain’s position as the destination of choice to work and live in across the region at large,” she added. Marking its 10th edition, the annual InterNations Expat Insider survey is one of the world’s largest expat surveys based on data from 12,065 expats representing 171 nationalities living in 172 countries or territories around the world.