Expat Explorer Achieving ambitions abroadGlobal Report2Expat Explorer Achieving ambitions abroad34 Foreword 6 Key findings8 Expat Explorer overview14 Economics24 Experience30 Family37 Country reports38 Australia40 Canada42 China44 France46 Hong Kong48 India50 Indonesia52 Malaysia54 Mexico56 Singapore58 Taiwan60 United Arab Emirates62 United Kingdom64 United States66 Practical steps towards achieving ambitions abroad68 The researchContents4Expat Explorer Achieving ambitions abroadExpat life can be an exciting and challenging experience, often involving a leap into the unknown to test ones comfort zones. Expats embrace fresh challenges all the time while building their lives, careers and families in many different locations around the world, from the peace of the Appalachian Mountains to hectic Hong Kong.In the ninth edition of this annual survey, nearly 27,000 expats from 190 countries and territories shared their thoughts and experiences of expat life, creating the 2016 Expat Explorer report, Achieving ambitions abroad.This years findings suggest that whatever you are seeking in life, whether it is finding more fulfilment in your career, immersing yourself in a new culture, buying a property or getting access to better education for your children, expat life can help you reach that goal.Every year, the research is used to create country league tables covering three aspects of life abroad: Economics, Experience and Family. For the second year in a row, Singapore takes first place as the best overall destination. Switzerland leads the economics league table, New Zealand tops our league tables for expat experience, and Sweden is the best destination for expat families.This year, for the first time, the report also explores the experience of expats living in cities around the world. Using this unique insight, expats can find the country and the city that offer the best opportunities to achieve their ambitions.During their time abroad, expats may face unexpected new challenges or simply change their priorities, but one constant is the need for information about their destination before they move or when they first arrive. I hope that Achieving ambitions abroad and our Expat Explorer tools will help expats around the world make the most of the opportunities available to them.Thank you to all expats who have taken the time to share their views with us over the past nine years.Dean Blackburn Head of HSBC ExpatForeword56Expat Explorer Achieving ambitions abroadSingapore ranks first in the overall Expat Explorer country league table as the best place to live, work and raise a family abroad. Over three in five (62%) expats living in Singapore say they are earning more and 66% agree that their quality of life is better.There are cities around the world to suit every expat ambition, from improved quality of life to higher earnings. Nearly three quarters (71%) of expats in London and New York say working there will improve their job prospects when they move home or to another country. Meanwhile, 63% of expats say they feel safer in Toronto. Living and working abroad can help expats progress faster towards achieving their longer-term financial goals. Two in five (40%) expats say life abroad has helped them speed up their saving for retirement, and almost a third (29%) say they have been able to save towards their childrens education more quickly.Living abroad can make it easier for expats to buy property, with 67% of expats saying they own property either at home or abroad. Over two in five (41%) say expat life has accelerated their progress towards buying their first or their next property. Younger expats stand out as the most likely of all age groups to move abroad in search of greater fulfilment at work, with nearly a quarter (22%) of expat millennials (aged 18-34) saying they moved abroad to find purpose in their career. Key findings7Emerging economies offer more opportunities to start or grow a business, according to 44% of expat entrepreneurs, compared with 35% of expats living in developed economies. Wherever they live, expat entrepreneurs are also likely to move abroad to improve their quality of life, with more than two in five (44%) saying they have chosen to set up or grow their business in their adopted country because it was an opportunity for a new life and career. Globally, most expats find living abroad to be a positive experience. Over half (52%) agree that their quality of life has improved since moving and 61% say they are integrating well with the local people and culture.Expat students see the benefits of education abroad in terms of experience and future careers. Nearly two thirds (62%) of expat students say they believe their time abroad will improve their future job prospects.Sweden ranks as the best country in the world for expat families. The majority (69%) of expat parents living in Sweden say their childrens health an