The Gallup World Poll surveyed 1,000 people across the world with a 95% confidence interval. This means that the answers received are highly indicative of the average view of the population of each country. The findings show which are the happiest places to live, worldwide.

The happiest international relocation destinations

Listed by region, the happiest countries are:

• North America – Canada (in top spot for the first time, despite a lower year-on-year score). This region tops the happiness poll.
• South America – Uruguay (closely followed by Chile, Brazil and Argentina).
• Europe – Finland (Baltic countries, northern Europe and Iceland all score very highly).
• East Asia and Oceania – Australia and New Zealand share first place with matching scores (far ahead of the rest of the region).
• Middle East – Israel is the clear winner.
• Africa – Mauritius tops the happiness league for this area. Africa’s overall score is far lower than the other regions’ results.

The scores (out of ten) for the top-placed countries are:

1. Finland 7.8
2. Denmark 7.6
3. Iceland 7.5
4. Israel 7.5
5. Netherlands 7.4
6. Sweden 7.4
7. Norway 7.3
8. Switzerland 7.2
9. Luxembourg 7.2
10. New Zealand 7.1

It’s interesting to note that the happiest country in North America, (Canada 7.0), does not feature in the top ten listed above. The same is true of South America (Uruguay 6.5) and Africa (Mauritius 5.9).

Comparing ‘happy’ places and corporate relocation destinations

Research conducted by talent mobility leader Cartus shows that the United States is the most popular country for workers looking to relocate. The ten most sought after work locations are:

1. United States
2. United Kingdom
3. Switzerland
4. Singapore
5. Netherlands
6. Germany
7. India
8. China
9. Canada
10. Ireland

All except India are located within the ‘happiest’ regions of the world, although just two countries – Switzerland and Netherlands – are within the top ten countries.

This shows that the best business opportunities are not always in the most established regions. Cheaper operational costs, trade-based locations plus financial incentives within certain countries appeal to many organisations. These business decisions impact where employee opportunities exist, and the nature of relocation support required (such as pre-assignment and destination services).

Combining business and happiness

The BTR team considers the requirements of both the individual assignee and client organisation. The host destination is an important factor too. These elements are used to create a truly bespoke relocation package to help assignees move to and settle in their new location as quickly as possible.

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