Most workers willing to move for a job: Manpower

By Nick Zieminski

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Most workers around the world are willing to relocate for their job, either within their country or abroad, but people's mobility is closely tied to their age and education level, according to a Manpower Inc survey on Tuesday.

The global employment services firm, which polled 31,000 people, found 78 percent willing to move for work, and 41 percent willing to do so permanently. More than a third would move anywhere in the world, according to the survey.

"On the Internet, you can find out what jobs are available in Dubai in five minutes," Manpower CEO Jeff Joerres said.

Mobility is the defining aspect of the modern global labor market, Joerres said. It means employers and governments need to set global strategy soon both to cope with aging populations and find ways to retain and recruit staff.

Joerres pointed to Japan, Italy, France and Australia as examples. "Those are the ones that need to solve this first, in order to take advantage of this 78 percent of people that are willing to relocate," he said.

Countries with restrictive labor policies or cultural barriers to importing workers may be forced to open up within about five years, he added, contrasting relatively closed Japan with relatively open Singapore.

Higher pay and the chance to advance a career are the most common reasons for moving.

UNPRECEDENTED MIGRATION

Manpower said 190 million people worldwide live outside the country of their birth, or 3 percent of the population -- more than at any point in history.

The top five jobs filled with foreign workers are laborers, engineers, production operators, technicians and information technology staff, according to Manpower.

Unlike in past waves of migration, more workers are making repeated moves, or are returning home after working abroad. Also, many countries are both destinations for workers and sources of labor, whereas in the past the movement of workers was largely a one-way process.

The proportion of those considering relocation rose with the level of education. More than 85 percent of those with bachelor's or advanced degrees would move, compared with 62 percent of those with less than a high school education.

Those with master's or doctoral degrees were also much more likely to have already relocated, the survey found.

People under age 30 are the most willing to move, Manpower found, and men are more likely than women to prefer long-term assignments. Women were more likely to be drawn by the prospect of learning a new language.

The United States ranks as the top destination, followed by the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada and Australia. China ranked first among workers in the Asia-Pacific region but was not a top-10 destination internationally.