Is China a good place for expats?

Expats in China have little trouble making new acquaintances or finding employment they like. Due to a lack of internet connectivity, the air quality is not ideal.

A Profession That Brings You Great Joy

The findings of the Expat Insider 2021 study are mixed for China, which comes in at number 22. For the Working Abroad Index, it ranks 4th: More than half (59 percent) of expats are pleased with the employment options in their new country, and an additional eighty-seven percent are content with how the local economy is doing (vs. 62 percent globally). An expat from New Zealand, for example, cites "overall well-being and work satisfaction" as their favorite aspect of living in China. Furthermore, as opposed to the global average of 61%, 68% of expats are content with the stability of their employment. The Personal Finance Index places China sixth, with 71% of poll takers saying they are satisfied with their financial status (vs. 64 percent globally). Another 86% think they have plenty or even more money than they need to live comfortably (vs. 77 percent globally).

Poor Indoor Air Quality and Limited Online Availability

China, on the other hand, comes in 43rd place on the Quality of Life Index, putting the nation at a disadvantage in the overall standing. A whopping 69% of Chinese respondents said they lack unfettered access to internet services, placing the country in the bottom three of the Digital Life sector (57th overall) (vs. 7 percent globally). "I don't like not having internet freedom," says one Australian expat. In the Quality of the Environment section (54th), the nation doesn't fare much better: 46% of expats are dissatisfied with the air quality, which is more than double the worldwide average (20 percent ). Additionally, 19 percent of respondents are dissatisfied with the state of the natural world (vs. 8 percent globally).

Making Friends Is Simple

The Ease of Settling In Index ranks China 39th out of 180 countries, with 38% of expats saying it is difficult to settle in China (vs. 22 percent globally). Even still, 64 percent of expats say they are happy with how easy it is to meet new people, which is 16 points higher than the worldwide average (48 percent ). Expats and locals make up more than half of the respondents' social circle, according to a new survey (vs. 48 percent globally). Only 14% of expats' acquaintances are mostly locals, whereas 35% of them are generally friends with fellow expats (compared to 32% internationally) (vs. 20 percent globally). "I prefer the chance to meet with the local people and build a link since Chinese people are incredibly nice," says one Spanish expat.

Life as an Expat in the Post-COVID-19 Era

64 percent of expats in China are usually happy with the government communication on this issue during the COVID-19 epidemic, which is somewhat lower than the worldwide average of 66 percent. Over half (53 percent) depend on expat news or foreign media to remain up-to-date, followed by 42 percent who use social media (vs. 40 percent globally). About 29% of expats believe they would not return home in the foreseeable future because of the pandemic (vs to 18% internationally), while just 10% intend on returning home earlier than initially planned or to yet another destination (vs. 11 percent globally). Nearly half of all expats in China (49%) think the epidemic has had a significant effect on their personal trips. More than two-and-a-half standard deviations above the worldwide average (28 percent ).