Australia, Canada and New Zealand had previously comprised the top three in the NatWest International Personal Banking Quality of Life Report. The antipodean nation has now been usurped from the podium by the UAE. Career opportunities are the key driver for expats heading to the UAE (75 per cent). Only eight per cent of respondents believe they will stay in the UAE for ever with the majority (92 per cent) consider themselves on a 'temporary assignment'. A large disposable income is enjoyed by 96 per cent of those living in the UAE, Hong Kong, China and Singapore on a temporary basis. "The most notable shifts in our Quality of Life results this year is the rise of the UAE as an expat destination," said Dave Isley, head of NatWest International Personal Banking. "The once loved traditional expat communities of France, Spain and Portugal are diminishing, with quality of life drastically reducing for expats living there, making way for newcomers such as the UAE and Singapore. It seems expats are willing to adjust their lifestyle in exchange for a stronger economy and better job opportunities." Falling property prices, austerity measures and fears over job security are prompting 63 per cent of expats in Europe to consider returning to the UK. Expats living in Spain are feeling the pinch the most where unemployment stands at almost 20 per cent. A third (32 per cent) of respondents in Europe said they were already looking into returning to the UK. Singapore is also increasingly attracting expats particularly those from the UK and Europe. The city state has built a reputation for offering a good quality of life, as well as a range of interesting career opportunities. Expats living in Singapore have higher average incomes and greater wealth than expats living anywhere else in the world, according to data by the Centre for Future Studies.
