Despite the ongoing political unrest and the growing trend among the population of Hong Kong seeking to move abroad permanently, Randstad’s latest survey has reveals that people in Hong Kong are not as willing to relocate to another area in comparison to their peers in Malaysia and Singapore.

A total of 78 percent of the Hong Kong workforce would consider relocating to another market if it meant that they could improve their career prospects and work-life balance, while 67 percent would relocate for a substantially higher salary — lower than any country in Southeast Asia or China. Even if their employers request them to relocate, only 59 percent are willing to do so in order to keep their jobs, lower than any of the surveyed APAC countries.

“The opportunity to work in different markets and be exposed to new work and people can be very exciting. It helps talent gain new perspectives, learn more about other cultures, and interact better with stakeholders from different backgrounds. Being able to work in companies based outside of Hong Kong is very tempting, especially if the other markets are perceived to have a higher quality of life, a well-regarded education system and more opportunities to have purposeful careers,” said Natellie Sun, Managing Director at Randstad Hong Kong.

Regardless of Hongkongers’ indifference towards relocation when compared to other major APAC cities, more than three quarters want to be able to travel internationally for work.

A total of 79 percent also said that they like working with people from other cultural backgrounds, and 82 percent of respondents think that it is a positive thing that their employers hire foreigners if the local talent pool cannot provide the required skills or knowledge to do the job.

“As the leading financial hub in Asia Pacific, it is important for us to have a diverse workforce. When people from different cultures and backgrounds come together to work, they are able to gain different perspectives, find creative ways to improve efficiencies and drive innovation through collaboration,” Sun said.

“Despite recent political unrest which may have resulted in more people re-thinking about moving to Hong Kong for work, businesses are confident that growth opportunities remain present. As a bustling regional business hub, Hong Kong has been consistently rated the top place for expats across several renowned indices, retaining its appeal as a metropolitan city for professionals.”