RIYADH: As a result of the ease of getting a visa, dealing with local authorities, and opening a bank account in the country, Bahrain is ninth in the top destinations in the world for expatriates.
This is according to a report published by global expat network InterNations, based on a survey of 12,065 respondents from 171 nationalities and living in 172 countries worldwide.
Mexico topped the list, with Spain and Panama coming second and third respectively.
Malaysia and Taiwan rounded out the top five.
Bahrain was the highest-placed country from the Middle East, with the UAE ranked 11th, Oman 12th, and Saudi Arabia 28th.
Qatar came in the 31st position, while Kuwait was ranked 53rd.
According to the survey, some of the worst destinations for expats include South Korea, Germany, South Africa, Italy, and Japan.
The survey also taps on expats’ lives in these destinations while providing in-depth information on the respondents’ satisfaction with their respective countries in five indices: Quality of Life, Ease of Settling In, Working Abroad, Personal Finance, and the Expat Essentials Index.
Bahrain topped the list of the Expat Essentials Index, which covers housing, administration, language, and digital life. The UAE and Saudi Arabia ranked second and ninth respectively.
When it comes to digital services, Bahrain was placed eighth due thanks to their wide availability across the country, making it easy to get high-speed internet access at home as well as carrying administrative tasks online.
In terms of the language spoken, Bahrain ranked first as expats claimed that the language barrier is low and does not cause any hassle or hurdle for them.
In the Quality of Life index, which includes travel, healthcare, safety, and security, among other factors, Bahrain ranked 20th, while Saudi Arabia and Kuwait came 40th and 53rd respectively.
With regards to the Ease of Settling In Index, which focuses on local friendliness, ease of finding friends, and culture, Bahrain came ninth, while Saudi Arabia ranked 32nd, Qatar came in 35th, and Kuwait 53rd.
As for the Working Aboard Index, which includes career prospects, salary, job security, and work culture, Bahrain has secured the 19th ranking.
In the Personal Finance index, Bahrain came in 27th, with Saudi Arabia ranked 22nd and Qatar placed at 46.
Overall, 71 percent of those asked are happy and content with their life in Bahrain, reflecting the same as the global average of 72 percent.
