Today’s job market offers plenty of opportunities for relocation, and this figure is expected to grow, according to Global Employee Relocation Services Market Report 2024. Already in 2021, the market size was valued at $14 billion, and according to forecasts, this figure should reach $15 billion in 2027. Quite expectedly, a lot of positions open to relocation are tech and IT-related, but the size of the job market alone offers plenty of other opportunities for digital nomads and professionals looking for a change of scenery.
These market trends made us curious about available job opportunities across different cities worldwide. Since SignalHire is a contact database used primarily by recruiters operating all over the world, we have access to their search queries and can easily determine which cities have the highest demand in employees — as per recruiters’ factual searches. Even more, we can see which positions are in the highest demand in each location — so let’s check out the best cities to find a job, relocate, and do business!
Table of Contents:
1. New York, NY, United States
Job Growth: 1.6%
Average Annual Salary: $90,000
Top 3 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Project Manager, Software Developer, Managing Partner
New York has always been a buzzing fast-paced business hub, easily embracing innovation. So, it’s no wonder the IT industry is striving here. Notably, software developers and project managers rank first and fifth, respectively, in our previous analysis of the most in-demand IT jobs worldwide. In New York, these professionals will not have any difficulty searching for a job — and neither will managing partners because the City That Never Sleeps is also a major finance and investment hub with hundreds of lucrative opportunities for experienced business developers and one of the best cities in the world to search for a job.
2. San Francisco, CA, United States
Job Growth: 0.4%
Average Annual Salary: $113,000
Top 3 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Account Executive, Estimator Project Manager, Sales Executive
San Francisco is one of the best cities for finance jobs around the world, based on our previous study. In fact, it ranks second-best twice in a row already. A lot of job opportunities in San Francisco are finance- and sales-related, but it does not mean other professionals will lack jobs in this beautiful city. As a commerce center, San Francisco enjoys a long, prominent history, and it’s not willing to give up its place in the sun. Since 2023, the Bay Area has seen a major surge in construction projects, too, which explains the city’s demand for estimator project managers.
3. Singapore, Singapore
Job Growth: 0.8%
Average Annual Salary: $70,000
Top 3 In-Demand Jobs in the City: HR Manager, CEO, Insights Manager
Singapore is another international hub open to professionals from all over the world and one of the best cities to work and do business. And even though Q1 2024 has seen a slight decline in non-resident employment opportunities compared to the last year, the companies are still looking for qualified HR and business managers to oversee the activities of the many international companies located in this city. The choice here is abundant, as many giants, including Google, Amazon, and Apple, have Asian headquarters in Singapore. International companies outside the IT niche are also plenty, i.e., Capital Land, Wilmar International, and Flex.
4. Bengaluru, India
Job Growth: 6% (nationwide)
Average Annual Salary: ₹957k ($11,500)
Top 3 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Purchase Manager, Talent Acquisition, IT Manager
Bengaluru is one of the fastest-growing IT hubs in the subcontinent, unofficially dubbed the Silicon Valley of India. Over the last year, the city has seen a 24% increase in IT job postings, an impressive figure compared to overall national employment growth of 6%. Even though Bengaluru is a lucrative destination for IT-related jobs, not all openings are tech-related. In fact, many companies are on the lookout for non-technical managing staff to oversee purchases, hire new talent, and lead the existing teams. The city is also rich in culture and sights, so if you are looking for a whole new life experience, Bengaluru is one of the best cities to work and live in.
5. Vancouver, BC, Canada
Job Growth: 0.6%
Average Annual Salary: CAD 74,500 ($54,700)
Top 3 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Architectural Designer, Project Architect, Job Captain
Over the last few years, the Vancouver Metro area has seen a major construction boom, so the city is still on the lookout for architectural designers, project architects, and job captains to oversee contracts and ensure all workplace policies are adhered to. And even though Vancouver employment opportunities are currently skewed towards residential construction, the city has been previously famous for its science and healthcare industries — and it still remains one of the best cities in the world as far as employment in these fields is concerned.
6. Sydney, NSW, Australia
Job Growth: 8.3% (projected), 2.1% nationwide
Average Annual Salary: AUD 93,244 ($62,800)
Top 3 In-Demand Jobs in the City: General Manager, Software Developer, Account Manager
According to recent studies, Australian companies are under high pressure to fill the vacant roles, and local businesses are already searching for ways to welcome more workers from overseas. Not surprisingly, many of these vacancies are in the IT niche, but the spectrum of available opportunities is not limited to tech alone. Besides technology, professional services and science make up over 20% of all Sydney employment opportunities. Plus, the staggering lack of qualified staff in tech-related companies makes it easier for foreigners to access visas — something Down-Under has been reluctant to grant until very recently.
7. Seattle, WA, United States
Job Growth: 0.6% (projected)
Average Annual Salary: $85,600
Top 3 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Architectural Designer, Job Captain, Executive Assistant
Seattle is one of the best cities to work because today, it is fueled by a peculiar mix of traditional and high-tech economy. Right now, the city is going through a major transformation as IT startups are actively registering their offices in the area. Such a development expectedly caused an increase in construction projects, which made architectural designers the most sought-after professionals in the area, along with job captains and executive assistants to oversee legal and HR regulations.
8. Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Job Growth: 8.3% (projected), 2.1% nationwide
Average Annual Salary: AUD 89,100 ($60,000)
Top 3 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Account Manager, Business Developer, CEO
Melbourne is one of the best cities to find a job in Australia, quite on par with Sydney we already listed above. These two cities have the highest need for qualified experts, but Melbourne’s job market is currently skewered toward business development rather than pure tech. The city is actively exploring new energy technologies, reinvents supply chains and food processing, develops tourism and invests in international education programs. All of this creates a high demand for top-level management staff in various occupations.
9. London, United Kingdom
Job Growth: 1.3%
Average Annual Salary: GBP 43,300 (55,600)
Top 3 In-Demand Jobs in the City: Business Developer, Software Developer, Data Analyst
Traditionally, the UK capital has been associated with finance and commerce, which explains its high demand for business developers. Besides, London is a capital of innovation, which, in today’s world, means the rapid pace of the IT industry. Not surprisingly, software developers are in high demand here, followed closely by data analysts — another booming IT profession in high demand today.
One more thing that makes London one of the best cities in the world to work and live in is the high number of immigrants from all over. Today, the British capital is a true multi-cultural hub, and its rich history alone makes it a worthy place to hunt for a job.
10. Toronto, ON, Canada
Job Growth: 1.8%
Average Annual Salary: CAD 115,000 ($77,500)
Top 3 In-Demand Jobs in the City: HR Manager, Site Superintendent, Project Coordinator
Similar to Vancouver, already discussed above, Toronto is going through a construction boom, which makes it one of the best cities to find a job in this field. However, Toronto employment opportunities are not limited to construction alone — the buzzing international hub is also on the look-out for HR managers and project coordinators — primarily, in the IT niche. So, like most other destinations on this list, the city happily welcomes talented tech professionals from all over the world.
Methodology
To create this analysis of the best cities to find a job worldwide, we have pulled our internal database data over the period of June 2023 — May 2024. We calculated the total number of search requests recruiters made, choosing cities with the highest number of searches and noting the top three popular jobs in each of these locations. To create a rating, we analyzed publicly available information on the ease of doing business, life quality, and overall employment opportunities for foreigners and residents. Applying basic decision-making principles, we have ranked the cities starting from the most cosmopolitan areas that welcome job seekers and entrepreneurs from around the world.
The information on job and employment growth in each location was taken from government resources and local statical platforms. If no information on employment growth in the last year was available, we relied on government forecasts or checked the unemployment stats to figure out its decline rates over the last year.
Data about average salary was taken from official government agencies and public statistical resources, as well as independent analytical platforms, such as SalaryExpert and Payscale. The figure implies base salary without bonuses and is a median number not skewed towards any specific industry.
On the other hand, one should note that our internal database is primarily used by recruiters and business developers, so our data on the most popular positions might be somewhat skewed to IT and other digital white-collar occupations. But, as a potential relocation guide, this analysis of the best cities in the world to hunt for a job perfectly reflects employment opportunities for traditionally ‘mobile’ professions.
Conclusion
The international job market offers plenty of employment opportunities for qualified experts, especially in the IT, sales, accounting, and management spheres. No doubt, some of the analyzed locations might prove a bit too exotic for job seekers. If that is the case, we suggest you check out our analysis of the best cities for work in the USA and top UK cities with multiple job opportunities. Both pieces are based on recent 2023-2024 data, so the information is still relevant, and the odds of cultural shock are minimal!
