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Study: People willing to travel for temp work

Posted on March 9th, 2012 Read time: 1 minutes

A recent Gallup poll found that 29 percent of adults in the workforce would move to another country to become a temporary worker.

Gallup surveyed people in 119 countries, and found that adults in the workforce in sub-Saharan Africa demonstrated the greatest propensity for leaving (55 percent). Americans clocked in at 42 percent, Europeans 38 percent and Asians 21 percent.

The desire to leave one's country for temporary work stems from the idea that the job market in the native country is weak. In return, other countries receive a "much-needed" source of labor. Plus, the skills gained while away will also benefit companies in the sender country upon return.

Younger people (aged 15 to 24) showed the greatest willingness to leave, at 41 percent. That number dropped to 28 percent for 25 to 44 year-olds, 17 percent for 45 to 64 year-olds and just 7 percent for those aged 65 and over.

It's also interesting to note that people who were underemployed made up the largest percentage of those willing to leave (39 percent), over those employed at capacity (27 percent) and unemployed (20 percent).

A similar Gallup poll found that 10 percent of Americans would be willing to permanently move.
 

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