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Joggers enjoying the Australian lifestyle at Farm Cove, near Sydney Opera House. Picture: Lindsay Moller Source: The Sunday Telegraph

AUSTRALIA is the most popular place in the world for expats, despite the relatively lower earning potential the country offers, according to a global report.

International workers are attracted Down Under by the outdoor lifestyle, friendliness and work/life balance, according to the HSBC Expat Explorer report.

They are also more likely to stay longer or settle in Australia permanently than in other countries.

But Australians living overseas found that while the benefits of an offshore posting offer a more global outlook and greater financial rewards, it comes at the expense of lifestyle and wellbeing.

Australian expatriates said it was increasingly difficult to manage the pressures of work and life and they were generally less active since moving overseas.

More than 3000 expats from more than 100 countries responded to the annual survey, which looks at factors affecting lifestyle like accommodation, ease of organising finances, and the ability to make friends.

It found 10 per cent of expats chose Australia as the top destination for their next assignment, followed by the US, Singapore, Hong Kong and Canada.

The US and UK were chosen for financial gain.

HSBC Bank Australia head of retail banking and wealth management Graham Heunis said the report showed the importance of lifestyle factors in expat career choices.

"While financial rewards and career prospects are obviously important, the report suggests expats are putting lifestyle and wellbeing ahead of money and Australia wins hands down on this front,'' he said.

Australia ranked highly in terms of overall quality of life, work environment and ease of integration.

The report showed expats in Australia are twice as likely to stay or return to Australia in future than average.
 

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Australia number one for expats - report