For expats, health and wellbeing matter as much as job prospects

THE life of expatriates in Singapore is usually seen as appealing, with the promise of international exposure and career growth prospects. However, even though pay packages in Singapore have remained among the most competitive in the region, a recent study reveals that many expats - also known as globally mobile individuals - see themselves as worse off than local residents in Singapore.

The 2017 Cigna 360 degree Wellbeing Survey examined the perceptions of globally mobile individuals living and working across 20 locations around the world on five aspects of their well-being: physical, financial, work health, family health and social health. In Asia, the survey covered these individuals in Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia.

The research found that the globally mobile in Singapore have among the lowest perceptions of their wellbeing compared to their Asian counterparts - particularly when it comes to family, physical and financial well-being - scoring below average in all three categories.