Expats prioritise access to quality healthcare
Being able to find top-quality healthcare providers while working overseas is essential for the vast majority of expatriates surveyed by international health insurance provider Aetna International
An Aetna International survey of expats living abroad has revealed that 87 per cent of expats surveyed believed family healthcare related employment benefits to be important when considering a job opportunity abroad. A consideration that was found to be more of a priority than the financial package on offer with 85 per cent of expats highlighting this as important rather than not, and the career prospect of the role with 83 per cent of expats surveyed claiming this as an important factor.
The research across multiple countries also found that access to quality healthcare to be the biggest challenge. Almost one in three (30 per cent) respondents made this claim, ranking the challenge of accessing quality healthcare above finding a suitable home (23 per cent), language barriers (22 per cent), high living costs (21 per cent), and access to quality schooling (20 per cent), when asked about their top three biggest challenges of living as an expat.
International health cover for dependents is key
Forty-four per cent of the expats surveyed highlighted that when taking a job abroad they expect their employer healthcare cover to include their partner and, if applicable, their immediate family relocating with them. A further 39 per cent expect their employer to provide full healthcare cover just for them. Only eight per cent said that healthcare benefits are not something they have thought about and expected to fully rely on the local healthcare system.
Damian Lenihan, Executive Director of Europe at Aetna International, commented: “The pandemic has likely encouraged people to think more about the quality of healthcare they can access. With the value placed on quality healthcare by expats, international employers may need to consider if their health are policies meet expectation levels and stay competitive to attract the best talent.
“Of course, relocating to another country comes with many benefits and challenges, but interestingly we are potentially seeing healthcare as one of the top considerations with expats taking opportunities abroad. Over and above, if not on par with, lifestyle and career prospects,” adds Lenihan.
The research found that 70 per cent of expats surveyed had concerns about accessing quality healthcare during the pandemic. Couple that with a recent InterNations Expat Survey* finding one in five potential expats feel uncertain about moving abroad due to Covid-19, would suggest that employers may need to do more to reassure those relocating from overseas.