Asian women expats in demand in Europe

CEBU, Philippines — While Asia has become an attractive destination for women expats from all over the world, Asian women executives on the other hand, are in demand in Europe and North America.

HSBC's 2017 Expat Explorer survey revealed that Asian women, especially those from the Philippines, China, Hong Kong and Malaysia are favored by companies in Europe and North American countries.

Women professionals with expertise in financial services, health and education are in demand in these countries.

"We are also seeing female expats increasingly move intra-Asia as intra-regional trade and investments continue to grow," HSBC study stated.

Around seven in 10 Asian female expats are employed full-time (60 percent), part-time (8 percent) or self-employed (4 percent). Only nine percent of Asian women expats are stay-at-home partners, while 40 percent are employed in financial services, health or education.

As professional Asian women have started gaining appeal from multinational firms, HSBC Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management for Philippines  Kris Werner cautioned that it is still crucial to protect their future as job tenures are much more fluid nowadays.

"Female expats bring new energy to a growing international workforce. There are plenty of benefits as well as challenges from pursuing a life away from home, including adapting to a new culture and lifestyle, managing complex finances and staying connected to family and friends back home," said Werner.

He underscored that working abroad offers a premium on earnings, so expat women need to be both money-wise and wealth-savvy.

"With the path to financial independence and long-term security needing a plan,  financial planning allows women to map out their goals based on present circumstances and future needs and with early preparation and a disciplined approach to finance, female expats can take advantage of extra income to support a variety of needs and goals. These range from emergency funds for a rainy day, longer term retirement savings, health protection or providing for children’s education. Making informed choices along the way helps their personal financial situation become even more secure," he added. (FREEMAN)