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Vienna top city for relocating workers: survey

Dan Bobkoff Feb 19, 2014
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Vienna top city for relocating workers: survey

Dan Bobkoff Feb 19, 2014
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No city is easier to live in than Vienna, according to a new survey out Wednesday. 

Why Vienna? It’s not just the good coffee and good infrastructure. “It ranks very high on the cultural spectrum, It’s also very friendly from the standard of expatriate living,” says Ed Hannibal, Global Mobility Practice Leader for Mercer, the human resources consultancy that puts out the annual survey.

The survey takes into account the things that matter most to workers forced to relocate: schools, crime, political stability, and shopping. 

“The lowest on the list right now was Baghdad,” Hannibal says. 

Companies use the list to figure out what kind of compensation to offer employees they relocate. If it’s a place like Baghdad, they’ll get something called a hardship premium.

“If you’re sending someone to a location where no matter what you offer as a company you will not reach the standards expected in the home location,” says Alain Verstandig, president of Net Expat Group. 

Overall, European cities top this year’s quality of living list. Sorry U.S.A. — the top four cities in North America are Canadian.

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