Top 10 Best Countries in the World to Work In

Top 10 Best Countries in the World to Work In

 

 

By darshit karkar

Updated january14, 2018

 

 

Which are the best countries to work in? Which country has the best job opportunities? How does the United States compare to the rest of the world? When you measure by average salary in US dollars, the small European country of Luxembourg earns the top spot. Switzerland is next on the list, where in addition to high earnings there is a very low unemployment rate, and 20 days of vacation. The United States ranks third based on average income.
Here’s an overview of the top 10 best countries for work based on average earnings represented in US dollars. For each country, compare income, minimum wage, vacation, public holidays, parental leave, healthcare, average hours worked per week, unemployment rate, and the top industries for jobs.

1

Luxembourg 

 

Luxembourg a member country of the European Union, one of the smallest countries in Europe, smaller even than the state of Delaware. The four languages most commonly spoken are Luxembourgish, German, French and English. The country is divided between a rugged, sparsely populated northern plateau and southern lowlands with major cities and extensive farmlands.
Wineries are quite common with most villages containing at least one vineyard. Citizens of Luxembourg enjoy low unemployment, high wages, and a very low crime rate, but must cope with an elevated cost of living.

• Average Income: $60,369
• Minimum Wage: $11.20 per hour
• Vacation: At least 25 days
• Public Holidays: 10
• Parental Leave: Paid, 6 months full time, 12 months part time
• Healthcare: Mainly state sponsored, workers contribute 5.44 percent of gross income
• Unemployment Rate: 6.5 percent, March 2016
• Average Hours Worked per Week: 30

Top Industries (The CIA's World Fact Book)
Banking and financial services, construction, real estate services, iron, metals, and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation and logistics, chemicals, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism, and biotechnology. 


 

2

Switzerland

  

Switzerland is structurally similar to the U.S., as it is a confederation of 26 cantons or states, each with local governing organizations. The country is well known for its breathtaking mountain scenery with numerous peaks in the Alps soaring above 13,000 feet. The Alps form an east-west barrier that limits colder weather systems from affecting the southern portion of the country.
Have you heard of Rumantsch? It is one of four official languages spoken, along with German, Italian, and French. Tourism is a major industry, and English is widely spoken in the commercial sectors.

• Average income: $58,389
• No Minimum Wage
• Vacation: 20 Days
• Public Holidays: 7-15 depending on the state
• Parental Leave: 14 weeks at 80 percent of pay
• Healthcare: Provided by private companies and paid by individuals; Insurers must cover pre-existing conditions
• Unemployment Rate: 3.6 percent February 2016
• Average Hours Worked per Week: 31

Top Industries (The CIA's World Fact Book)
Machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance. 

3

United States 

 

The U.S. is the third largest country in the world behind Russia and Canada with over 9,826,675 square km of land. Due to the size and geographic variation in the U.S., the climate ranges from polar in Alaska to temperate, semi- arid, arid, Mediterranean, subtropical and tropical in Southern Florida and Hawaii. The United States has international political, cultural, and economic influence, and accounts for 25 percent of the World GDP.

• Average income: $58,714
• Minimum Wage: $7.25 per hour
• Vacation: No guaranteed minimum; average from 10 -20 days based on tenure
• Public Holidays: Average of 8, no statutory entitlement for private sector workers
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks, unpaid through the Family and Medical Leave Act. Employers may provide additional parental leave benefits.
• Healthcare: The Affordable Care Act is under review but currently provides protections against lifetime maximums, exclusions for pre-existing conditions and provides subsidies for low-income citizens
• Unemployment Rate: 4.8 percent January 2017
• Average Hours Worked: 34.4

Top Industries (The CIA's World Fact Book)
Petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing,.

4

Australia

The seasons in Australia are the opposite of those in the U.S. and the northern hemisphere. Winter lasts from June-August, spring from September-November, summer from December-February and fall from March through May. Australia is incredibly rich and diverse in animal life with more than 378 mammal species, 828 bird species, 4,000 fish species, 300 species of lizards, 140 snake species, two crocodile species and around 50 types of marine mammals.
The country also offers exceptional geographic diversity including mountains, deserts, and tropical rain forests. Australia is the world's only nation which is also designated as a continent. The country is an island bordering both the Indian and Pacific Oceans as well as numerous other seas.  

• Average income: $50,167
• Minimum Wage: $10.90 per hour
• Vacation: At least 20 days
• Public Holidays: At least 7
• Parental Leave: Eligible employees get up to 18 weeks leave paid at the national minimum wage. Employees are also entitled to 12 months of unpaid leave.
• Healthcare: Government sponsored, national health insurance is in place funded in part by a 2 percent tax on employees. Private insurance supplements the coverage provided by the government health system.
• Unemployment Rate: 5.7 percent, January 2017
• Average Hours Worked per Week: 32

Top Industries (The CIA's World Fact Book)
Mining, industrial equipment, transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, and steel.

5

Norway

Norway is a wealthy country with the 4th highest per capita income in the world. The high cost of living, due in part to importing much of their food, is an influential factor in Norwegian life. Situated on a peninsula stretching 1,581 miles long, Norway is located in both the northern and eastern hemispheres.
About half of the country or 37,000 square miles lies above the Arctic Circle leading to very short days, even perpetual darkness in the winter, and long days, including midnight sun, in the summer. There are over 400,000 lakes in Norway. It is the world's largest exporter of salmon, though much of its wealth is due to large oil reserves, as the country ranks as the 10th largest oil exporter in the world.

• Average income: $50,908
• No Minimum Wage
• Vacation: 25 days
• Public Holidays: At least 2
• Parental Leave: Paid leave at 80 percent of salary for 54 weeks or 100 percent for 44 weeks
• Healthcare: National healthcare financed by the government
• Unemployment Rate: 4.4 percent Dec 2016
• Average Hours Worked per Week: 27.4

Top Industries (The CIA's World Fact Book)
Petroleum and gas, shipping, fishing, aquaculture, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, and textiles.