The TechPat Index: The Best Countries To Move To Be A TechPat

TechPats are currently in high demand around the world, due to a shortage of technology skills in businesses. For those not familiar with the term, a TechPat is a worker who is skilled in technology and chooses to move abroad to work in a foreign country.

TechPats can often find higher salaries, a better standard of higher education and career opportunities, and generally a better way of life. Because of all of these great benefits, it’s important that TechPats have international life insurance. This means you and your family are protected financially in the case of illness, injury or death.

But which countries are the best to move to if you want to become a TechPat?

Which are the best countries to move to if you want to become a TechPat?

The global technology skills shortage has caused a squeeze in the job market, with many employers posting huge salaries and attractive benefits – including sizable relocation packages – in a bid to entice talent from other countries.

If the thought of moving abroad to work in the technology sector appeals to you, there’s no time like the present.

We’ve analysed various factors, such as job listings, average salaries, internet speeds and 5G availability, to determine the best countries to move to if you’re looking for a job in the tech industry.

Which country provides the most benefits for TechPats?

The United States provides the most benefits for future TechPats

1/ United States

TechPat score: 8.83/10

The country providing the most benefits to future TechPats is the United States, with a TechPat score of 8.83/10. There are many universities in the country that specialise in technology and engineering, achieving an average score of 73.99. This includes the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the highest-ranking university in the field, scoring 96.5.

On LinkedIn, over 101,000 software engineer jobs are available in the United States. This equates to 297 jobs per capita. On average, you can earn around US$92,810 working as a software engineer in the country. This is equivalent to approximately £73,958 or €86,446. 5G is available 31.3% of the time in the U.S., ranking it second for this factor. Mobile internet speeds average around 111.01 Mbps and fixed broadband speeds average around 227.27 Mbps.

There are over 24,000 tech companies and 2,485 tech startups in the United States. This means there are 71 companies and 7.29 startups per capita. There are also 25 tech centres in the country (0.07 per capita), including Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama, Optics Valley in Tucson, Arizona and Silicon Forest in Portland, Oregon.

2/ Switzerland

Following closely behind is Switzerland, achieving a TechPat score of 8.73/10. Universities in the country that specialise in engineering and technology rank second, with an average score of 81.06. ETH Zurich is the highest-ranking university in Switzerland, scoring 90.6.

There are over 4,500 software engineer jobs available in Switzerland on LinkedIn, equating to 510 jobs per capita. You can earn around 95,492 Fr. (Swiss Franc) as a software engineer in the country. This equates to £87,178 / US$109,436 / €101,932. Mobile internet speeds average around 86.78 Mbps and fixed broadband speeds average around 194.5 Mbps.

There are almost 270 tech companies and 40 tech startups in Switzerland. This equates to 30.4 companies and 4.42 startups per capita. There is only one tech centre in the country, which is Crypto Valley in Zug. In addition, there are 31 tech accelerators (3.51 per capita) in Switzerland, with 14 of these being in Zurich.

3/ Singapore

TechPat score: 8.54/10

In third place is Singapore, with an 8.54/10 TechPat score. Universities in the country that specialise in engineering and technology score an average of 86.5, meaning that Singapore ranks first for this factor. The highest-ranking university in the country is Nanyang Technological University, scoring 86.8.

On LinkedIn, there are 3,755 software engineer jobs available in Singapore. This equates to 622 jobs per capita. On average, you can earn around S$60,702 (Singapore dollar) working as a software engineer in the country. This is equivalent to approximately £35,931 / US$45,108 / €42,007. 5G is available 30% of the time in Singapore, ranking it in third place for this factor. Mobile internet speeds average around 93.42 Mbps and fixed broadband speeds average around 270.62 Mbps.

There are almost 240 tech companies and 70 tech startups in Singapore. This means there are 39.4 companies and 11.26 startups per capita. There is only one tech centre in the country, which is the Singapore Science Park in the southwestern area of the country. There are also nearly 50 tech accelerators in Singapore, equating to 8.12 accelerators per capita.

Which country has the most job opportunities for TechPats?

Singapore has the most job opportunities for future TechPats

Singapore: 3,755 software engineer jobs on LinkedIn (622 per capita)

The country with the most job opportunities for future TechPats is Singapore. On LinkedIn, there are currently 3,755 advertisements for software engineer jobs. This equates to 622 jobs per capita. There are currently over 540 advertisements for jobs at huge tech companies, such as TikTok and ByteDance.

Where can TechPats earn the highest average salary?

Future TechPats can earn the highest average salary in Switzerland

Switzerland: Average salary of 95,492 Fr. (£87,178 / $109,436 / €101,932)

Software engineers can earn the highest average salary in Switzerland, standing at 95,492 Fr. This equates to approximately £87,178 / US$109,436 / €101,932. For someone with less than one year of experience, the average salary drops to around 86,000 Fr. (£78,152 / US$98,650 / €91,600 ). Those with 20+ years of experience can earn up to 128,000 Fr. (£116,319 / US$146,829 / €136,336 ) on average.

Which country has the highest-scoring universities?

Singapore has the highest-scoring universities specialising in engineering and technology

Singapore: 86.5 average university score

The best country for future TechPats to enter higher education is Singapore. On average, universities in the country that specialise in engineering and technology score 86.5. There are two universities with scores available: Nanyang Technological University (NTU), which scores 86.8, and the National University of Singapore (NUS), which scores 86.2. NTU has partnerships with major technology companies, such as Alibaba, Rolls-Royce and Delta Electronics. Over 9,500 international students, over 30% of the university’s total student population, have chosen to study at NUS.

Which country has the fastest average mobile internet speed for TechPats?

The United Arab Emirates has the fastest average mobile internet speed for future TechPats

United Arab Emirates: 303.21 mbps average mobile internet speed

The best country for future TechPats in terms of mobile internet speed is the United Arab Emirates. Having access to mobile internet and data is very important for TechPats who are required to be on the go and travelling when working. It’s also ideal for remote workers who like to work from public spaces, like cafes, to have mobile internet. In the United Arab Emirates, mobile internet speeds average 303.21 Mbps. Some of the most popular mobile internet providers in the country are Etisalat and du.

Which country has the fastest average fixed broadband speed for TechPats?

Singapore has the fastest average fixed broadband speed for future TechPats

Singapore: 270.62 mbps average fixed broadband speed

The best country for future TechPats in terms of fixed broadband speed is Singapore. Having access to high-quality and consistent Wi-Fi is essential for TechPats due to the nature of their job. This is particularly important for those working in offices, as there will be a lot of people needing to access the broadband at one time. However, it’s also important for TechPats who work remotely to have access to high-quality and consistent Wi-Fi to carry out their daily tasks. In Singapore, fixed broadband speeds average 270.62 Mbps. Some of the most popular broadband providers in the country include StarHub and Singtel.

In which country is 5G most commonly available to TechPats?

5G is most commonly available to future TechPats in South Korea

South Korea: 5G available 42.9% of the time

The best country for future TechPats when it comes to 5G availability is South Korea. 5G was first brought to the country in late 2018 by SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus. As in most countries, 5G isn’t currently available to everyone in South Korea. However, for those who can access it, 5G is available 42.9% of the time. This is over 10% more often than in the United States, which ranks in second place for this factor. The three original companies have committed to a $20 billion investment into researching how best to utilise 5G.

Which country is the most technologically advanced country for TechPats?

South Korea is the most technologically advanced country for future TechPats to relocated to

South Korea: 6.63/10 technologically advanced composite score

The most technologically advanced country is South Korea, with a composite score of 6.63/10. This score takes into account things such as the number of internet and mobile data users, the readiness to create and advance new innovations, and the portion of GDP that is spent on research and development. It also analyses technological knowledge and strength. All of these factors show that South Korea currently has a strong technological environment, as well as strong prospects for future technological success.

Countries with the most tech businesses

The United States has the most tech companies per capita

United States: 24,219 tech companies (71 per capita)

The country with the most tech companies is the United States. There are over 24,000 tech companies with headquarters in the U.S., equating to 71 companies per capita. Some of the most popular tech companies in the country include Monte Carlo, Simplified, Snorkel AI, Potion and Casetext.

Singapore has the most tech startups per capita

Singapore: 68 tech startups (11.26 per capita)

The country with the most tech startups is Singapore. There are almost 70 tech startups with headquarters in Singapore, equating to 11.26 startups per capita. Some of the emerging startups in the country include Cloudbric, Osome, Bloom, Horangi Warden and Mathilda.

Romania has the most tech centres per capita

Romania: 13 tech centres (0.66 per capita)

The country with the most tech centres is Romania. There are currently 13 tech centres in the country, equating to 0.66 tech centres per capita. Five of these centres are located in Romania’s capital, Bucharest. These include Grozӑveşti, Pipera, Mӑgurele, Romexpo and Militari. There are also two centres in the cities of Cluj-Napoca, Craiova and Timişoara, and one centre in the cities of Iaşi and Piteşti.

Singapore has the most tech accelerators per capita

Singapore: 49 tech accelerators (8.12 per capita)

The country with the most tech accelerators is Singapore. Tech accelerators are mentor-based programs that provide new businesses with guidance, support and structure so that they can accelerate their growth. There are 49 tech accelerators in Singapore, equating to 8.12 accelerators per capita. Some of these include The FinLab, The Hangar, Block71, EduSpaze and Anthill Ventures.

Wherever you go, go with total peace of mind

The expat life can be exciting – and full of uncertainties – especially when your family shares those adventures with you. At William Russell, we have over 30 years experience of helping expatriates finding best places in the world to move abroad and settle into their new lives overseas by providing world-class international life insurance. Plus, we produce lots of expert material to help you and your family adapt to life abroad.

We developed our life insurance plans to meet your unique needs as expats – so you can sleep better at night knowing your family’s covered, wherever life takes you.