Global shipping and relocation experts Seven Seas Worldwide has launched its first-ever Global Movement Report for 2021\u202fwhich has\u202frevealed motivations\u202fbehind relocation for South Africans based on a comprehensive global survey.<\/p>\n
Each year global movement sees millions of people relocating across the globe. However, over the last year, it has become impossible to ignore the impact the pandemic has played across the sector.<\/p>\n
Half of South African respondents stated that pandemic-related restrictions or concerns are a direct cause of their relocations being cancelled.<\/p>\n
However, the report has also revealed that despite cancellations occurring, almost 2 in 5 of respondents who had their relocation plans adjusted or postponed intend to go ahead with their move.<\/p>\n
39% of respondents stated that the pandemic has made them more likely to consider relocating internationally after travel and movement resumes, suggesting that we can expect to see a release of the pent-up demand that has been building throughout the pandemic.<\/p>\n
Similar trends were observed in other markets surveyed, this could result in a rise in global movements around the world, leading to a ripple effect that could hike up prices for goods, property and potentially lead to an even more competitive job market.<\/p>\n
Long term moves on the horizon<\/strong><\/p>\n In light of these findings, just over a third (38%) of respondents indicated that they are looking to embark on a move for a long-term stay (3 to 5 years), in comparison to 1 in 10 (8%) who opted for a shorter-term stay (less than a year).<\/p>\n A quarter (25%) of South Africans are looking for permanent relocation with no further relocations for the foreseeable future, while a fifth (19%) are looking for medium-term relocation (1 to 2 years).<\/p>\n The global quest for a home continues<\/strong><\/p>\n Globally, a fifth (20%) of South African expatriates said their most recent relocation was to move from a country that was not their home country to another, compared to 42% who were returning home and 39% moving away from their home country.<\/p>\n For expatriates, the definition of \u2018home\u2019 is always evolving \u2013 with constraints from the pandemic adding a new layer of complexity.<\/p>\n The\u202freport\u202freveals\u202fthe\u202fgrowing importance of having a \u2018home base\u2019 to return to\u202fwhen\u202fcomparing\u202fdata on recent moves versus those five years ago or longer.\u202fA greater number of respondents reported\u202ffewer\u202frecent moves -\u202findicating reduced global mobility.<\/p>\n Only around a sixth (15%) of respondents have relocated internationally in the last 12 months, versus a third (34%) who relocated more than five years ago.<\/p>\n Exploring the Why and the Where of Global Movement<\/strong><\/p>\n As global mobility is an indicator of economic health, the report also sheds light on broader consumer trends. Starting a new life abroad represents a greater level of commitment than purchasing a stock, or goods and services – communicating a high level of confidence in\u202ffuture prospects.<\/p>\n In addition to big-picture statistics, the report probes the rationale behind relocation decisions, to get a clearer picture of the direction the world is heading, and to explore the future of relocation.<\/p>\n For South Africans contemplating a move\u202fabroad, the\u202ftop main\u202ffactors for\u202fconsideration were:<\/p>\n Survey respondents were also asked \u201cWhen thinking about\u202for\u202fplanning for relocating internationally, which country would you plan to move to, if you had the chance?\u201d \u2013 for which the top choices were:<\/p>\n Between June 4 and June 16, 2021, the group surveyed 5,026 consumers who have a passport, ensuring that at least 25% of our sample of respondents were considering or would like to move abroad, while at least 10% considered themselves expatriates.<\/p>\n From\u202fthe total sample, two in five consumers said they have relocated internationally before, while more than 1 in 6 (17%) said they have relocated internationally more than once.<\/p>\n\n
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