London voted most attractive city to work but UK slips down the rankings

US, Germany, Canada and Australia now all rank higher than Britain

Britain slipped down the rankings to fifth most desirable from second in 2014

London has been voted the most desirable city in the world for overseas workers in a global survey of 366,000 people – beating New York, Berlin and Barcelona to take top spot.

The UK as a whole slipped down the rankings to fifth most desirable and was previously at second when the poll by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Totaljobs was last carried out in 2014.

The US, Germany, Canada and Australia now all rank higher than Britain in terms of attractiveness.

English-speaking Commonwealth countries including Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Ghana and Nigeria were among those who rated the UK as the most attractive place to move to for work.

However, the survey showed that residents of European countries, the United Arab Emirates and China have a less favourable view of the UK, suggesting the Brexit vote has dented the nation’s appeal.

Those countries now pick the US, Australia, Germany or Canada as more attractive places to work.

Since 2014, the proportion of UK citizens who say they would be willing to move abroad has soared from 44 per cent to 62 per cent, the biggest jump of any country in the world. This could deepen a skills crisis in the UK as the number of people moving to the UK for work falls.

The Office for National Statistics found that net migration to the UK decreased in the year ending September 2017, with 6.5 per cent fewer European citizens moving to the country.

“Together, these two talent trends create a major challenge for the UK,” said Nick South, a partner at BCG.

“It is critical for UK private and public sector organisations to get on the front foot and proactively take steps to attract and retain top-class talent to ensure their future success.”

A recent survey of 1,000 UK company executives by City and Guilds found that nine in 10 employers were already struggling to find skilled workers.