Jinhaksa Catch Survey on Overseas Employment Preferences
53% Prefer Working Abroad, 47% Choose Korea
Fifty-three percent of Generation Z job seekers (born from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s) prefer working abroad over working in Korea, citing growth opportunities and other factors. Many members of Generation Z are willing to pursue overseas employment for an annual salary in the range of 40 million to 60 million won, raising concerns about a potential outflow of domestic talent.
On September 26, Jinhaksa Catch, a recruitment platform, surveyed 1,900 Generation Z job seekers (77% of whom graduated from top universities in Seoul) regarding their "preference for overseas employment." The results showed that 53% of respondents preferred "working abroad," while 47% chose "working in Korea."
The most common reason for preferring to work abroad was "more experiences and growth opportunities" (39%). This was followed by "higher compensation" (35%) and "building a global network" (22%). Other responses included "preference for overseas work culture" (3%).
In contrast, those who preferred working in Korea cited "familiar environment" (52%) as the primary reason. This was followed by "sufficient opportunities in Korea" (21%) and "ability to build a stable long-term career" (15%). Other reasons included "preference for domestic work culture" (6%) and "contributing to Korean society" (5%).
When those who hoped to work abroad were asked about their "preferred countries" (multiple responses allowed), the United States was overwhelmingly the top choice at 80%. This was followed by Australia (25%), Japan (25%), Canada (23%), Germany (20%), and Singapore (19%). Some respondents also selected China (10%) and Vietnam (5%).
Regarding the annual salary level at which they would decide to work overseas, "40 million to 60 million won" was the most common answer at 42%. This was followed by "70 million to 90 million won" (21%), "over 100 million won" (18%), and "less than 40 million won" (14%). Only 5% of respondents said they had no intention of working abroad regardless of the salary offered.
Kim Junghyun, head of Jinhaksa Catch, said, "These results show that Generation Z is actively seeking personal growth opportunities and international experience," adding, "There is a need for institutional improvements in Korea so that young talent can also experience global-level opportunities domestically."
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