The Alpine state is the most popular place for expats seeking a career destination, a survey by HSBC says.

Switzerland is the most desirable all-round destination for a career abroad, while Sweden and Germany come in second and third place, respectively, while the US scrapes into tenth place and the UK ranks only at 20 on the list, according to a survey by HSBC.

Switzerland may have had its problems over assaults on bank secrecy, but as far its attractions as a place for work, it is king of the hill, seen as blending excellent earning prospects with an enjoyable work culture and enviable job security. Almost two thirds (65 per cent) of expats in Switzerland say the country offers higher salaries than at home, while 53 per cent praise the working culture and 43 per cent feel more secure in their job, the bank said.

HSBC’s Expat Explorer survey, taken from 21,950 respondents around the world, showed that Europe  has the four best career destinations, with Russia – perhaps surprisingly considering geopolitical tensions – at fourth. HSBC said career hotspots in Asia and the Middle East, including Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), dominate the rest of the top ten. Singapore ranks at fifth and Hong Kong at eighth.

The rankings look at eight criteria to reveal which countries enable expats to thrive in their careers: the chance to acquire new skills, career progression, job security, actual and prospective earnings, benefits packages and work/life balance, as well as fulfilling work and the work culture.

Expats in Sweden enjoy the best work/life balance in the world, with 72 per cent of expats there finding a better balance than at home. The UK, which ranks 20th overall, is one of the best places to develop skills, with nearly three in five (59 per cent) expats saying the country offers them a better chance to do this.

While earning prospects for expats vary within Europe, job security in the region is rated the highest in the world. Four of the top five countries for expat job security - Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands and France - are in Europe, with 59 per cent of expats in both Germany and Sweden feeling more secure in their role after moving there.

Destinations in the Middle East offer excellent benefits packages and strong earning prospects. The majority of expats in Qatar (67 per cent), the UAE (62 per cent) and Bahrain (61%) say they earn more now than they did at home. There is more to expat employment contracts than just salary, however, and 94 per cent of expats in Oman receive at least one benefit from their employer, more than anywhere else.

Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of expats in Singapore say their earning prospects are better than at home and 59 per cent say it is a good place to progress their careers. Hong Kong performs even more strongly for these two aspects, with 68 per cent and 63 per cent rating it as a good destination for earning prospects and career progression respectively. However, only 28 per cent of expats in Hong Kong say their work/life balance has improved.

The survey was conducted by YouGov.