Covid-19 Impacted Global Movement Plans For SA
- A half (50%) of people cancelled moves due to Covid-19, but 2 in 5 still intend to go ahead when possible
- Just over a third of South African respondents are seeking a long-term move
- Top countries for relocation include UK, US, Australia, Germany and Italy
Global shipping and relocation experts Seven Seas Worldwide has launched its first-ever Global Movement Report for 2021 which has revealed motivations behind relocation for South Africans based on a comprehensive global survey.
Each year global movement sees millions of people relocating across the globe. However, it has become impossible to ignore the impact the pandemic has played across the sector over the last year. In fact, 50% of South African respondents stated that pandemic-related restrictions or concerns directly cause their relocations to be canceled.
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. 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.
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.
Long term moves on the horizon
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). 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).
The global quest for a home continues
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. For expatriates, the definition of ‘home’ is always evolving – with constraints from the pandemic adding a new layer of complexity.
The report reveals the growing importance of having a ‘home base’ to return to when comparing data on recent moves versus those five years ago or longer. A greater number of respondents reported fewer recent moves - indicating reduced global mobility. In fact, only around a sixth (15%) of respondents have relocated internationally in the last 12 months, versus nearly a third (34%) who relocated more than five years ago.
Exploring the Why and the Where of Global Movement
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 future prospects. 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.
For South Africans contemplating a move abroad, the top main factors for consideration were: economic or job reasons (53%), better lifestyle (46%), education or training (26%), to experience new culture (17%), and a partner, love or to be with family (14%).
Survey respondents were also asked “When thinking about or planning for relocating internationally, which country would you plan to move to, if you had the chance?” – for which the top choice was the UK, followed by the US, Australia, Germany , and Italy.
John Henderson, Co-Founder of Seven Seas Worldwide: “As a family-owned business, we’ve seen many changes over the past 25 years, but deciding where to live is remains to be a life-changing decision. Like most industries, relocation has certainly been disrupted by the pandemic, causing a domino effect which touched everything from trade to global economic growth, but we aim to make it as stress-free as we can for our customers, while providing flexible moving solutions.
We believe that our first-ever Global Movement Report will be beneficial for anyone who is either considering a move in these uncertain times or has an interest in understanding the motivations and preferences of those who moving – particularly the emotional and practical considerations”.
For more visit www.sevenseasworldwide.com