According to the survey, 53% of Generation Z job seekers (born from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s) prefer working abroad over domestically, citing opportunities for growth among their reasons. Many in Generation Z are willing to pursue overseas employment if the annual salary is between 40 million and 60 million won, raising concerns about a potential outflow of talent from the country.

On September 26, recruitment platform Jinhaksa Catch surveyed 1,900 Generation Z job seekers (77% of whom graduated from top universities in Seoul) about their "preference for overseas employment." The results showed that 53% of respondents preferred "working abroad," while 47% chose "working domestically."

The most common reason for preferring to work abroad was "more opportunities for experience and growth" (39%). This was followed by "higher compensation" (35%) and "building a global network" (22%). Other responses included "preference for overseas work culture" (3%).

53% of Generation Z Job Seekers
Prefer Working Abroad
Reasons Include Growth Opportunities

Top Preferred Country is the United States
Followed by Australia and Japan

47% Choose Domestic Work
Reasons Include Familiar Environment Photo by Pixabay

On the other hand, among those who preferred working domestically, the top reason was a "familiar environment" (52%). This was followed by "plenty of opportunities available domestically" at 21%, and "ability to build a stable long-term career" at 15%. Other responses included "preference for domestic work culture" (6%) and "contributing to Korean society" (5%).

When asked about their "preferred countries" (multiple answers allowed) for working abroad, 80% overwhelmingly chose the United States. This was followed by Australia (25%), Japan (25%), Canada (23%), Germany (20%), and Singapore (19%). Some also selected China (10%) and Vietnam (5%).

Jinhaksa Catch

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The most common expected salary range for deciding to work abroad was "between 40 million and 60 million won," at 42%. This was followed by 70 million to 90 million won (21%), 100 million won or more (18%), and less than 40 million won (14%). Only 5% of respondents said they had no intention of working abroad, regardless of salary.

Kim Junghyun, head of Jinhaksa Catch, stated, "These results show that Generation Z is actively seeking personal growth opportunities and international experience," adding, "It is necessary to improve domestic systems so that young talent can also experience global-level opportunities within Korea."