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T H E G L O BA L TA L E N T CO M P E T I T I V E N E SS I N D E X ( G TC I ) 2 023
W H AT A D I F F E R E N C E T E N Y E A R S M A K E
And what to expect for the next decade

The GTCI report is a comprehensive annual benchmarking report that measures how countries grow,
attract and retain talent. It provides a unique resource for decision makers to understand the
global talent competitiveness picture and develop strategies to boost their economies.
The 2023 report covers 134 countries around the world across all income groups.

TOP 1 0 COUN T R I E S I N 2 0 2 3

4 9
7
5 6

1
3 1O

1 Switzerland 11 Luxembourg
12 Ireland
2 Singapore
13 Canada
3 United States of America 14 Germany

Denmark 15 Iceland
4
16 Belgium
5 Netherlands 17 Austria

6 Finland 18 New Zealand

19 France
7 Norway 20 Estonia

8 Australia 21 Malta
22 United Arab Emirates
9 Sweden
23 Czech Republic
10 United Kingdom 24 Korea, Rep.
25 Israel

D E C A D E O F TO P 10

1 CH CH

2 SG SG

3 DK US

4 SE DK

5 LU NL
GTCI ranks

6 NL FI

7 GB NO

8 FI AU

9 US SE

10 IS GB

AU NO IS LU
GTCI GTCI GTCI GTCI GTCI GTCI GTCI GTCI GTCI GTCI
2013 2014 2015–2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
GTCI years

TA L E N T P E R F O R M A N C E R E M A I N S C LO S E LY L I N K E D TO I N CO M E L E V E L

90

80
2013
(R2 = 0.76)

70

60
GTCI score

50

40

30 High income
Upper-middle income

20 Lower-middle income
Low income

10
6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0 10.5 11.0 11.5 12.0
GDP per capita in PPP$ (natural logarithm)

90

80
2023
(R2 = 0.85)

70

60
GTCI score

50

40

30 High income
Upper-middle income

20 Lower-middle income
Low income

10
6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0 10.5 11.0 11.5 12.0
GDP per capita in PPP$ (natural logarithm)

C H A N G E I N S CO R E S F O R G TC I 2 01 3 - G TC I 2 01 8 VS
G TC I 2 01 9- G TC I 2 0 2 3 A N D G TC I 2023 S CO R E

15

Movers ID Champions
PT
AZ CN NL DK
KR MT US
10 AL
DZ GH EG
RU CH
RS
SG
AM
AR
5
CL
MX TT
PY MY
BO BG CR
PL
KW HR
Change in percent

0
IN BR MU SK
PK
HU

IR MA QA
MG ZA ME
–5
TZ

PA
–10 MK
RW
UG

SV Average GTCI 2023 score: 47.8

–15
BF BD GT
NI
ML
LS
MZ
Laggards Limpers
–20
15 25 35 45 55 65 75
GTCI 2023 score

• High income • Low income • Lower-middle income • Upper-middle income

Q UA L I T Y O F L I F E M AT T E R S M O R E A N D M O R E

69
COVID disruption (2019–2021)
2021
68
2018 2023
2020

67
2019

66
GTCI score

2022

65

2017

64

2015

63
2014
Pre-COVID Post-COVID
62
75 77 79 81 83 85

Lifestyle score

C I T I E S P L AY I N C R E A S I N G LY I M P O R TA N T R O L E S
O N T H E G LO BA L TA L E N T S C E N E

18

Chongqing

17 Dhaka
Lagos
Lahore

San Francisco
16
Singapore
Surat
Population (log)

Boston
Dar es Salaam Amsterdam
15 Seattle
Addis Ababa Munich
Dublin
Abuja

14
Oslo Zurich
Helsinki

13
Lausanne
Geneva
R
12
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
GCTCI overall score

Source: Authors’ computations.

Note: The green oval highlights the variation of population size among the most talent-competitive cities. The red oval shows the least-talent-competitive cities and points to the
potential talent disadvantages of large metropolitan areas.

GENDER INEQUALITIES EXEMPLIFY PERSISTENT

D OM E S T I C I N E Q UA L I T I E S

Perfect equality
1.0

.9
Gender parity ratio

.8
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

A N E W WO R L D O F W O R K I S TA K I N G S H A P E

Pre-COVID 2020–2021 recession Recovery (2022 on)

Jobs in recovery-supportive sectors

Technology
Retail
Software services

Jobs in distressed sectors

Travel
Entertainment
Hospitality
Restaurants

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

I N T E R N AT I O N A L TA L E N T F LO WS A R E H U R T BY U N C E R TA I N T I E S

GTCI years
4,500
Total passengers Domestic passengers International passengers
4,000

3,500
Passengers carried (millions)

3,000 Financial crisis

2,500
46% to 49% decline in world total passengers, 2021 vs 2019 SARS
60% decline in world total passengers in 2020 9/11 terrorist attack
2,000
Asian crisis

1,500 Gulf crisis

Iran-Iraq war
1,000
Oil crisis
COVID-19
500
pandemic

0
1945
1947
1949
1951
1953
1955
1957
1959
1961
1963
1965
1967
1969
1971
1973
1975
1977
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021

Source: Authors, based on ICAO reporting and estimates, https://www.icao.int/Aviation-API-Data-Service/Pages/default.aspx

Note: Air traffic passengers—as measured by ICAO—being used as a proxy for international talent flows. ICAO = International Civil Aviation Organization.

W H AT TO E X P E C T F O R T H E N E X T D E C A D E

1
TALENT COMPETITION
BECOMES STRATEGIC
Over the coming decade, talent
competitiveness will gain even
more importance as a critical
element of competitiveness,
innovation and geo-political soft
power. This will be true for nations,

2
cities and organisations alike.

EXPECT TALENT WARS ON ALL FRONTS

Talent competition will grow fiercer.
As uncertainties and international
tensions will continue to accumulate
(in trade, in investment, in politics and
diplomacy), we should expect more
rather than less talent wars. This will be
reinforced by growing needs to address
domestic tensions on labour markets,
and growing trends towards nationalistic 3
postures and policies (around topics
such as immigration or friendshoring, for WORLD OF WORK CHANGES RADICALLY
example). Significant aspects of the world
of work will be uprooted under
a combination of increasingly
ubiquitous factors including
(1) new expectations and attitudes
from younger generations,
(2) the emergence of new economic
and organizational models, and
4 (3) new possibilities offered by
technologies (including AI)

WATCH CITIES AND REGIONS

Cities and regions will pave the way for
new talent strategies and talent-based
innovation. Quality of life/sustainability
will be a critical asset for those aiming
at becoming talent hubs.

5
INEQUALITIES TRIGGER ACTION
Inequalities in global and local
labour markets will take different
forms and shapes. Talent-focused
regulatory policies will be required
at the global level to prevent
unnecessary tensions, and to allow
the planet to fully leverage its

6 human and technological capacities

for a better, sustainable and more
equal world.

RE-SKILLING BECOMES A LIFE HABIT

In the rapidly moving and uncertain
world of the coming decade, skills
and education will remain vital tools
to offer workers opportunities to
contribute in a meaningful fashion to
their economies and societies.

Se e how your countr y ran ks th is year o n ou r Website

CO N TAC T U S