Results from an international study published today have shown that American workers are a lot less likely to work abroad compared to their international counterparts.

The report conducted by U.S staffing agency, Kelly Services Inc, showed that only 37% of Americans were prepared to even consider working in another country, although two thirds of the people questioned did say that they would be willing to possibly relocate to another city for the sake of a job offer.

This low figure was measured in comparison with a pleasing 59% of global respondents saying that they would change countries in order to experience greater working opportunities.

In the current climate of global mobility and with many nations desperately seeking ways of attracting overseas skilled workers these figures are not viewed as encouraging for such countries experiencing skills shortages in many of their working sectors.

With America also ranking as one of the lowest for mobility out of 33 countries, it’s intriguing to look at what factors are keeping citizens firmly rooted. It could be argued that although the lack of mobility from the U.S is a negative implementation for many global companies, instead the results act as positive proof of America successfully holding onto their home grown talent.

When further questioned respondents blamed family concerns, language barriers, schooling and property ownership as the major influencing factors stopping them moving.

However one must think that these issues are surely ones which would influence any potential migrant around the world. So the question remains unanswered, why are so many Americans reluctant to relocate? Is it because of the opportunities available to them in the states are already sufficient or are they simply a nation which on the whole is less open to the expanding world of global mobility.