The unemployment rates and financial health of cities have been impacted by Covid-19 at an unparalleled rate, with a new study revealing which of the globe’s cities are best managing their pandemic-struck economies.
The latest data released from FutureLearn, an education platform jointly owned by The Open University and online job search site Seek, shows the impact Covid-19 is having on cities around the world.
The report ranks its already-benchmarked top 100 global cities, against more recent data covering everything from economics, unemployment, the estimated impact of the pandemic on the economy, policies, plans in place to support failing industries, quality of life and gender equality in the rankings to find the globe’s top cities for employment.
FutureLearn chief executive Simon Nelson says the index offers insight into the cities that are best primed for economic stability and potential career opportunities.
“While gathering data for the study, we witnessed the impact of this pandemic on the economy in real-time,” Nelson said.
“The data that will come out in the coming months will illustrate the true impact of this crisis on the job market as businesses start to reopen, nations slowly go back to work, and people start rebuilding their lives.”
Which cities are best managing the post-Covid economy for jobs?
| Rank | City | Country | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | Singapore | 100 |
| 2 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 95.16 |
| 3 | Helsinki | Finland | 90.50 |
| 4 | Oslo | Norway | 89.14 |
| 5 | Dubai | UAE | 85.18 |
| 6 | Gothenburg | Sweden | 81.18 |
| 7 | Malmö | Sweden | 77.95 |
| 8 | San Francisco | USA | 77.30 |
| 9 | Munich | Germany | 74.94 |
| 10 | Geneva | Switzerland | 72.78 |
| 11 | Zurich | Switzerland | 72.62 |
| 12 | Hong Kong | HKSAR | 69.10 |
| 13 | Stuttgart | Germany | 68.95 |
| 14 | Dresden | Germany | 68.91 |
| 15 | Los Angeles | USA | 68.22 |
| 16 | Seoul | South Korea | 67.36 |
| 17 | New York | USA | 66.40 |
| 18 | Stockholm | Sweden | 66.13 |
| 19 | Frankfurt | Germany | 64.88 |
| 20 | Tokyo | Japan | 64.81 |
| 48 | Perth | Australia | 46.32 |
| 52 | Sydney | Australia | 43.77 |
| 78 | Adelaide | Australia | 32.94 |
| 80 | Melbourne | Australia | 30.44 |
| 82 | Brisbane | Australia | 28.25 |
^ Source: Futurelearn
The data was collected relating to pre-coronavirus GDP growth rate, and also measures the number of new startups, to illustrate if a city is a hub for innovation.
With the pandemic impacting unemployment, wellbeing and the financial health of cities, the education platform reported that figures have changed dramatically from week to week.
“We hope this new research can offer those experiencing hard times some hope for the future,” Nelson said.
“With global travel essentially ground to a halt currently, it might seem strange and daunting to consider moving city or country for a job.”
The final index paints a picture of the cities that excelled in job offerings pre-coronavirus, and the cities where the response to the pandemic means their economy could continue to grow throughout the uncertain period.
“A location can only be considered good for jobs if it caters to all people equally, we included statistics on the gender wage gap, and legislation, and women’s opportunities for career progression,” the report notes.
Perth was Australia’s top city ranking at 48th place, while Brisbane rounded out the five Australian cities at 82 on the top 100 global cities ranking list.
The digital learning platform was founded in 2012 by The Open University and is now jointly owned by The Open University in the UK and ASX-listed Seek Group.
