The global freelancing workforce is expanding and thriving. More people are finding it convenient to work from home and set their own schedules.
Some countries are embracing the idea of freelancing faster than others. Developing countries are also catching up. Here is a review of four of the top countries for freelancing with insight from freelancers at Write Zillas.
1. India
Outsourcing is one of India’s main exports. It is hence not surprising that about 24% of all online freelancers reside in India.
There are several factors that have led to India’s rise as the freelancing capital of the world. First, there is a huge workforce, and limited job opportunities, so many people turn to every possibility available online. A big chunk of this workforce comprises young people with excellent technical expertise and good education. They are perfectly suited for popular online jobs such as software development; in fact, 55% of all Indian freelancers are software developers.
The freelancing industry in India generates about $400 billion in GDP. The government has taken note and is providing incentives for more people to work online as freelancers. These incentives include cheaper resources and free internet connectivity.
2. Bangladesh
Bangladesh is grappling with the same problems as India. There is a large workforce and not enough job opportunities to go around. The wages are also disheartening; the average wage in Bangladesh is $60 per month. It is because of these factors that many people in the country have turned to freelancing.
About 16% of freelancers in the world are Bangladeshi. Most of them are young people who are well-educated but lacking employment. And, like in the case of India, many of them have excellent technical skills. They join the industry in search of employment and better wages.
Many Bangladeshi freelancers work in sales, marketing, and software development. Other popular freelancing jobs here include customer care support, personal assistance, and multimedia support.
Unfortunately, the Bangladeshi government is not doing enough to get more of its nationals into freelancing. Freelancers often grapple with regulation hurdles, power outages, and poor internet connectivity.
3. The United States
The US lags behind India and Bangladesh when it comes to the number of freelancers, but it excels in many other sectors. It is the ideal freelancing hub of the world, considering all the resources and opportunities available here.
There are about 55 million freelancers in the US, and they make up about 35% of the country’s workforce. They work in diverse fields, delivering technical and IT-related services. Other common services rendered by American freelancers include writing, translation, and multimedia support. However, it should be noted that most of these freelancers also work 9-5 jobs, so freelancing is a means to supplement their incomes.
The US is one of the most conducive countries for freelancers. In fact, most freelancing jobs come from the US. The resources are also excellent, and freelancers based in the US have access to the high-paying gigs.
4. Pakistan
Pakistan is rising fast up the ladder of countries, leading in freelancing. The influx of freelancers in Pakistan has been caused by the high number of IT graduates. Most universities in the country focus on computer science and software engineering courses. However, the job market for these courses is cut-throat, and many graduates have difficulty getting work. More and more people are turning to freelancing, and the industry has earned Pakistan $1 billion in GDP for the financial year 2018 alone.
As we can see, the digital world is expanding fast. It has created millions of job opportunities for those willing to work online as freelancers. Freelancers around the world are harkening to the call, and Indian freelancers are leading the way. Moreover, the freelancing market is expected to grow and expand across more countries.
