Henley & Partners, a leading international wealth advisory firm, has released groundbreaking research highlighting the synergy between first-class education and expanded global access rights in fostering opportunities for future generations. This pioneering study is encapsulated in their inaugural Henley Education Report, which introduces the Henley Opportunity Index. This innovative benchmarking tool quantifies how a premium education, combined with additional residence rights or alternative citizenships acquired through investment migration, can significantly impact the preservation and growth of multi-generational wealth.
The Henley Opportunity Index is the first of its kind to evaluate and score the world’s top residence and citizenship by investment programs. It assesses six parameters: premium education and employment opportunities, earning potential, career advancement, economic mobility, and livability. This index serves as a crucial benchmark for investors, entrepreneurs, and wealthy families, helping them compare and identify locations that offer optimal ecosystems for future generations to advance their careers and maximize income potential.
Dominic Volek, Group Head of Private Clients at Henley & Partners, emphasizes that education and investment migration are pivotal ‘inter-generational enablers’. This study is the first to attempt to measure the comparative advantage of combining these elements. Volek explains that the index guides families in developing tailored investment migration strategies, thereby opening pathways for their descendants to access top-tier education, lucrative job markets, and an enhanced quality of life.
The Henley Opportunity Index illustrates the transformative impact of global access and education. For example, a Filipino family could increase their next generation’s success probability from 23% to 82% by obtaining residence rights in the US through the US EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. Similarly, a Vietnamese family’s prospects can rise from 24% to 85% by relocating to Switzerland, and a Nigerian family’s opportunity score can jump from 14% to 79% through the Singapore Global Investor Program.
For South African families eyeing Europe, the Portugal Golden Residence Permit Program presents compounded inter-generational benefits. After five years of legal residence, they can apply for EU citizenship, significantly enhancing employment prospects, livability, and economic mobility.
Tess Wilkinson, Director of Henley & Partners Education, notes that while education is crucial, it doesn’t guarantee future job market opportunities. She points out that over two-thirds of income variation globally is attributable to the country of residence and work. Therefore, combining world-class education with residence or citizenship rights to access high-opportunity job markets is essential.
Dr. José Caballero, Senior Economist at the IMD World Competitiveness Center, explains that investment migration programs empower parents to provide their children with better educational and professional opportunities. This approach facilitates family prosperity sustainability through increased chances of wealth creation and preservation, equipping the next generation with a robust set of skills and capacities.
