The recession has proven no barrier to top professionals wanting to work aboard, according to a report from international staffing firm Hydrogen.

The study of 3,155 mid to senior-level professionals, shows that 94% are either already working internationally, or want to do so, while 60% of respondents said the recession has had ’no impact’ on their willingness to move abroad.

Recruitment agencies were the most popular route to finding jobs abroad, with 28% of professionals surveyed using one, followed by head hunters (16%). Most professionals, not yet abroad but who were interested in doing so (64%) were more likely to have only conducted internet research about moving overseas, while 15% had spoken to an agency.

Tim Smeaton, chief executive of Hydrogen Group, says: “Surfing the internet will never provide the specialist advice - or facilitate actual job opportunities -  that recruitment consultancies and head hunters can provide.”