India continues to stand out as one of the world’s largest countries of origin for international migrants, according to the OECD’s International Migration Outlook 2025. In 2023 alone, around 600,000 Indian citizens migrated to OECD nations — marking an 8% rise from the previous year and securing India’s position as the top origin country for migration to advanced economies.
The United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States remained the preferred destinations for Indian migrants.
The report highlights India’s growing contribution to the global health workforce. As of 2021–23, India ranked among the top sources of foreign-trained doctors and nurses in OECD countries. About 40% of migrant doctors and 37% of migrant nurses working in OECD nations hailed from Asia — with India and the Philippines leading the list.
The OECD notes that this outflow of health professionals could strain healthcare systems in countries of origin, especially where shortages already exist. Ethical recruitment and skill partnerships are recommended to balance workforce needs.
Students and Skilled Professionals Drive New Migration Waves
Indian students also form a significant share of global academic mobility. In 2023, India accounted for 14% of all tertiary-level international students in OECD nations, second only to China’s 17%.
However, recent visa and policy tightening in key destinations — especially Canada, the UK, and Australia — has moderated this growth.
While the number of Indian students abroad remains high, many are now transitioning from education to employment, using post-study work visas to enter healthcare, IT, and engineering fields.
India Among Top Nationalities for Naturalisation
India’s migration footprint extends beyond temporary mobility. In 2023, a record 225,000 Indian citizens acquired citizenship in OECD countries, the highest among all nationalities. Most became citizens in Canada (34%), the United States (23%), and Australia (18%), followed by Germany and the United Kingdom.
The OECD report indicates a gradual improvement in migrant women’s employment rates, including Indian women, though men still dominate overseas job markets. India is now part of a broader shift where migrant women are entering healthcare, caregiving, and education-related sectors in greater numbers.
A Changing Migration Landscape
Overall, the OECD’s 2025 outlook suggests that India’s migration is no longer dominated by low-skilled labour flows. Instead, it increasingly reflects high-skill mobility, medical migration, and educational pursuits, supported by bilateral labour mobility agreements and diaspora-driven policy reforms.
The report underscores that while India’s outbound migration benefits host economies, it also creates a growing need for domestic workforce planning to prevent skill shortages, particularly in health and technical sectors.
The United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States remained the preferred destinations for Indian migrants.
- The UK welcomed 144,000 Indians, a 28% increase from 2022, mainly under the Health and Care Worker Visa.
- Canada saw arrivals climb to 140,000, while 68,000 Indians migrated to the US.
- Together, these three countries accounted for more than 60% of all Indian migration to OECD nations.
The report highlights India’s growing contribution to the global health workforce. As of 2021–23, India ranked among the top sources of foreign-trained doctors and nurses in OECD countries. About 40% of migrant doctors and 37% of migrant nurses working in OECD nations hailed from Asia — with India and the Philippines leading the list.
The OECD notes that this outflow of health professionals could strain healthcare systems in countries of origin, especially where shortages already exist. Ethical recruitment and skill partnerships are recommended to balance workforce needs.
Students and Skilled Professionals Drive New Migration Waves
Indian students also form a significant share of global academic mobility. In 2023, India accounted for 14% of all tertiary-level international students in OECD nations, second only to China’s 17%.
However, recent visa and policy tightening in key destinations — especially Canada, the UK, and Australia — has moderated this growth.
While the number of Indian students abroad remains high, many are now transitioning from education to employment, using post-study work visas to enter healthcare, IT, and engineering fields.
India Among Top Nationalities for Naturalisation
India’s migration footprint extends beyond temporary mobility. In 2023, a record 225,000 Indian citizens acquired citizenship in OECD countries, the highest among all nationalities. Most became citizens in Canada (34%), the United States (23%), and Australia (18%), followed by Germany and the United Kingdom.
The OECD report indicates a gradual improvement in migrant women’s employment rates, including Indian women, though men still dominate overseas job markets. India is now part of a broader shift where migrant women are entering healthcare, caregiving, and education-related sectors in greater numbers.
A Changing Migration Landscape
Overall, the OECD’s 2025 outlook suggests that India’s migration is no longer dominated by low-skilled labour flows. Instead, it increasingly reflects high-skill mobility, medical migration, and educational pursuits, supported by bilateral labour mobility agreements and diaspora-driven policy reforms.
The report underscores that while India’s outbound migration benefits host economies, it also creates a growing need for domestic workforce planning to prevent skill shortages, particularly in health and technical sectors.
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