India tops migrant list to OECD nations, but talent underuse remains a concern

India has cemented its position as the world’s largest source of migrants to OECD countries, according to the International Migration Outlook 2025 report, which underscores both the scale and complexity of Indian migration patterns. The report reveals that permanent migration flows to developed economies remain 15 per cent above pre-pandemic levels, underscoring India’s pivotal role in shaping global migration trends.

A key finding of the report is the surge in skilled labour migration from India, particularly in the healthcare sector. Health and care visas issued to Indian nationals rose by 75 per cent, reflecting the increasing international demand for Indian-trained professionals.

However, the report cautions that despite their growing numbers, many Indian migrants face systemic obstacles abroad, including delays in the recognition of foreign qualifications and insufficient employment integration support, issues that are especially acute for women migrants.

Family reunification continues to account for the largest share of migration to OECD nations at 40 per cent, often with limited mechanisms for job market integration. The report calls for targeted policy reforms that streamline skills recognition, improve access to language and employment assistance, and promote a human-centred approach to migrant governance.

The OECD also highlights India’s leadership role in the Colombo Process, a regional framework for Asian labour-sending countries, as a key platform to enhance the benefits of circular migration.

It stresses the importance of ensuring that the growing outflow of skilled healthcare and technology professionals contributes to India’s development goals rather than exacerbating the challenge of brain drain.

Indian healthcare professionals now form a significant part of the workforce in countries such as the UK, US, Canada, and Australia. Yet, credential recognition remains a persistent challenge, often preventing highly qualified doctors and nurses from working at their skill level upon migration.

Beyond healthcare, Indian nationals also make up a substantial portion of international students and temporary workers in technology and education sectors across OECD member states.

Despite these hurdles, the report notes that India continues to lead in the number of citizenships acquired in OECD countries. From 2019 through 2023, Indians have consistently topped the list of new citizens, overtaking China in 2019.

The number of Indians acquiring citizenship in OECD nations grew steadily from about 1.3 lakh in 2021 to roughly 2.25 lakh in 2023, marking an 8.8 per cent rise over the period.

Canada recorded the sharpest increase, with a 174 per cent surge in Indian nationals granted citizenship between 2021 and 2022. The United States and Australia also remain preferred destinations, granting citizenship to approximately 56,000 and 24,000 Indians, respectively, in 2021.

Overall, the number of foreign nationals obtaining citizenship in OECD countries climbed to 2.8 million in 2023, a 25 per cent increase from 2021. Although migration flows dipped briefly during the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian migration and naturalisation rebounded strongly in subsequent years.

The OECD report concludes that while India’s global migration footprint continues to expand, structural inefficiencies in migrant integration and skills utilisation persist. Addressing these through coordinated efforts by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will be crucial to ensuring that migration benefits both India’s workforce and the global economy.

With agency inputs