INDIA TOPS MIGRATION BUT SHIFTS UNDERWAY

India has remained a leading source of immigrants to developed countries since it displaced China during the pandemic, according to a report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

- BY NANDITA VENKATESAN

The 2025 edition of the International Migration Outlook said India consolidated its position in 2023 and leads all other countries in migration to a group of 38 OECD countries, such as the US, the UK, Canada and Australia.

However, the report also pointed to various shifts that are underway: India lost its top country status in 2024 in terms of international student migration to US and UK, while China took the lead. On the other hand, continued demand for healthcare professionals propelled migration from India Mint explores the key trends:

AT THE TOP

OVER 600,000 Indians moved to OECD nations in 2023, an 8.1% rise compared to the previous year. This is over 1.5 times the 368,000 migration from China. The report pointed out that India and China have long been the top sources of migrants to OECD countries, outside humanitarian crises.

Since the covid pandemic, India has surpassed China as the largest source of migrants and has held on to that lead.

Traditionally, Australia, Canada, the UK and the US have been the top destinations for Indian migration. In 2023, one in four Indians chose the UK (144,000), recording a rise of 28% from the previous year. However, even before Donald Trump's protectionist policies, immigration to the US-the world's largest economy-declined by 45% to 68,000, showing a sharp contrast with other top nations. This trend is likely to worsen with stricter policies by the current administration.

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