MUMBAI: Each year, Indians continue their journey overseas, with many drawn to rich nations like the US, UK, and Canada — countries within the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that have historically opened doors to them. Whether as new immigrants, international students, or those acquiring citizenship, Indians dominate the charts in immigration flows to OECD nations. However, recent protectionist policies hint that the open path may be narrowing.
2022 proved to be a landmark year — a record 5.6 lakh Indians moved to OECD countries — a substantial 35% jump over the previous year. India maintained its lead as the top source of new migrants, with China following at 3.2 lakh. Indians made up 6.4% of all new immigrants to OECD countries, while China contributed 3.8%.
A notable shift was Russia’s rise in the migration ranks. With 2.6 lakh Russians migrating to OECD nations in 2022, Russia surged from 18th place to displace Romania.
The International Migration Outlook 2024, released on Thursday in Paris, detailed these shifts. In 2022, the UK welcomed 1.12 lakh Indians, nearly double the figure from 2021, while 1.25 lakh Indians migrated to the US, marking a 35% increase. Canada, however, saw a dip with 1.18 lakh Indians, an 8% decline from the previous year. In these countries, Indians predominantly migrated through labour pathways, often as principal applicants or as accompanied family members.
China, too, resumed significant migration following two years of Covid-related restrictions. In 2022, over three lakh Chinese immigrants to OECD member countries, up 13% from the previous year. Particularly in the US, migration flows from China jumped by 37%, returning to pre-pandemic levels with 68,000 new arrivals.
Russia and Romania, which contributed 2.7 lakh new immigrants each, were the next top origin countries. Meanwhile, Türkiye, Israel, and Germany emerged as the primary OECD destinations for Russian migrants. Romanians, on the other hand, largely headed to Germany, Spain, and Italy.
Yet, the welcome for new immigrants is visibly less enthusiastic. Under the incoming Trump administration, immigration to the US may face tighter scrutiny, including on work visas. Canada, too, recently announced a planned cut in immigration targets for the next three years, and the UK has introduced protectionist policies, such as raising wage thresholds and reducing the list of shortage occupations.
Citizenship Trends:
In 2022, over 1.9 lakh Indians took the nationality of an OECD country, marking a 40% increase and securing India’s place as the top origin country for new OECD citizens. This record was largely driven by a threefold increase in Indians acquiring Canadian citizenship, totalling 60,000. The report anticipates a further rise in 2023.
Syria ranked second in 2022, with 1.34 lakh nationals gaining OECD citizenship—a 28% increase from 2021—followed by Morocco, with 1.21 lakh Moroccan nationals becoming citizens in Spain, Italy, and France. Mexicans largely acquired American citizenship, in 2022 their numbers dipped slightly.