India’s Global Workforce: Fueling the World’s Talent Demands

India has become a cornerstone of global labour mobility, with nearly 600,000 Indians migrating to OECD countries in 2023—an 8% rise from 2022. The OECD International Migration Outlook 2025 highlights India’s dominance in healthcare, technology, and care sectors. Structured migration pathways and bilateral agreements are driving this trend. Despite stricter visa rules, global demand remains high, positioning India as a crucial supplier of skilled professionals worldwide.

India is rapidly emerging as the driving force behind global labour mobility, becoming a vital contributor to the workforce of many developed nations. The OECD International Migration Outlook 2025 underscores this shift, revealing that India has become one of the most sought-after sources of skilled professionals in advanced economies struggling with labour shortages.

In 2023 alone, nearly 600,000 Indians migrated to OECD countries—an 8% increase compared to the previous year—placing India at the top of the list of countries supplying new migrants. This trend signifies a transformation in international migration patterns: the global job market is now powered not just by low-wage labour, but by qualified professionals and semi-skilled workers from developing economies, with India leading the charge.

India’s Healthcare Professionals Take Centre Stage

The healthcare sector showcases this evolution most vividly. OECD data reveals that India ranks among the top three providers of foreign-trained doctors and is in the top two for nurses employed in member nations. Between 2021 and 2023, nearly 40% of migrant doctors and over one-third of migrant nurses in OECD countries hailed from Asian nations, with India contributing the largest share.

This movement is no longer informal or spontaneous. Structured programs such as the UK’s Health and Care Worker Visa and Ireland’s International Medical Graduate Training Initiative have opened clear, regulated pathways for Indian healthcare professionals to train, contribute, and grow within international health systems.

Expanding Horizons: New Pathways and Partnerships

India’s role in global migration now stretches far beyond hospitals. The OECD highlights a surge in Indian workers joining sectors such as aged care, construction, and technology.

New agreements, like Australia’s Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement and the India–Greece migration partnership signed in 2024, reflect a coordinated approach by several governments to attract Indian talent through structured, bilateral systems.

These frameworks are part of a broader OECD trend: managing migration through targeted skill partnerships rather than expanding overall migration quotas. Such channels help nations address skill shortages efficiently while maintaining greater oversight and fairness in recruitment.

Tighter Rules, But Stronger Demand

Despite stricter visa norms and enhanced employer scrutiny, the appetite for Indian labour remains undiminished. The OECD notes new measures — including mandatory employment contract submissions in Poland, wage benchmarks in Latvia, and worker verification systems in Finland — designed to ensure ethical hiring and prevent exploitation.

Interestingly, these checks have not curtailed migration but rather reshaped it into more transparent and skill-oriented pathways where Indian professionals continue to excel.

The report also points to a growing participation of Indian women in international job markets, particularly in education and caregiving roles. Likewise, a rising wave of Indian graduates transitioning from study to work abroad is strengthening India’s footprint in global healthcare, IT, and research sectors.

A Nation Powering Global Growth

The OECD’s analysis reinforces a powerful narrative: India is no longer simply sending workers overseas — it is exporting expertise and capability. From hospitals in Europe to tech hubs in North America, Indian professionals are filling crucial gaps and sustaining economic momentum across continents.

However, the report also offers a word of caution. As global demand for Indian workers grows, India must refine its domestic workforce planning to prevent shortages at home, especially in critical areas like healthcare.

The conclusion is unmistakable — India’s global workforce is indispensable, and its role in supporting the world’s economies is only set to expand. The world isn’t just hiring Indian workers anymore; it’s depending on them.