OECD report
Indian workers are now at the center of the world’s wage system. According to OECD’s International Migration Outlook 2025 report, India now leads the countries from where developed economies are bringing talent in search of skilled workers. From hospitals and care homes to technology companies, Indian professionals and workers are filling the work gap in many countries of the world. In 2023 alone, about 6 lakh Indians went to OECD countries, which is 8% more than last year. India has now become the number one source of new immigrants. Now global migration is not limited to just low-wage workers, but is taking place in the form of skilled and semi-skilled professionals from countries like India.
Dominance of Indians in healthcare sector
According to OECD data, India is among the top three countries among foreign doctors and among the top two countries among nurses among the member countries. Between 2021 and 2023, 4 out of every 10 migrant doctors and 1 out of every 3 nurses in OECD countries came from Asia, with India accounting for the largest share. India’s healthcare migration is now also supported by formal channels like the UK’s Health and Care Worker Visa and Ireland’s International Medical Graduate Training Programme, providing opportunities for Indian professionals to work and train abroad.
New job opportunities and agreements between countries
Apart from healthcare, the presence of Indian workers has also increased in sectors like elder care, construction and technology. Australia’s Aged Care Industry Labor Agreement and the India-Greece Migration Partnership Agreement signed in 2024 are examples of this. All these indicate that many countries are now adopting an organized process of recruitment of skilled employees by entering into direct agreements with India.
Rules became stricter but demand of Indians remained
Many countries have tightened visa rules. For example, it is necessary to submit a contract in Poland, fixing minimum wage in Latvia and verification system has been implemented in Finland. So that the workers are not exploited. Despite this, the demand for Indian employees has not reduced, rather recruitment has now become more transparent and skill-based. It has also been told in the report that now the participation of Indian women in the international job market is increasing, especially in the education and care sector. Also, many Indian students studying abroad have now started working there, due to which the presence of Indians in health, IT and research sectors has further increased.
The workforce the world depends on
The OECD report makes it clear that India is no longer just sending labourers. India is now exporting skills. From doctors to software engineers, Indian professionals are filling the work gap in every corner of the world. However, the report also warns that if this pace continues, India will have to strengthen workforce planning at home to avoid shortages in domestic sectors, especially healthcare.