Parliament Question: Migration of skilled workforce abroad

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1508 ANSWERED ON 12.02.2026 MIGRATION OF SKILLED WORKFORCE ABROAD 1508. SHRI RAMJI LAL SUMAN Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that there has been an increase in the migration of India’s highly educated, skilled and professional workforce to foreign countries; (b) the details of such Indians settling abroad during the last five years, year-wise; and (c) the reasons for migration of such workforce and whether this is adversely affecting innovation and startup culture in the country? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a to c) India has historically been a large source of international migrants, with an estimated 35 million Indians and people of Indian origin living abroad as of 2024-25. The increase in migration is a trend that began in the 1990s and continues to date. The economic ties facilitated by migration have strengthened India’s bilateral relationships with many countries, encouraging trade, investment and technological collaborations. Beyond economic contributions, the Indian diaspora significantly enhances India’s soft power on the global stage. As part of circular mobility, the Indian nationals returning to India after working abroad also help foster innovation and entrepreneurship in India. The greater participation of Indians in the global workforce has been of benefit to our nation. India has signed Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreements/ MoUs /(MMPAs) or Labour Mobility Agreements/MoUs (LMAs) with several countries that host significant Indian diaspora populations, including the Gulf countries, EU, Russia, UK, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Australia, Germany, France, Israel, Portugal, Malaysia, Mauritius, etc. MMPAs aim at harnessing India’s demographic dividend and fostering mobility for our business people, professionals, students and academics. e-Migrate, launched in 2015 is a comprehensive e-Governance portal developed to facilitate safe and legal migration of Emigration Check Required (ECR) category Indian migrant workers emigrating to notified 19 countries for employment purposes. e-Migrate (Version 2.0) was launched on 14 October, 2024. Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR) passport holders are exempt from the mandatory emigration check by the Protector of Emigrants (POE). However, ECNR passport holders travelling for employment to 19 designated ECR countries can voluntarily register on the eMigrate portal. While e-Migrate portal captures data of ECR category workers to ECR countries, concrete data is not available for Indian nationals in ECNR category. However, data on Indian diaspora abroad and number of Emigration Clearances issued is attached respectively at Annexure ‘A’ and Annexure ‘B’. 1Annexure ‘A’ Data on Indian Diaspora Abroad (as of January 2025) Country/ S.No. PIOs NRIs Total Overseas Indians Territory 1 Afghanistan 158 0 158 2 Albania 7 450 457 3 Algeria 27 4024 4051 4 Andorra 200 50 250 5 Angola 59 71 130 Antingua & 6 200 300 500 Barbuda 7 Argentina 1800 800 2600 8 Armenia 19 5430 5449 9 Aruba 400 600 1000 10 Australia 626000 350000 976000 11 Austria 18500 14400 32900 12 Azerbaijan 83 672 755 13 Bahamas 20 280 300 14 Bahrain 4506 342350 346856 15 Bangladesh 10 7000 7010 16 Barbados 2500 600 3100 17 Belarus 150 1266 1416 18 Belgium 13204 23343 36547 19 Belize 1300 200 1500 20 Benin 4 996 1000 21 Bhutan 0 60000 60,000 22 Bolivia 15 47 62 Bonaire & 23 12 54 66 Smaller Islands Bosnia and 24 7 20 27 Herzegovina 25 Botswana 3000 9500 12500 26 Brazil 863 2460 3323 British Virgin 27 20 80 100 Islands Brunei 28 240 14500 14740 Darussalam 29 Bulgaria 1077 949 2026 30 Burkina Faso 350 150 500 31 Burundi 35 700 735 32 Cambodia 100 4400 4500 33 Cameroon 0 1500 1500 34 Canada 1859680 1751610 3611290 235 Cape Verde 1 39 40 36 Cayman Islands 100 900 1000 Central African 37 0 70 70 Republic 38 Chad 0 250 250 39 Chile 2100 2000 4100 40 China 59787 43683 103470 41 Colombia 252 758 1010 Commonwealth of 42 500 40 540 Dominica 43 Comoros 200 20 220 Congo 44 (Democratic 5000 30000 35000 Republic) Republic of 45 0 875 875 Congo 46 Cook Islands 5 0 5 47 Costa Rica 39 1011 1050 48 Cote D Ivory 44 6532 6576 49 Croatia 82 17139 17221 50 Cuba 0 0 0 51 Curacao 800 700 1500 52 Cyprus 398 11119 11517 53 Czech Republic 600 10124 10724 54 Denmark 3499 18958 22457 55 Djibouti 8 1000 1008 Dominica 56 2 75 77 Republic 57 Ecuador 82 269 351 58 Egypt 366 5134 5500 59 El Salvador 1 20 21 60 Equatorial Guinea 0 400 400 61 Eritrea 0 140 140 62 Estonia 40 1928 1968 63 Eswatini 0 3184 3184 64 Ethiopia 105 5900 6,005 65 Fiji 313818 2290 316108 66 Finland 15989 13068 29057 67 France 90000 29000 119000 France (Reunion 68 300000 159 300159 Island) France 69 57000 180 57180 (Guadeloupe) France 70 8000 90 8090 (Martinique) 71 France (St. 1800 150 1950 3Martin) 72 Gabon 10 800 810 73 Gambia 20 2100 2120 74 Georgia 5 250 255 75 Germany 176500 273890 450390 76 Ghana 321 15000 15321 77 Greece 158 11333 11491 78 Grenada 4511 189 4700 79 Guatemala 16 126 142 Guinea (Republic 80 51 1390 1441 of) 81 Guinea-Bissau 0 300 300 82 Guyana 320000 2700 322700 83 Haiti 0 36 36 84 Holy See 30 15 45 85 Honduras 277 8457 8734 86 Hungary 2200 6800 9000 87 Iceland 237 509 746 88 Indonesia 120000 14817 134817 89 Iran 445 10320 10765 90 Iraq 0 17100 17100 91 Ireland 37,812 45,000 82,812 92 Israel 85,000 38,000 123,000 93 Italy Data not available 170880 170880 94 Jamaica 70000 5000 75000 95 Japan 1597 51345 52942 96 Jordan 153 16897 17050 97 Kazakhstan 423 1095 1518 98 Kenya 60,000 20,000 80,000 99 Kirbati 50 2 52 100 Korea (DPR) 1 15 16 101 Korea (ROK) 444 16816 17260 102 Kuwait 2,356 10,07,961 10,10,317 103 Kyrgyzstan 61 200 261 104 Laos 119 600 719 105 Latvia Data not available 4766 4766 106 Lebanon 41 2000 2041 Lesotho 107 1500 1500 3000 (Kingdom of) 108 Liberia 2 3000 3002 109 Libya 0 3000 3000 110 Liechtenstein 0 35 35 111 Lithuanaia Data not available 7227 7227 112 Luxembourg 813 4508 5321 113 Madagascar 15000 2500 17500 4114 Malawi 6000 9000 15000 115 Malaysia 2750000 185000 2935000 116 Maldives 140 30000 30140 117 Mali 13 600 613 118 Malta 250 18000 18250 119 Marshall Island 2 7 9 120 Mauritania 0 150 150 121 Mauritius 871140 26357 897497 122 Micronesia 0 35 35 123 Mexico 1500 6500 8000 124 Moldova 9 950 959 125 Monaco 43 10 53 126 Mongolia 11 92 103 127 Montserrat 200 15 215 128 Morocco 116 438 554 129 Mozambique 22000 3000 25000 130 Myanmar 23 354 377 131 Namibia 50 450 500 132 Nauru 0 20 20 133 Nepal 0 700000 700000 134 Netherlands 178000 55613 233613 135 New Zealand 143000 157000 300000 136 Nicaragua 1 39 40 137 Niger 240 10 250 138 Nigeria 8 150 158 139 North Macedonia 52 43 95 140 Norway 12436 11593 24029 141 Oman 1754 660299 662053 142 Pakistan 0 0 0 143 Palau 0 29 29 144 Palestine 0 7 7 145 Panama 11000 4000 15000 Papua New 146 74 4000 4074 Guinea 147 Paraguay 200 400 600 148 Peru 154 346 500 149 Philippines 2570 67430 70000 150 Poland 1300 30000 31300 151 Portugal 13682 90000 103682 152 Qatar Data not available 8,30,491 8,30,491 153 Romania 362 10797 11159 154 Russia 2742 70000 72742 155 Rwanda 5 3000 3005 Saint Kitts & 156 100 500 600 Nevis 5157 Saint Lusia 18600 550 19150 Saint Vincent & 158 6600 50 6650 Grenadines 159 Samoa 50 0 50 160 San Marino 0 0 0 161 Sao Tome 0 32 32 162 Saudi Arabia 0 2747551 2747551 163 Senegal 5 35 40 164 Serbia 20 10000 10020 165 Seychelles 5093 8245 13338 166 Sierra Leone 30 4500 4530 167 Singapore 107180 350000 457180 168 Sint Maarten 3000 2170 5170 169 Slovak Republic 60 5940 6000 170 Slovenia 86 822 908 171 Solomon Islands 0 20 20 172 Somolia 0 100 100 173 South Africa 1318431 74057 1392488 174 South Sudan 0 980 980 175 Spain 16635 51606 68241 176 Sri Lanka 1600000 7500 1607500 177 Sudan 55 85 140 178 Suriname 187700 1350 189050 179 Sweden 93180 22680 115860 180 Switzerland 9400 19,200 28,600 181 Syria 0 39 39 182 Taiwan 408 4641 5049 183 Tajikistan 0 400 400 184 Tanzania 40,000 15,000 55,000 185 Thailand 135179 30236 165415 186 Timor Leste Data not available Data not available Data not available 187 Togo 10 1300 1310 188 Tonga 50 5 55 Trinidad & 189 548286 1259 549545 Tobago 190 Tunisia 9 80 89 191 Turkiye 386 3635 4021 192 Turkmenistan 4 105 109 Turks & Caicos 193 50 200 250 Islands 194 Tuvalu 20 0 20 195 Uganda 9000 30000 39000 196 Ukraine 739 1952 2691 197 UAE 6614 38,90,953 3897567 198 U.K. 970969 369000 1339969 6199 U.S.A. 3775194 1918415 5693609 200 Uruguay 50 950 1000 201 Uzbekistan 61 16080 16141 202 Vanuatu 15 0 15 203 Venezuela 21 38 59 204 Vietnam 817 7200 8017 205 Yemen 420 700 1120 206 Zambia 5000 25000 30000 207 Zimbabwe 9000 1000 10000 Total 17181071 17175122 34356193 ***** 7Annexure ‘B’ Number of Emigration Clearances (ECs) issued from 2021 to 2025 Grand COUNTRY 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Total BAHRAIN 6382 10232 7376 8607 6827 39424 INDONESIA 0 3 0 3 9 15 IRAQ 935 1430 1599 2761 1264 7989 JORDAN 2386 2487 1187 3137 2192 11389 KUWAIT 10158 71432 48212 39862 47087 216751 LEBANON 54 282 200 130 36 702 MALAYSIA 36 12836 15319 5606 3059 36856 OMAN 19453 31994 21336 24258 29158 126199 QATAR 49579 30871 30683 23785 21907 156825 SAUDI 32845 178623 200713 167598 136812 716591 ARABIA SOUTH SUDAN 1 1 0 0 73 75 SUDAN 0 0 0 2 0 2 THAILAND 1 3 4 10 0 18 UNITED ARAB 10844 33233 71687 111308 200686 427758 EMIRATES Grand Total 132674 373427 398316 387067 449110 1740594 ***** 8