While overall international mobility among highly skilled professionals is slowing, India has strengthened its position, posting notable gains in key talent categories and cementing its status as one of the world’s growing talent hubs.
Global talent migration fell by 8.5% year-on-year – the first decline since 2020 – but India emerged as a notable exception to the trend, according to a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
In its new report, Global Talent Mobility Slows and Shifts, BCG said the global movement of highly skilled workers fell for the first time since 2020, with international mobility down 8.5% year-on-year – 220,000 fewer cross-border career moves.
However, the geography of global talent is changing rapidly and India is defying the global slump.
Why is this important for India?
While economies such as Canada, the UK and wider Europe are experiencing major declines due to tighter migration policies and weak recruitment, India is growing across all talent categories tracked, making it one of the most resilient and future-ready talent engines in the world, according to the BCG report.
Here’s what the report says
India’s global position in talent continues to strengthen. Land won 1.9 percentage points in its share of global AI professionals and 1.4 percentage points in STEM talent. Now ranks in top 10 worldwide in all the main monitored talent categories.
Backed by one of the most educated populations in the world and a strong presence in leading international universities, India is well positioned for sustained long-term growth.
International mobility among highly skilled professionals fell by 8.5% year-on-year, with 220,000 fewer people moving for long-term work. A decline due to geopolitical uncertainty, weaker hiring and tighter migration policies, particularly in Canada and the UK.
Shifting global talent hubs
The US remains the main magnet, increasing its share by 2.4 pp overall and 3.3 pp among STEM talent. UAE to attract ~178,000 highly skilled professionals in 2025, now top three for STEM, AI and highly skilled talent.
As global competition for highly skilled talent intensifies, the findings underscore the need for countries and companies alike to rethink talent acquisition and retention strategies.
The report highlights that countries with proactive recruitment ecosystems, flexible migration policies and strong education pipelines will be best positioned to secure long-term economic advantage.
India’s continued rise across AI, STEM and high-skilled talent categories signals a pivotal moment in the global talent landscape with far-reaching implications for employers, policymakers and the wider economy.
