Why are Indians preferred for overseas tech jobs?

The U.N Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) released its International Migrant Stock 2019 report recently which is a dataset containing estimates on the migrant population by age, sex and origin from all the areas and countries of the world.

 

According to the report, India was the leading contributor of international migrants with 17.5 million Indians settled in different parts of the world. The Indian diaspora is spread across all parts of the world.

 

 Top five countries that have the maximum number of Indians:

1. United States-4.12 million
2. Saudi Arabia –4.1 million
3. UAE- 3.5 million
4. United Kingdom-1.4 million
5. Canada –1.3 million

 

A major part of the migrant population of Indians comprises of Indian workers engaged in tech jobs in various parts of the world. This population will also include their families and dependents.

 

 Why are Indian tech workers hired by foreign countries?

These are some possible reasons why Indians are preferred:

• India has a robust education system that delivers individuals with high-level skills.
• Some of the Indian universities are ranked among the top global universities
• Indians are a reliable source of talent for IT, software development, and jobs that need advanced technical skills.

Countries that are keen to hire Indian talent do so due to the lack of local talent who do not have a high level of skills that they require. Countries with fast-growing economies such as Canada have a ‘skills gap’ where there are not enough native workers with the requisite skills.

 

Even though these countries can afford to hire talent from other countries, there is a marked preference for Indians. This is because the Indian education system produces talent that meets the needs of western businesses. There is a dearth of STEM graduates in western nations, this gap is filled by Indians, the majority of whom prefer to graduate in STEM-related fields.

 

Another reason why Indians are preferred is their fluency in English. Indian graduates from top institutes are usually fluent in the language, which is the international language of business. In fact, even businesses in India use English as their language of communication. The proficiency of Indians in English gives them an edge over professionals from other countries. Companies in the West prefer to hire Indians for this, all other things being equal.

 

 Why do Indians prefer to settle in foreign countries?

While foreign companies look to Indians for skills and resources, what do Indians gain by migrating to foreign countries? For one they get higher pay compared to what they will earn in India. Secondly, they get access to a better quality of life and benefits.

 

An overseas career provides them with an opportunity to work for some of the best companies in the world. They gain valuable experience that will help them advance in their career.

 

 Which country do Indians prefer?

Going by the current trends, Canada has emerged as a hot spot for Indian professionals especially tech workers. In 2018 around 39,000 Indians got their permanent residency in Canada. When the U.S tightened the rules on H-1B visas, Indian tech workers who always considered the U.S a hot destination were disappointed. Canada with its open-door immigration policies has become a popular alternative for tech workers.

 

Apart from its PR visa options, Canada also offers a GTS visa which lets Canadian companies bring in highly skilled talent to the country in just two weeks. The GTS scheme launched in 2017 has become a permanent feature now.

 

The fast track visa options of Canada have encouraged more Indian tech workers to try their luck in Canada. They prefer to migrate here rather than some Western countries which have become insular to foreign talent in recent years.

 

The relationship between Indian tech workers and Western businesses is mutually beneficial. Western companies rely on Indian talent because there is a shortage of skills in their country while the Indian workers gain access to a better quality of life and work.

 

If you too want to migrate overseas for work like thousands of other Indian tech workers, get the help of an immigration consultant to expedite the process.