Top 7 Countries to Migrate From India for a Life-changing Experience

It is rightly said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Often the first step is to travel abroad and take a giant leap of faith in your career. While it is a life-changing decision, travelling abroad for higher studies or work can allow you to explore global opportunities first-hand. So, if you have the required technical know-how and skill set, the world is ready to welcome you with great avenues of success and accomplishment.

Especially for Indian students and workers—getting into multinational groups  and organisations is easier—thanks to their proven calibre across industries. This advantage has led to easier immigration norms, helping us settle down in some of the best countries to migrate from Indians. 

7 Best Countries to Migrate from India

Based on the ease of immigration rules and career prospects, we have pinned down a list of the best countries to migrate from India to pursue your dreams and live a life of accomplishment.

UAE: One of the Best Places for Wealth Maximization

One of the most powerful countries of the OPEC union, the United Arab Emirates tops the chart of the  best countries to migrate from India. Currently, the UAE has the largest Indian diaspora of 3.42 million people, making Indian immigrants the largest group in the country with above 80% of the UAE’s total population.

One of the key factors behind Indians migrating to UAE is earning a tax-free income, besides some other perks as given below:

• There is complete tax exemption on your income, capital gains, gifts and remittances you send to India. This is why Indian ex-pats in UAE look forward to saving for retirement and investing in real estate. 
• Additionally, there's no minimum wage requirement to get a UAE visa. This is an added benefit for the Indian ex-pats since they can easily negotiate their salaries.
• One of the key reasons UAE is the best country to migrate for Indians is its visa-on-arrival policy for Indians holding a regular passport, a US visit visa or green card, or a resident visa of the UK and/or EU. With no heavy documentation required, moving to the UAE becomes all the more convenient. 

Number of Indian Immigrants* in UAE: 3.425 million

New Zealand: Best Place for Propelling Business Growth

Since 2017, New Zealand has ranked no.1 among 190 nations for ease of doing business. It is one of the most ideal places to conduct business, thanks to the flexibility of the norms for kickstarting a business. 

Primitively known as Aotearoa, which means “the land of clouds,” New Zealand is a peaceful island country where industrial growth harmonises with nature. The native tribal folks are known for their sustainable lifestyle. 

Both northern and southern islands offer picturesque landscapes— thanks to the government’s recent measures to reduce carbon emissions. Here are the key areas where New Zealand excels over all other nations, making it an ideal business destination:

• Ranks 1st on the Corruption Perception Index.
• Ranks 1st in terms of availability of credit.
• 3rd rank on the Index of Economic Freedom
• 2nd most accessible place to register a property
• Ranks 7th for ease of dealing with construction permits.
• Ranks 9th for ease of taxation norms.
• Human Development Index rank: 13th 
• Ranks 7th on the OECD’s Better Life Index.
• World's 20th Highest Per Capita GDP 

Besides, the country has a robust system for resolving business insolvency (ranks 36th). The above data is sourced from the updated report by the World Bank.

Number of Indian Immigrants in New Zealand: 2,40,000

USA: Paradise for the Techies

The United States has a sea of opportunities to thrive in your career and lead a life of luxury with great freedom and exposure. If you are a technophile aspiring for an illustrious career in the IT sector, silicon valley is the ultimate destination to fulfill your dreams. What’s more, the business environment is conducive to startup growth. This has led to the emergence of many Indian tech giants till date, such as:

• SanDisk, founded by Sanjay Mehrotra;
• Dharmesh Shah’s Hubspot Inc.; 
• The legendary Sun Microsystems of Vinod Khosla, which had created the Java programming language. 

Number of Indian Immigrants in USA: 44.6 Million

Canada: Where Aspirants are Welcomed with Easy Norms

Due to its vibrant culture and vast opportunities for academic and professional excellence, Canada is more prevalent among up-and-coming youth aspirants. In the past few years, Canada has opened up lucrative avenues for deserving Indian candidates to boost their career in diverse fields, like  logistics and supply-chain management, human resource management, mechanical engineering, digital marketing and so on. 

What’s more, the country is in the top echelons of economic growth, development indices, social security and healthcare.

Today, Canada is a proud world leader with the easiest Permanent Residency (PR) norms, as listed below— 

• The easiest norms for various visa categories, viz. travel visas, study visas, work visas, and permanent residency.
• You can submit the online application for obtaining the PR permit in Canada through a simple procedure. 
• You are eligible for permanent residency in Canada if you have lived there for at least 730 days in the past 5 years.
• Canada also offers the Express Entry Program, which increases the likelihood of migration. 

Number of Indian Immigrants in Canada: 16,89,055 

Switzerland: Most Opulent Retirement Haven

In the lap of mountains lies this Central European country – Switzerland – surrounded by serene lakes, peaceful villages, and the towering peaks of the Great Alps. Touted as the ‘abode of paradise’, Switzerland is one of the top choices for migration for Indians. 

This Pacific and non-aligned country has much to offer those with adequate funds. That’s why many pensioners look forward to settling in Switzerland post-retirement.  

Here’s why Switzerland is the best country for Indians to settle down in their golden years:  

• You can obtain Permanent Residency and move to Switzerland with your family by simply paying a lumpsum tax. However, you are not allowed to work in Switzerland. 
• While living in Switzerland, you can manage capital or do business in another country.
• Such flexible immigration norms make Switzerland an ideal place to begin a new life of affluence in your second innings.

Number of Indian Immigrants in Switzerland: 24,567

Australia: Where Career Opportunities are Accessible to All

A primitive island continent once named New Holland, Australia has emerged as a much sought-after travel destination and a promising country for career development. The country offers lucrative courses at prestigious universities, such as the Universities of Melbourne and Queensland. 

Here are some interesting statistics shared by the Department of Education of the Australian government concerning Indian student enrolment in Australian universities: 

• Nearly 45,000 Indian students were freshly enrolled  between July 2022 and June 2023 (i.e. the Australian FY).
• With over 97,000 currently studying in Australia, Indian students have a 17% share, making them the second largest group of foreign students after China.
• Most Indian students are interested in pursuing careers in Data Science, Data Analytics, AI, MBA and Medical fields after graduating from Australia.
• 6 top Australian universities rank among the 100 best institutions worldwide.
• Plethora of scholarships for Indian students in Australia. 
• Ease of getting a post-study work visa without requiring proof of a job. 
• These universities offer some excellent educational programmes at a much more economical cost than other global institutions.
• Moreover, the country’s favourable climate, the hospitality of the natives, the high quality of life, and the laid-back lifestyle, all work to the benefit of the Indian students. 

Number of Indian Immigrants in Australia: 496,000

Germany: Where Higher Education Is Everyone’s Right

As a pioneer of engineering and infrastructure, Germany is today among the most stable economies in the world. As per the March 2023 report shared by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, the unemployment rate in Germany is the lowest in the EU, i.e. only 2.8%. 

Here’s why Germany is the ideal destination to pursue your dream career: 

• The country follows a humanitarian approach towards education. German government ensures free of cost higher education to not only its citizens but also Europeans and non-Europeans. So, you can pursue your higher studies in Germany without paying any tuition fees. 
• World’s most prestigious institutions, where you can enrol and study for free, are located in Germany. We have the University of Cologne, Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) of Munich, and the Goethe University of Frankfurt.
• Being a forerunner in automotive and civil engineering, Germany gives promising opportunities for growth with handsome packages to the mechanical engineers and technicians in some leading corporations such as Daimler, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Siemens, Bosch, GE and the like.
• Importantly, the German government has repeatedly revised the minimum wage level since 2015. From € 8.50 per hour in 2015, it has been revised to € 9.82 per hour in 2022.

Number of Indian Immigrants in Germany: 185,085

*The Data for Number of Indian Immigrants: The above-mentioned numerical data is sourced from the Ministry of External Affairs Updated Report on Population of Overseas Indians 2023.

Ensure Safe & Seamless Immigration With Travel Insurance

Now that you have finally decided to work and settle abroad, it is essential for you to be well prepared with all the travel documents. Besides, you must have the right travel insurance to ensure a smooth and hassle-free journey. The policy offers coverage for medical emergencies abroad while also covering non-medical travel contingencies like baggage or passport loss, trip interruptions, and cancellations. 

So, secure your overseas dream life with the International Travel Insurance Plan for a memorable journey ahead. 

Disclaimer: Plan features, benefits, coverage, and claims underwriting are subject to policy terms and conditions. Kindly refer to the brochure, sales prospectus, and policy documents carefully.