India is the world’s top exporter of skilled talent across major visa programmes. As per a latest report by Deel, India continues to be at the center of global skilled migration flows. According to their latest data from their ‘Global Talent Map’ international talent is not being driven by cost arbitrage but by intense competition across the world for scare skills.
The analysis from Deel’s platform took place across over 40,000 companies that are hiring across over 150 countries, and the analysis reflected that visa holders consistently earn more than local workers in comparable roles across significant markets, highlighting that global hiring today is driven by skill scarcity and not wage savings.
As per the data from Deel, In the United States, H-1B workers earn a median of around 140,000 dollars compared to 130,000 dollars for citizens in similar roles. In the UK, skilled worker visa holders earn around 96,000 pounds versus 87,000 pounds for UK nationals. In the UAE, Golden Visa holders earn 605,000 dirhams compared to 459,000 dirhams for standard employment visa holders.
“Our data signals a structural shift in global hiring behavior. Companies are no longer hiring internationally to reduce costs; they are paying premiums to secure highly specialised talent that domestic labour markets struggle to supply. As a result, solutions like Employer of Record (EOR) are becoming critical in enabling organisations to access global talent pools quickly, compliantly, and without geographical barriers,” said Rakesh Gaur, Head of Sales, India at Deel.
India is leading every major global skilled visa pipeline as per this latest report. The ranking showed that India is the dominant nationality across global skilled migration systems and was as follows:
● #1 source of US H-1B visas
● #2 for UK Skilled Worker visas
● #2 for EU Blue Cards
● Leading nationality for both UAE Golden Visas and standard employment visas
● Interestingly, India already accounts for 38% of the UAE’s total population
Rakesh Gaur, Head of Sales for India, Deel told Timesnownews.com, “India’s prominence across global talent pathways tells a bigger story, the world now recognises Indian talent as highly skilled and globally competitive, not just plentiful. As organisations worldwide scramble for talent, India’s become central to their hiring strategy. But here’s what’s really shifting: reverse migration. India’s economic growth is pulling globally experienced professionals back home. The real test isn’t how much talent India exports. It’s whether India can attract, develop, and retain the globally experienced professionals who’ve already left.”
Deel’s analysis also highlights that global demand for Indian talent is rising and spreading. Australia recorded the fastest growth in hiring Indian talent on Deel’s platform, surging 724% year-over-year. The UK followed with 142% growth, while hiring of Indian professionals in the US rose 139%.
India Remains World’s Top Exporter of Skilled Talent Across Major Visa Programmes: Deel
