Brain drain from India: An Overview

brain drain

The International Migration Report released by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs reveals some alarming statistics.

In 2015, India had the largest “diaspora” in the world at 16 million people, followed by Mexico (12 million). Other countries with large diasporas included the Russian Federation (11 million), China (10 million), Bangladesh (7 million), and Pakistan and Ukraine (6 million, each),” it states.

Another report released by the US-based National Science Foundation states: “Indian-origin scientists and engineers in the U.S. grew 85percent between 2003 and 2013, says a report by the National Science Foundation, a key funder of research in the United States as well as a monitor of demographic change among scientists and technologists.

Nearly a million scientists and engineers of Indian origin reside in the US alone, it adds.

These figures are clear indicators that India is facing a massive brain drain.

brain drain

What is brain drain?

The Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary defines Brain Drain as: “Movement of highly skilled and qualified people to a country where they can work in better conditions and earn more money”.

Similarly, Cambridge Online Dictionary states: “Large numbers of educated and very skilled people leave their own country to live and work in another one where pay and conditions are better”

Additionally, brain drain has also been defined as the loss of human capital, since it involves people with myriad specialized skills leaving their home country.

Undisputedly, brain drain has financial repercussions on a country.

Causes of brain drain from India

The phenomenon of brain drain from India is nothing new. It can be traced to the British colonial era.

Erstwhile British rulers of the Indian sub-continent took by persuasion or force, indigo and sugarcane planters to lands as distant as Guyana in South America to Fiji in Pacific, Mauritius and elsewhere.

Indian craftsmen were relocated in England and other British colonies where their skills could be used in various industries.

In recent times, brain drain from India has several factors:

  • Very high salaries paid in foreign countries.
  • Lack of adequate employment opportunities in India.
  • Non availability of avenues to utilize education and skills.
  • Hope of a better and comfortable lifestyle abroad.
  • Prestige involved in working in foreign countries.
  • To acquire financial well-being and capability to buy assets in India.
  • Belief that working abroad improves marriage prospects in India.
  • Prospects of continually learning newer technologies and upgrading skills.

The Goa example

The tiny Indian state, Goa, with an estimated population of 1.5 million, accounts for some of the highest brain drain from India.

In 2016, an average of 11 residents of Goa per day, gave up their Indian nationality to become citizens of Portugal. Residents of Daman and Diu also traded their Indian citizenship in favor of Portugal.

Goa, Daman and Diu were colonies of Portugal till December 19, 1961, till they were overrun by the Indian Armed Forces. These territories became part of the Indian republic.

However, the Portuguese government, as a special gesture, allows residents of these former colonies to acquire nationality of Portugal, provided they meet certain criterion.

Highly skilled people from Goa opt for citizenship of Portugal since the country is a member stat of the European Union. A Portuguese passport allows them visa free entry into the UK and other EU countries.

Though the UK formally exited from EU, the demand for Portuguese passports by eligible residents of Goa remains high.

Brain drain destinations

Some of the topmost destinations where Indian brains migrate are

  1. USA
  2. Saudi Arabia
  3. United Arab Emirates
  4. European Union
  5. Canada
  6. Australia
  7. New Zealand
  8. Kuwait
  9. South Africa
  10. Qatar
  11. Thailand
  12. Singapore
  13. Malaysia
  14. Israel
  15. Oman

Brain drain patterns from India

USA

As can be seen, the US remains topmost destination for Indians. Thousands of Indian citizens travel to the US for higher studies. However, upon completion, they prefer to stay and work in the US.

Engineers and experts in all fields work in the US. However, in recent years, Information Technology and software experts from India form bulk of migrants to the US.

Arabian Gulf

India’s brain drain to member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is usually in the form of highly qualified engineers in petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas sectors.

Other sectors include telecom and banking.

Skilled nurses and physicians from India are also in great demand in the six GCC states that include the Kingdom of Bahrain, State of Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, State of Qatar and United Arab Emirates.

Generally, highly qualified professionals from India working in GCC states apply for immigrant visas to Canada, Australia and New Zealand, after gaining experience in their chosen fields.

Technologies used in these oil rich countries are comparable with those in the US and Europe. Hence, thousands of Indian migrants utilize their stay in Arabian Gulf states to acquire skills required for migrating.

Australia and New Zealand

Over the last decade, Australia and New Zealand have become one of the favorite destinations for Indians to pursue higher studies. Furthermore, Australia and New Zealand also have fairly liberal immigration policies.

Consequently, thousands of Indian students settle and work in Australia after completing their studies. Additionally, Australia as well as New Zealand welcomes skilled migrants from various parts of the world.

Therefore, hundreds of Indians migrate to Australia and New Zealand annually and acquire citizenship of these countries.

Canada

Canada is yet another country favored by Indian immigrants. The country also welcomes highly skilled Indian citizens.

With fairly liberal immigration policies, Canada attracts thousands of Indian migrants, adding to India’s brain drain.

European Union

Europe is currently facing population imbalance. Meaning, most citizens of various European Union states are above the age of 35 years. These countries have a large population of people aged above 50 years.

There is a shortage of younger people required for specific jobs. Consequently, Indian nurses, physicians, care givers as well as IT and software experts are welcomed by various EU member states.

However visa policies of various European states continue to remain stringent. Therefore, Indian brain drain to EU is somewhat limited.

The bright sides

Brain drain from India however has a few bright sides too.

According to a recent report released by the World Bank, India is expected to receive whopping US$65 billion in remittances from the Indian diaspora abroad by December 2017.

This makes India the largest receiver for foreign remittances and adds to the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

Secondly, several Indians living abroad are opening businesses here in India.

The Indian government is offering incentives for Non Resident Indians and Overseas Citizens of India to open businesses in various sectors in the country.

The government promises easier and faster licensing to such entrepreneurs.

The current scenario

USA

If you are planning to study in the US or migrate there for work, here is a word of caution. Following his victory, President Donald Trump of the US is moving towards tightening the H1B visa for all nationalities.

Indians are the largest beneficiaries of the H1B visa, which allows working in the US and eventual naturalization as an American citizen.

Stringent rules proposed by President Trump means, fewer Indians will be able to migrate to the US.

Arabian Gulf

All six GCC states are now empowering their citizens for higher studies in the US and UK. Consequently, all top and mid-level positions in the government and private sectors of these countries are by law reserved for highly qualified citizens of these countries.

GCC states are also imposing curbs on import of manpower- skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled- from India.

Australia and New Zealand

In recent years, Australia and New Zealand have raised the bar for skilled Indian migrants. Meaning, unless you hold exceptional skills and qualifications, you will not be issued a migrant visa.

European Union

As explained earlier, work visa and residence rules for member states of the European Union continue to remain strict. Some countries issue work visa for limited, one or two year duration only.

They also adopt very strict procedures for granting migrant status or citizenship.

Does India benefit?

Admittedly, brain drain from India cannot be curbed fully. However, with modern technologies arriving in India, incentives offered to start own enterprises and start-up companies, highly skilled Indian professionals may find it lucrative to work here rather than migrate.

Here are some indicators that brain drain from India may ebb over the coming years:

  • Indian companies now pay salaries comparable with their foreign counterparts.
  • Stricter visa regulations by the US, EU and other countries means, skilled Indians will find it difficult to migrate.
  • The Make In India initiative has seen scores of foreign companies open business in India. Their pay scales meet international standards. Hence, Indian brains can find well paid jobs without leaving the country.
  • Investor friendly policies adopted by the government will most likely see skilled Indians launching their own start-up ventures that can compete with their foreign rivals.
  • Policies of America First adopted by President Donald Trump of the US is likely to cause thousands of highly qualified and skilled Indians to return home and launch their own ventures.

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179 comments
  1. According to me Brain drain is good and bad. It depends on each ones mind how they portray it. Well qualified and intelligent employees migrate to another country mainly to earn and save money for their kids and their future.. Some of them have the intention to earn and save and bring back money to their country and settle down ex buying a property or investing in mutual funds and getting monthly returns. Most of the others go there to earn money but end up liking the lifestyle and the place and get the citizenship and settle there. The other bad way to look at it this is our country is still developing and will keep developing i dont see any development towards getting developed.Having skilled people talented and highly educated this country doesnt provide anything to them not even a basic job for that case example engineers are electricians now because he gets money in being and electrician than working in a company.Our politicians are not providing rather pulling everything that a normal individual has.But as we all read world news lot of immigrants are being forced to leave the country and go to their own country so soo our country will again be loaded with people but still no jobs for them no proper living water house.This is the fact and we have to face it.

  2. There should not be classification barrier for career opportunities. Indian Government recruitment policies accord quotas for SC/ST and OBCs. This should go. Only talented and efficient people should be considered for Government jobs. This is one of the way of deterance
    to brain drain. Additionally, there must be inducement by promoting wider opportunities for Indian students within our own bureaucracy. Like, Trump’s policy, why can’t our country prohibit
    campus interviews of other nations ?

  3. Brain drain is not good for India our motherland. Negative attitude towards motherland leads
    disaster to humanity. Charity begins at home . So getting higher qualifications/prosperity one should must serve to our own country .

  4. Brain drain happens because India has no systematic set up to make use of brain. US is great in recognizing Brain from any country .Other developed countries also have a policy to encourage migration of Brain.Let us have a look at the Indian state of affairs in respect of honouring brain. How many patents do we have as Indian ? Very few .Har Govind Khurane and Abdul Salam were Indians migrated to US. They got Nobel Prize .If they had done their research in India ,they would not have risen to that great level .India needs a new system to encourage native brain .

  5. Its good interms of the positive side of life .but in one concious its not ..why not come up with your own idea to do things

  6. Brain drain is completely a bane for a developing country like India. It is actually a barrier to the development of the country. Talented and qualified people migrate from India to the developed countries in search of better lifestyle and opportunities

  7. Basically I think it’s bad idea as because of all these thinking people leave country and still idea is come under developing countries.its very criteria area was build with idea

  8. By brain drain, India losts his most brillant, powerful, and effective people that may help in its development, make a significant change, and create a new India.

  9. In my opinion brain drain is absolutely not good for a country like India. The Govt of India should adopt create more opportunities, more salaries and more facilities for them (not blaming govt), also some strategics should be introduced like at least making them serve country for a 5yr or 10yr term (whatever it may be) after completing there education in there IITs or NITs. The students should sign some consent letters before they take admissions in the prestigious institution. So that brain drain can be controlled to some extent.

    My own logic and english.. please forgive for my grammar mistakes

  10. India has been a leader in one thing for centuries and that one thing is spiritual knowledge. The root of most religions is India. People have come to India for spiritual knowledge which is the highest form of knowledge. For me, Indians leaving India to work in the west is a sign of degeneration of the mankind. It is like going to work for the devil. These people have no idea what harm they are doing to the mankind by collaborating with the devil. This is self-destructive mode activated. All Indians should come back to India where they belong to. Money is an energy with a considerably lower frequency and some day in the course of their life’s journey, they will realize it. The devil in the west is trying to control everything by all means using everything including technology. We are not free as we can be controlled and switched off by them and Indians are going to them to help them do that. It’s ridiculous.

  11. i feel that brain drain is very bad idea because a person is said to be a citizen of India only if he shows some patriotism towards it. When the individual studying in India that is gaining knowledge from India and working somewhere else shows that the person doesn’t have minimum courtesy towards the people who have helped him to grow to that position

  12. It is good idea there is a negative and a positive side because in a positive side you can give opportunity to those people who are devoted to work and do what is the job description and it can help your Country to increase in terms of job and help people, while in the negative side not all people can do the job because there is no capacity to do the job but in my opinion one job is always a opportunity so I think its okey your not pleasing people to work but you are giving opportunity…

  13. i think it is really bad for india because if indians started workinfg for other countries our country can be easily take of by other country

  14. For me, the brain drain is a moment where the great knowledge from India is moving on to other countries for the highest salaries paid. Yes, obviously, to develop personally this moment is great. But, to develop our nation along with our personal growth? This moment will greatly effect our nation’s growth by decreasing than the present. Just why don’t we this of a moment ” To create more opportunities here itself in our nation?” . I agree that l, there were less opportunities, but if we start creating one after another? It’s the entrepreneurship, which even government was encouraging today. No doubt about our talent.. we know it, as it’s already proven when other nation’s companies are hiring us and also there were many MNC’s on our nation today. So, we may try to 1st create opportunities by ourselves and then even we’ll be able to be a great source to others providing great carrier and salaries too.

  15. It is a waste of human resourse used by neighbouring countries than the Own one which can build it to new heights if we use it to ones own country

    1. It is correct that if the employment opportunities would be available in India, people would not look for the oppoturnities abroad, also a beeter life style is associated with this. The oppoturnities in India would never be enough.

  16. Why not create more opportunities in India. Why not give more salaries in India. Why not recognize people and their abilities in India. Brain drain is not good for India. We are giving our expertise to other countries and when they bring Laurel to those countries we are ready to clap and say that’s our child. But India could have been more blessed had those people been given opportunity here. It’s a shame when we find other countries worth living and despise our own land. If the standard is increased here will anyone go after any other country? If we have no corruption, good roads, a proper system, education, sanitation, job opportunities will we eye on other countries? But India has to free itself from ignorance, illiteracy, corruption, be more people oriented then we will be able to control this brain drain. After all our country is our own.

  17. The make in India initiative is the best idea .Other countries also copy this initiative in order to utilize their talent for their own development rather for other countries.

  18. It captured my attention and ended up reading it fully despite the fact that i dont bother with such… kudos!!

  19. Basically I think it’s bad idea as bcoz of all these thinking people leave country and still idea is come under developing countries

  20. ACCORDING TO ME BRAIN DRAIN IS A BAD CONCEPT..WHY CANT WE STAY HERE AND MAKE OUR COUNTRY SO THAT PEOPLE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE AN URGE TO COME HERE..IN INDIA.
    RATHER THAN IMPROVING OUR COUNTRY MANY OF US RESIDE WHERE THERE ARE GOOD FACILTIES RATHER THAN CHANGING THIS CURRENT SITUATIONS PRESENT IN INDIA

  21. first i like this online article ….its really shown the brain drain how affect native country…. its really horriable … and its an another ways of accupied a country…its not stoped its continue in more years …skills and educated people not have any highly paid job in india ..so they choose to this way … its whoes wrong country or people…

  22. Definitely the country will suffer if more knowledgeable professionals will leave the country for a greener pasture. It’s up to the government how to address the problems in terms of local job policies.

  23. Its a very important post. Nowadays this issue becoming very dangerous in India. Its a very helpful writing for know about the reason of the problem

  24. To me, brain drain is very bad practice,it’s shouldn’t be encourage at all.talented and qualified people migrating from a country to help develop another country in the name wealth and leaving yours,who should develops yours for you?its destroys country’s economy. Brian drain should be banned!!

  25. Brain drain is prevalent at the time when India got skilled professional but India fails to get out benefits Of them . This let them turn to foreign countries where they found better conditions and handsome salaries . But now it’s high time to stop it ,yes Ofcourse govt of India initiates many a steps to do so and ya there appreciable.
    Go India go .

  26. To stop this dangerous phenomenon of brain drain, government tried to discourage doctors from migrating by not issuing no objection certificates. I suggest such similar measures to curb brain drain among scientists, researchers and other professionals

  27. This is very constructive and I think very rewarding for those ones who really want to go further in order to develop their skills. On the other hand, it is also great thing to saty in your country if it offers you the opportunity to work well-paid jobs.

  28. That is helping to slow the brain drain in which many of Portugal’s best and brightest headed abroad during the worst of the crisis.
    No its not good because Loss of tax revenue
    Loss of potential future entrepreneurs
    A shortage of important, skilled workers Loss of innovative ideas
    Loss of the country’s investment in education
    The loss of critical health and education services

  29. Of course it’s not, because we will miss our little masters of APJ.abdul kalam in our country .but at the same time our government should be able to increase the salary to everyone…..

  30. It is rubbish, they said this in the 60’s in the UK. They are lazy idiots, so stupid and backward. The problem is government, wanting money. They are killers. They could make virtual education for jobs, and they could have script based education, and simple as to employ a web browser to education themselves. I admit it is political, and they have the right to go to the highest bidder. The point is, it is government, that as wanting to pay backward trash and under skilled workers high salaries, and for doing nothing but to clown about. I worked at BA Systems in G.B. they were just the IRA idiots, those as so stupid and retarded and doing bombs, killing kids, and lazy, they should have been sacked as garbage workers, but that is the wall to wall system and workers rights. If is was a private company and the boss had the means to push the salary down, it would just fall in, the brain drain is a bad joke. Universities are just full of lazy retarded backward slugs and yard cretins. I asked for 835 million pounds in compensation and their human rights removed and jailed, 70 years each, no parole. Think about that three year old little blond child, and they killer could have been his teacher haahaha, they are having a giraffe. go on scar his face, throw acid at him, kill him, absolute yard cretins.

  31. Brain drain from any country is very bad for the host country because essentially all the people lose. It will most definitely be negative to the economy of that country. Maybe the new country benefits, but they also have qualified people who are quite capable of doing the job.

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