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News18
3 days ago
- Business
- News18
India's Skilled Workforce Can Power The Ageing World
Last Updated: With a cohesive strategy, legal and ethical frameworks, and a visionary approach, India can become the world's hub for skilled individuals' exports By 2030, the world will face an unprecedented workforce shortage of nearly 50 million in developed economies such as the United States, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. A recent Global Access to Talent from India (GATI) foundation report indicates that this deficit could soar to 250 million by 2050 due to an ageing population, declining birth rates, and shrinking domestic talent pools. While automation and artificial intelligence (AI) may offer some solutions, the pace of technological substitution will not keep up with the demand for human capital from ageing industrial economies. In this context, India has a significant advantage with its demographic dividend of over 900 million working-age individuals, which is often seen as our greatest asset but could also become a demographic burden. To address this challenge, developing the largest pool of skilled and semi-skilled youth and India's established reputation for adaptability and competence could serve as a vital solution. India exports around 7,00,000 of its workforce overseas each year, primarily to sectors such as healthcare, transportation, technology, and hospitality. However, this number could increase to 2.5 million annually with an integrated national plan. Such growth in India's workforce exports would not only help meet global demand but also generate up to $300 billion in annual remittances—more than double the current $129 billion, which ranks India at the top globally. This makes foreign employment a key pillar of India's global economic outreach. Global Demand Hotspots The GATI report indicates that 20 nations will account for nearly 90 per cent of the projected global workforce shortage. The United States will require 11 to 12 million additional workers, followed by the United Kingdom (5 to 6 million), South Korea, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic (4 to 5 million each), Germany and Russia (3 to 4 million each), and Japan (2 to 3 million). Other countries, including Canada, Australia, the Gulf states, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Austria, and Italy, will each need an additional 1 to 2 million workers. Additionally, smaller but high-income nations such as Singapore, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hong Kong will experience shortages ranging from 0.5 to 1 million. The demand is apparent, and India is poised to meet it head-on. Low to High Skills, All in Demand Of the estimated global demand, 70 per cent will be for medium- and low-skilled jobs: approximately 18 to 20 million for low-skilled positions, 6 to 8 million for medium-skilled roles, and 10 to 12 million for high-skilled jobs. Therefore, India's policy must align workforce training with this demand matrix. The challenge is not just to send more workers abroad but to align the right skills with the right locations and industries. A new approach to migration should focus on three key strategies: unleashing global demand, enhancing domestic supply, and building a resilient long-term migration ecosystem. Scaling Up Skills Regarding demand, India must actively engage with destination countries to harmonise skill certifications and expedite mutual recognition agreements. To scale up skills on the supply side, India needs to invest significantly in enhancing technical education, soft skills, and foreign language training, particularly for countries like Japan and Germany, where language proficiency is crucial. Key strategies to overcome these barriers include school-level language exposure, industry-centric training, and efficient grievance redressal systems. Some forward-thinking state governments are already making progress; for instance, certain Delhi government schools have started offering Japanese as a language option, and states like Telangana are pioneering returnee integration programmes. However, these efforts require a nationwide approach and coordination. It is time for India to establish a centralised agency for global workforce mobility, similar to the Department of Migrant Workers in the Philippines or the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training in Bangladesh. Such an organisation could unite all stakeholders—ministries, state governments, skill councils, recruitment agencies, and industry bodies—to coordinate recruitment, ensure ethical migration practices, and monitor global demand in real time. Equally important is developing financial support options for migration to help cover travel, training, and placement expenses, particularly for low- and middle-income workers. The country also needs robust welfare systems to protect Indian workers abroad and facilitate grievance redressal and reintegration support for returnees. Additionally, it is essential to continuously map and focus on high-demand sectors for Indian talent. Beyond the traditionally prominent fields of healthcare, hospitality, domestic work, and logistics, India should also concentrate on emerging sectors such as green jobs in renewable energy, infrastructure development, digital public goods, and sustainability-linked startups, where skill gaps rapidly widen worldwide. Addressing Migration Barriers Despite progress, several challenges remain: Indian qualifications are often not globally recognised, and workers face high migration costs along with risks of exploitation by unscrupulous agents. The political discourse surrounding immigration remains contentious in countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia, with much of the opposition focusing on illegal migration. However, skilled, structured, and lawful migration is a top priority for most developed economies, not out of goodwill, but due to economic necessity. These countries require sufficiently skilled staff to sustain growth, support ageing populations, and maintain critical public services. This is where India, with its youthful population and expanding training infrastructure, can position itself as a credible global partner. Diplomatic Push Several initiatives have already been launched. For instance, Germany is expanding its Skilled Worker Visa program, while Japan has increased the categories of apprenticeship visas available for Indians. There are ongoing discussions with Eastern European countries regarding recognising Indian driving licenses. Meanwhile, India is signing government-to-government migration agreements with countries such as Australia, Austria, Denmark, Italy, and the UK. Through the Young Professionals Scheme, up to 3,000 Indians each year can reside and work in the UK for two years. Eight-Point Strategy India must implement an eight-point agenda to address these challenges effectively. First, it is essential to strengthen institutional coordination between central and state governments. Second, a national migration agency should be established, incorporating international best practices. Third, skill certification requirements need to align with global standards. Fourth, a national industry association should be created to oversee and facilitate international mobility. Fifth, frameworks for migrant financing and insurance should be developed. Sixth, a new regulatory system must be implemented to monitor recruitment agencies and prevent exploitation. Seventh, support for the reintegration of returnees should be enhanced. Finally, bilateral and multilateral agreements must safeguard labour rights and welfare. The Way Forward top videos View all The developed world does not require capital; it requires skilled, mobile, and motivated individuals. As ageing economies seek workforce support, India is uniquely positioned to provide this talent. With a cohesive strategy, legal and ethical frameworks, and a visionary approach, India can become the world's hub for credible, trained, and empowered individuals. The next wave of growth will not be driven by capital or commodities, but by a capable workforce. The writer is a Co-Founder and MD of Orane International, a Training Partner with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), and a Network Member, of India International Skill Centres, an initiative of GoI. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. tags : Indian workforce japan skilled workforce United states Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 07, 2025, 16:32 IST News opinion Opinion | India's Skilled Workforce Can Power The Ageing World
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Wanted: A new social contract for ‘Make in India'
Earlier this month, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar launched the Global Access to Talent from India (GATI) Foundation to position India as a global talent hub. GATI signals India's ambition to be at the centre of global labour mobility, offering legal, ethical and safe pathways for Indian workers to fill skill gaps abroad. GATI has the potential to enable a transformation. By creating pathways to high-paying jobs abroad, it can recast the social perception of vocational training. When skilling leads to economic and social mobility, the social contract is complete and individuals are empowered to invest in their own growth. A similar social contract is needed for domestic manufacturing if 'Make in India' is to truly succeed. Also Read: Rahul Jacob: Manufacturing is crying out for a reality check It is necessary to ensure the availability of a skilled and motivated workforce, one that is adept at new-age capabilities such as electric vehicle assembly and meets the requirements of in-demand workers such as qualified welders and fitters who can read machine drawings. We also need to create reliable pathways for stable jobs and economic mobility for skilled workers. To realise this ambition, we must confront a few systemic constraints. First, a large proportion of shop-floor jobs in India remain informal and short term. Around 69% of the manufacturing workforce is temporary and hired usually through formal and informal intermediaries. Smaller intermediaries or contractors are poorly organised, with limited capacity to meet wage and safety standards, let alone invest in skill development. This informal workforce does not have job security, leading to high attrition. The weak fallback net creates a floating pool of workers who often switch from one job to another, driving down productivity. Second, the gap between industry demand and available skills is widening. More than 56% of employers report difficulty in finding skilled workers. As a result, many employers invest in basic to intermediate training for new recruits, a process that can take weeks, if not months. However, companies prefer a plug-and-play approach, seeking job-ready workers. Larger, legacy companies are better placed as they have invested in developing internal skilling systems over time. But mid-sized and smaller firms, which make up a large share of India's industrial base, struggle to bridge this gap. Third, our existing system disadvantages women. Women have better safety records and deliver higher productivity but they remain significantly under-represented in the manufacturing workforce. Also Read: How a manufacturing boom could help India close the gender gap The transitory nature of contract work, remote locations with lack of mobility and limited support structures are hurdles to female participation. This ecosystem reveals a paradox: Even as manufacturers report difficulty finding skilled workers, large numbers of young Indians remain unemployed. As the economy evolves, shaped by automation and AI, the demand for productivity is rising. How, then, can we shape a new social contract for India's workforce, one that supports the vision of 'Make in India' while ensuring meaningful employment? A critical effort lies in carving a middle path, one that offers greater job security for workers while preserving flexibility and cost competitiveness for businesses. This requires intermediaries that operate the full stack; i.e. manage the entire employment lifecycle: from screening and onboarding to skilling, job matching, compliances and benefit provision. There is a role here for markets, philanthropy and government to come together. We need a public-interest organisation for workforce management at population scale. There is an unmet need of managing the lifecycle of workers. Profits in this domain may be thin or non-existent. Who can shoulder this responsibility in the absence of a viable market? Perhaps the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) should go beyond skilling to take end-to-end ownership of worker well-being. Another option could be to build an organisation similar to the National Payments Corporation of India that runs payments. India is the pioneer of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and we can use technology to enable better demand–supply matching, track worker lifecycles and ensure continuity in employment histories and benefits. Interoperable platforms that build on digital credentials could unlock a worker-friendly ecosystem without compromising industry's need for efficiency. Also Read: Time to re-imagine Indian manufacturing from the ground up Second, the industry needs to focus on developing a productive workforce with an eye on worker well-being. A 10% increase in trained workers can boost firm-level productivity by 6%. 'Farming' talent internally rather than 'fishing' for ready-made talent can create a systemic change across industries. We need manufacturing firms to treat workers as a strategic investment. The payoffs in productivity, retention and legacy are significant. Third, tap the potential of women in the manufacturing workforce. Steps to meet women's needs, including gender-friendly mobility, accommodation and childcare support can be promising avenues. Equally important is to change the narrative. Skilling must be made aspirational for women, as a path to employment and a symbol of agency. More than a century ago, Henry Ford said, 'There is only one rule for the industrialist and that is: make the best quality goods possible at the lowest cost possible, paying the highest wages possible." His legacy was not just Ford's Model T motor car, but a system where workers could afford the products they themselves had made. If we can forge this new social contract, where most of India's workers have the safety net of wages and essential benefits, we will finally unlock the potential of 'Make in India.' The author is founder and CEO, Kalpa Impact.
Japan Forward
6 days ago
- Business
- Japan Forward
From India, Soft Power Punching Harder With Opportunity and Skill
Global labor migration has recently gained immense traction, with many countries experiencing labor shortages. In the current geopolitical landscape, there has been a rise in the international demand for skilled and semi-skilled workers. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while addressing an event in India, emphasized that there is a global demand and a corresponding availability in India. This article explores the potential India-Japan match in the domain of legal labor migration. The Time Is Ripe Across Europe, Japan, the Gulf, and other countries, there is a rising labor shortage. This expected shortfall in workers is expected to grow to nearly 50 million by 2030, and even further over the next two decades, possibly reaching 250 million in 25 years. Moreover, the rate at which this shortage is growing, approximately 11–12% annually, is outpacing the economic growth of these countries. Nearly 20 major countries will account for 90% of this global labor gap, including Japan, with approximately 2–3 million. This offers an economic and developmental opportunity for emerging economies like India, as in many cases, a worker can earn ten times more just by crossing a border. What do the Current Statistics Say India is emerging as the bright spot in the migration domain. As per the Global Access to Talent from India (GATI), around 34 million people of Indian origin currently live and work abroad. India also sends around 700,000 workers overseas annually, with 60% going to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations. Given the current global trends, Japan could also be a higher potential destination. In 2024, the number of foreign workers in Japan alone surged by 250,000 in a year, reaching 2.3 million in October. This marked the largest year-on-year increase since records began in 2008. As a result, foreigners now account for 3-4% of the total workforce. In terms of overall foreign worker distribution in Japan, manufacturing employs the most, with 590,000. It is followed by the service industry at 350,000 and wholesale and retail at 290,000. Additionally, the number of foreigners in Japan's Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) program climbed by 49.4% to 200,000 in 2024. The number of participants in the Technical Intern Training program, which brings relatively unskilled workers to the country to acquire new skills, increased by 14.1% to 470,000. According to the 2024 Immigration Services Agency data, out of 48,835 Indians in Japan, 230 Indians are on the SSW. (Courtesy of the World Bank) New Priority From Japan Japan is actively recruiting skilled foreign professionals with competitive salaries, job security, and streamlined visa policies. Engineers, researchers, and STEM graduates are highly valued, and companies provide long-term career growth opportunities. In 2023 alone, over 50,000 foreign professionals, including many Indians, were hired in Japan's IT sector. Offering a refreshing change, with a simplified work visa process for skilled professionals, permanent residency available in just 1–5 years, and government-backed relocation support, demand is expected to continue growing. The Japan-India Match Japan favored local long-term suppliers and did not follow international technological standards for a long time. However, the demographic shifts suggest that around 37.5% of the population will be 65 years or above by 2050, creating imbalances in unskilled and skilled labor markets. Tokyo can no longer afford such hefty barriers to becoming globally flexible. In a recent meeting, the Indian External Affairs Minister and the Japanese Ambassador discussed an action plan to establish a predictable and concrete flow of Indian talent into Japan under the Special Skilled Workers agreement. The intention on both sides is to open more legal migration pathways. This follows Japan's establishment of a new status of residence, "Specified Skilled Worker" in 2019, to welcome capable foreign specialists to work in specific fields. These specialists would function as workers ready to take on jobs without prior training. Consistent with this approach, Japan had signed Specified Skilled Worker Memoranda of Cooperation with 15 countries as of 2022, including India in 2021. Categories of Specified Skills This residency status is intended for foreign nationals who are 18 years old or above and possess considerable knowledge or experience in a specific sector. Sixteen occupations are covered under the SSW, including nursing care, aviation industry, accommodation industry, agriculture, fishery and aquaculture, building cleaning management, machine parts and tooling, industrial machinery, electric and electronics industries, construction industry, shipbuilding and ship machinery industry, automobile repair and maintenance, manufacture of food and beverages, and food service industry. Currently, individuals can stay for a maximum of 5 years in total. Additionally, a six-month apprenticeship visa for Indians is being broadened to include new job categories in Japan. One of several categories of specified skilled workers is the hospitality industry. (©Ministry of Foreign Affairs) The Indian Sweet Spot India has signed migration and mobility partnerships, as well as specialized worker agreements, with 52 countries. Recently, the government announced it is set to amend the Emigration Act of 1983 to better align India with the demands of the modern global workforce. Indian EAM Jaishankar also recently referred to the growing intake of Indian professionals in ongoing worker movements. The country has a surplus of skilled and semi-skilled labor, a relatively young population, and a stable economic foundation. Indian talent is generally well-regarded globally. India's annual labor exports could grow from 700,000 to 2.5 million workers. That alone could add around $300 USD billion to the country's gross domestic product through remittances. Skill development remains a key sector of collaboration that accentuates India-Japan industrial competitiveness. Currently, the joint-government initiatives for skilling manufacturing-related human resources in India include 35 Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing and 11 Japanese-endowed courses. There are more than 300 Japanese language institutes and around 60 engineering colleges offering Japanese as a foreign language. In Delhi alone, 58 government schools now offer Japanese as a language option. Private language institutes are also growing in number. Bringing Together Supply and Demand Japanese manufacturing practices such as 5S, Kaizen, and others, are also upgrading soft skills like discipline and work culture of Indian human resources in the manufacturing sector in India. However, sending more Japanese teachers to India, opening up new categories under SSW and additional test centers in India, sharing the trade test syllabus/curriculum, and holding SSW-related tests online would go a long way in scaling up these initiatives. Visa harmonization and signing a migration and mobility agreement, which India has signed with several other countries, are the natural progression of cooperation. These also testify to how closely the two countries are working towards a common goal. Another category of specified skilled workers is the aviation industry. (©Ministry of Foreign Affairs) In related initiatives, the recently launched GATI Foundation also helps bridge the demand-supply mismatch in the semi-skilled workforce. It supports the legal and structured migration of Indian workers to international labor markets facing aging populations and declining workforce numbers. This should help strengthen India's labor supply with a long-term migration ecosystem. Areas for Further Coordination Nonetheless, matching workers to opportunities requires better coordination between countries. Concerns of a black economy in migration that undermines both individuals and nations still need attention. For example, past issues have arisen with evacuations, cases of wage theft, unfair employment practices, limited recognition of Indian qualifications abroad, lack of support for returning migrants, unresolved exploitation risks, and loss of documentation. A mechanism to resolve those, along with language and soft-skills programs tailored for customer-facing sectors, would be a game-changer in countries like Japan. Additionally, efforts are underway to build community support structures overseas and align Indian certification systems with global standards. Simultaneously, these should help create legal pathways to prevent any irregular migration. In an era of disruptive technologies, India must adapt its skilling strategy to be more responsive and inclusive of global demand. Newer areas should be targeted, including green jobs, infrastructure, and startup roles related to sustainability. Private investment should also be encouraged to expand training infrastructure. Conclusion As more Indians move abroad, their expectations of government support will grow. Clearly, there is a need for legal and safe migration to ease global labor shortages and economic pressures. Skilled migration is a priority for all major countries, and India can potentially be part of the solution to the Japanese demography problem. In particular, hiring a talented and skilled workforce would open new vistas for India's social, educational, and cultural connection with Japan. Connecting skills in India with opportunities in Japan is just the latest avenue to deepen ties and strengthen the soft power diplomacy between the two countries. This phenomenon is expanding opportunities for Indian workers in Japan, and India must seize the day. RELATED: Author: Varuna Shankar Varuna Shankar is an editorial manager at India's World, an online magazine.
India Today
15-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
How talent-surplus India can leverage developed world's labour crisis
Developed nations are projected to face a labour shortage of 45-50 million skilled and semi-skilled workers by 2030 whereas India is expected to have surplus talent. The contrast presents a significant opportunity for the country to be the workforce gap bridge for the developed affairs minister S. Jaishankar recently underscored the importance of international workforce mobility, saying: 'It is crucial to nurture, expand, deploy and upgrade talent while identifying opportunities both within and beyond our borders.'advertisementJaishankar emphasised that with rising global demand and a growing talent pool in India, it was imperative to lay the groundwork for Indian professionals to access international opportunities. He also highlighted the importance of skilling, noting: 'Our government has rolled out skills training and vocational education programmes to empower the workforce.'The minister was speaking at the launch of the non-profit Global Access to Talent from India (GATI) Foundation, incubated by The Convergence Foundation, New Delhi, along with Manish Sabharwal, executive vice-chairman of staffing firm TeamLease Services, and the Godrej Foundation. Jayant Chaudhary, Union minister of state (independent charge) for skill development and entrepreneurship, who was also present at the event, reiterated the government's focus on ensuring that all migration from India was legal and structured. He pointed out that trades, such as elder care, nursing and plumbing, taught at the 14,500 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the country were in high demand however, cautioned that many of these professions fall within the country's informal sector and there was a need to formalise these sectors so that the skills were recognised Gupta, managing director and senior partner at Boston Consulting Group, said talent shortages in developed countries were rising by 11-12 per cent year on year—'massive problem' in his words. On the other hand, India had achieved global success in the IT/ITES sectors, with a large workforce operating both at home and emphasised on replicating this success story in low- and medium-skilled jobs in sectors such as healthcare, logistics and transportation, and education. 'Currently, talent movement in these sectors is happening in small pockets. But as we look towards a Viksit Bharat, we need to aim for a labour export economy worth $300 billion,' he Dhawan, founder and CEO of The Convergence Foundation, shared that while some 700,000 Indians migrated for work overseas annually, 60 per cent of them were concentrated in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. 'We have a real opportunity to expand our annual migrant flows to 2-2.5 million by diversifying across geographies and job roles,' he an expansion, Dhawan added, would not only generate more employment but could also significantly boost remittances to as high as $300 billion annually, thereby enhancing consumption, education and healthcare outcomes in year, India recorded remittances worth over Rs 129 billion, the highest for the country till outlined a three-pronged strategy to help India leverage the global employment opportunity. First, forging government to government partnerships and signing pacts to create an ecosystem that facilitates freedom of movement, including through relaxed visa norms. Second, standardising skills training—technical, language and soft skills—to meet international benchmarks. And third, ensuring collaboration across stakeholders—central and state governments, nonprofits, skilling institutes and the private sector—with a central nodal agency to streamline the talent mobility to India Today Magazine
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Business Standard
09-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Global job crunch of 50 million by 2030: India may supply migrant workforce
By 2030, there will be a shortage of nearly 50 million workers in many economies like Germany, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US. A new report released on Tuesday at the launch of the Global Access to Talent from India (GATI) Foundation warns that this shortfall is expected to grow even further over the next two decades. GATI has been set up to help bridge this demand-supply mismatch by supporting the legal and structured migration of Indian workers to international labour markets facing ageing populations and declining workforce numbers. 'The rate at which this shortage is growing — around 11–12% per annum — is outpacing the economic growth of any of these countries. In 25 years, that shortfall could reach 250 million. That's a staggering gap,' said Rajiv Gupta, Managing Director and Senior Partner at BCG, and the author of the report, in a conversation with Business Standard. While several African economies also have labour surpluses, they often lack the infrastructure or governance systems to benefit from them. Gupta argued that India is uniquely placed to help fill this gap. 'It has a surplus of skilled and semi-skilled labour, a relatively young population, and a decent economic foundation,' he said. 'India already sends about 700,000 workers abroad each year, particularly in technology, healthcare, transportation, and hospitality. Indian talent is generally well-regarded globally.' Countries with the largest projected labour shortages USA: 11–12 million UK: 5–6 million South Korea, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic: 4–5 million each Germany, Russia: 3–4 million each Japan: 2–3 million Canada, Gulf, Taiwan, Australia, Netherlands, Austria, Italy: 1–2 million each Romania, Singapore, Bulgaria, Hong Kong: 0.5–1 million This adds up to a shortfall of around 40–45 million workers. GATI's approach to global talent migration According to Gupta, the GATI initiative is structured around three broad areas: unlocking demand in other countries, strengthening India's labour supply, and building a long-term migration ecosystem. 'So, while there's a clear problem — global labour shortages — India has the potential to be part of the solution,' Gupta told Business Standard. 'That's where GATI comes in. If we get it right, India's labour exports could grow from 700,000 to as many as 2.5 million workers per year. That alone could add around $300 billion to our GDP through remittances.' On the demand side, the report outlines ongoing efforts to open up overseas markets for Indian workers. In Eastern Europe, Indian authorities are pushing for recognition of Indian driving licences. Germany is expanding its Specialised Skilled Worker (SSW) visa route to cover more trades. In Japan, a six-month apprenticeship visa for Indians is being broadened to include new job categories. Gupta said efforts are also under way to align Indian certification systems with global standards and negotiate visa relaxations with destination countries. On the supply side, GATI is focusing on language and technical training to prepare workers for international roles. Private investment is being encouraged to expand training infrastructure, and there are plans to introduce soft-skills programmes tailored for customer-facing sectors. Gupta said there was a need for a robust industry-led framework that could track demand across specific sectors and geographies. Institutional models and markets in focus India is also studying labour-exporting models like the Philippines and Bangladesh. 'We're looking at models like the Philippines, which has an entire ministry dedicated to exporting labour, and Bangladesh, which has the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training. India needs a similar nodal agency to coordinate between stakeholders,' Gupta said. India already has government-to-government migration agreements with several countries. These include: — The Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement with Australia — A similar agreement with Austria to promote mobility and combat illegal migration — A partnership with Denmark that provides pathways for Indian professionals and youth — The Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership with Germany — A Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreement with Italy — The UK's Young Professionals Scheme, allowing up to 3,000 Indian nationals annually to live and work in the UK for two years India is focusing on countries like the US, UK, Canada and the Gulf, where it already has a strong presence. Efforts are also being made to expand into Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Singapore. Sectors with growing demand for Indian talent include healthcare, domestic work, construction, sales, transportation, and hospitality. Newer areas being targeted include green jobs, infrastructure, and startup roles related to sustainability. Barriers to migration The GATI initiative recognises several structural barriers that still need to be addressed. These include limited recognition of Indian qualifications abroad, lack of support for returning migrants, and the risk of exploitation. Language remains a challenge, especially in countries like Japan and Germany. 'That's a genuine concern,' said Gupta. 'But it's already being addressed. In Delhi alone, 58 government schools now offer Japanese as a language option — and those classes are full.' Private language institutes are also growing in number, much like the IT training boom of the 1990s. Gupta said Indian states like Telangana have introduced measures to help returnees reintegrate into the domestic job market. 'That sort of confidence-building is vital if India wants more workers to consider overseas opportunities,' he said. Political shifts and legal migration Gupta acknowledged that immigration has become a political flashpoint in countries like the US, Canada and Australia. 'Yes, immigration was a key issue in all those elections. Australia has introduced changes — reducing intake in some categories, increasing in others. Canada has a roadmap until 2027. The US too is tightening in some areas. 'But most of the political debate focuses on illegal immigration. Legal, skilled migration is still a priority for all these countries because they simply do not have enough qualified people to fill roles.' Skill demand by level The report estimates that 70% of the projected demand will be for medium- and low-skilled workers. Low-skilled roles: Share of global demand: 50% Estimated demand: 18–20 million Medium-skilled roles: Share of global demand: 20% Estimated demand: 6–8 million High-skilled roles: Share of global demand: 30% Estimated demand: 10–12 million The report outlines eight key areas India must work on to scale up overseas employment: 1. Strengthen institutional coordination across central, state, and regional bodies 2. Establish best practices for government-to-government migration agreements 3. Enforce strong welfare protections for Indian workers abroad 4. Align Indian and international skill accreditation 5. Create financing options to support migration 6. Set up a national industry body for overseas mobility 7. Ease reintegration for returning migrants
