Expats head for India as Indians head overseas

Whilst expat professionals are discovering India, Indian professionals are moving overseas.

International expat professionals are now flocking to India for its sense of fulfilment and improved career prospects, whilst Indian professionals in the financial services, healthcare and engineering sectors are heading off to the US, UK and UAE. In a recent survey, India’s popularity as a Western expat hub is rising, with some 30 per cent of respondents getting early promotions and almost two thirds saying they’re learning new skills. Importantly, around a quarter of those surveyed are earning 24 per cent more than in the home country, with a similar percentage admitting to earning $100,000 a year or more, and half of the total respondents claimed more disposable income due to India’s lower cost of living.

Another important aspect of relocating to India would seem to be the stronger sense of fulfilment both at work and in life in general. As India grows in popularity with international expatriate professionals, their Indian counterparts are busy relocating overseas for faster career progression, especially in the fields of healthcare, finance, architecture and design and engineering. Favourite destinations include the UAE, USA and the UK, all of which, according to those surveyed, offer a better quality of life, higher salaries and more career-enhancing opportunities.

Another attraction is better education for expat children, and investing in overseas property is a popular way of preparing for eventual retirement. At the present time, the Indian diaspora spread across the world totals around 30 million, many of whom have lived in their adopted countries for decades. One of the earliest Indian expat communities in the UK was formed in the London Borough of Southall some 60 or more years ago by immigrants employed in local manufacturing. It grew and grew, and is now a completely integrated Indian town within the city, as well as one of London’s best-known tourist attractions!