Outbound mobility from India continues to grow as some countries see a significant rise in student recruitment.
The UK, US and Australia are becoming increasingly popular for international students from India. In June of this year, the UK granted 30% of their total study visas to Indian students, representing a year-over-year increase of 54%. This makes India the leading sender for the UK, surpassing the previous leader, China, last year.
Meanwhile, the US has seen growth of more than 30% in Indian student numbers, and Australia saw a 34% growth between January and August of this year.
‘Our partnership with India is one of the United States’ most important bilateral relationships,’ says US Ambassador for India, Eric Garcetti. ‘The ties between our people are stronger than ever, and we will continue our record-setting volume of visa work in the coming months to give as many Indian applicants as possible the opportunity to travel to the United States and experience the US-India friendship firsthand.’
However, current tensions between India and Canada will see Canada’s visa target for Indian students not met this year. As it stands, India is Canada’s biggest market for educators; at the end of 2022, Indian students made up 39.5% of Canada’s total international student enrolment.
Despite this, Indian student enrolment is expected to continue to grow worldwide. Numbers may double, climbing from around one million in 2019 to as much as two million by 2025, according to analysis from University Living. In turn, spending from Indian students is projected to reach US$70 billion in the same timeframe.
