From Germany and Poland to Romania and Greece, a growing number are exploring newer European destinations, drawn by job opportunities and affordable educationAsk an Indian planning to move abroad where they want to go, and the traditional answers — the US, UK, Canada and Australia — are increasingly sharing space with destinations that might have seemed unlikely choices a decade ago.The list now features Germany, Poland, Russia, Romania and Greece, which have all seen their Indian communities grow substantially, with some more than doubling.The numbers reflect the shift. A comparison of older Ministry of External Affairs data with the latest available figures shows the scale of the change. Germany’s Indian population has risen from 1,85,085 to 2,60,864, an increase of 41%. Poland recorded a 121% rise, from 10,960 to 24,200, while Russia’s numbers increased 166%, from 23,590 to 62,825. Romania saw a 205% jump, from 1,972 to 6,027, and Greece recorded a 162% increase, from 13,389 to 35,000.Most are non-resident Indians (NRIs) rather than persons of Indian origin (PIOs). Germany, for instance, has 2,08,000 NRIs and 52,864 PIOs, while Poland has 23,000 NRIs and 1,200 PIOs.The shift is evident in recent migration data. In 2025, 2,27,577 Indian citizens received their first residence permits in the European Union, an increase of 18.4% over the previous year. Indians were also the largest nationality group receiving education-related permits. In 2024, they received 16,300 EU Blue Cards, accounting for 21% of the permits issued to highly qualified workers from outside the bloc.
Job demand and visa uncertainty
For working professionals, the attraction is largely driven by demand. Several European countries are ageing rapidly and facing labour shortages, even as visa and work-permit rules in traditional destinations become more restrictive. Germany, Poland, Portugal and Italy, among others, are seeking foreign workers across sectors in engineering, manufacturing, healthcare and skilled trades.For students, the calculation is different. Education consultants say visa uncertainty, rising costs and stringent admission processes in the US, UK, Canada and Australia are prompting students to look at alternative destinations.“Germany, France and Italy are among the most popular options we are seeing, and applications to these countries have increased over the past three years,” said Bhupendra, COO of Abbacus Overseas Education.The possibility of settling abroad over the longer term is also influencing decisions. Mohan B, who handles the South India segment as a partner at SI Europe, said his organisation began processing applications for Slovakia only in 2025, but applications for the Sept intake have already risen to around 70, compared with just two at the outset.
Language proficiency crucial
Telangana, too, is adapting to the changing migration landscape. Nirmal Kanthi Wesley, CEO of the Telangana Overseas Manpower Company (TOMCOM), said the state was focusing on language training because recruitment agencies are considering those who are proficient in local languages.TOMCOM is training nurses and other workers in German, Japanese and other languages.Professor Sakti Prasad Srichandan of Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Centre for European Studies said ageing populations across Europe had reduced the share of people in the productive age group, increasing demand for skilled migrants.
Source link
