2022 Visa Report: Which were the most welcoming nations for Indians last year?

Canada, Australia, the US, and the UK are considered the most popular countries for Indians to travel overseas for a short stay as a tourist, for work or study, or for settling as a permanent resident.

How many Indians got visas last year for these countries under the popular visa categories? Read on to find out.

United States

Last year, according to data available for January to November, 476 Indians got visas under B1: Temporary business visitor, 348,807 under B1/B2: Temporary visitor for business and tourism, 129 under B2: Temporary visitor for tourism, 103,611 under F1: student visa, 2,871 under F2: Dependents of F1 visa holder, 175,541 under H-1B: Speciality occupations and fashion models, 126,485 under H4: Dependents of H-1B visa holder, 22,320 under L1: Intracompany transferees at managerial or executive positions, and 26,388 under L2: Intracompany transferees.

40,664 Indians received US Green Cards, which allow people to live and work permanently in the country, between January to June last year.

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Outlook for 2023

US immigration systems are expected to undergo certain reformations in 2023-2024. One such change could allow all spouses of H-1B visa holders to work, and not just those who are waiting for the US Green Card or are in the process of applying for permanent residency.

Canada

According to data available until November 2022, 117,311 Indians got Visas under Canada PR, 331,218 under Canada Study Permit, and 309,965 under Canada visitor visas.

55,558 Indians received Canadian citizenship last year.

Outlook for 2023

The country is expected to welcome over 460,000 new permanent residents this year, including a number of economic immigrants who are most likely to bring a positive change to the Canadian labour market.

Australia

The Indian-born population is the second-largest migrant community in Australia, preceded by the UK. The country in Oceania was sheltering an estimated 721,050 Indian-born people at the end of June 2020.

India was the largest source country of migrants in Australia in 2021-22, according to the 2021-22 Migration Program Report of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) of the Australian Government. The program year runs from July to June.

200,325 Indians were granted visas in 2021-2022 under Australia visitor visa, 42,627 under Australia Student (subclass 500) visa, and 24,324 under Australia PR visa.

30,160 Indians received Australian citizenship in 2021-2022.

Outlook for 2023

195,000 will be granted Australia PR visas this year, including 142,400 receiving permanent residence through the Skilled Migration Program.

United Kingdom

More than 850,000 Indian nationals were living in the UK in 2020/21, leading provider of market and consumer data Statista details.

377,099 Indians got visas in the year ending September 2022 under UK Standard Visitor visa, 127,731 under UK Student visa, and 56,042 under UK Worker Visa.

16,420 Indians were granted British citizenship over the same period.

Outlook for 2023

The post-pandemic immigration rate of 1.1 million arrivals a year could become normal for the UK soon, said a report released last December by the think tank Social Market Foundation (SMF), adding Britain’s skills shortages and ageing population has prompted an ongoing demand for migrant workers.

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