Are the places to which Indians are migrating changing? Did you know that more Indians are moving to Norway, Sweden, and Belgium? Let us find out the changing trends in citizenship and why they happen.
While a visa can let you explore a foreign country and even work in it temporarily, if one were to settle in there, this would not be enough. A permanent residency status or citizenship is required to live and work in a foreign country for a relatively long period of time.
Read: Indian Entrepreneurs Have New Foreign Destinations In Sight
For a long time, the USA has been the most sought-after country for citizenship. In 2016, Indians accounted for 6% of the total number of citizenship awards by the US government. However, with the changes in immigration policies, this trend seems to be changing.
Today, the number of immigrants seeking citizenship in the USA is decreasing, while Norway, Sweden, and Belgium are seeing a larger number of citizenship applications.
Changing Trends Of Citizenship – Why Is This Happening?
Changing Political Climate – The changing political climate is an obvious reason for this change in immigration trends. Countries that were once open to immigration are implementing stricter rules and making citizenship harder to acquire.
While jobs are available, companies, too, are finding it harder to sponsor foreigners for these posts. Sensing an opportunity to bring more talent into their own countries, smaller developed nations like Sweden and Malta have opened their doors to would-be citizens.
Happiness Index – Another important factor influencing the changing trends of citizenship and immigration is the happiness index. People have begun to look for more than just financial stability when considering moving to another country.
Smaller countries like Belgium and Norway offer good jobs along with a higher standard of living and social security. It is important to note that these countries also offer very good educational prospects.
Will the Trend Continue?
In 2017, the number of Indians who received US citizenship dropped by 12%. Similarly, the number of immigrants in UK and Australia dipped by 30% and 9% respectively. On the other hand, immigration in Sweden and Norway increased by 160% and 218% respectively.
The stark difference in percentages is mainly because while USA, UK, Canada, and Australia attract immigrants in thousands, European countries like Sweden and Norway attract immigrants only in the hundreds. Experts say that this trend will continue for a few more years to come.
Especially for Indians, Europe will be more attractive as compared to the USA, UK, and Australia. However, this does not mean that people will stop going to the USA and UK completely. Take a look at the table that shows the changing trends of citizenship:
Changing Trends Of Indians Seeking Citizenship
| Country | 2016 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| USA | 22999 | 20327 |
| UK | 28720 | 19882 |
| Canada | 16615 | 7487 |
| Australia | 23073 | 20948 |
| Norway | 244 | 775 |
| Sweeden | 253 | 660 |
| Belgium | 471 | 571 |
Also See
- 10 Countries where you can Immigrate and Settle Easily
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- Canada Skilled Worker – How to Migrate to Canada as One?
- How to Apply for Norwegian Citizenship
- 5 Ways To Get Swedish Citizenship
- India now 4th Largest Source of Illegal in the USA
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