Why India’s Top Minds Trust America and Canada More Than India - Even Today

India is projected to become the fourth largest economy by 2027 according to the IMF. It is one of the fastest growing major economies and home to the third largest startup ecosystem in the world. Yet, despite this rapid rise, India continues to be the largest source of high skill migrants for both the United States and Canada.

This is not a shallow observation. It is backed by data.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services reported that three out of every four H-1B visas in 2023 went to Indians, the highest proportion in history. Canada’s immigration department confirmed that Indians made up over forty one percent of all new permanent residents in 2023, again a record.
If India is growing, why do its brightest still trust the West more. The answer lies in evidence rather than emotion.
India spends less than 0.7 percent of its GDP on research and development according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. The global average is above 1.8 percent.
By comparison:

• The United States invests over 3 percent of GDP in R and D.
• Canada invests close to 1.7 percent.
• Per researcher spending in the United States is nearly four times higher than Indian labs, as reported by Brookings.

This is reflected in outcomes.
The Nature Index shows that over sixty percent of high impact scientific papers by Indian origin scholars are published while they are working abroad, not in India.

Large scale projects like the James Webb Telescope, DeepMind’s AI programs or advanced biomedical research platforms simply do not exist at equivalent scale in India. For serious researchers, the West is the only place where their work can reach global standards. Canadian immigration is built on a points based system that rewards education, age, experience and language ability.
The United States tech industry hires purely on skill, portfolios and interview performance, not seniority.

Multiple global surveys consistently reflect this belief:

• A 2024 Oxford Migration Observatory study showed that Indian professionals ranked the United States and Canada highest for predictability of career progression.
• A Deloitte workforce study found that Indian employees report faster promotions abroad and lower levels of internal bias.

In India, academic scores, years of experience, internal hierarchy and networks often determine career growth. High performers prefer systems where output is valued over age, influence or connections. This is not an emotional claim. It is documented across global indices.

• In the IQAir 2023 report, India had 14 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities.
• The World Bank’s logistics index shows India ranking 44th, while the United States is at 17th and Canada at 7th.
• Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index consistently places Canada in the top 15, the United States in the top 20, and India below rank 50.

Even middle income professionals experience improved living conditions abroad:

• shorter commutes
• low crime rates
• better urban planning
• reliable public infrastructure
• cleaner air
• access to public healthcare

This is why Statistics Canada reports that Indian immigrants are among the most satisfied immigrant groups in the country. This is one of the strongest data points.
According to the Henley and Partners Wealth Migration Report 2024:

• India recorded a net loss of 6,500 high net worth individuals in one year.
• Only China and the United Kingdom lost more wealthy individuals.
• India has consistently remained in the top three countries with millionaire outflow for five consecutive years.

The reasons cited include:

• simpler tax policies abroad
• safer environments
• better lifestyle for children
• political stability
• easier global mobility

When people with money, education and global exposure leave, it reveals not aspiration but lack of trust in long term systems. The data is large and clear.

• Over 320,000 Indian students studied in the United States in 2023.
• Canada issued 226,000 study permits to Indian students in one year.
• Indian students contributed over 20 billion Canadian dollars to Canada’s economy, according to the Canadian Bureau for International Education.

Why do students go abroad even though India has IITs, IISERs, AIIMS and IIMs.

Reports show:

• Higher research opportunities at foreign universities
• Clearer pathways to work permits and permanent residency
• More industry connected programs
• Better global networking

A study by RedSeer estimated that the average salary for Indian students with a foreign master’s degree is three times higher than what they would earn with an equivalent Indian degree. This is a structural advantage that India cannot match immediately.
Stanford’s AI Index 2024 reports:

• Over seventy percent of top tier AI jobs are located in the United States and Canada.
• The United States receives almost half of global venture capital funding for tech startups.
• Silicon Valley alone invests more money in early stage startups than the entire Indian VC ecosystem combined.

This is why many Indian tech founders including the creators of Postman, Instabase, Hasura and Quizizz moved their headquarters to the United States.
They did not leave for lifestyle. They left for capital, research and global scale. A 2023 Deloitte global mobility study states that Indian skilled workers prioritise:

• clarity of tax rules
• predictability of government policy
• low corruption
• safety
• strong public institutions

These factors weigh more heavily than salary.
Countries like Canada, which score high on the World Bank Governance Indicators, attract Indian professionals who want predictable environments for families, investments and careers.

India’s growth is real, but unpredictable bureaucratic processes, abrupt policy shifts and uneven public infrastructure create uncertainty. Beyond economics, parents consistently cite:

• reduced academic pressure
• better mental health support
• more exposure to global thinking
• cleaner environment
• safer public spaces
• flexibility in education

This is backed by UNICEF and OECD data, which place Western education systems much higher in creativity oriented learning, student well being and life skills.

For many Indian families, migration is not a personal decision. It is a long term investment in their children.