The global talent landscape is undergoing one of its sharpest shifts in recent years. As economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and restrictive migration frameworks reshape mobility trends, the once-steady flow of high-skill professionals across borders is slowing — forcing countries and companies to rethink how they attract talent.

BCG has launched a new report titled “Global Talent Mobility Is Slowing and Shifting”. According to the report the global movement of highly skilled workers has fallen for the first time since 2020, with international mobility dropping 8.5% YoY — 220,000 fewer cross-border career moves. However, the geography of global talent is shifting sharply, and India is defying the global slump.

Why this matters to India?

While economies such as Canada, UK and wider Europe see major declines due to tighter migration policies and weak hiring, India is rising across all tracked talent categories, making it one of the most resilient and future-ready talent engines worldwide.

Key highlights from the report:

• India’s rising global position

• +1.9 percentage-point gain in global AI talent share
• +1.4 percentage-point gain in STEM talent share
• Now consistently in the global top 10 across all tracked talent categories
• Backed by one of the largest educated populations and strong representation in top global universities, India is positioned for sustained long-run growth.

• India as a global AI talent powerhouse

• 7 of the top 10 global universities producing AI talent are in India. (Entire list available in the report)
• Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University produces the highest number of globally mobile AI graduates, appearing across five major destination markets

• Global mobility slowdown

• International mobility among highly skilled professionals fell 8.5% YoY — about 220,000 fewer people relocating for long-term work.
• Decline driven by geopolitical uncertainty, weaker hiring, and tighter migration policies, especially in Canada and the UK.

• Shifting global talent hubs

• US remains the leading magnet, increasing its share by 2.4pp overall, and 3.3pp among STEM talent.
• UAE attracted ~178,000 highly skilled professionals in 2025, now top three for STEM, AI, and highly skilled talent.

As global competition for high-skill talent intensifies, the findings underscore the need for countries and companies alike to rethink talent attraction and retention strategies. The report highlights that nations with proactive hiring ecosystems, flexible migration policies and strong education pipelines will be best positioned to secure long-term economic advantage. India’s continued rise across AI, STEM and highly skilled talent categories signals a pivotal moment in the global talent landscape, with far-reaching implications for employers, policymakers and the wider economy.