Indians top the list when it comes to acquiring citizenship of advanced economies, according to the International Migration Outlook 2025 released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The report shows that in 2023, around 225,000 Indian citizens acquired the nationality of an OECD member country, the highest among all countries of origin and a new record for India. In 2023, about 2.8 million people acquired the nationality of an OECD country, a marginal hike from the earlier year’s figure of 2.77 million.
Following India, was Philippines as 132,000 of its nationals’ acquiring citizenship of an OECD member country, as did 92,400 Chinese. Majority of the Indians acquired Canadian citizenship – it was up from 59,405 in 2022 to 78,487 in 2023.
A sharp rise from barely 15,388 in 2013. OECD’s report attributes this to policy stability, faster processing of permanent residency transitions, and the maturing cohort of Indian professionals who migrated during the past decade. However, according to immigration experts, the statistics for 2024 may show a different picture, given the rising inflation and housing shortage in Canada, tighter immigration norms, and the strained relationship that has lately emerged between the two countries.
India’s strong showing is not limited to Canada. In 2023, nearly 52,360 Indians became American citizens (but this is a drop from 66,670 in 2022), and 40,361 Indians opted for citizenship in Australia, the earlier year’s figure was 30,160. In short, during 2023, 171,000 Indians obtained citizenship of across three countries – it constitutes 76% of all Indian naturalisations during 2023. Naturalisation, or citizenship acquisition, is both an indicator of long-term settlement and a catalyst for better integration outcomes. While the report highlights the growing permanence of Indian migration, it also points to wide disparities in access. Citizenship pathways vary considerably - from relatively short residence requirements in countries like Canada (3 years) and Australia (4 years) to stricter language, income, and integration tests in much of Europe. Indians also continued to be on the move – be it as workers or students.