Permanent residence from India: Canada, Australia, UK, Germany and New Zealand routes compared (2026)
Last reviewed 2026-10-23. Rules, fees and processing times in this area change often. Check the official source before you act, and tell us if something looks out of date.
Indians are among the biggest groups of skilled migrants worldwide, and the main routes to permanent residence (PR) have all changed recently. This guide compares the main options and lists what Indian applicants usually need to prepare. It is general information, not advice on your case.
Canada: Express Entry
Canada's Express Entry system ranks candidates by Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and invites the top scorers in regular draws.
- What you need: a language test (IELTS General Training, CELPIP or PTE Core for English; TEF or TCF for French), an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for Indian degrees, work experience, and for some programmes proof of funds (CAD 15,263 for one person in an IRCC table dated July 2025; the figure is updated each year).
- Language minimums: CLB 7 for the Federal Skilled Worker Program; CLB 7 for the Canadian Experience Class in TEER 0 and 1 jobs.
- Job offers no longer earn CRS points (since 25 March 2025).
- Draws in 2026 have favoured category-based rounds and people already in Canada. One tracker lists French-language draws as the third most common, with a cut-off of 435 and 5,000 invitations on 16 October 2026. Provincial nominations add 600 points.
- Government fees: CAD 990 for the application without the right of permanent residence fee, plus CAD 600 for it, per our Canada PR fee guide.
- Indian specifics: IRCC wants a Police Clearance Certificate (not a character certificate) from India, and certificates have a 60-day submission window after an invitation, so start early. Colour scans of originals are needed.
IRCC data cited by one source says India was the most common citizenship among invited candidates in 2024 (43%), so competition is intense.
Australia: skilled visas
Australia's 2026 to 2027 permanent migration planning level is 185,000 places, with about 132,240 (over 70%) in the skill stream. Most skill and family places go to people already in Australia: about 129,590 onshore against 55,110 offshore. The budget signalled changes to favour younger, better-educated, higher-skilled migrants, but specific points test changes had not been announced in the sources we read.
- Main visas: subclass 189 (independent), 190 (state nominated) and 491 (regional). All require a skills assessment, an English test and an invitation after submitting an expression of interest.
- For Indians: a skills assessment from the right authority (Engineers Australia, ACS and so on) is the usual first step.
- Australian thresholds and figures often conflict between sources, so check the Department of Home Affairs.
United Kingdom: work then settle
The UK has no points-based PR application as such. Most Indians arrive on a Skilled Worker visa and later apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). The UK is moving towards a longer, "earned" route, so read our guide to the UK earned settlement changes before you plan around five years.
Germany and the EU Blue Card
Germany offers the EU Blue Card to graduates with a job above a salary threshold, with a faster route to settlement for good German speakers. See our Germany Blue Card salary guide. The Netherlands has a similar route in its highly skilled migrant scheme.
New Zealand
New Zealand reformed its skilled migrant category in 2026. See our explainer on the NZ SMC reform.
A quick comparison
| Canada | Australia | UK | Germany | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main route | Express Entry | 189 / 190 / 491 | Skilled Worker, then ILR | EU Blue Card |
| Job offer needed first | No (not for points) | No for 189; employer routes also exist | Yes | Yes |
| Language test | Yes (English or French) | Yes (English) | Yes (English) | Not for the Blue Card itself; German helps for settlement |
| Indian degree check | ECA | Skills assessment | Recognised degree for some visas | Anabin / recognition |
| Typical hurdle | CRS cut-off | Invitation rounds, onshore priority | Salary thresholds, long settlement | Salary threshold, job offer |
What Indian applicants should do first
- Check your degree recognition early (ECA, skills assessment or Anabin).
- Book a language test and aim above the minimum.
- Start the police clearance early, because Indian certificates can take weeks.
- Keep experience letters with duties, dates and salary on company letterhead.
- Plan around citizenship: India does not allow dual citizenship (see our companion guide on OCI and giving up Indian citizenship).
- Run a free assessment on Visa Ray to compare routes for your profile.
Sources
- Where to Emigrate: Canada Express Entry from India 2026
- CIC News: Express Entry draws 2026
- Baker McKenzie: Australia budget bites, new migration and education reforms
Figures in this guide were gathered in October 2026 from news reports, travel-industry guides and law-firm summaries. These sources sometimes disagree with each other and with official pages, and entry rules for Indian passport holders change often. Check the destination's official immigration site or the Indian embassy page before you book. Visa Ray is a rule-based reference tool, not a law firm. You can run a free assessment on Visa Ray for your own profile.
