India now a unique destination for British expats

India is now opening up to Western expats looking to further their careers in a fascinating location.

Until recently, India was a closed book for Western expats and was best known for losing its brightest and best to developed Western economies. Nowadays, with Indian companies now hiring mid-level expat professionals as well as resident multinationals bringing expats in on assignment, the job situation is vastly improved. However, it’s strongly advised that job offers are agreed, signed and sealed before relocation takes place.
For would-be expats determined to give it a try on their own, finding a position is a challenge and salaries on offer from local companies leave a lot to be desired as they’re normally set at around 25 per cent of average professionals’ earnings in the West.

It has to be admitted the Indian experience is unlike that in almost every other world country, even although the sub-continent is now considered to be a progressive, high-tech location. For new jobless arrivals, personal contacts are all-important, as is networking both on and offline, with word of mouth occasionally more successful than endless written job applications. Mumbai and New Delhi are the country’s commercial hubs, with expat numbers now increasing year on year, especially from the UK. At present, some 32,000 British expats are located across the sub-continent, enjoying the warmer weather and the far lower cost of living.

Tech, marketing, engineering and banking are popular sectors, replacing those infuriatingly un-fluent call centres of previous decades with jobs requiring expat knowledge and experience. Another of India’s advantages is the high number of direct flights to Europe as well as to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Seoul and Beijing. For Brits brought up on local Indian restaurants’ delicious offerings, India is a slice of heaven for lovers of great curries at great prices. Street food, local eateries and restaurants are everywhere, serving a huge variety of the national cuisine sourced from every region. Another advantage is down to Britain’s long rule over India – English is still a thriving second language. In addition, it has to be said that, for many UK expats, India is an adventure as well as a base for job progression, with its amazing history, heritage and strikingly beautiful settings.