Tighter US social media vetting pushes global talent toward Germany, Ireland, Singapore, UAE

The global race for skilled professionals is entering a decisive phase, shaped by sharply diverging immigration policies. While the United States has rolled out stricter screening and higher barriers for H-1B visa applicants and their families, a growing set of destinations across Europe, Asia and the Middle East are positioning themselves as more predictable, talent-friendly alternatives.

As governments compete to attract high-quality human capital, destinations that can clearly link education, employment and long-term residency are gaining ground over traditional powerhouses, according to Saurabh Arora, Founder and CEO of University Living.

Germany, for instance, is projected to face a shortfall of up to 7 million skilled workers by 2035, prompting the government to accelerate immigration reforms and expand points-based pathways to attract global talent.

Ireland, meanwhile, has seen a sharp rise in international student numbers, with 40,400 overseas students in 2023/24, representing a 15% year-on-year increase. Indian students now form the largest cohort, with enrolments nearly doubling compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Asia and the Middle East are also emerging as strong contenders.

Singapore has reached a record 1.91 million foreign workers within a population of 6.11 million, including more than 200,000 Employment Pass holders, reflecting sustained demand for high-skilled professionals.

In the UAE, expatriates make up roughly 88.5% of the population, and long-term residency is rising rapidly. Golden Visas nearly doubled from about 79,600 in 2022 to 158,000 in 2023, underscoring the appeal of stable, long-duration residency options.

“These destinations are winning because they offer something talent values most: predictable pathways that link education, employment, and residency,” Arora said.

Traditional migration heavyweights remain influential. sCanada admitted 471,550 new permanent residents in 2023 and is targeting around 550,000 annually by the mid-2020s. Australia’s international education sector generated AUD 50–51 billion in 2023–24, while the UK delivered £41.9 billion in economic benefit from international students in 2021–22. However, Arora noted that scale alone may no longer be the decisive factor.

US tightening adds to global shift

Against this backdrop, immigration developments in the United States are reinforcing the shift in global mobility preferences. From December 15, the US expanded enhanced screening for H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependents, bringing skilled workers and their families under mandatory social media scrutiny. Applicants are now required to keep all social media profiles publicly accessible for background checks.

“To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public’,” the US State Department said.

The department has repeatedly stressed that visa issuance is discretionary and rooted in national security. “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” it said, adding that authorities rely on “all available information” to identify applicants who may pose risks.