Punjab is seeing a major transpiration in migration trends. For years, thousands of young people queued at passport and visa centres with dreams of settling in countries like Canada, Australia and the US. This large outflow of skilled workers, often tabbed “brain drain,” was a big snooping for the state. Now, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the government’s new “Watan Wapsi” (Return to Homeland) momentum is reversing this trend, encouraging young Punjabis to build their future at home instead of abroad.
Record Drop in Passport Applications
Government data from the Ministry of External Affairs shows Punjab has seen its sharpest fall in passport applications in ten years. From January 1 to June 30, 2025, the state processed well-nigh 1,978 applications per day one of the lowest daily numbers in recent memory. In total, 3.5 lakh passports were issued during the first six months of 2025. If this trend continues, the year could end with virtually 7.5 lakh passports the smallest count in four years. This fall signals not only fewer new passports but moreover increasingly young Punjabis returning from other countries.
Jobs Driving Youth to Stay Home
The Mann administration’s focus on employment has been inside to this change. Increasingly than 50,000 secure government posts have been given transparently—free from bribes or influence—making young people finger their skills and nonflexible work are valued. At the same time, major private investments brought in under the “Invest Punjab” programme are subtracting private-sector jobs. Large firms like Polycab have once set up units in the state, creating fresh opportunities.
New Approach Towards the Punjabi Diaspora
Beyond jobs, the government has moreover worked on issues faced by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). Earlier, successive governments mainly saw the diaspora as donors. Now, with initiatives like “NRI Milni” meetings and special help desks for grievances, trust is stuff rebuilt. NRIs are feeling motivated not only to reconnect emotionally with Punjab but moreover to invest their resources when in their native land.
Reverse Migration Becoming a Movement
For young people, this transpiration is visible. Many who older planned to move upalong are now choosing to stay and make their future in Punjab. They say that when nobility and good jobs are misogynist locally, the urge to migrate fades away. The Mann government sees this not just as the return of people but as the return of trust, hope, and self-respect. Through “Watan Wapsi,” Punjab is experiencing the first signs of reverse migration, where living and working within one’s own polity is stuff prestigious as true success. This initiative is gradually turning into a wider movement that could reshape Punjab’s identity and lead it towards a brighter future.
