A First: Singapore Is No. 1 In INSEAD’s 2025 Global Talent Ranking

For the first time in the index’s 11 editions, Southeast Asian city-state leads the world in talent competitiveness, unseating Switzerland

by: Marc Ethier on November 30, 2025 | 7 minute read
IMD MBA provided

Switzerland was No. 1 in INSEAD’s GTCI every year — until 2025

INSEAD’S 2025 GLOBAL TALENT COMPETITIVENESS INDEX

Rank Economy Score Income Group Region
1 Singapore 73.29 High Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
2 Switzerland 73.14 High Europe
3 Denmark 72.05 High Europe
4 Finland 71.06 High Europe
5 Sweden 70.76 High Europe
6 Netherlands 70.26 High Europe
7 Norway 69.84 High Europe
8 Luxembourg 69.84 High Europe
9 United States of America 69.41 High Northern America
10 Australia 69.27 High Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
11 Ireland 68.73 High Europe
12 United Kingdom 67.52 High Europe
13 Iceland 66.63 High Europe
14 Canada 66.40 High Northern America
15 Belgium 66.05 High Europe
16 Austria 65.86 High Europe
17 Germany 65.73 High Europe
18 New Zealand 64.16 High Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
19 France 62.88 High Europe
20 Czech Republic 62.52 High Europe
21 Estonia 61.92 High Europe
22 Malta 60.97 High Europe
23 Israel 60.16 High Northern Africa and Western Asia
24 Portugal 59.90 High Europe
25 United Arab Emirates 59.36 High Northern Africa and Western Asia
26 Spain 59.32 High Europe
27 Lithuania 58.76 High Europe
28 Japan 58.59 High Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
29 Slovenia 58.36 High Europe
30 Cyprus 58.30 High Northern Africa and Western Asia
31 Korea, Rep. 58.08 High Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
32 Italy 57.35 High Europe
33 Latvia 54.59 High Europe
34 Slovakia 54.41 High Europe
35 Qatar 53.87 High Northern Africa and Western Asia
36 Poland 53.70 High Europe
37 Hungary 52.80 High Europe
38 Bahrain 52.71 High Northern Africa and Western Asia
39 Chile 52.66 High Latin America and the Caribbean
40 Greece 52.38 High Europe
41 Croatia 52.23 High Europe
42 Uruguay 52.06 High Latin America and the Caribbean
43 Brunei Darussalam 51.48 High Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
44 Costa Rica 51.22 High Latin America and the Caribbean
45 Georgia 50.97 Upper middle Northern Africa and Western Asia
46 Malaysia 50.20 Upper middle Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
47 Bulgaria 50.09 High Europe
48 Saudi Arabia 50.06 High Northern Africa and Western Asia
49 Mauritius 49.70 Upper middle Sub-Saharan Africa
50 Seychelles 49.64 High Sub-Saharan Africa
51 Kuwait 48.73 High Northern Africa and Western Asia
52 Montenegro 48.73 Upper middle Europe
53 China 48.65 Upper middle Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
54 Serbia 48.52 Upper middle Europe
55 Romania 48.24 High Europe
56 Oman 47.82 High Northern Africa and Western Asia
57 Belarus 47.76 Upper middle Europe
58 Argentina 47.59 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
59 Armenia 46.95 Upper middle Northern Africa and Western Asia
60 Azerbaijan 46.51 Upper middle Northern Africa and Western Asia
61 Ukraine 46.31 Upper middle Europe
62 Russian Federation 46.09 High Europe
63 Albania 46.05 Upper middle Europe
64 North Macedonia 45.36 Upper middle Europe
65 Mongolia 45.04 Upper middle Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
66 Bosnia and Herzegovina 44.60 Upper middle Europe
67 Moldova, Rep. 44.23 Upper middle Europe
68 Brazil 44.04 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
69 Colombia 43.94 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
70 Mexico 43.67 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
71 Uzbekistan 43.36 Lower middle Central and Southern Asia
72 Kazakhstan 43.10 Upper middle Central and Southern Asia
73 Peru 43.04 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
74 Jordan 42.65 Lower middle Northern Africa and Western Asia
75 Philippines 42.39 Lower middle Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
76 Viet Nam 42.25 Lower middle Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
77 Thailand 41.93 Upper middle Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
78 Lebanon 41.42 Lower middle Northern Africa and Western Asia
79 South Africa 41.19 Upper middle Sub-Saharan Africa
80 Indonesia 41.18 Upper middle Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
81 Panama 41.15 High Latin America and the Caribbean
82 Türkiye 40.96 Upper middle Northern Africa and Western Asia
83 Cabo Verde 39.77 Upper middle Sub-Saharan Africa
84 Paraguay 39.29 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
85 Botswana 38.89 Upper middle Sub-Saharan Africa
86 Dominican Republic 38.88 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
87 Kyrgyzstan 38.81 Lower middle Central and Southern Asia
88 Tunisia 38.54 Lower middle Northern Africa and Western Asia
89 Ecuador 38.40 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
90 Namibia 38.28 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
91 Bolivia, Plurinational St. 38.05 Lower middle Latin America and the Caribbean
92 Sri Lanka 36.89 Lower middle Central and Southern Asia
93 El Salvador 36.71 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
94 Egypt 36.62 Lower middle Northern Africa and Western Asia
95 Tajikistan 36.42 Lower middle Central and Southern Asia
96 Algeria 35.81 Upper middle Northern Africa and Western Asia
97 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 34.94 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
98 Morocco 34.54 Lower middle Northern Africa and Western Asia
99 Kenya 34.30 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
100 India 34.03 Lower middle Central and Southern Asia
101 Rwanda 33.93 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
102 Iran, Islamic Rep. 33.69 Upper middle Central and Southern Asia
103 Honduras 33.53 Lower middle Latin America and the Caribbean
104 Ghana 33.43 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
105 Guatemala 33.22 Upper middle Latin America and the Caribbean
106 Lao PDR 33.04 Lower middle Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
107 Nepal 32.54 Lower middle Central and Southern Asia
108 Malawi 32.02 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
109 Nicaragua 31.50 Lower middle Latin America and the Caribbean
110 Gambia 31.48 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
111 Eswatini 31.42 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
112 Côte d’Ivoire 31.03 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
113 Senegal 30.73 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
114 Nigeria 30.51 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
115 Cambodia 30.31 Lower middle Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
116 Bangladesh 30.07 Lower middle Central and Southern Asia
117 Lesotho 29.83 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
118 Cameroon 29.82 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
119 Zimbabwe 29.70 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
120 Tanzania, United Rep. 29.41 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
121 Mauritania 27.85 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
122 Benin 27.74 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
123 Uganda 27.37 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
124 Pakistan 26.90 Lower middle Central and Southern Asia
125 Burundi 25.75 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
126 Angola 25.35 Lower middle Sub-Saharan Africa
127 Mali 24.74 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
128 Mozambique 24.28 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
129 Myanmar 24.24 Lower middle Eastern, Southeastern Asia and Oceania
130 Burkina Faso 23.52 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
131 Madagascar 22.97 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
132 Yemen 22.28 Low Northern Africa and Western Asia
133 Congo, Dem. Rep. 21.44 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
134 Niger 20.05 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
135 Chad 19.87 Low Sub-Saharan Africa
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