Vizag, Vijaywada among 3 fastest growing non-metro hubs: LinkedIn report

Hyderabad: Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada of Andhra Pradesh are among the top three fastest growing non-metro hubs where professional opportunity is accelerating, as per Linkedin's inaugural Cities on the Rise list, that has spotlighted the top 10 cities in India, where job market momentum and economic opportunity are growing.

While Visakhapatnam has the first place on the list, Vijayawada holds the third place. 

For professionals in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Madurai, most job opportunities are emerging in the engineering function, while business development roles drive hiring in 6 out 10 Cities on the Rise, including Nashik, Raipur, Rajkot, Agra, Vadodara, and Jodhpur. Sales, operations, and education are other key functions where professionals in tier-2 and tier-3 cities can look for jobs.

Cities on the Rise is LinkedIn’s first location-based ranking powered by exclusive LinkedIn data that captures growth in hiring, job creation, and talent inflows across India. Since the last one year after TDP-led NDA came to power in Andhra Pradesh, both Visakhapatam and Vijayawada have been receiving a lot of traction. While Vijayawada has been in the reckoning with the revival of Amaravati capital city project, the Andhra Pradesh government has been promoting Visakhapatnam as an industrial hub.

With over 4 out 5 Indian professionals looking to switch jobs this year, Cities on the Rise offers direction into regions beyond traditional major cities where economic investments are generating employment opportunities.

The list highlights emerging tier-2 and tier-3 growth pockets for professionals looking to relocate, tap into new industries, or grow their careers locally. With Vishakhapatnam growing into an industrial powerhouse and Vijayawada drawing investments from the IT sector, these cities are emerging as hubs of employment and talent movement, according to the Linkedin's report. While Ranchi stood second, other cities in the list include Visakhapatnam, Nashik, Raipur, Rajkot, Agra, Madurai, Vadodara and Jodhpur.

“Tier-2 and tier-3 cities are at the heart of India’s economic transformation. With Vishakhapatnam growing into an industrial powerhouse and Vijayawada drawing investments from the IT sector, these cities are emerging as hubs of employment and talent movement. Professionals from in and around the state can now pursue opportunities and career growth locally, while navigating new possibilities and finding new passions where they are,” said Linkedin career expert Nirajita Banerjee.

According to the Linkedin report, tech, pharma, and financial services are turning these emerging cities into talent magnets. Amidst the boom in data and AI, tech companies like Miracle Software Systems, (Visakhapatnam), HCLTech (Vijayawada, Madurai), Infosys (Vijayawada), Datamatics (Nashik), Bull IT Services (Madurai), among others are setting up shop across tier-2 and tier-3 cities, fueling local talent activity. Healthcare & pharma companies like Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Laurus Labs Limited, Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited, Sun Pharma are creating opportunities in Visakhapatnam and Vadodara; while HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank are accelerating the growth of financial services in Raipur, Agra, and Jodhpur.