A report from professional networking platform LinkedIn said Visakhapatnam retained the top spot among India's fastest-growing non-metro job markets, with Ludhiana, Surat, Vadodara and Prayagraj occupying the top five positions. The analysis identified rising employment opportunities across multiple sectors as smaller cities expand beyond traditional industrial strengths. The report positioned these centres as increasingly important nodes for hiring and migration within the national labour market. It underscored that technology, financial services, manufacturing, education and infrastructure investment are shaping distinct growth pathways and job opportunities across emerging cities. The document noted that legacy industries are being joined by investment in artificial intelligence (AI), data centres, information technology and services, which is helping transform single-sector economies into multi-sector markets. Cities with ports, textiles, pharma, chemicals and manufacturing bases are therefore attracting new strategic capital and talent. The report found that 72 per cent of professionals in India are actively looking for a new role this year and that 76 per cent consider the search to have become harder amid greater competition and widening skill gaps linked to AI. It added that the number of applicants per open role has more than doubled since early 2022, increasing pressure on both candidates and employers. Against this backdrop, emerging cities are providing professionals access to a wider range of industries, employers and career pathways closer to home. A LinkedIn career expert advised job seekers to examine where employers are investing, to identify sectors that are gaining momentum and to consider skills that are transferable across industries. The expert described Visakhapatnam as combining port, pharma and manufacturing strengths with major AI, data centre and technology investments, while Ludhiana is adding steel, aviation and hospitality to its manufacturing base. The analysis suggested Surat is extending beyond textiles and diamonds through startups, exports and real estate and that Vadodara is attracting technology, engineering and enterprise investment alongside chemicals and machinery.