The UAE is the most popular destination for Indians seeking work abroad, according to the country’s Minister of State for External Affairs.
V Muraleedharan cited statistics for the last five years from the government’s Bureau of Immigration when he spoke before the Indian Parliament.
He said that the GCC region made up four of the five top destinations for overseas work among both Indian professionals and blue collar workers, state news agency WAM reported.
The US is the only non-Gulf country among the top five, Muraleedharan added.
The UAE is followed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, US and Oman in the top five destinations for Indian expat workers, the minister said.
“With a view to facilitate safe and legal overseas employment to the youth, especially from vulnerable sections of society, aspiring for jobs abroad, the government has put in place the e-Migrate portal with details of registered recruiting agents in the country,” he added.
The portal also details the names of unregistered/illegal agents functioning in various states in order to caution job-seekers falling prey to cheating.
Under India’s Emigration Act, semi-skilled and unskilled workers going abroad are required to obtain prior emigration clearance from the office of Protector of Emigrants (POE).
In the last five years, most overseas workers requiring prior emigration clearance have come from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.
The minister’s comments come after Indians have continued to return to jobs in the Gulf region after returning home amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Millions of Indians live and work in the Gulf region, one of the largest concentrations of migrants in the world. The geographical and historical proximity of the Arabian Peninsula to India makes it a convenient destination for Indians.
According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), India is one of the top sources of origin countries (apart from the Philippines) of migrants to the Gulf countries.
Recent legislation changes in the region, especially in the UAE, are expected to encourage further migration.
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