Lok Sabha Question No. 1506 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-19
Subject: Decline in Immigration
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1506

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.12.2018

## DECLINE IN IMMIGRATION

1506.  SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is a large decline in immigration of Indian workers to Gulf countries since 2015;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the number of immigration clearance granted to Indian workers for Gulf countries in the last four years and the current year, country-wise; and
- (c) the reasons for such a huge decline in the immigration of Indian workers to Gulf countries?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a)   to   (c) As   per   the   data   captured   in   e-Migrate   system,   the   number   of emigration   clearances   granted   to   Indian   Emigration   Check   Required   (ECR) passport holding workers going to Gulf countries for employment has come down compared to the corresponding numbers in the year 2015. A statement showing the country-wise number of emigration clearances granted to Indian workers for Gulf countries in the last four years and the current year is annexed.

There are several reasons for decreasing number of emigration clearance through the e-Migrate system.  Prominent among them is that the Gulf countries are passing through a period of economic slowdown primarily because of the slump in oil prices.  Coupled with this, the Gulf countries are aiming at filling up maximum posts both  in   Public   and   Private   Sector   by   their   own   nationals. Therefore,   there   has   been   a   demand   shortage   for   foreign   workers   in   these countries.  Moreover, a large number of Indian nationals holding ECR passports reportedly   travel   to   the   Gulf   countries   on   tourist   visa   and   get   their   visas converted to employment visa, thereby bypassing the e-Migrate system.  These numbers as well as the number of Non ECR passport holders going to the ECR countries for employment are not reflected in the e-Migrate emigration clearance data.

*****

## ANNEXURE

Statement showing number of country-wise emigration clearance granted to Indian workers for Gulf countries during the last four years and the current year.

|   Sl. No. | Name of Countries   |   2014 |   2015 |   2016 |   2017 |   2018 (upto 30- 11-18) |
|-----------|---------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|-------------------------|
|         1 | Bahrain             |  14207 |  15623 |  11964 |  11516 |                    8522 |
|         2 | Kuwait              |  80419 |  66579 |  72384 |  56380 |                   52245 |

| 3   | Oman      |   51317 |   85054 |   63236 |   53332 |   32316 |
|-----|-----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| 4   | Qatar     |   75983 |   59384 |   30619 |   24759 |   32492 |
| 5   | S. Arabia |  329882 |  308380 |  165355 |   78557 |   65542 |
| 6   | U. A. E.  |  224037 |  225718 |  163716 |  149780 |  103720 |
|     | TOTAL     |  775845 |  760738 |  507274 |  374324 |  294837 |

Source : e-Migrate portal.