Lok Sabha Question No. 1093 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-22
Subject: Migrant Workers
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Faizal P.P. Mohammed, Behanan Benny, A. Chellakumar, Adoor Prakash, Anto  Antony

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1093 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2022

## MIGRANT WORKERS

## 1093. SHRI MOHAMMED FAIZAL P.P. :

SHRI BENNY BEHANAN: DR. A. CHELLAKUMAR: ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH: SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of people who left India to work in Gulf countries, between June 2020 and December 2021, country-wise;
- (b) the   number   of   Indians   migrant   workers   returning   from   foreign countries, between June 2020 and December 2021, country-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted an assessment of job losses suffered by Indians abroad during the COVID-19 crisis; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## [SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a) The number of people who left India to work in the 6 Gulf countries between June 2020 to December 2021 as per records available in the eMigrate system is given below:

| S.No.   | Country              | Estimated No. of Indian workers   |
|---------|----------------------|-----------------------------------|
| 1.      | Bahrain              | 8,158                             |
| 2.      | Kuwait               | 10,160                            |
| 3.      | Oman                 | 21,340                            |
| 4.      | Qatar                | 51,496                            |
| 5.      | Saudi Arabia         | 36,451                            |
| 6.      | United Arab Emirates | 13,567                            |
|         | TOTAL                | 1,41,172                          |

(b) The number of Indian migrant workers   returning   from   the   ECR countries between June 2020 to December 2021 as per records available in the eMigrate system is given below:

| S.No.   | Country   | Estimated No. of Indian workers   |
|---------|-----------|-----------------------------------|

| 1.   | Afghanistan          | 1        |
|------|----------------------|----------|
| 2.   | Bahrain              | 11,749   |
| 3.   | Indonesia            | 7        |
| 4.   | Iraq                 | 342      |
| 5.   | Jordan               | 2,243    |
| 6.   | Kuwait               | 51,206   |
| 7.   | Lebanon              | 210      |
| 8.   | Malaysia             | 9,228    |
| 9.   | Oman                 | 46,003   |
| 10.  | Qatar                | 32,361   |
| 11.  | Saudi Arabia         | 1,18,064 |
| 12.  | Sudan                | 1        |
| 13.  | Thailand             | 18       |
| 14.  | United Arab Emirates | 1,52,126 |
|      | TOTAL                | 4,23,559 |

(c) & (d) It   was   the   Government's   priority   to   ensure   during   the pandemic   that   its   impact   on   Indian   workers   in   terms   of   loss   of employment was mitigated. To that end, the Ministry and all our Missions in the Gulf were continuously engaged with the Government of the Gulf nations   to   maintain   the   workers,   ensure   their   welfare   and   facilitate financial payments due to them.

The Ministry   of   External   Affairs   (MEA)   in   collaboration   with   the Ministry   of   Civil   Aviation   facilitated   the   safe   repatriation   of   citizens stranded abroad to India during the COVID-19 pandemic time through the Vande   Bharat   Missions   (VBM).   Additionally,   the   Government   of   India launched the Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support (SWADES) portal as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and the MEA, aimed to create a database of returning citizens based on their skill sets and experience, who lost their jobs and were stuck overseas and have returned back to India through the VBM. As per information received from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, all the stakeholders have been given access to the SWADES   candidate   database   with   uploading   of   details   on   the Aatmanirbhar  Skilled   Employee   Employer   Mapping   (ASEEM)   portal   for employer connect under different sectors.

While a large number of Indian workers particularly in the Gulf returned to India due to COVID-19, the economic recovery in that region and their increasing openness to travel from India has now seen a return by many of them. As per the eMigrate portal total 4,16,024 Emigration Clearance(EC) were issued for ECR countries during the period 1 January 2020 to 30 June 2022.

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