India’s Initiative to Develop Regular Pathways for its Young Migrants

When speaking of India, migration is hard to ignore. With a population of over 1.4 billion people, the country plays a critical role in the global economy and international labour markets. One of its biggest forces is its diaspora population, totalling approximately 32 million people across the world. These numbers also translate into remittances, as India is the world’s largest recipient of remittances standing at USD 125 billion in 2023, constituting 3.4 per cent of the country’s GDP, according to the World Bank.

However, increased emigration has come hand in hand with an increase in irregular migration. Since the international mobility of workers is increasingly in the hands of private recruitment companies, many aspiring Indians migrate overseas through unauthorised agents and channels. This makes them highly vulnerable to exploitation by employers and middlepersons. Many of these migrants are misinformed and find themselves trapped, compelled to take extreme measures in the face of continuous exploitation. Young students and women are particularly vulnerable as a result.

In recent years, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has developed bilateral agreements for the safe and regular deployment and protection of workers, primarily with countries which have a long-running and already thriving labour migration programme. Labour migrants are given training on migrants’ rights and the welfare measures offered by the Government of India. There is now a portal (MADAD Portal) for consular support, grievance registration and redressal for students. Overseas Workers Resource Centres have also been established in locations such as Dubai, Kuwait and Riyadh, where there is a large number of Indian migrants.

Despite these efforts, more work can be done at the local level by engaging State Governments. They can ensure and verify the credibility of recruiters and inform migrants of regular pathways and associated labour rights, thus facilitating more informed decision-making. For young students seeking higher education abroad, State Governments can provide critical information and tools to avoid misinformation, misguidance and misleading claims.

To address these gaps, IOM India, in collaboration with the MEA and Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), launched the project, “Promoting Regular and Assisted Migration for Youth and Skilled Professionals’ (PRAYAS)” funded by the IOM Development Fund. By strengthening the coordination between State and Central Governments and sharing good practices on matters related to safe and regular international migration, project PRAYAS strives to promote regular and assisted migration, particularly for young people and skilled professionals. It also aims to formulate policy recommendations, fortify state-level efforts and introduce evidence-based initiatives for improved emigration management. The project has already developed a mapping report on global migration trends, assessed state-level emigration initiatives and enhanced systems for timely information on safe migration for internationally bound Indian migrants.

During the project launch on 21 December 2023, the Secretary (CPV & OIA), MEA, Mr Pardeshi highlighted demographic shifts, ageing populations and the global demand for skilled workers as factors contributing to the need for safe and regular pathways.

Some of this work includes sharing best practices on a broader level. In 2023, a multi-stakeholder training on skills mobility partnerships brought together State and Central Government officials as well as private and civil society representatives to discuss skills development for migrant workers as well as those remaining in India. Many states, particularly in southern India, have robust structures in place for up-skilling migrants and facilitating regular migration which other states can replicate with support from the Central Government.

Acknowledging the Government of India’s efforts to create labour mobility corridors through bilateral agreements, Mr Sanjay Awasthi (Head of Office, IOM India) remarked:

Emphasizing a holistic approach, the project is contributing to strengthened engagement between State and Central Governments and will serve as a roadmap for fostering coordination between them, addressing information gaps and promoting regular and assisted migration, particularly for youth and skilled professionals.

The project adheres to Goal 10.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Migration Governance Framework (MiGOF). Furthermore, the project is in line with Objective 3 (Facilitating pathways for Regular Migration) of IOM’s strategic Results Framework.

This story is part of the IOM Development Fund Newsletter. Discover more about their Newsletter here.