New Delhi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the first choice for most Indians who want to work abroad, the Indian Parliament was told citing statistics for the last five years from the Indian government’s emigration office.
V Muraleedharan, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, told Lok Sabha, that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region made up four of the five top destinations to work abroad for both Indian professionals and blue collar workers.
Muraleedharan told Lok Sabha MP Dr Manoj Rajoria, that the United States is the only non-Gulf country among the top five.
The UAE is followed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, US and Oman in the top five destinations for Indian expat workers, the minister adds.
“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 emigrate portal with details of registered recruiting agents in the country,” he added.
“The portal also contains details of the names of unregistered/illegal agents operating in different states,” in order to warn job seekers not to fall prey to fraud.
Under the Indian emigration Act, semi-skilled and unskilled workers traveling abroad are required to obtain prior immigration clearance from the Office of emigrant Protection (POE). Occupations notified to the POE from time to time also require prior emigration clearance.
Over the past five years, foreign workers who need prior emigration permit have come from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, said Muraleedharan.