Abstract:
This is the fourth in a series of Working Papers published by the
CDS on Kerala migration. Unlike the other three, this one is financed by
the Kerala Government and the data were collected in UAE.
The objectives of this Working Paper are to:
- document changes in the labour demand for different
categories of emigrant workers
- enumerate the emigration policies
- examine employment and working conditions, wage levels
and related problems of the Kerala emigrants
- understand the education and training requirements of
future emigrants to UAE.
On the basis of official data, the total stock of Indian emigrants in
the Arab region in 2000 was estimated to be about 30.7 lakhs. Of them,
about 10 lakhs are reported to be in UAE. The total stock of Kerala
emigrants in UAE was about 5 lakhs in 2001.
This paper is noteworthy in a number of ways for its contributions
to our understanding of Kerala migration to the Gulf countries. It gives
the most authentic estimate of the annual remittances to Kerala from the
Gulf countries and from other parts of the world. The average annual
estimate of the total remittances from all countries of the world is Rs
13,815 crores for the period 1998-2000. Remittances from the Gulf
countries alone would be about Rs 12,640 crores.
The paper concludes that changes in the immigration policy of
the UAE government, completion of major infrastructure projects and
economic recession in the region have reduced substantially the demand
for unskilled and semi-skilled labourers in the UAE. The new policies
are related to demographic balancing, emiratization, banning visa for unskilled Asian workers, large-scale mechanisation to make unskilled
labour very expensive, etc. The UAE government has also stopped
accepting applications for visas for unskilled workers from India,
Pakistan and Bangladesh with effect from 18th July 1999. Future demand
will be for categories of skilled workers, technicians, computer workers,
heavy equipment operators, electrical workers and professional
categories such as doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers and accountants.
The future emigrants from Kerala should be equipped to meet the
changing demand for migrant labour in UAE.
Our survey in UAE among the Kerala emigrants revealed that the
largest proportion (36 percent) of workers was engaged in unskilled,
semi-skilled and skilled categories in construction, production and
transport activities. Nearly one-fifth were in professional and technical
work. The other major categories in which Kerala emigrants were
employed were clerical, sales and service activities; more than threefourths of them were employed in regular employment drawing monthly
salaries.
The majority of the Kerala emigrants work for more than 8 hours
per day; and more than one tenth work for about 10 to 14 hours per day.
The major problems faced by several Kerala emigrants in the UAE are
non-payment of salaries, denial of wages and non-wage benefits
stipulated in their work contracts, refusal to release passport and nonpayment of air-ticket fare for return to Kerala. Nearly one-third of the
Kerala emigrants live in worker camps and in the majority of cases, the
number of persons per room range from four to six. The survey found
that 36 percent of the emigrants had a monthly savings of less than 500
Dirhams (Rs 6,000) and another 37 percent a monthly savings of 500 to
1000 Dirhams (Rs 6000 to Rs 12000).
Taking into consideration the changes taking place and envisaged
to take place in the labour market conditions and also the changes in the 3) There is need to review the airfares in routes connecting Indian
airports with the major airports of the Gulf countries. The Ministry
of Civil Aviation, Government of India may appoint an expert
committee to review the pricing policy and fare structure of the
air lines in the interests of the emigration of Indians to the Gulf
countries.
4) There is a strong case for reducing the airport user fees levied in
Kerala. We recommend that the user fee levied in international
airports at Cochin and Calicut should be reduced to Rs.100 per
adult passenger. The fee should be levied from domestic as well
as international travellers, excluding only infants from the levy.
5) We recommend that the name of emigrants and their dependants
who live abroad should be included in the ration cards of the
households and in the voters’ list of the panchayats or
municipalities/Corporations, concerned. In the ration cards and
the voters lists, it may be noted against their names that they are
currently working abroad.
6) We recommend that the state government should direct the
universities in Kerala, State Boards of Technical Education, and
Public Examinations and other bodies which issue certificates
and degrees, to send certificates of verification to the Indian
Embassies in the Gulf countries on a priority basis. For each
application for verification the above institutions may charge a
fee of 100 U A E Dirhams or its equivalent.
7) The State Government may formulate a savings scheme and a
pension scheme for emigrants with the help of banks, insurance
agencies, or mutual funds, based on contributions from emigrants.