Return Emigration of Indian Emigrant Workers from the West Asia Report on a Survey of Return Emigrants in Kerala

Return Emigration of Indian Emigrant Workers From the West Asia Report on a Survey of Return Emigrants in Kerala B.A. Prakash Professor, RGIDS Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies (RGIDS) Thiruvananthapuram 695 010 & Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs New Delhi 110 021 February 2013 Return Emigration of Indian Emigrant Workers From the West Asia Report on a Survey of Return Emigrants in Kerala B.A. Prakash Professor, RGIDS Typesetting: Sheeba Jacob Layout: Printaids Laser Media Printed at St.Joseph Press, Trivandrum Published by Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies Thiruvananthapuram 695 010 & Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs New Delhi 110 021 2 4Return Emigration of Indian Emigrant Workers From the West Asia Foreword he global economic crisis of 2008, the worst of its kind since the World depression of the 1930’s created a massive decline in investments, economic activities and employment which also impacted the demand for emigrant workersT in the West – Asian countries. During the post-global crisis period, a large number of emigrant workers in construction, trade, manufacturing, agriculture and domestic services in the West Asia lost jobs and were forced to return to their native countries. These developments adversely affected the interests of almost 5 million Indian migrants in the West Asia. It resulted in large scale return of Indian migrant workers from this area during this period. In this context, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has sponsored a study to examine the trend, pattern and causes of return of emigration from the West Asia to the State of Kerala. The State accounts more than half of the total stock of Indian emigrants in the West Asian countries and heavily relies on their remittances. Currently, Kerala is accounted for about Rs. 50,000 crore every year from the emigrants. The findings of the study are based on a sample survey of 800 return emigrant households in four districts of Kerala. The Study, based on questionnaire, provides a clearer picture of the reasons for return, their current activity status and socio-economic profile as well as effects on return emigrants to make some policy recommendations. I hope the study fills up a much-needs space in the academic research on the phenomena of migration in Kerala, and proves useful to academicians as well as policy-makers and general readers who have an interest in the subject. I congratulate Prof. B.A. Prakash and his team of researchers in the RGIDS, Thiruvananthapuram for diligently carrying out this study and to provide us with some thought-provoking recommendations both for Union and State Government as well as for the society in general. Vayalar Ravi February 7, 2013 Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs New Delhi Government of India Return Emigration of Indian Emigrant Workers From the West Asia 43 4 4Return Emigration of Indian Emigrant Workers From the West Asia Preface he Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India has granted financial assistance to set up a Research Programme on International Migration at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies (RGIDS), Thiruvananthapuram.T The objective has been to conduct research relating to various issues and problems of emigration from Kerala as well as India, to organize discussions with emigrants and return emigrants and suggest measures to improve their socio-economic conditions. As part of the Programme, RGIDS has conducted a study on return emigration from the West Asia and prepared this report. It was Prof. B.A. Prakash, Project Director of the programme who undertook this research project. The study examined the factors contributing to return, country- wise return, the current status and problems faced by the Keralite return emigrants. The data for the study was collected through a sample survey of 800 return emigrant households from four districts viz., Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur and Malappuram. A major finding of the survey is that 71 percent of the return emigrants returned to Kerala during the post-global crisis period (2008-2011). Labour problems such as expiry of contract, compulsory repatriation, low salary, low savings from migration and the decline in employment opportunities arising due to the global crisis are identified as causes for the return. Based on the findings of the study, we have given a few policy recommendations. We are grateful to Shri. Vayalar Ravi, Hon. Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India, for helping us to start the Research Programme. We have also benefited much from the comments and suggestions of Shri. Parvez Dewan, Secretary; Shri. Atul Kumar Tiwari, Joint Secretary and Shri. Shiv Ratan, Director, MOIA for the preparation of the report. I am thankful to Shri. R. Buhril, Protector General of Emigrants and Chairman of the Advisory Committee and its members for their advice and suggestions relating to the Research Programme. Shri. Hidur Muhammed, Director of RGIDS and Prof. G. Balachandran, former Director have given overall guidance for the research project. Administrative support for the study was provided by Shri. N.Niyathi, Registrar and Shri. G. Rajendran Nair, Secretary. Shri. Mohanakumar S. M., Shri. Biju Sundar, and Smt. Gayatri Devi S., Research Associates, have provided the research assistance. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of them. Ramesh Chennithala Chairman Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies 5 4Return Emigration of Indian Emigrant Workers From the West Asia CONTENTS Foreword Preface List of tables Executive summary 13 Chapter 1: Introduction 19 Review of research 20 Objectives of the study 22 Conceptual framework 22 Source of data 26 Chapter 2:Trends and Patterns of Indian Emigration to the West Asia 29 Labour market situation for migrant workers in the West Asia 30 Global economic crisis and fall in demand for foreign migrant workers 33 Trends in Indian emigration to the Gulf 35 Trends in emigration from Kerala 39 Chapter 3:A Survey of Return Emigrants Households in Kerala 48 Demographic profile of the return emigrant households 48 Return emigrants in the sample households 55 Emigrants in the sample households 59 Out-migrants in the sample households 65 Chapter 4: Return Emigration: Country, Period of Return and Causes of Return 70 Country of return 70 Period of return 73 Period of employment of return emigrants 75 Employment and wages prior to return 78 Causes of return 89 6 4Return Emigration of Indian Emigrant Workers From the West Asia Chapter 5: Return Emigrants: Current Status, Social Problems and Economic Effects 93 Current activity status of return emigrants 99 Social problems 100 Effects of return emigration 102 Chapter 6:Socio-economic Profile of Return Emigrant Households 107 Below poverty line households 107 Possession of land 108 Possession of live-stock 109 Ownership and nature of houses 109 Possession of consumer durables 112 Monthly household expenditure 115 Major sources of income 116 Debt of the households 117 Chapter 7: Conclusions and Recommendations 118 Appendix I Interview Schedule 123 II A note on the activities of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department (NORKA) 131 III Kerala Pravasi Welfare Fund Board 133 IV Welfare Schemes of Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs for emigrant workers 134 V Categories of workers whose case Emigration Check is Not Required (ECNR) 138 Bibliography 139 Return Emigration of Indian Emigrant Workers From the West Asia 47 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1.1 Distribution of sample Grama Panchayat / Municipality (M) 26 1.2 Sampling procedure 28 2.1 Number of migrant workers in Gulf Co-operation Council Countries (GCC) 30 2.2 Number of Migrant Workers in GCC countries (1999 & 2008) 31 2.3 Nationals and Expatriates in the GCC Labour Force, 2008 31 2.4 Estimates of Indian migrants in the Gulf Region 1979-1999 34 2.5 Estimates of Indian Migrants in the Gulf Region 1979-1999 (Percent) 34 2.6 Percentage of NRIs in the total population of main Gulf countries in the year 2000 35 2.7 Annual labour outflows from India 35 2.8 Annual labour outflows from India by destination (Number) 36 2.9 Annual Labour Outflows from India by Destination (Growth in Percent) 36 2.10 Stock of Indian Migrants in the Gulf Countries (2008) 36 2.11 Global Crisis and Loss of Employment / Return of Migrants 37 2.12 Estimates of Indian Emigrants in the Gulf (Number) 38 2.13 Estimates on Number of Emigrants and Return Emigrants, Kerala 38 2.14 Number of Emigrants, Kerala, 2003-2011 40 2.15 Emigrants in Kerala: Emigration Rate and share of emigrants 40 2.16 Keralite Emigration by Destination Countries 41 2.17 Keralite Emigration by Destination Countries (Other than Gulf) 41 2.18 Emigrants by Destination (Percentage share) 42 2.19 Number of Return Emigrants in Kerala, 2003 – 2011 42 2.20 Return Emigrants in Kerala: Return Emigration Rate and Share of Return Emigrants 44 2.21 Remittances to Kerala (Rs. Crore) 44 2.22 Number of persons cleared ECR from the office of the Protector of Emigrants, Thiruvananthapuram-(Country-wise) 45 2.23 Number of persons cleared ECR from the office of the Protector of Emigrants, Thiruvananthapuram-(Country-wise & Growth rate) 45 2.24 Number of persons cleared ECR from the office of the Protector of Emigrants, Thiruvananthapuram 45 2.25 Number of persons cleared ECR from the office of the Protector of Emigrants, Thiruvananthapuram (Growth rate) 46 3.1 Distribution of sample Grama Panchayat / Municipality 49 3.2 Distribution of sample return emigrant households 49 3.3 Population in the sample return

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