India, UAE set to revamp rules governing migration of workers

India and the UAE have begun consultations to frame a new agreement on migration of workers that will ensure that the terms of contracts offered by the employers are not altered after their arrival.

The broad agreement was reached during the visit to the UAE of Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, who met UAE Labour Minister Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash earlier this week.

Officials familiar with the process said the agreement is expected to be finalised in two months. "The bilateral discussion has started and the technical teams of both sides will meet in June-July before the ministry of overseas affairs presents the draft to the cabinet," K Ellangovan, Counsellor (Community Affairs) at the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi told PTI.

Once this process is complete, the Indian minister will either visit the UAE to sign the agreement or the UAE minister will tour India.

As per the new regulation, the UAE Labour Ministry will issue labour permits in accordance with details furnished by the prospective employee in India through his recruiting agent.

This is aimed at ensuring that the terms of agreement between an employer and employee are not altered following his or her arrival in the UAE. 

Such cases that have been reported in the past have caused undue hardships to immigrants. UAE is home to a large number of Indian immigrants. 

As a result, suspect recruiting agents in India are being subjected to new regulations. "This is part of the joint project undertaken by the UAE's Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs for the recruitment of skilled workers in India.

"This is going to be the first such agreement between a labour supplying and a labour hiring country," K Ellangovan said.

The UAE is presenting a paper at the International Labor Organisation in Geneva based on this round of agreement, he added.